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

Nature

Super Blue Blood Moon Photography Outing

On January 31, 2018, Nebraska had the chance to see the Super Blue Blood Moon just before dawn.  This title breaks down like this

  1. Super Moon: The full moon is near its closest point to the Earth along its orbit making it a percent or so larger.
  2. Blood Moon: The moon will be in a full lunar eclipse causing the moon to have a reddish hue.
  3. Blue Moon: This is the 2nd full moon in 1 Calendar Month.

I set out to try to record this event, something that hasn't been seen in North America in over 150 years.  Unfortunately, the clouds played havoc on my plans, but I was able to get some shots as you'll see in the video below.

2017 Solar Eclipse

It looked like it was going to be cloudy in my neck of the woods near Lincoln so I went out west 90 miles to around Grand Island, Nebraska and had fairly clear skies the whole time.  I had been trying to find #12 welders glass for a week, but everything was sold out (I waited too long), but the morning of, I went and found a welding shop and they had #11, so I snatched it up.  The crazy thing is, his credit card machine was down so thank goodness I had cash.

Almost everything from that point worked flawlessly. There were a few hiccups with my focusing, but they weren't too bad. The only thing that didn't go as planned was the live video of the sky darkening. The camera stopped after 12 minutes for whatever reason, but it was just after the sky got dark so at least we saw that.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with how this video turned out. I think the totality video was worth it all by itself.  Everything else was just bonus.

 

 
Taken with Nikon A900

Taken with Nikon A900

Combination of images taken with homemade lens filter and Canon 70D (color corrected)

Combination of images taken with homemade lens filter and Canon 70D (color corrected)

Screen shot from Sony FDR-AX53 4K video. 

Screen shot from Sony FDR-AX53 4K video.