I was a little worried about whether I would be writing this Photography News. This weekend I went to the Swiss Alps to photograph one of Europe's most spectacular birds of prey, the Bearded Vulture. My plan was to camp overnight in a mountain valley at 2300m above sea level....
What is Infinity Focus in Photography?
Spend enough time reading about photography, and you'll come across the phrase "infinity focus." It may sound like nonsense - how often do you need to focus on a subject that's infinitely far away?! - but there are many reasons why focusing at infinity can be useful in photography. In this...
The Advantage of an Inconspicuous Camera
There's a saying that goes, "It's not what you do, it's how you look doing it." This is true to a certain extent. A photographer dressed in the latest hunting fashion with a 600mm f/4 lens on a carbon fiber tripod looks impressive. But there are times when simple clothing...
Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3 PF VR S Review
When Nikon added an 800mm S-line prime lens to their roadmap, I had flashbacks to the F-mount 800mm f/5.6E FL. That lens was Nikon’s crown jewel for years – a $16,300 piece of glass that very few photographers could justify. Would the mirrorless version, the 800mm f/6.3 that I’m reviewing today, be any different?
The Sword-Billed Hummingbird: A Knight of the Andes
To date, we know about 377 different species of hummingbirds. The vast majority are found in various habitats in Central and South America. Distinguishing between species takes some practice, as the differences are often subtle. However, the species I'm going to introduce to you today is an exception. You only...
Photography News: Canon Lens Rumors, Tycho Crater Up Close
Spencer’s notes on AI, chatGPT, and the photography world resonate strongly with what I’ve personally been feeling for a long time. For years before the advent of AI in our industry, I was concerned with the “value” side of photographs. What is it that makes an image really worthwhile?
Panasonic Leica Summilux DG 12mm f/1.4 ASPH Review
The Leica DG Summilux 12mm f/1.4 ASPH lens from Panasonic is a fast, high-performance prime lens built for the micro four thirds system. With the full frame equivalent focal length of 24mm and a wide maximum aperture of f/1.4, this lens is built to capture low-light scenes and, if you...
Some Notes on AI, ChatGPT, and the Photography World
One of my favorite expressions is a “sea change” moment. Even Merriam-Webster’s entry for sea change is highly evocative: “Archaic. A change brought about by the sea.” You can imagine a time in the past when the ocean represented the ultimate unknown. To watch the sea, of all things, change, would be grand and terrifying.
The Hard Life of a Predator
Being at the top of the food chain doesn’t mean you’ve got it all figured out. Sure, it’s nice to slither through the woods, swim in the water, or lurk in a burrow, knowing that nothing can eat you. But like everything else in this world, being a predator has its bugs. Literally.
Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro Review
The first serious lens that I ever bought as a photographer was one of Nikon's 105mm macro lenses. It might as well have been glued to my camera. Landscapes, cityscapes, and of course macro photos - 105mm was my go-to focal length for everything. Even though I've moved on from...