The muskox (Ovibos Moschatus) is a massive arctic animal. It weighs up to 400 kg (880 pounds) and measures up to 2.5 meters long (over 8 feet). Although it lived across Europe during the last ice age, it went extinct on the Eurasian continent around the same time that the...
Essays and Inspiration Category Archive - Page 5
Balancing Work and Photography as a Field Researcher
During my one month as an intern at the Crocodile Research Coalition in Belize, I did not take one photo of a crocodile. My group spent most of our nights conducting surveys, searching for the two species of crocodiles present in the Placencia Lagoon to research their populations. We would...
Photographing Critically-Endangered Fijian Iguanas: A Trip Report
Thousands of miles from their nearest iguanid relatives, and across the Pacific Ocean, live the marvelous, critically-endangered Fijian iguanas. I was fortunate to find and photograph two of these species during my time in Fiji. With their extreme rarity and remote populations, almost no high-quality photographs of wild specimens are published.
Photographing the Ring-Billed Gull: A Rarity No More
In North America, the most commonly-known birds are probably the Rock Dove, Mallard, and Ring-billed Gull. The Ring-billed Gull is also one of the most photographed birds in the world, being #21 in eBird’s library with over 120,000 photos! But did you know that the Ring-billed Gull was once fairly rare?
Ice Crystal Photography Documenting an Ephemeral World
Winter is often regarded as the doldrums for nature and wildlife photographers here in Michigan. Despite the unusually warm weather this year, opportunities for outdoor photography have been quite limited, often resulting in gloomy two-hour long outings in the wild yielding little more than a few images of withered brown...
Documentary Photography with a Fuji Camera (as a Nikon Shooter)
Fujifilm cameras are sometimes referred to as the poor man’s Leica. The retro design of some Fuji cameras reminiscent of the famous German camera brand, indeed, but their prices are far from it. Both brands, too, are very popular among street and reportage photographers.
The Alpine Marmot – A Story of Survival
The Alpine Marmot (Marmota marmota) can be nearly a meter long and weigh eight kilograms, or more than 17 pounds. These squirrel-related creatures inhabit the alpine steppes of some of the world’s most dramatic mountain ranges.
Exploring Brazil’s Remnant Atlantic Forest
Somewhere near the meeting of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais lie the partial remnants of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. I recently had the opportunity to explore this fragile region with my wife and see some of the less common species of flora and fauna in South America....
When the Stars Align: The 2023 Solar Eclipse and the Role of Luck in Photography
Well, perhaps a better title for this article would be “when the Sun, the Moon, and some clouds align” as I will be sharing my experience photographing the 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse! It's a story of luck and coincidence, but also a story of being ready for anything as a...
Photographing the 2023 Solar Eclipse from Arizona
I just got back from a trip to the American Southwest where I photographed landscapes, the Milky Way, and a rare annular ("ring of fire") solar eclipse. My bag was filled with lenses that I'll be reviewing imminently - some from Nikon, of course, along with a few Canons and...