A fundamental idea in composition is that you should exclude anything from your photo that doesn’t add to your message. An errant branch, footprints on the ground, whatever harms your story – leave them out of the composition, and you’ll get a stronger photo. But… what if you can’t exclude them completely?
Five Compositional Ideas for Bird Photography
Some principles apply to every genre of photography, including many of the creative and compositional techniques that you use. However, I find that each genre has its own nuances and differences. Today, I'd like to share five compositional techniques that are especially relevant in bird photography. These aren't rules - instead,...
Sony Announces an Ultra-Wide and a Supertelephoto
Announcement season continues in full swing, with Sony announcing two new lenses today: a 16mm f/1.8 G and a 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G. The first is a less expensive (and potentially more practical) alternative to the Sony 14mm f/1.8 GM. Meanwhile, the second is Sony’s longest lens yet!
Welcome Back, Zeiss! 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4 Otus ML Announced
Zeiss announced their newest lenses for digital photographers today – and that’s a sentence I haven’t been able to write for six years! It’s no secret that Zeiss took a long hiatus from the photography world, but now they’re back with a pair of Otus lenses: the 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4.
Panasonic S1R II Announcement: Faster and More Nimble
Panasonic just announced the long-awaited successor to the original S1R from 2019 – the Panasonic S1R II! The new camera has a smidge less resolution (44 vs. 47 MP), but it features big improvements in other areas. Most of all, the new S1R II is more portable and gains a major boost in speed and performance.
Sigma’s Minimalist Camera and Maximalist Lenses
It’s announcement season, and Sigma made waves yesterday with the unveiling of one of the most radically designed cameras that we’ve seen in a long time: the Sigma BF. This full-frame camera is minimalist to the extreme – although the two lenses that Sigma announced alongside it are the opposite of minimalist!
Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro Review
This hands-on review covers everything you need to know about the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro, a lightweight macro lens for Nikon’s Z System. As a true macro lens, the 50mm MC is capable of reaching 1:1 magnification, albeit with a short working distance. Here’s how it measures up!
Photography News: Canon’s Big-Sensor Compact, Lumix S1R II Rumors
Migrating winter birds have not yet arrived at their breeding grounds, but for some birds, courtship is already in full swing. Many owls, including the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) in this photo, are at the peak of their mating season. Take a walk in a park or forest after sunset,...
Double Rarity: A Strange Bird Doing a Strange Thing
Perhaps every nature photographer dreams of capturing some rarity in nature – be it a unique or rare animal or some seldom-seen behavior. Ideally, of course, both at once. I recently published an article that focuses on a rare color variation in birds. Today’s short post has something even more unusual.
Photographing Atmosphere in a Snowy Landscape
In landscape photography, we often look for spectacular and majestic subjects. Imposing mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, or lush forests are powerful and visually appealing. Even more so when shot under dramatic light. However, if you wish to obtain significant images, looking for atmospheres that resonate with our state of mind is...