Photography
Jason O'Flaherty
What are Drop-In Filters?

Curious about drop-in filters and how they fit into high-end lenses like the Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3? When I first encountered them, I found little to no explanation about what they were or how they worked—until I got hands-on. In this article, I break down the mystery behind drop-in filters, show you how they function, and share tips on where to find replacements. Whether you’re a wildlife or astronomy photographer, this guide will help you get the most out of your gear. Click to learn more!

What are Drop-In Filters?
Photography Tutorial
Jason O'Flaherty
11 Secrets to Stunning Zoo Photography

Unlock the secrets to capturing stunning wildlife photos at the zoo. With 11 expert tips, you’ll learn how to transform ordinary zoo snapshots into professional-level portraits. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned photographer, these insights will help you elevate your zoo photography to new heights.

11 Secrets to Stunning Zoo Photography
Product Reviews
Jason O'Flaherty
Ulanzi Cooling Fan

The Ulanzi Cooling Fan is a cost-effective solution for preventing camera overheating, significantly extending recording times for models like the Sony ZV-1 and Fujifilm X-H2. Learn more about its impressive features and why it's a must-have accessory for videographers.

Ulanzi Cooling Fan
Product Reviews
Jason O'Flaherty
Tracking Camera Gear with Apple AirTags

The effectiveness of Apple AirTags in safeguarding camera gear against loss or theft is put to the test. Through real-world experimentation of their functionality, discover how these tags assist in tracking down missing equipment. Finally, the potential security implications of these tags for user privacy are examined.

Tracking Camera Gear with Apple AirTags

Video Editing

Q&A about Adobe and Apple Video Editing

I’ve done a number of videos about the best settings to use when exporting your own video, however, it seems I’ve missed answering some of your questions. In this video, I picked out 4 of them that I thought a lot of other people might have and find out the answers.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. I’ll do my best to answer them in text or maybe make a video about them in the future.

OpenCL or Metal Sept. 2018 Update!

In January, 2016, I had just completed my 2nd video for Flarecorp Media. I had decided to use my MacBook Pro at the time to do the editing instead of my Desktop Windows computer. When exporting, I noticed I had several options for the Renderer in Adobe Media Encoder. I could use OpenCL GPU Acceleration, Metal GPU Acceleration or software only.

Not wanting to waste time in the future on which setting I should be using, I searched all over the internet and couldn’t find an answer anywhere. I decided it was up to me to figure out the answer and let the world know. The results at the time were to use OpenCL and not Metal.

Apparently I wasn’t the only person curious about which setting to use because over the next year, the video climbed week by week on the number of views. It’s success allowed me to become a YouTube preferred partner and start getting monetization (before they changed the rules in 2018). In a way, it was great to have a “hit” video early on in my YouTube career because it gave me a taste for success and showed me that any video could be popular. You never know what people are going to be interested in so all that maters is to just keep making them.

However, over the past 20 months, people have been asking for an update. Is my advice still true with modern hardware, the newer operating systems and new versions of Adobe Products. Well, I finally got access to some newer hardware and that allowed me to FINALLY make an updated video.

So here it is. Is OpenCL still the go to choice or has Metal finally caught up. Find out in the video below.