Equipment Reviews, Location Reports, and Articles

Equipment Reviews

Lens Review: Canon 24mm TS-E II Tilt-Shift Lens

Jerry Greer puts Canon's new wide angle tilt-shift lens to the test and answers the question: is it worth its very expensive price tag?

Equipment Review: Globalstar Satellite Phone

Ian Plant reviews Globalstar satellite phone service and the GSP-1700 phone, handy for making emergency, personal, and business calls when in the field away from cell service.

Camera Review: Canon EOS 50D

15 megapixels for under $1000, but does it deliver? Ian Plant tests the camera.

Lens Review: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S

Ian Plant puts Nikon's super-wide angle zoom lens to the test . . . on a Canon camera! Could this be the best ultra-wide angle lens ever?

Zeiss F-Mount Lenses (Outdoor Photographer Magazine)

Jim Clark takes a look at three Nikon-mount lenses made by the legendary German lens manufacturer Zeiss. 

Camera Review: Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Ian Plant tests to see whether Canon's new camera lives up to the hype!

Lens Review: Nikon 200-400mm

Joe Rossbach puts Nikon's superlative telephoto zoom to the test at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

Singh-Ray FX

Looking to add an abstract look to some of your nature images? Nye Simmons talks about using some of his favorite special effects filters by Singh-Ray for a more artistic look.

Camera Review: Canon G10

Guy Tal reviews this tiny wonder of a camera, perfectly portable for getting that fleeting shot when setting up your regular digital SLR would take too long.

Lens Review: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens

Joseph Rossbach tests this superb mid-range telephoto zoom lens, perfect for isolated scenics, the occasional macro work, and wildlife.

Lens Review: Canon 24-105mm lens

Richard Bernabe tests this versatile all-in-one lens perfect for shots ranging from wide-angle shots to isolated scenics.

Lens Review: Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens

Ian Plant tests what is arguably the ultimate wildlife lens, shooting white-tailed deer in Shenandoah National Park.

Location Reports

Bisti Badlands: Land of Enchanted Rock (Nature Photographers Online Magazine, September 2009)

Joseph Rossbach visits this "land of enchanted rock" in a recent location review.

Pictured Rocks by Kayak

Visit Ian Plant's website to read a report from his latest photo trip, kayaking along Lake Superior's wild and rocky coast.

Winter in Yellowstone

Famous for summer wildlife, Yellowstone should not be overlooked when temperatures plummet. Ian Plant describes some of his favorite shooting locations within this stark and challenging environment.

Autumn Magic (Wonderful West Virginia Magazine, November 2000)

Jim Clark describes autumn photography in the West Virginia Highlands.

Wonderful Winter Wildlife

Every winter, the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia comes alive with tens of thousands of migrating birds. Ian Plant talks about his favorite species and his favorite locations to shoot this magnificent wildlife event. 

Bisti Badlands

Tucked in the northwest corner of New Mexico lies a fantastic landscape, equal parts of fantasy and whimsy. Nye Simmons describes some of his favorite shooting locations within this haunting and eerie landscape.

West Virginia Autumn

West Virginia holds a secret: its mountains rival New England in tapestries of red, orange, gold, green and blue. Joseph Rossbach discusses some of his favorite West Virginia Highlands locations.

Uinta Mountains

Guy Tal writes about the mighty Uintas, one of the most rugged ranges in the U.S. Rockies, located in his home state of Utah.

Adirondack High

The High Peaks of the Adirondacks are not for the faint-hearted. This enormous backcountry eats nature photographers for breakfast, and then asks for seconds. Ian Plant discusses some of his favorite 'Daks locations.

Rocky Fork Wild

A land of soaring mountains and tranquil streams. A land in peril from development. Jerry Greer takes you on a scenic tour of this special place.

Dragoon Mountains

George Stocking writes about his favorite destination in his home state of Arizona: the fantastic Dragoons, a maze of granite spires and boulders the size of houses.

Chesapeake Bay

Follow in the wake of colonial explorer Captain John Smith. Ian Plant guides you to the Bay's remaining wild places he visited for his recent book Chesapeake: Bay of Light.

Instructional Articles

Selecting the Best White Balance for Nature Photography

White balance, typically used to remove undesired color casts from images, is an important creative tool for nature photographers. Ian Plant's new tutorial explains how it works.

Pro Secrets: How to Photograph Rainbows

Ian Plant's tutorial shows you how to optimize your chances of finding rainbows, and the best ways to photograph them.

Blending Exposures in Photoshop Elements

Richard Bernabe's step-by-step tutorial shows you how to easily and seamlessly blend exposures using Photoshop Elements.

Using Live View for Nature Photos

Live View has become a vital part of the image capture process. Ian Plant's simple tutorial shows you how you can unleash the power of Live View on your nature photographs.

Pro Secrets: Preparing Photos for the Internet

Making your web images look great has never been easier! Ian Plant's tutorial shows you the right way to prepare your photos for display on the internet.

HDR Done Naturally

Joseph Rossbach's latest article, featured in the January issue of Outdoor Photographer magazine, discusses how to use high dynamic range imaging in a natural, realistic way.

Winter Photography Tips

Winter is a wonderful time to photograph, but cold weather can wreak havoc on equipment, fingers and toes. Marc Adamus shows you how to get the most out of your winter photography.

The Goldilocks Equation: How to Get Things "Just Right" (Nature Photographers Online Magazine, December 2009)

Ian Plant takes a humorous look at the importance of keeping your options open when making photographs.

Imposing Your Artistic Vision (Nature Photographers Online Magazine, October 2009)

Ian Plant talks about the art of abstraction as it relates to nature photography.

Photographing Wild Water

Creating powerful and interesting compositions of water is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding of photographic pursuits. Joseph Rossbach offers insight into his wild water technique.

Nature's Magical Moments (Nature Photographers Online Magazine, June 2009)

Learning when once-in-a-lifetime moments will happen, and how to take advantage of them, is of utmost importance for nature photographers. Ian Plant offers some helpful tips to optimize your chances of experiencing nature's magical moments.

Long-Lens Landscapes (Outdoor Photographer Magazine)

Looking for a different perspective of your favorite landscape? Guy Tal discusses experimenting with telephoto lenses.

Dreamscapes

The November 2009 issue of Outdoor Photographer contains a profile of Ian Plant, who discusses how to make "Dreamscapes" using long exposures, night exposures, light painting, and unusual compositions.

Crafting Creative Compositions: An Alliterative Guide to Advanced Artistic Achievement (Nature Photographers Online Magazine, August 2009)

Ian Plant's insightful guide to nature photography composition discusses counterpoint, repeating shapes and patterns, and other advanced techniques.

Isolated Scenics

Jim Clark discusses the art of isolating portions of the scenic landscape while rambling through his favorite haunts in the highlands of West Virginia.

White Balancing Act (Popular Photography Magazine)

What you don't know about white balance can hurt your images. Guy Tal offers some helpful advice.

Be A Photography Rebel (Outdoor Photographer Magazine, April 2009)

Looking to try something different with your nature photography? Ian Plant offers several tips and techniques for standing out of the crowd.

Pro Tips For Better Photography (Outdoor Photographer Magazine)

There are no commandments in photography, but Guy Tal offers simple tips to improve your vision.

Fall Foliage Tips

Autumn is a beautiful time of year, but sometimes the bewildering array of colors can be daunting. Ian Plant shows you how to get the most out of your autumn photography.

Stitching Images

Nye Simmons discusses using shift lenses to stitch multiple images together to form panoramics, or simply for the purpose of making huge prints!

Finding Entropy

Ian Plant encourages letting a little bit of chaos into your image-making to get the creative juices flowing.

How To: Shooting in Earth Tones (Popular Photography Magazine)

Guy Tal discusses how to make stunning black & white conversions.

Breathtaking Alpine Blossoms

Every year the alpine basins and meadows of the American wilderness come to life in a kaleidoscope of color with the return of alpine wildflowers. While these small wonders get the nature photographer's pulse quickening, they can be rather difficult to photograph. Joseph Rossbach shows you how to get great flower pictures.

Go Ultra-Wide

Get up close and personal with your landscape and wildlife images using ultra-wide angle lenses. Ian Plant teaches you how to get the most out of your ultra-wide.

Multiples and Montages

Joseph Rossbach shows you how to create abstract and impressionistic images using multiple exposure, zooming, and panning techniques.

It Doesn't Take a Brain Surgeon

Richard Bernabe delves into the murky dichotomy between rational and creative thought to better understand the process of creating powerful images.