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My National Geographic Expedition to Iceland, Greenland and the Northwest Passage

In Action Shots, Equipment & Technique, ND Filters, Polarizing Filters, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios, Wildlife by Jay Dickman

Editor’s note: Longtime Singh-Ray shooter and National Geographic and Pultitzer Prize winning photographer, Jay Dickman, takes us through some wonderful images he shot during an expedition he led this past August. You might be surprised to know that these were all taken with the Olympus E-M1 mirrorless four-thirds camera. And, of course, with Jay’s Singh-Ray Galen Rowell neutral density grads, polarizers, Vari-ND and Color Intensifiers, the latter a filter that rarely comes off his lenses. Keeping up with the mirrorless …

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My approach to wildflower photography

In Equipment & Technique, Landscapes, Polarizing Filters, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios by Adam Barker

It’s mid-August, which means depending on what neck of the woods you call home, wildflower season could very well be at its peak. Of all the seasons and natural events I enjoy shooting, wildflower season sits at the very top of the list. It is exciting, dynamic and fleeting. Capturing five-star wildflower landscapes is no easy task. Read on for some simple tips on how you can maximize your time in the field shooting wildflowers this year. 1. Do Your …

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How I Found My Vision

In Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios by Cole Thompson

Our thanks to Cole for sharing his thoughts on a subject that is rarely discussed with such insight. The Angel Gabriel Why do I focus on Vision so much? It’s because I believe that Vision is what makes an image great. It’s what makes the difference between a technically perfect image and one with feeling. It’s what makes your images unique. Great images do not come about because of equipment and processes, but rather from Vision that drives these tools …

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Experience the world through the eyes of an eight-year old

In Landscapes, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios, Wildlife by Jay Goodrich

I believe there are very few creatures on this planet more majestic and powerful than the Alaskan Brown Bear. Most either fear it or think of it as a cute and cuddly being akin to the Teddy Bear. After being allowed to visit with them many times, I believe they are creatures that transcend both sides of that spectrum. This animal possesses great power to defend itself while simultaneously displaying great care for its young. The last few summers I …

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Never be caught without Your Graduated ND Filters

In Corporate/Commercial, Equipment & Technique, Landscapes, ND Filters, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios by Adam Barker

Several weeks ago, I left my house in a hurry in hopes of capturing some late-light images up a local canyon here. Don’t you fret—I was fully clothed! I arrived at the location and began setting up my equipment. Suddenly I was flabbergasted to realize I’d forgotten my filter pouch. All of a sudden, I felt incredibly naked. No…worse. I felt…powerless. Not a good feeling. Sure, there are a few alternative techniques to simulate some effects of filters out there; …

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Explaining how to determine correct exposures for long exposure images

In Corporate/Commercial, Equipment & Technique, Landscapes, ND Filters, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios by Cole Thompson

An acknowledged master of long-exposure photography, Cole Thompson shares his techniques for finding his “correct” exposure, and extrapolating that to dramatically longer exposure times. Getting the correct exposure when using one or more neutral density filters can be challenging. I use up to 18 stops of ND with exposures ranging from 30 seconds to 8 minutes. At first finding the correct exposure was very frustrating and my images were often underexposed and I’d have to resort to guessing at the …

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Wet weather failed to dampen a well-planned visit to Olympic National Park

In Equipment & Technique, Landscapes, ND Filters, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios by Marco Crupi

The next day, I met up with Dustin, a photographer buddy of mine from the Sacramento area. We jumped on the Bainbridge Ferry and headed to the Port Angeles and Olympic National Park area. Driving from the ferry to Second Beach in a heavy downpour, I wasn’t at all confident that I could capture any images. From the parking lot, we hiked about a mile through mud, rain and flimsy wooden bridges to reach Second Beach. What a sight! As …

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Adventures in Costa Rica’s rain and cloud forests

In Equipment & Technique, Landscapes, ND Filters, Polarizing Filters, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios by Fabrizio Tessaro

What would be different about this particular trip, was that — despite the incredible photographic opportunities presented by Costa Rica’s vast biodiversity of wildlife — my focus would be on capturing landscapes of the rain and cloud forests of Monteverde. Our journey would also include a brief jaunt into the northern tropical dry forest area of Guanacaste and Santa Rosa National Park. Finding strong compositions within the tropical rain and cloud forests is challenging. Simply put, these forests are busy. There …

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Fleeing the Canadian winter and discover all the warmth Cuba has to offer

In Equipment & Technique, Landscapes, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios, UV Filters by Dale Wilson

We booked a one-week foray to Cuba in search of palm trees, turquoise waters, great music and an endless stream of piña coladas. This was to be a family holiday, and I’m sure I am not the only photographer who has discovered they cannot diligently shoot while on vacation. As a compromise between my own impulses as a photographer and my respect for the notion that this would be a family holiday, I decided to take just one small carry-on …

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On the narrowest trails in the most faraway corners of the world

In Equipment & Technique, ND Filters, Polarizing Filters, Portraits, Scenes & Scenarios by Nevada Wier

Believe me, my filters are important. In particular three kinds of Singh-Ray filters go with me everywhere. There’s a Hi-Lux filter on each of my lenses, and I also carry a 77mm LB Warming Polarizer and a 77mm Vari-ND filter. Each one of these filters is essential and fits neatly in my camera bag that I have to carry around all day. I keep a Hi-Lux UV filter on each lens because I want the best possible glass between my …