Blog

Magical Tanzania

As a professional nature photographer and traveler I often get asked, “What is your favorite location to photograph nature?” And, while it’s hard to choose a true “favorite” location, East Africa seems like an obvious top choice for anyone, including seasoned world travelers.

If you’re lucky enough to visit East Africa in the flesh, even just once, you will never be the same. For a repeat traveler and workshop instructor one of the things that excites me these days, aside from the obvious plethora of scenery, wildlife and the cultural experience, is seeing the faces on my clients for the first time they venture out on Safari. (more…)

Backing Up: 10 Steps to Peace of Mind When Traveling in the Digital Age

I travel a lot and I need a safe and reliable way to manage my images while on the road. I have employed a very simple back-up system that has worked for me since I started shooting digital with the invention of the Canon EOS 1″D” series camera. In my view the best system is one that is not only simple but also one that is redundant and safe. Here is what I do, step by step, to ensure my images are safe, easy to access and redundant!

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Bosque del Apache 2008 Event

We just finished our very first NSN Photography Series event at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, and I must say it was a huge success!

Our keynote dinner and classroom instruction were held at the Macey Center for Performing Arts at New Mexico Tech in Socorro, New Mexico. Many of our NSN staff were on hand: yours truly, Greg Downing, E.J. Peiker, Chris Klapheke, Royce Howland and NSN’s Event Coordinator, Erin Masters. Our special guest and keynote speaker was Rick Sammon, Canon Explorer of Light and renowned photographer. (more…)

Getting the Most From Your “Better Beamer” Flash X-tender

For years wildlife photographers have been using the “Better Beamer” Flash X-tender™ in order to increase the output of their external flash units when shooting with telephoto lenses, and for good reason – it’s lightweight, convenient and effective. The “Better Beamer” Flash X-tender™ is a compact device consisting of two plastic side arms and a flexible fresnel lens that, when assembled, attaches to the front of your external flash with a Velcro strap. The Flash X-tender™ comes in 5 sizes and fits most popular external flash units. (For model and sizing info see the Flash X-tender™ products page in the NatureScapes.Net store.) (more…)

Processing Digital Images for Web Presentation

Having your images online can help you reach worldwide audiences, whether for the sole purpose of sharing your photos for enjoyment or as a marketing tool for your growing business of nature photography. Participation in an online nature photography community, such as NatureScapes.Net, provides opportunities to post your photos for critique and receive valuable feedback from objective viewers of varying experience levels.

But being faced with exhibiting your images to an online audience for the first time can be nerve-wracking for some. Is the image sized right? Are the colors off? Is it sharp enough, or is it oversharpened? Work to fulfill our photographic vision continues in the digital darkroom and we all want our work to look its best. What are the steps for preparing an image for display on the World Wide Web?

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