Outdoor Photography

Cheap Layers, Good Boots, and the Hiking Gear That Actually Keeps You Shooting
Video Tutorials

Cheap Layers, Good Boots, and the Hiking Gear That Actually Keeps You Shooting

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve bailed on a shoot early because I was cold, wet, or my feet were wrecked. Not because the light wasn’t there. Not because I lacked the right lens. Because I was miserable and couldn’t focus on anything except getting back to the car. That’s a gear problem, but not the kind most photography sites talk about. It’s not about your camera body or your filters.

Changing Lenses in a Sandstorm: What Thomas Heaton's Namibia Trip Taught Me About Field Craft
Video Tutorials

Changing Lenses in a Sandstorm: What Thomas Heaton's Namibia Trip Taught Me About Field Craft

There’s a specific kind of panic that sets in when conditions turn bad and your gear is still in the bag. I know it well. I’ve stood on a snowy ridge in Colorado with wind coming sideways, trying to swap a filter while keeping sand and debris off my sensor, wondering why I never actually practiced this move before I needed it. Most of us treat lens changes like something we do at home on the couch.

How to Shoot Outdoor Portraits with a 24-70mm Lens (What Jessica Kobeissi's Detroit Shoot Actually Teaches You)
Video Tutorials

How to Shoot Outdoor Portraits with a 24-70mm Lens (What Jessica Kobeissi's Detroit Shoot Actually Teaches You)

The 24-70mm is the lens I get asked about more than any other. People want to know if it’s worth the price jump over a nifty fifty or a kit zoom, and honestly, the specs alone won’t answer that. What answers it is watching someone actually use one under real conditions, making real decisions, dealing with harsh midday sun and chaotic urban environments. That’s exactly what hooked me on this Jessica Kobeissi tutorial, where she takes a 24-70mm out into the streets of Detroit for a full outdoor model shoot.

Why Your Cold-Weather Gear Is Just as Important as Your Camera Gear
Video Tutorials

Why Your Cold-Weather Gear Is Just as Important as Your Camera Gear

There’s a version of me from a few years back who showed up to a winter sunrise shoot in a hoodie and running shoes. I lasted about 40 minutes before my hands locked up and I was speed-walking back to my car with maybe a dozen frames worth keeping. That was an expensive lesson, not in money lost but in light lost. Golden hour doesn’t wait for you to warm up.