By now you readers know that I only review items that I have actually used, ones that have made my photography job easier… or a living hell! Since I do not allow advertisers on my site, I am beholden to no one and always try to tell it like it is. Of course, I’m always quick to remind you that these reviews only reflect my opinion and you may find the same piece of gear perfect for your needs. Go figure!
With that in mind, here’s my take on Right Angle …

How crazy that we spend $5,000 and up on a camera setup (hey, the D3X body alone is $7,500!!) and we can get tripped up by not spending another $8.69?  That is exactly what I spend on a pair of kneepads at Home Depot. Since I use them pretty heavily when I’m out shooting landscapes, I go through them or lose them pretty regularly, so I like to keep the cost under $10 a pair.
I have found that kneepads can make the difference between a mediocre shot and a great …

To “ogle” means to look at someone flirtatiously or lasciviously, according to Webster’s. So, I invented the term “oogle” (a takeoff on Google, no doubt) to describe a behavior that many of us landscape photographers do.
Perhaps you’ve seen this in action. A pro photographer takes an image and as soon as it pops up on the LCD, he (or she) whips out a little black device from a belt holster or from around his neck, hunches over perilously close to his LCD screen and just… well… oogles.
The device in question …

I recently traveled to Costa Rica, that anomaly of a country where 25% of the land is held in national parks and where eco-consciousness is a way of life, not political posturing.
Two hotels in the capital city of San Jose that I stayed in serve as metaphors for the old versus new way of thinking. The Gran Hotel de Costa Rica is a magnificent structure, built in the heyday of the capital city. It is huge, ornate and, sadly, run down. The marble and wood entryway are impressive, as is …

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve been so damned busy over the last 30+ years teaching others how to improve their photography, I’ve never actually taken a photographic workshop as a participant. I do follow the emerging trends, new techniques, and the latest-greatest advances in equipment. But most of all I pay attention to the younger artists who are not resigned to old ways of doing things. They are the engines that drive our craft forward.
Darwin Wiggett
One of those artists I follow and admire greatly is Darwin Wiggett, a talented Canadian pro …

One of the thorniest challenges for professional and advanced amateur photographers alike is packing for a trip. Every year the situation seems to worsen. Airlines are not only more restrictive than ever, they are also arbitrary and capricious. One time I’ll be let through and on a different leg of the same trip I’ll be stopped and told I cannot take my bag onto the plane. Or I’ll be in a remote location where a bush pilot will severely limit my carry-on bag.
One not-so-humorous incident (at the time) happened on …