Many people ask which type camera or lens they should buy and I always answer them with a question or two. What is your level of experience and what type of photography are you interested in? The truth is a disposable film camera can capture an award winning photo for under $20 and the top of the line DSLR equipped with a lens that cost more than my first

Catching these eco-tourists kayaking alongside a mangrove stand and the birds in flight was no accident; it was planned. Standing on a bridge over the river, I saw the egrets perched in the trees. I didn’t bother taking a shot because, to me, it just wouldn’t have been that interesting; I have way too many photos of egrets already. But, I looked behind me

Nov 1, 2009

I finally had an opportunity to look back and reflect on a great trip to Central America during the earlier part of the month for the Centro America Travel Market held in El Salvador. The trip included rubbing shoulders the Miss Teen Universe contestants, Miss Universe Guatemala (Lourdes Figueroa), and the President of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes. Beyond the

Some people call it Rapid-fire Mode. All Pro Models (DSLR) cameras have it and many Point and Shoot Model Cameras have it as well. A reader in Qatar emailed a question about it today through my website and follows Camera Talk here, so it’s nice to know that In the Know has an international audience and they take the time to ask me questions. For the benefit

Noise can ruin an otherwise great photo. Modern technology in digital cameras, whether Point and Shoot or DSLRs hasn’t quite matched the capability of film cameras, yet. I believe, someday, it may and there are some awesome programs you can buy to squeeze those digital pixels closer together and eliminate some noise, but your best bet is this: Stop the Noise

Fireworks displays can be seen almost anywhere you go in your travels around the world and at almost any time of the year. Capturing a great photo of them presents some challenges no matter what type of camera you use. A lot of Point and Shoot models have an AUTO setting, just for fireworks and they work just fine. If you’re into being creative and want to try

People often wonder how an old geezer, like that guy in my Bio picture, can capture birds in flight, fish jumping out of water or a singer’s eye on a poorly lit stage. It takes practice and a little trick they don’t teach you in camera school. Here’s my secret and I do it without a camera. Every night before I go to sleep, I play Solitaire. There are

Shooting pictures of fish in an aquarium can be tricky and I’ve seen tourists from all over the world firing away with their cellular phones, point and shoot and DSLR cameras; ending the day buying postcards instead of going home with the pictures they wish they’d have been able to take themselves. The worst mistake you can make is using your flash. In most

There may come at time in your travels where you wish to capture a lively performance of some cultural event taking place on a stage. Stage lighting can be tricky and in many instances the use of your camera flash is forbidden. To catch this photo of a very active singer, performing on an outdoor stage at night, I had to use a few tricks other than a tripod and

Anywhere in the world you travel, you’ll come across a crowd. They are at every major tourist attraction with their cameras in hand, clicking away trying to make postcard-perfect photos. What few of them realize is, they are not making best use of the available light and when they get home from their trip and view their snapshots, they’ll be horribly

Probably one of the worst compliments you can give a wildlife photographer is, “Wow; what a lucky shot”! After all, we spend every dime we have buying camera gear and wake up between 4 and 5 everyday to get out before sunrise in search of the million dollar photo. I have climbed trees, spent hours lying on a boulder in the hot sun, low-crawled along beaches

In order to freeze the motion of water you simply shoot at a higher shutter speed. To gain high shutter speeds, you need to have a more wide-open aperture. Where in yesterday’s waterfall shot, the picture was composed so the water created a soft blur (veiled in artist’s speak), today, I wanted to create a clear-water shot and maybe catch some drops or

There are probably more ways to compose a waterfall shot than there are brands of cameras on the market. In this photo I used slow shutter speed. It gives the water the appearance of a mist and does not freeze the motion. It also allowed me to capture the surrounding terrain; the ferns and brush to the left and rocks on the right with relatively clear detail.

Honduras was the first place I had visited in a long time where I had done no legwork, no advanced planning on my part. I didn’t pick up a book or ask the advice of friends. Don’t get me wrong, I did have a trip planned out, but I didn’t do all the normal things I would that created preconceived notions. I just got on the plane and landed in

Everyone, including yours truly, uses Automatic Focus when taking pictures in their travels. It’s probably one the greatest inventions the camera makers came up with, until digital cameras came along and replaced film. There are times, though, that Manual Focus Mode is the only way to go. One example is the Osprey I photographed at the Okinawa City Zoo, in