Here’s a sampling of photos I’ve taken with the Sony RX100 VII, the latest in Sony’s high-end compact camera line.
Reviews & Tips
Best Books on Macro Photography
I’ve been reviewing a bunch of books on macro photography. Here are my favorites so far.
Understanding Close-Up Photography, by Bryan Peterson | Book Review
This book is a great choice for amateur and enthusiast photographers looking to open up new photographic possibilities by getting in close.
The Garden Photography Workshop, by Andrea Jones | Book Review
Take a masterclass in garden photography as you tag along with a professional garden photographer as she works through the challenges and rewards while shooting a selection of beautiful gardens.
Close Up Photography in Nature, by John and Barbara Gerlach | Book Review
A comprehensive instructional book on techniques and technicalities of capturing photos of flowers and insects you might find in your garden.
Macro Photography for Gardeners and Nature Lovers, by Alan Detrick | Book Review
A review of Macro Photography for Gardeners and Nature Lovers: The Essential Guide to Digital Techniques, by Alan L. Detrick.
Best Online Photography Courses
Whether you’re looking to brush up, dive deeper, or learn a new photographic skill, here’s a roundup of some of the best online courses for photographers.
Photographing Flowers, by Harold Davis | Book Review
A review of the book Photographing Flowers: Exploring Macro Worlds, by Harold Davis.
How to Customize the Control Ring on the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S Zoom Lens
A guide to customizing the behavior of the control ring on the Nikon Z 24-70mm ƒ/4 S zoom lens.
Travel Photography
The Rugged Charm of the Top of the Land of a Million Elephants
The rugged, mountainous terrain of northern Laos is beautiful. While well off the beaten track and not really on the road to anywhere else, Luang Namtha and Oudomxai provinces are well worth seeing.
Zihuatanejo’s Fish Market
There’s much to love about Zihuatanejo on Mexico’s Pacific coast, and the beach fish market is one of the town’s gems.
The Colors of Antarctica
When you think of Antarctica, you probably think of lots of white and blue. I was surprised to find that it’s a lot more colorful than that.
Myanmar’s Scenic U Bein Bridge
U Bein Bridge has become one of Myanmar’s iconic landmarks. Spanning 3/4 of a mile, the foot bridge is reputed to be the longest teak bridge in the world.
Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda
It’s one of the oldest–and from all appearances, richest–of the many pagodas in Sagaing. Sitting high on top of Nga-pha Hill, it was built in 1312.
The Citadel in the Imperial City of Hue
Inside the Citadel walls was once lavish and opulent, with ornate gardens and intricate pagodas. But the Vietnam War was not kind to the Imperial City. Large parts of it are now nothing more than rubble.
Up Close and Personal with the Great Barrier Reef
Ever fancied a pre-breakfast swim with turtles and manta rays? If you’ve ever had a hankering to get up close and personal with Australia’s extraordinary Great Barrier Reef, there aren’t many better ways than a trip to Lady Elliot Island Resort.
Climbing Kilimanjaro: Tips, Gear Recommendations, and What to Expect
Tips and gear recommendations if you’re going to climb Kilimanjaro for the first time. Includes suggestions for choosing a guide, mountain etiquette, and what to expect.
GoPro HERO8 Black SD Card Recommendations
Not all SD cards will work well in the HERO8 Black. Here are some recommendations for which microSD cards are fast enough to keep up with the high-bitrate video recording and burst photo modes.
GoPro Tips
GoPro Charging Cable Guide
GoPro cameras have used three different USB charging cables. Which type of charging cable you need depends on which camera you’re using. Here’s a master list.
GoPro HERO8 Black vs HERO7 Black
Here’s my detailed breakdown of how the GoPro HERO 7 Black compares with the newer GoPro HERO8 Black.
GoPro HERO8 Black Video Modes
A rundown of the video modes and features on the GoPro HERO8 Black.
How to Change the Video Compression Codec on the GoPro HERO8 Black
The GoPro HERO8 Black has two video codecs available for recording video. Both of these produce files with an .mp4 extension. The difference is in how the video is compressed and encoded.
GoPro HERO8 Battery Recommendations
I’ve been trying several options in an effort to find viable replacement batteries for the HERO8 Black. Here’s what I’ve found.
How to Select & Delete Multiple Photos or Videos on the GoPro HERO8 Black’s Media Viewer Screen
When using the media viewer on the back screen of the HERO8 Black, here’s how to select and delete multiple files at once.
How to Switch Between NTSC and PAL on the GoPro HERO8 Black
If you need to switch between NTSC and PAL video shooting modes on the HERO8 Black, it’s not quite as obvious how to do that as it could be. Here’s how to do it.
GoPro HERO8 Black Replacement Side Door that Allows Access to USB-C Port
The new design for the side door of the GoPro HERO8 Black has its flaws, especially if you’re trying to use the USB-C port for external power an an external microphone. Here’s a replacement side door that allows unfettered access to the USB-C port.
Lightroom Tips
Best Lightroom Tutorials & Lightroom Classes for Online Learning
Whether you’re new to Lightroom or looking to dive deeper, here are some of the best places to find Lightroom tutorials, classes, and courses.
How to Filter by Image Orientation of Landscape, Portrait, or Square
If you need to filter out just the portrait (vertical), landscape (horizontal), or square images, you can use the Aspect Ratio filter criteria.
How to Change the Background Color of Single Images in Lightroom Classic
You can change the color of the space behind single images in Lightroom. That can be simply a matter of preference or used as a visualization tool
Can Aurora HDR 2019 Salvage Otherwise Unusable Photos?
HDR is traditionally all about the drama. But it doesn’t have to be all about overly saturated and uber dramatic images. The tone-mapping tools built into apps like Photomatix and Aurora HDR 2019 can be useful for making otherwise blah photos more interesting and perhaps salvaging them as keepers.
How to Change the Thumbnail Image for a Video in Lightroom
Changing the thumbnail image used for videos in Lightroom can be a handy way to provide a more useful visual reference point when you’re trying to find the video you’re after. Here’s how to do it.
How to Trim Videos in Lightroom
Lightroom doesn’t have much in the way of editing tools when working with video files, but it does have the ability to trim the beginning or end of video clips.
How to Customize the Color Labels in Lightroom
Color labels are one of several useful workflow tools in Lightroom. And if you want to customize what text label is paired with which color, you can. Here’s how.
How to Switch between Landscape and Portrait Orientations When Cropping Images
Lightroom has a super quick way to switch between landscape and portrait orientations with the crop tool. Here’s how to do it.
