Like many others, Brett Brown took his interest in photography to the next level when planning a trip to Europe. Knowing he wanted to bring a camera, not just a smartphone to document the trip, he bought his first Nikon camera, a D3400. Brett was hooked on not just taking photos but reviewing and editing them as well.
Divorce beach captured in Cabo San Lucas.
So, when COVID 19 hit and travel was no longer an option, Brett’s passion blossomed, as he started experimenting with self-portraits, which led to photographing friends. Sharing his work on Instagram attracted client requests, which eventually led him to establish Brett Brown Photography. Life drastically changed when Brett appeared on the Netflix series Love is Blind and married his wife Tiffany.
Bringing the Basics to the Fore
“I am very much an autodidact,” says Brett. His career outside of photography is in 3D art & design where he worked in the video games and footwear design industry. He notes that most of what he knows professionally is self-taught, by reading blogs and watching a lot of YouTube videos.
“With my background in 3D modeling, I already knew the basic principles of lighting as well as things like form and composition. I also had a lot of experience using photoshop in my career. So, when it came down to learning how to take good photos, it was more of a technical exercise than anything.“
Portrait of Brett’s wife, Tiffany.
Choosing the Right Gear
We asked Brett what made him decide to choose a Nikon for his first camera. He says that Nikon was always top of mind, having remembered the commercial’s he’d seen on TV as a kid.
“I think they subconsciously registered somewhere in my brain, so when I started looking for a camera, Nikon was the first brand I looked at. As I learned more about the various camera models and saw the picture quality and features, I was sold.”
Moving to Mirrorless
Migrating to mirrorless has been a game changer for Brett. Having resisted the initial move, once he made the leap to mirrorless, there was no going back. “Being able to see what my photo would look like with the correct exposure through my viewfinder was huge. I can shoot so much faster and it makes the process much more intuitive,” he says.
In the two years he’s been shooting mirrorless, Brett went from the Z 5 to the Z 6 to the Z 6II. “Each camera was great for my needs at the time,” he says, “but once I started working with video, the benefits of upgrading to the Z 6II became apparent. The photo quality is excellent and the increase in the number of autofocus points is great.”
“Because I’ve been doing more video work recently, I’ve enjoyed the 4K resolution with no crop at 30 fps. I do a mix of photo and video, so I needed a camera that was great at both and the Z 6II is perfect for my needs,” he adds.
Other favorite features of the Z 6II include the built-in VR image stabilization, especially when he’s shooting video and using the SnapBridge app to download images directly to his phone to quickly share them on social media.
Model: Jarren Simmons.
“I’m loving the f/1.8 versions of both the 50mm and 85mm NIKKOR Z lenses. Both are very light and compact which makes them great for traveling or shooting on the go. The focus is sharp with no distortion and the bokeh is beautiful.”
Stepping In front of the Camera
“I guess I started doing self-portraits primarily because it allowed me to learn and work totally at my own pace. If I have an idea or just want to try something new, it’s much easier to get in front of the camera myself instead of hitting someone up and hoping they’re available and patient enough for me to experiment. I also think it’s a way to generally get more comfortable with yourself. I also love the surprise element when people see a portrait of me and ask who took it and I tell them I shot it myself!”
Self-portrait of Brett and his wife, Tiffany.
Turning his Camera on Others
Having a great eye for posing, composition, color and lighting is so important to a portrait photographer. “I think these attributes all work together to make a great picture. It’s what separates just mindlessly snapping the shutter from taking great photos. Each attribute takes time and repetition to become great at. I’m definitely aware of all of these not only when I take a picture but when I’m editing as well.” Brett explains.
Brett does admit that posing is a different type of skill—one that develops from experimenting with self-portraiture, learning how to pose yourself. “If you’re shooting someone else, being comfortable giving direction and making them feel comfortable takes practice and most importantly, people skills. Outside of the technical ability I think making your subject feel comfortable is a big part of getting a great portrait,” he says. Brett adds: “One of the things I enjoy most about photography is that it gives me the chance to work with people in real time which is a nice change of pace from my usual work schedule”.
I bought a Z f to capture personal moments in my life, and this is a great example. This was a casual shot taken during my morning “coffee on the porch” routine. My dog was lying in the sunshine reflected from the glass door of our house, and I liked how the reflections and shadows fell on the ground. Nikon Z f, NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 lens, 1/1000 second, f/2.8, ISO 125.
I bought a Z f to capture personal moments in my life, and this is a great example. This was a casual shot taken during my morning “coffee on the porch” routine. My dog was lying in the sunshine reflected from the glass door of our house, and I liked how the reflections and shadows fell on the ground. Nikon Z f, NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 lens, 1/1000 second, f/2.8, ISO 125.
Photographer and filmmaker Chris Hershman has been a Nikon shooter since the days of the D70S. Currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, Chris spends his days creating video content for a marketing agency, but in his spare time, he enjoys shooting candid portraits—both human and animal. We sat down with Chris to learn more about his approach to personal work and find out how the Z f has transformed how he captures meaningful moments.
“My main camera kit for work is a Nikon Z 8 and Z 6 II, with the “trio” of f/2.8 mirrorless zoom lenses: NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S and NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lenses. Outside of professional use, my goal has been to capture as much as I possibly can on my cameras, rather than constantly getting out my cellphone. That’s what led me to purchase a Z f—a feeling that I wanted to capture some of the most important casual moments in my life on a proper camera. Basically, I want to move from always carrying my gear in a backpack to carrying it in a fanny pack!”
During a quiet moment, our dog Murphy looks out of the window at our local dogpark, wishing he was playing. This was shot with a Z 105mm f/2.8. It’s really sharp and shows all the fine hairs on his face. Nikon Z f, NIKKOR Z 105mm f/2.8 S lens, 1/250 second, f/11, ISO 2200.
Chris explains how the Z f has inspired a new style of shooting in his “off-duty” moments:
“Compared to my main kit, with the Z f, I’m looking to get artful, authentic, and more playful images. I’ve found that the Z f enables experimentation in a way that I really enjoy. I’m reaching for my F mount lenses a lot with the FTZ II adapter, like my old AF DX Fisheye-NIKKOR 10.5mm f/2.8G ED, and a manual focus NIKKOR 50mm f/1.2, to get a distinctive look. I use the Z f’s focus peaking feature with the 50mm f/1.2, which is great for manual focus, even when I’m shooting at wide apertures. I love the Z f’s black and white mode, too. Especially for available light portraits on the 50mm f/1.2.”
Editors’ note: Focus Peaking is a feature in Nikon Z mirrorless cameras that helps with accurate manual focus. When Focus peaking is activated, high-contrast, in-focus areas in a scene are indicated with a colored highlight.
My buddy Micah invited me out to see some live music in Nashville, and I took this portrait at the venue. This was taken with the Z 26mm f/2.8 and SB-300 Speedlight. I snooted the light from the flash with my hand to get a strong vignette. This was a quick “one and done” shot, but I like how it turned out, with Micah peering through the curtain. Nikon Z f, NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 lens, 1/60 second, f/2.8, ISO 250.
While Chris uses manual focus a lot, there are times when he needs the advanced animal and human eye-detection autofocus of the Z f:
“I moved to Nashville this year, and it’s a big dog city, so I’ve started a project taking pictures of dogs and their owners. I’ve been shooting a lot with the Z 26mm f/2.8, getting up really close to dogs running around, and you need good autofocus for that!”
Another portrait of Micah at his home. We were trying to create a storytelling image of an artist in his writing environment. He has these cool stadium seats right outside his front door–this shot was almost an outtake at the end of the session, but it ended up being one of our favorites. Nikon Z f, NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 lens, 1/250 second, f/2, ISO 1250.
While his professional work is all digital, Chris is a keen film shooter in his spare time. He explains how the Z f combines the best aspects of both kinds of shooting:
“I’ve always enjoyed the process of shooting film because it slows you down to really think about your settings. It feels like with the Z f, the designers took what was great about film cameras, and used that to make a really practical digital camera for a modern photographer. There’s something about having mechanical dials that just make you want to turn them, and I’ve found that it gets me in the mindset to expose for a sharable image straight away, rather than relying on post-processing the RAW (NEF) file to get an exactly graded shot, which is what I’d do for my professional work. I use the SnapBridge app. and I have it set up so that as soon as I take a picture with the Z f, it’s automatically transferred to my phone. That’s such a different workflow compared to my usual day-to-day—it doesn’t feel like work anymore. And I think it makes me a better photographer, to be honest.
This is my wife, taken in our house. I wanted to create a really colorful image with bold contrast, and I knew I wanted to shoot in the square format. I used an LED sunlamp behind her, cycling through different colors as we shot. Strobes provided the main illumination with a light modifier to create a strip of light across her eyes. Nikon Z f, NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 lens, 1/200 second, f/2.8, ISO 640.
“If I shoot film nowadays, it’s to stay inspired and separate the experience from my day-to-day professional work. The Z f isn’t going to replace my Z 8 for commercial work, but when I clock off for the day, that’s when I’ll reach for the Z f. It’s the best of both worlds – the experience of film shooting, with the convenience and quality of digital. And it looks good around my neck!”
This was taken enroute between Nashville and Chicago. I had the Z f on my lap the whole time to document the trip. I was lucky enough to have the camera set up for a fast shutter speed and snapped this image from the moving car as I noticed the birds taking off. I shot this using the Deep Monochrome Picture Control. Nikon Z f, NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 lens, 1/2000 second, f/4, ISO 100.
Robert Vasquez explains why getting to know your subjects is just as important for successful portrait photography as gear and technique.
Portrait photographer Robert Vasquez first picked up a camera in 2009. After a breakthrough commission to shoot a high-profile TV host, he left his job in newspaper publishing and moved into full-time photography. In addition to weddings and travel photography, he has worked with some of the best-known actors, television personalities and musicians in Latin America.
Robert started his journey with a D40 DSLR, but he currently uses a variety of Nikon Z system mirrorless equipment:
In my camera bag, I carry two cameras: the Nikon Z 6II and Z 7II. My lenses include the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S, NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S, NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S, NIKKOR Z 50mm MC f/2.8 S, NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S, and NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S. Additionally, I have polarized ND and CPL filters and two flashes.
Although he uses multiple NIKKOR Z lenses for his work, Robert often finds himself relying on just two—the 70-200mm f/2.8 and the 50mm f/1.2, almost always shooting wide open, to maximize background blur:
Depending on the situation and the style I aim to achieve, both lenses offer distinct advantages—the 70-200mm provides a wide zoom range, allowing me to compose portraits from various distances without changing lenses. Its wide aperture creates a beautiful background blur. On the other hand, the 50mm f/1.2 excels for portrait photography, especially in low-light conditions.
When shooting outdoors, I typically use the widest possible aperture setting. This allows me to separate the subject from the background effectively. I keep ISO sensitivity low, and only shoot at shutter speeds over 1/250 seconds to make sure that there’s no motion blur in my images.
The human factor
Becoming a successful creative isn’t just about gear and practical technique, of course. Robert explains that to make a living as a wedding and portrait photographer, “soft skills” are at least as important as technical mastery:
Photography is more than just capturing beautiful images with good composition and excellent lighting; it involves the human factor. To excel as a portrait photographer, you need qualities like emotional understanding, empathy, patience, communication skills, the ability to capture the essence and personality of the subject, and creativity in creating unique and compelling compositions. Continuous practice and a commitment to improvement are also essential. In addition, it’s important to maintain good relationships with your clients, and stay up-to-date with industry trends.
When it comes to making his subjects feel comfortable, Robert stresses the importance of two-way communication, explaining his process as a photographer, and asking questions to understand what his subjects want to get out of the session:
Clear and friendly communication is essential. I explain my process and assure them that I am there to capture their best self. I ask questions to understand their preferences and break the ice, tailoring the session to their comfort. I once photographed the Mexican acting superstar, Kate del Castillo, for a magazine cover. She was tired from traveling, and when she arrived on set, the atmosphere was a bit tense. I decided to turn my camera off and told the team to take a short break. I used the time to get to know her better. We had coffee and chatted for about 20 minutes about her career. Even though the conversation was brief, she became much more comfortable, and she was more relaxed when we resumed the shoot. The pictures I got that day were among the best I’ve ever captured.
Robert’s 5 tips for successful portrait photography:
Get to know your equipment—become familiar with your cameras, lenses, and all your other accessories.
Before you start experimenting with flash or studio lighting, practice with natural light first to understand how it affects portraits. Learn about soft and diffused light on cloudy days and how to use the warm sunlight during “golden hour.”
Always ensure that you focus on your subject’s eyes.
Experiment with shooting at wide apertures. This will help achieve a pleasing background blur that makes your subject stand out.
Make time to build a good rapport with your subject—it will be reflected in the final image.
I love to create magical images for my subjects. This was a mother-daughter photo session in my backyard with our horse. I made the flower crowns for my horse and subjects and waited until golden hour to shoot. The backlight was intense, so I added some fill flash in front to help lift the shadows on my subjects.
“I love to create magical images for my subjects. This was a mother-daughter photo session in my backyard with our horse. I made the flower crowns for my horse and subjects and waited until golden hour to shoot. The backlight was intense, so I added some fill flash in front to help lift the shadows on my subjects.”
D’Ann Boal defines her photographic style as romantic, filled with light and a little magic—and we agree. She is adept at being able to weave stories of love, wonder, peace and gratitude into her imagery. With a studio in a little cottage on her Colorado farm, she’s able to offer her clients the pastures of her farm, nearby country fields and mountain views under sunset skies along the Colorado Front Range.
When I was starting out over a decade ago and still finding my artistic voice, I wanted to create images that were light and airy. But as I’ve grown and found my voice, my style has evolved. The golden light and mountain views of Colorado have made their way into my artistic voice. I love warm, colorful imagery with lots of depth where light is one of the main subjects. My style is feminine and romantic, and I love incorporating flowers and painterly light into my work whenever possible.
“Every year I go down to the lake and take a portrait with my daughter in the water. Stepping away from client work and doing creative personal projects like this photo recharges my creativity and allows me to try new things that I can later apply to client photo sessions.”
D’Ann will add simple props when appropriate—as a statement piece, if you will—so long as it doesn’t compete with the story she’s telling. Less is more. And that can be something as simple as the movement of a flowery dress, bouquet of flowers or boat on the water to add a feeling of timelessness to the image.
Whether it’s a family out in a field in backlight, or a single subject in the studio under moody Rembrandt lighting, D’Ann strives to bring her creative vision to life. Instead of rushing and shooting a ton of images, she’ll slow down to create the photos that align with her artistic vision.
“On a recent trip to Paris, I woke in the middle of the night from a dream I had of a bouquet of flowers turning into butterflies. I’m always so inspired when I visit Paris. No place feeds my creative well more. I knew I wanted to create that portrait when I came home. I hung dozens of silk monarch butterflies with clear twine and got a bouquet of orange poppies to match. I used a few off-camera flashes to create directional light as well as backlight to illuminate my daughter.”
Heirloom Art Creation for Clients
Just as important as the photographs she makes is what she is able to create for her clients. As a professional photographer, it is important to her that the images she’s worked so hard to create get to be seen and enjoyed for years to come.
Whether it’s my own work or for my clients, I create art to be printed. It can be an heirloom coffee table album, prints to tuck on shelves around the home, or big pieces of fine art, my photographs are made with the intention to be shared and enjoyed in tangible form.
Just photographing a client and their family and delivering digital files is not for D’Ann. “I think the saddest outcome a photograph could have is to live on a flash drive collecting dust in the kitchen drawer,” she says. D’Ann explains that “when we sell only digital files, we miss out on the high profitability that selling products provides.” Selling products—prints, albums, wall-art—is a win-win business model. “We can be extremely profitable, while ensuring our clients have memories and artwork they love more with every year,” she adds.
Printed photographs have the power to bring us back in time. They remind us of our priorities. They make us laugh out loud. They are the bottled-up moment of what we love most.
“Inspired by the Dutch Master painters from European art galleries, I love to use light, texture and color to create painterly portraits. For this portrait I used 3 lights, a painted canvas background, and layers of tulle that I picked up from the local fabric store. To get the dark painterly effect, I used Rembrandt light and underexposed by one stop to really embrace the shadows.”
Always a Teacher
D’Ann is involved with The Click Community (formerly Clickinmoms), which gives its community members a place to ask questions, get support, critique photos, and learn. She teaches two workshops as a Click Pro Elite, The Art of Abundance: Business Strategies for the Boutique Photographer and Understanding Light. She has written three self-paced courses on light, editing and storytelling; and also hosts her own Farm & Fairytale Workshop.
D’Ann feels she was born to teach (she does have a Master’s degree in education). She uses Instagram as a way to share her knowledge with behind the scenes videos and photography tips. “I know how daunting it can be to see a polished Instagram page and think everything comes effortlessly,” she explains.”
Photography can be intimidating, so I love to show how easy it can be, or demystify a confusing concept, or simply show how much effort went into getting a shot! Teaching through social media, in-person at workshops and speaking events gives meaning to my work. If I can help others grow, it incentivizes me to keep learning and growing so I have more to share!
“This was a shoot I got to do for a billboard project for ProPrints. I was given a small budget, and tasked to create an image that would go on Colorado billboards. I wanted to create an image with several of my favorite things in a single frame: My girl, flowers, water, and sunset sky. I spent several days making the skirt and waited for a calm evening at sunset to go to the lake to get the shot.”
We’re always interested to learn about those artists who are inspiration to our creators. D’Ann notes that she is influenced by many great creators: “Elena Shumilova’s ethereal use of light has influenced me from the beginning. Meg Loeks is a master and one of the most giving and prolific photographers I’ve met. I love the magical quality of Paige Tingey’s landscape work, and I’m always inspired by Jackie Haxthausen’s creativity. I am also influenced by movies and TV series like the use of light in Queen’s Gambit, the storytelling shots in Anne with an E, the soulful cinematography of the One Hundred Foot Journey, and poetry by Mary Oliver. “
JP explains how he turned his creative process into a dynamic dance video with the Nikon Z 8.
Jesus Presinal (JP) is a breakdancer turned creator (photographer, director, editor) who often turns the camera on himself. You’ll find his gravity defying images at Instagram/officialjpnyc
JP’s creative journey has been long and winding. Starting with drawing, JP moved into music, performing in a rock band, before turning to dance. After years of dancing professionally, JP picked up a camera— specifically the Nikon Z 50. Since then, he has shot with various FX-format Nikon mirrorless cameras, including the flagship Z 9 and the new Z 8. His most recent project, shot entirely on the Z 8, is a visual exploration of his journey as a creator.
The Concept
The video features JP’s brother, playing a younger version of himself as he starts on his creative journey.
At the beginning of the video, I’m asked, “what’s your creative process?” and it cuts right into a shot of a lightbulb. The lightbulb signifies an idea, and the room represents my brain. The video starts with my younger brother playing the younger version of me. Before I was a dancer, I was really into drawing, and I was in a rock band. After that, I danced professionally for 10 years. The whole concept of the video is to lead the viewer through my creative process, to show what inspires me, and what’s flowing through my brain when I create content.
Shooting with the Z 8 handheld, JP moves the camera to match the dynamic movement in the scene.
Most of the time, the camera movement and position are choreographed based on the movement in the scenes. For example, if my brother is spinning clockwise, I will spin counterclockwise with the camera. Let’s say I’m filming someone doing a kick—I want the focus to be on the foot, and for the camera to move with it. That’s where the dancer in me comes out, you know?
Using Features Creatively
The Z 8 can capture video at up to 120 frames per second (120p) in HD and 4K, and up to 60 frames per second (60p) in 8K. In his videos, JP uses framerates creatively, speeding up and slowing down the footage to tell a story.
I love messing around with framerate. I have a dance background, and I edit and shoot as if I was dancing. So having the ability to speed up and slow down the footage in post lets me show the story from the perspective of a dancer, where I can go from regular natural movement, to fast, then super slow, to focus on a moment in time. I was able to pull that off perfectly with the Z 8.
When the Z 8 was announced, I felt like my prayers had been answered. The Z 8 has the power of the flagship Z 9, but it’s small enough that I can take it anywhere. I’m taking photos and shooting video on a regular basis, and I can rely on both aspects of the cameras. The Z 8 is incredibly versatile— I know it’s going to pull off high resolution stills, and it’s also going to give me crisp video.
The feature that stands out is the autofocus tracking. I can trust it completely. This past weekend I was shooting breakdancing, which is very fast and very dynamic. A lot of systems I’ve used in the past will lock onto the subject, but then lose it. With the Z 8, the autofocus finds the subject and stays there.
Settings and Colors
The Z 8’s video footage is incredibly versatile, with options up to 12-bit N-Raw capture offering a massive scope for adjustment in post. But for JP, the colors that come straight out of the camera at standard settings are almost perfect.
I shoot HD and 4K video at standard, default settings, usually 60p, and I export at 24p. I shoot at as wide an aperture and as low an ISO setting as I can. In my photography, I usually shoot at high shutter speeds to freeze the action. I tend to shoot both my stills and video a little dark, so when I edit, I can bring out those vibrant colors. I like the image out of the camera to look like a rainy day. I shot the entire Z 8 video at standard settings. I was going to shoot N-Log, but I loved the way that the standard footage looked on the camera. That’s another thing about the Z series, whatever you see on that screen, is what you get. When I was looking into that screen, I was like, “these colors are beautiful.”
I don’t really need to do much post-processing. I might adjust shadows and highlights, and sometimes I’ll bump oranges and blues. But besides that, these cameras don’t need a lot of editing. A lot of people ask me, “dude, are you using a preset?” and I’m just like, “it’s straight out of camera.”
Having a day job as a Postal Worker in Canada, Jeffrey Ofori works outside, which is great because he’s a flower photographer, though it can be distracting to come upon lovely gardens as he’s delivering mail. But to say Jeffrey is just a flower photographer might not be accurate either, because he loves all genres of photography.
A Daisy just starting to bloom.
Inspiration from Cinematography
My inspiration comes from—believe it or not—cinematography and color grading, [like] when you’re watching a movie or documentary and there are certain scenes that really draw you in and portray a mood or feeling. I combine that experience with all-inspiring mother nature, and when you bring it down to the macro level, a whole other world opens up.
This cinematic moodiness is brought out by altering the hues or colors of the image palette in his images. And it’s created a unique and visible style when you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed and come upon Jeffrey’s images. You instantly know who created them.
I aim for the cinematic moody feel for my flowers when editing. I always go for that vibe. It’s hard for me to take just a picture of a flower and leave it as is, there are a few instances when I barely edit the photo leaving the flower and its natural color and beauty. For the most part I like to have the flower or petals be the main focal point rather than the background and I want the flowers to tell a story.
Jeffrey normally knows in his head how the final image will look before he’s even brought the image into Adobe Lightroom. He says: “When I capture an image, a lot of the time I already know how it will look in post.” He adds: “I tend to have a calming feeling when I look at my final images. I like to give them names, which are sometimes quirky, sometimes serious. Most of the images that stand out to me though, are the ones that I name.”
I’m a huge fan of cinematography, color grading and color theory.
I’ve created my own custom presets that I work with to get the feel I’m looking to achieve. A lot of the time I shoot underexposed with the white balance set to Cloudy, I also always use a polarizer filter to block out the harsh midday sunlight, and I tend to stick to the Golden hours.
Another aspect to his style is that to the viewer, these flowers almost resemble dancers in a way—their petals are dainty, and in the perfect position relative to the rest of the flower. We’d even call Jeffrey’s images “ethereal” which is exactly what he wants his viewer to think. Jeffrey is adept at using texture, depth-of-field, and composition along with his own color style to create macro images of flowers that look as if they’re paintings not photographs.
“I want the [viewer] to bring their own story to what they see and feel when they come across my art. It brings me joy when I hear or read the emotional feedback from people, it’s a humbling experience,” he explains.
The “Blue Ribbon” image (below), which is my most popular and favorite flower it is an African Daisy just starting to bloom and it’s only an inch tall and the petals flow like poured water. With the right Nikon Micro lens these are the kind of results you can get.
An African Daisy just starting to bloom.
No Flowers Were Harmed in the Making of These Images
I don’t manipulate the flowers themselves by adding or subtracting petals but rather I adjust the textures and tones. Like capturing people, every flower is different.
Jeffrey finds many of his subjects in neighborhood gardens and greenhouses. And because he always takes his camera with him, when the inspiration strikes, he’s ready.
I would say 99% of my flower photography is outdoors. I work with what I’m given. I capture flowers as they are in nature. The most I would do is move a leaf out of the way but I don’t cut or reposition the flowers in any way.” The other 1% of the time I capture indoors with store bought flowers but it is very rare, don’t get me wrong, indoor still life flowers are just as beautiful. I just like to shoot flowers in their natural elements and surroundings.
A Dahlia just starting to bloom.
Embracing Nature
A shallow depth of field is probably most important to Jeffrey, he explains, especially close-up. It allows him to manually pinpoint his focus on a certain part of the flower rather than the flower being photographed completely in focus—to turn an image of a flower into a beautiful landscape that fills the frame.
As for color, I change it to how I see it. I’ll use different hues and shades to make you look twice. Most people know what the natural color of the flower looks like, what I aim to do as an artist is make you feel how a flower looks.
I consider myself an artist and the camera is my brush. When I use the quote “a rose is a rose is a rose” what I’m trying to interpret to the viewer is that it’s okay to use your creativity and not follow the norm, dare to be different and become your own. Macro photography is a world within a world where we walk past little things everyday that go unnoticed. If we just take the time and slow down, we can really embrace what nature has to offer. “We are here for experiences not appearances.”
Echeveria Runyonii, completely altered colors.
Jeffrey has quickly gained a following on Instagram, having only joined the social media platform in early 2021. He understands the importance of engaging with followers, interacting with them. Along with regular posts, he replies to many of the comments he receives. “I appreciate that most of my work can be recognized based on my style,” he says.
As a content creator or vlogger, you know that you need to be able to rely on your gear to be able to produce the quality content your followers demand. And that means a camera that you can depend on, like the Nikon Z series mirrorless cameras.
Mirrorless cameras offer more features and functionality packed into a smaller package than the cameras your parents used to use. Sorry mom and dad!
The most important decision to make about a camera purchase is which one is right for your needs. So, you’ll want to think not only of what you’ll use the camera for today but what you might need it for in the future as well.
Mirrorless cameras are smaller and lighter than DSLRs. If you want a super small and compact camera, an APS-C size/DX format model like the Z 30, Z 50 or Z fc would work well for your needs. Need the extra battery life, and robustness of a full frame/FX format camera? You may do well with the Z 5 or Z 6II.
And cameras are not just for taking pretty pictures either. Today’s mirrorless cameras can capture 4K video footage, time lapse videos in-camera and even slow motion at 100 or 120 fps.
Other features that are must-haves in today’s digital age are built-in Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi® so you can quickly and easily transfer photos and video to a compatible smartphone using the free SnapBridge app or transfer them wirelessly to a personal computer.
For the Do-It-Yourself Creator
For those creators who are the director, camera operator and host of your own videos, you’ve got flexible options for changing settings and starting and stopping video without having to walk off of your set to change settings.
The SnapBridge app on your smartphone practically turns your phone into a remote. Or use Nikon’s ML-L7 which is a small handheld remote that lets you control most Nikon mirrorless cameras.
The Creator’s Accessory Kit for Z 30 even gives you most everything you need to get started vlogging including a small handheld tripod/grip from Smallrig that even houses the ML-L7 remote control and a RØDE Videomicro™ microphone (with windscreen).
Why you need a dedicated camera
A mirrorless camera has a much larger and higher quality camera sensor than the one on your smartphone, so images and video you can produce in low light situations will look much better, be sharper, crisper and files will be cleaner with less noise. This makes post-production editing (if you need to go that route) much easier.
Along with the quality from the image sensor, you’ve got a lot more versatility in lens selection with an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera. Choose from ultra-wide and wide-angle lenses to macro lenses, telephoto and super-telephoto focal lengths. The variety of focal length choices can really make a difference in how your content is differentiated from someone using a smartphone (limited zoom or macro capabilities or depth of field control) to really make your subject pop against the background. Lastly, a larger image sensor will be able to provide more resolution, so you can actually crop into photos or video if you need to without the file degrading to the point of being unusable.
On an overcast winter day I noticed I had company just outside my bedroom window. Two very young raccoons lay napping in a tight bundle up in an evergreen brushing up against the house. I left them for a few hours, then noticed they started to become active again as the afternoon grew dark. I eased my camera lens out the window and waited. They were a bit curious of me and dropped down to a lower limb where I captured this photo of one of the twins gazing into my window. These moments of intimate contact are my favorite as a wildlife photographer. As I looked into his world, he looked into mine. They continued down the tree after this brief encounter and plopped into the snow before shuffling off together into the wilderness.
Peeping Tom On an overcast winter day I noticed I had company just outside my bedroom window. Two very young raccoons lay napping in a tight bundle up in an evergreen brushing up against the house. I left them for a few hours, then noticed they started to become active again as the afternoon grew dark. I eased my camera lens out the window and waited. They were a bit curious of me and dropped down to a lower limb where I captured this photo of one of the twins gazing into my window. These moments of intimate contact are my favorite as a wildlife photographer. As I looked into his world, he looked into mine. They continued down the tree after this brief encounter and plopped into the snow before shuffling off together into the wilderness.
Her social handle is Savannah Rose Wildlife, and she’s a wildlife photographer. You could say she’s obsessed with the photographic pursuit of wildlife and splits her time between creating images for herself and as a camera assistant on wildlife documentary jobs. She’s also a tracker and scout.
Living in Jackson, WY allows Savannah access to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks as well as the Wyoming expansive public lands system.
Those interested in taking up wildlife photography will be happy to know that much of Savannah’s grizzly photography is created from the side of the road. Being in a vehicle or over 100 yards away ensures that both you and the bears are perfectly safe. However, she does spend a great deal of time in the woods, searching out elusive animals. And a lot of that time can be spent waiting and watching.
One factor I love about this ecosystem is the amount of opportunity to shoot wildlife you can have right from the road. While I prefer to adventure off on my own, I absolutely take advantage of this as well! I love the accessibility of the area to everyone of every skill level. You can roam into the high alpine backcountry or cruise the expansive road system if you prefer.
The single best tip I have for anyone who wants to elevate their wildlife photography or get into the craft is to familiarize yourself with track and sign. Good fieldcraft and naturalist skills make all the difference in the world. There are droves of excellent resources for all skill levels, from books to apps to websites.
It is of utmost importance to know that wild animals have boundaries you should never cross. When out in bear country, Savannah says to familiarize yourself with bear spray and how to use it in case of emergency. She also carries a GPS spot device with her that is capable of calling search and rescue through a satellite connection.
Fox on a Fence I spent some time with a pair of red fox families in the spring of 2022. The most interesting characteristic about this father fox is he was delivering food to two dens next to each other, each with their own female, with a total of 11 kits. He was rather comfortable with my presence and would use the buckrail fences to dart around the boundaries of the property, which is where I captured this portrait. His winter coat is molting out in this picture, giving him a sort of haggard patchy look.
Ethics in the Woods
To Savannah, ethical photography of wildlife is her utmost concern. And she uses her social platforms to inform and educate her followers.
I believe that it is absolutely paramount that wildlife photographers give back to their subjects in some way. Otherwise, sharing their time is simply exploitative. I’m aware that I trespass in their home, intrude on their time, and I know to some extent disrupt the peace; although I try hard to be as noninvasive as possible.
Be An Ethical Wildlife Photographer
• Feeding or baiting wildlife creates unnatural dependencies on human food sources, leading to conflict, spread of disease, dangerous proximity to roads and civilizations: all result in untimely death. • Unsecured trash is another form of this problematic food conditioning, though largely unintentional, which is why people should be educated on what harmful practices they might be overlooking. • Unethical photography practices like the usage of hounds to tree bears or mountain lions for photography puts an incredible amount of stress on these animals. It is unacceptable to run an animal to the point of exhaustion for some photos. • It is crucial to practice good field ethics when photographing wild animals. That means not chasing animals, putting too much pressure on fragile sites like nests or dens, or putting yourself in a situation where an animal might feel like it needs to defend itself. • Safety of the animal is important. Understand that your presence is capable of disturbing the peace. Always let an animal leave a scene if it wants to.
Challenge your beliefs and contemplate how you can be on your best behavior in our wild friends’ home. They deserve it!
It Girl Three Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep rams swoon as an ewe in estrus passes by them. These iconic animals have one of the more aggressive ruts during the early winter, typically around the time of Thanksgiving. They are quite compelling to watch as the males kick each other in unsavory places, butt heads, and court their ewes while spreading their lips in a humorous flehmen response. On this day, I was laying in the road watching these boys in the snow. It was love at first sight when this pretty lady strutted by.
Favorite Subjects
My all-time favorite subject is the elusive mountain lion. I’ve watched them slink from shadow to shadow under the light of a full moon, careful not to reveal their presence even in the dead of night. I also enjoy spending time with grizzly bears, which are sentient and powerful creatures. Where the cats are shy, the grizzlies are proud. The cats are subtle, the bears are obvious. In addition to these incredible apex predators, my favorite subjects are always the ones that are the most hidden. Nesting Great Grey owls and goshawks, Martens and weasels, pikas and beavers, and the rare boreal owl. Truly, there are just too many amazing creatures to mention!
Gear that needs to last
Savannah notes that she is not gentle on her gear, and neither is the wild. “One of the main reasons I’ve stuck with Nikon throughout my entire photography career is the substantial quality of gear that endures my abuse,” she says.
A big part of Savannah’s photography includes the setup of camera traps. These remote cameras need to survive intense abuse by the weather and curious bears. Even though the cameras are housed in boxes, she explains that bears learn through touch. “They will not hesitate to get their mouth on anything they find interesting. My lenses have been slobbered on quite a bit and sport a few teeth marks as well but so far, they are still producing great quality images.”
Brown Eyed Girl Eye contact with one of the most misunderstood animals in the world. There is something so deeply profound about the coyote’s persistence, and the unfortunate irony to the degree humans persecute animals that nor only adapt to our presence but thrive in the shadow of mankind. Efforts to wipe them out have failed miserably; any time they are knocked down they come back stronger.
What is a camera trap?
A camera trap is a form of remote photography, in which you place a camera in the wild, that captures candid images of animals in their natural habitat, triggered by a motion sensor. The results are unpredictable.
I like to think that the unique quality of the animals’ presence interacting with your [remote’s] premeditated composition is like the subject having autonomy over how their portrait is taken.
Savannah tries to keep her camera traps out all the time but notes they can be laborious to maintain. It’s not as easy as just turning on a camera and walking away. And plenty of factors are outside of your control: severe weather, animals knocking the kit over, humans tampering with the setup, blowing branches setting off false triggers, and animals not behaving how you anticipated.
My gear does often get grief from bears as they are quite curious and tactile creatures. Usually, they take the opportunity to stop and play with the new toy they have found. Last year, I even had a black bear carry a camera to her bed site and chew on the case all night! Luckily, the camera inside survived the ordeal.
The f/2.8 window
I believe there is a vastly important window of creative expression between f/2.8 and f/4 that is worth the investment for my work, and why I use a 400mm lens and not a 500mm or 600mm. I absolutely love razor sharp depth of field in an up-close wildlife shot.
Savannah says the sharpness of an animal’s eyes while the rest of the image falls away into a dreamy background, “actually represents the moment of the encounter as accurately as possible.”
In a close eye to eye encounter, you’re transfixed as you stare into the animal’s eyes, and they stare into yours. My f/2.8 portraits represent this connection to me and that is the story I want to tell in my work.
The extra f/stop is also valuable in that Savannah often photographs at dawn, dusk and night-time, not in bright sunlight, so the fast nature of the lens means she’ll be able to come home with usable images that hold up from the most dramatic conditions.
Patience is a Virtue
I think I very likely have more patience than most. I’m perfectly comfortable sitting in a blind for hours, as long as there’s a chance of something magical happening … My finished work makes it look like I frequently am face to face with wildlife up-close, when in reality most of my hard drives are filled with animals grazing or walking away. The real up close, face to face types of encounters are in the minority for sure.
Savannah says she tries to be more of a “fly on the wall” when capturing animal behavior with her photography. “I believe there is an element of consent in wildlife photography that is not often discussed,” she says. Best-case scenario: the animals she’s photographing are indifferent to her existence. “Every once in a while you’re lucky to have a wild creature approach with curiosity. These fearless, wonderful moments of interspecies connection are what mean [the] most to me,” she adds.
Creating engaging videos
Along with sharing her photographs, Savannah shares her exploits using short videos on Instagram and TikTok, which she finds to be the quickest way to garner attention for her work. She explains: “Creating punchy, engaging short videos is an art form in itself that is still new to me, and I am enjoying learning how to best use this format to reach out to people.” Along with giving context to her images and bringing those stories to life, she’s found them to be a positive avenue for her business, gaining several thousand followers in a day from videos going viral. “A viral post is incredibly helpful for my small business, in which every order placed makes a difference,” she adds.
Big Slidebow. A 39 image panorama of the entire Milky Way arch as captured from the summit of a hike in the Adirondacks, NY. I used my star tracker to capture the star images along with a panorama head mounted to the tracker to make the overlap calculations for each panel seamless and then waited around until blue hour to capture the foreground with the camera in the exact same position. All images captured with my Z 6 and NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S.
Dan Stein has a day job. Nights though, are for astrophotography. Dan—who considers himself to be a creator because as he says, “he’s not simply photographing a scene, but showcasing an experience”—can spend months or years planning for a specific image.
Dan’s foray into astrophotography began when he was a freshman in college and had an assignment to draw the phases of the moon. As he explains it, he can’t draw so he talked his professor into letting him photograph the phases of a moon using a DSLR. That brought an invitation to view and photograph a meteor shower at a nearby dark sky location and as he says, “That night I literally took a shot in the dark and fell in love with astrophotography.”
The Beginning of the World. Over 5 hours of images combined to illustrate the path of the stars as the Earth rotates seen over the Adirondack Mountains, NY. Peak fall foliage and a cloud inversion illuminate the landscape below. All images captured with my Z 7 and NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S.
Why astrophotography?
Astrophotography is rewarding on so many levels. There are nights where you might be half asleep shooting a meteor shower, then BAM! One massive meteor streaks across the sky and suddenly you feel more alive than ever. It is this very sense of pure awe of the show for which the cosmos display for us.
Dan says the more he shoots, the more challenges he’ll create for himself.
There are no boundaries in how I can create a piece that speaks to me. Maybe it is going for an even more difficult hike or trying to achieve even more detail in my shots by mosaicing while tracking or going for a scene that combines elements of both deep space astrophotography and nightscape astrophotography. All of this combined allows for each night under the stars to be even more rewarding.
Astrophotography 101
There are a lot of techniques I use to photograph our sky, oftentimes I combine them as well. I use a portable star tracker which I can take on hikes with me. While this complicates the whole process, the tracker allows me to capture a ton of detail in our night sky.
A star tracker—also known as an equatorial mount—basically allows you to move the camera as the earth moves when taking long exposure photos of the night sky. Without one you won’t be able to take a very long exposure.
Depending on the image being created, Dan may also stack images, combining differing exposures for the sky vs the foreground landscape. Stacking, which uses software in post-production also gets rid of noise and is critical when shooting deep space objects like galaxies or nebulae.
Messier 33, also known as the Triangulum galaxy. 170 30-second exposures were combined taken at 500mm using my Nikon Z 6, Mount Adapter FTZ, with the AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR and my portable small star tracker. Taken from a dark sky spot in PA.
Danscapes
Visit Dan’s website and you’ll see a gallery of Danscapes. We had to ask, just what are Danscapes? They’re Dan’s take on landscapes. “Since I am mostly an astro guy at heart, I figured I would just put a twist on the word landscape by flipping around the letters a bit to spell my name,” he explains.
Nikon Photo Contest Winning Image.By the Bells. The Milky Way setting over the Maroon Bells in Colorado. A record snowpack year allowed for snow to linger around long enough where the summer alignment of the Milky Way atop the snow-capped peaks was able to be captured. I used my star tracker to capture the stars and turned the tracker off to shoot the foreground images in the exact same camera position otherwise both the reflection in the lake below as well as the foreground would have become blurry from the tracker. But I still wanted to get a nice clean and sharp foreground, so in order to reduce the noise due to everything being so dark, I shot a bunch of images all back to back and stacked them. All images captured with my D850 and AF-S NIKKOR 14-24 f/2.8G ED.
Nikon Photo Contest
A couple years back, one of Dan’s nighttime landscapes, By the Bells (above) was one of the winning images of the annual Nikon Photo Contest. Dan says that it’s one of his favorite images of all time. He tells us the story behind the image which features the Milky Way.
Nearly 5 years ago my friends and I went on a road trip through Colorado and the Southwest US. We arrived at the location and I set up my tripod but the sky was 100% clouds. After shining our flashlights around the perimeter of the lake we could see a good number of eyes watching us and decided to retreat to avoid becoming dinner.
The next year, I attempted the shot again. I’d driven offroad for nearly four hours and was on the last leg of my drive when I was stopped by a police officer wondering why I was out at such a late hour. I showed him my camera and explained what I was going to be photographing. The stop had cost me time. I rushed to the location and began my setup. I only had a few minutes to shoot before blue hour began which would wash away the Milky Way. Finally, I got my shot. I had a dilemma though. Stay another 30 minutes and risk missing my flight home to get the foreground and lake stack layers as clean as possible or shoot a quick noisy shot to play it safe. I took the risk, even though I had to be at work early the next morning.
Winning!
I love this image, but I never thought it could win any awards, and a Nikon award for that matter. I honestly thought the email was fake when I received word that I had won. I won a Z 5 full frame mirrorless camera which I use for b-roll/reels.
Being shy about bragging on social media, Dan’s friends took it upon themselves to spread the love on his behalf. He’s received positive feedback in regards to winning and about the image itself.
Dan is one to pay it forward. He’s been fortunate enough to have folks offer pointers when he’s been stuck, and so he feels it’s important to return the favor to people who may seek inspiration in his own work.
I think laying out all of the tools and techniques I use to create my shots also demonstrates the transparency in this process. Often times an astrophotograph can be misunderstood for being digital art or altered heavily, when in reality there is just a significant creative process behind each image.
Messier 31, the Andromeda Galaxy. The relative size of this galaxy is 5x larger relative to the Moon in our sky, however it is too dim to be seen like the Moon. This image consists of only a little over an hour of data taken using my Z 6, Mount Adapter FTZ and AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR with my equatorial mount from the heavily light polluted skies of NJ.
Dark Skies—Few and Far Between
One thing I want to point out is that as light pollution spreads, dark skies are becoming even more challenging to find. Pair that with waiting for the phase of the moon to be where you need it (new moon as opposed to full moon) and the weather to cooperate, then throw in the mix of needing to hike up mountains to capture certain landscapes—astrophotography requires a lot of practice and patience.
Dan says he knows there is still much he can learn. “I encourage anyone who wants to try astrophotography to acknowledge that there will be a lot of ups and downs, learning does not happen overnight,” he says, adding, “it is important to embrace the difficult nights out just as much as the successful ones. Have patience, and remember the skies will be there for us, even if that means going a little further out of the way to find them.”
Dandelion in Madison, AL. Nikon Z 5 converted with an internal 590nm IR filter, AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4D IF-ED lens, f/13, 1/500 sec, ISO 160.
Bald Cypress Boardwalk at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur, AL. Nikon Z 5 converted with an internal 590nm IR filter, NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm focal length, f/13, 1/50 sec, ISO 100.
Chris Baker regularly photographs nature on a different wavelength. Literally. Don’t know what we mean? We’ll explain. Chris uses Infrared (IR) photography techniques to create otherworldly images.
Chris has a day job, as an engineer for NASA and while you might think that photography as an art and engineering are polar opposites of one another, Chris explains that he uses the same thought processes for both.
While photography is considered an art, there is a science and technical side that engages my engineering, problem-solving side. My initial goal was understanding how the camera works, which came very natural for me. Once I had a fundamental understanding of the science of shutter speed, aperture, ISO, lenses, sensor types, and histograms, I felt like I could adapt to any genre of photography.
Another parallel between engineering and photography, is my approach to shooting. When I’m confronted with a scene, I treat it like I would any engineering problem. I go through a logic or decision flow that will guide my creative choices. What lens is required? Am I wanting to control depth of field (aperture) or motion (shutter speed)? Is a filter required? Should I shoot from a high perspective or low?
For Chris, the small details matter. And perspective is used to engage the viewer of his nature and wildlife images. He’ll deconstruct his favorite photos to understand why he’s drawn to them, then look for opportunities to apply those techniques in his own work.
Dandelion in Madison, AL. Nikon Z 5 converted with an internal 590nm IR filter, Mount Adapter FTZ, AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4D IF-ED lens, f/13, 1/500 sec, ISO 160.
Infrared Photography Primer
Chris first ventured into Infrared photography in mid-2021, using a filter on the lens of his Z 6II. Within a short time he was hooked and invested in a converted Nikon camera body the next year.
Chris explains that the Hoya R72 (720nm) filter is a popular starting point for Infrared photography. It produces very strong, traditional monochrome Infrared images because it limits the amount of visible light entering the lens. And with some post-processing finesse, can generate false color images.
“The trick,” he says, “becomes working around the internal IR blocking filter incorporated into DSLR and mirrorless camera bodies.” You’ll need to use long shutter speeds, even on a bright sunny day, up to 30 – 90 seconds, which will limit you to shooting subjects that aren’t moving.
Hays Nature Preserve in Owens Cross Roads, AL. Nikon Z 5 converted with an internal 590nm IR filter, NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 21mm focal length, f/10, 1/80 sec, ISO 100.
Inner Workings of Infrared Photography
Visible light occupies a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths ranging from 380 to 750nm. Infrared is at the longer wavelength, just above (>750nm).
All standard digital cameras have an internal, physical filter that blocks IR wavelengths from reaching the sensor. When converting a camera for infrared, this filter is removed and replaced with a filter that accepts the longer IR wavelengths (rejecting the shorter visible light wavelengths).
If you’re only interested in pure B&W images and maximizing the natural contrast of IR, then an 830nm can be installed that will accept only IR wavelengths (> 830nm). However, if the photographer is interested in generating false color images, a filter is installed with a wavelength cutoff that allows a mixture of visible and IR light. The more visible light allowed, the stronger the false color image. These “color” IR filters will have wavelength ranges from 720nm (weak color) to 470nm (strong color).
Fortunately, special lenses are not required for infrared.
But, photographers shooting with Infrared converted DSLR cameras have to compensate while focusing for the fact that there’s a difference in the wavelengths of Infrared light vs. visible light. You’d do this by either calibrating the focus of your AF lenses to work properly or manually focus and use the red IR focus scale on the lens.
Mirrorless cameras however, due to their design, actually compensate for the focus shift and are ideal for converting to Infrared photography only.
The other issue you may run into with your lens choice is a lens “hot spot” or bright, hazy circle that appears in the center of an IR image mainly due to the anti-reflective coatings on the lens. Hot spots vary in degree with some lenses being unusable and others exhibiting nothing. Mild or light hot spots can be corrected in post-processing. Fortunately, lens databases have been created to characterize hot spot potential and should be consulted when selecting lenses for IR photography.
Lastly, you’ll want to set a custom white balance, either in the camera or in post-processing software. My workflow involves the latter. Even with a proper white balance, the skies in false color IR images will take on a red tone. So, I’ll use Adobe Photoshop to perform a “channel swap”, where the red and blue channels are swapped to restore the sky to blue. Then further adjustments to the other color channels can manipulate the hue and saturation of foliage to yellow or pink or white.
Mardis Mill Falls in Blountsville, AL. Nikon Z 5 converted with an internal 590nm IR filter with an external 16-stop Neutral Density filter on the lens, NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 25.5mm focal length, f/10, 30 sec, ISO 125.
Chris has one Nikon Z 5 that is converted to Infrared with a 590nm supercolor filter.
This filter allows me to produce strong false color images, while still retaining enough contrast to convert into B&W in post-production if I decide to produce a more traditional monochrome IR image.
For scenarios where I know I’ll want a black and white image, I’ll attach my 720nm external filter to limit the visible light even further and isolate more of the IR spectrum.
Eye-catching Subjects
Chris says nature and landscape photography is his first love. Noting that Infrared photography is at its most effective in nature scenes with the way foliage and water and sky contrast. Objects that absorb IR light, such as sky and water, will render very dark and objects that reflect IR will render very bright.
It’s such a different and distinctive look that cannot be replicated in software. I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of taking something familiar and finding a unique way of shooting it, whether it’s trying different lenses or changing camera angles or experimenting with artificial lighting. Infrared is yet another tool to add to my toolbox for this purpose.
With monochrome IR imagery, textures and patterns in nature that are normally hidden by dark greens in leaves or bright colors in flowers become more prominent. In false color imagery, I’m not bound by traditional colors. Trees and grass can become yellow or magenta or pink or blue and give a scene a dream-like or other-worldly quality.
We asked Chris which subjects he felt worked better for Infrared photography.
Any scene with live foliage tends to look better in infrared because the typical green leaves and blue skies are not a dynamic color combination.
Think about the popularity of photographing fall foliage, he explains, where photographers will flock to capture the changing leaves because they’re more interesting and appealing to see. IR offers this same visual appeal but I can shoot in the middle of the day in the heat of the summer and generate a false color image of a tree in pink or yellow contrasted against a deep blue sky. Or, take that same scene and render it in B&W to make the foliage appear white against a black sky giving the scene a wintery look.
Soybean Sunrise in East Limestone County, AL. Nikon Z 5 converted with an internal 590nm IR filter, NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 24mm focal length, f/11, 1/400 sec, ISO 100.
Problem solving
While Chris has a love for nature and wildlife, he says he’ll experiment in most other genres as it satisfies his problem-solving nature. “Each has its own unique challenges and I love that problem solving aspect and opportunity to expand my knowledge.” He also does a lot of macro shooting—of flowers and insects.
He says that the most successful images document some type of interesting behavior.
“To capture those moments requires patience, persistence, a tolerance for bugs, and a willingness to get dirty, as I prefer to shoot from very low angles”, he concludes.
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