Gear Selection

Video Tutorials

How a Pro Landscape Photographer Plans, Packs, and Shoots a Sunset Session (And What Budget Shooters Can Steal From It)

There’s a specific kind of frustration that comes from showing up to a location unprepared. Wrong light, no idea where the sun is going to land, lens choice that doesn’t match the scene. I’ve been there more times than I want to admit, mostly in my early days when I was more excited about getting outside than actually thinking through the shoot. It cost me keepers. Probably a lot of them.

September 16, 2026

Gear Guides

Stop Buying Lenses Based on Specs — Here's How I Actually Compare Them

Stop Buying Lenses Based on Specs — Here’s How I Actually Compare Them I’ve tested hundreds of lenses over the past decade, and I can tell you with absolute certainty: the lens with the best specs sheet is rarely the best lens for your wallet or your work. Here’s the problem. Most lens comparisons focus on MTF charts, distortion percentages, and coma aberrations at f/16. Nobody shoots at f/16. And more importantly, those numbers don’t tell you if a lens feels good to use, holds its value, or actually solves your creative problems.

February 28, 2026