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RAW vs. JPEG: Who wins?

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rawjpegIt seems to be one of the biggest debates in digital photography–what’s better: RAW or JPEG? Who wins?

Some pro photographers say JPEG: you should always know the perfect settings for a photo. And others say always shoot in RAW: it’s better quality and you have more power to change things later on.

Well, I think both formats have advantages and disadvantages, so rather than take one side for everything, I’ll run through some of the key differences between them, and then suggest when each format makes sense. [Read more…] about RAW vs. JPEG: Who wins?

How to get sharp photos of birds in flight

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Photo by Vic Berardi
Photo by Vic Berardi
Trying to photograph birds in flight can be frustrating. It may seem like complete randomness at first, but there are actually a few techniques that will significantly increase your chances of getting a sharp photo, some of which are presented in this article.

Although there are many lens choices for photographing birds, our discussion will focus on the medium length hand-holdable telephoto lenses. [Read more…] about How to get sharp photos of birds in flight

11 great resources for night photography

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Photo by Bob / hisglassworks (used under CC-Attr-NC-ND)
Photo by Bob / hisglassworks (used under CC-Attr-NC-ND)
When the sun goes down, you might normally put away your camera and head home or crawl into your sleeping bag, but what about all that wonderful natural light you only find at night?

From the countless stars, meteors, distant planets, to the light of the moon, the night sky offers a pretty spectacular light show! And although the light may be dim, it’s definitely still possible to capture some of it.

I haven’t had a whole lot of experience with night photography, but below is a list of 11 great resources I found this week. I’m looking forward to trying them out soon 🙂 [Read more…] about 11 great resources for night photography

How to find subjects for your macro shots

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(c) iStockPhoto / Johanna Goodyear
(c) iStockPhoto / Johanna Goodyear
One of the things that makes macro photography so interesting is its ability to show us the world as we normally don’t see it: up close and personal.

For this very reason, sometimes it’s hard to find good subjects for macro shots. We just don’t normally look at things up close, and even when we do, it’s hard to see detail with the naked eye.

Sure, you could just pop on your macro lens and look everywhere, but it’s hard to see things through that tiny viewfinder. [Read more…] about How to find subjects for your macro shots

What mode should you shoot in?

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banner2modeHave you ever been confused by all the different modes on your camera? Maybe you understand what each one does, but you’re not sure which mode is best for what. Well, here’s a summary of the most commonly used modes for nature photography: [Read more…] about What mode should you shoot in?

Ever wonder about taking photos from a kayak? Learn a few tips in our latest podcast!

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Photo by Tom Jones
Photo by Tom Jones
Our newest podcast is now available via iTunes or direct download. In this episode, our host Matthew Fletcher discusses:

  • Taking photos from a kayak
  • What’s new at photonaturalist.net
  • Pros and cons of digiscoping
  • Light-weight solutions for long hiking trips
  • Nikon D5000 Service Advisory
  • Release of Filter Forge Freepack 2
  • Software for stitching photos

Download the podcast now!

If you’d like to subscribe through iTunes, click here

Thanks to all those who sent in questions, and although we don’t answer them all in this episode, we may get a chance to answer them in a future episode (or write an article about it). So, stay tuned, and keep sending us your questions! [Read more…] about Ever wonder about taking photos from a kayak? Learn a few tips in our latest podcast!