Canon just announced its newest mirrorless camera, the R5, causing the usual online buzz among photographers. One band of naysayers has me perplexed - nature photographers who use digital equipment but say things like “Never mirrorless!” in response to such announcements. Even though mirrorless cameras have been out for years and are used by many photographers, these negative attitudes persist. Given my own recent experience with a mirrorless camera, my response is “Why not mirrorless?” As I share below, some features specific to mirrorless cameras help remove barriers to creative expression and have enabled me to create photographs that I previously would have passed up due to technological limitations of my equipment.
I certainly do not think that the newest and best technology is necessary to create meaningful, inspiring, and technically sound photographs. And, for people with limited financial resources, spending money on experiences and time in the field is almost always going to be a better investment than buying a new camera. A camera is a tool and a skilled photographer will be able to create with a range of equipment. However, if new technology helps expand opportunities for creative expression, why not have an open mind?
Read MoreI recently facilitated a wide-ranging discussion about photography for an online photo mentoring club and fielded a few questions about gear and equipment. I used those questions as an opportunity to update the "Inside Our Camera Bags" section of our website, which we share in response to the questions we get about our photo equipment. Beyond the typical laundry list of camera gear, we annotate the list to help explain why we use some of these items. While a lot of these things will seem obvious to experienced photographers, we hope this compilation will be helpful to newer photographers who are trying to establish their photography kit for the first time. In addition to this post, we will maintain an updated list here (for anyone visiting well after the publish date for this post).
Read MoreOver the past few years, I have been working on tweaking my cold weather gear so I could more comfortably photograph during the winter and in cold temperatures. After a trip to a very frigid Yellowstone National Park this winter, I think I have finally found a winning combination. No more ice-cold hands, nearly frozen toes, and general cold-weather misery for me!
With so many options for winter gear, I thought it might be helpful to put all of my lessons learned and advice in one spot to help others who want to photograph in winter but are not sure where to start in terms of choosing gear. In this post, I will share some thoughts on using camera gear in cold weather, choosing the right clothing, and some basic tips on being prepared for wintery conditions.
Read MoreOverall, the F-Stop Loka pack is a perfect size for my needs, carries my mix of photo gear very well, and is very comfortable. Since I got the pack in early May of this year, I have worn it on hikes totaling about 35 miles in all kinds of different conditions – raining in the Colorado mountains, freezing on the Colorado prairie, along the Oregon coast, in the Columbia River Gorge (raining again), and in warm weather in Moab. So far, the construction seems very solid and I expect it to last as well as any other well-made pack. I do wish that F-Stop made a women’s version by modifying the hip belt and the shoulder straps (more on that later). That would make it a nearly perfect pack for me.
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