Field Notes
Notes on photography process, species observations, location scouting, and what it takes to document the natural world carefully.
Wildlife
January 21, 2025
Winter bird photography at a nature preserve surrounded by feeders — bright plumage against white snow, bare branches, and the challenge of shooting through glass in cold overcast light.
Wildlife
January 20, 2025
A review of the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS and what a backyard feeder setup can unlock — white-throated sparrows, cardinals, and a tufted titmouse at 50 feet.
Macro
January 16, 2025
Following in the footsteps of Wilson A. Bentley, who photographed over 5,000 snowflakes. A humbling first attempt at extreme macro photography of ice crystals before they melt.
Astrophotography
April 12, 2024
The moment of totality: solar filters off, shutter open. Massive solar flares visible around the moon's silhouette and the eerie light of a darkened afternoon sky.
Astrophotography
April 12, 2024
April 8, 2024: a total solar eclipse visible across a wide swath of the US. Setup, solar filters, and a homemade solution for protecting the camera sensor from the sun.
How-To
December 12, 2023
A crystal sphere that bends and inverts the world — and the unexpected challenges of capturing clean, original images through one. Common mistakes and tips for beginners.
Street
May 1, 2023
A day of street photography in Kentucky's capital — the brick castle of the Military History Museum, the river, ivy on a broken window, and a hunt for a striking natural divide.
Macro
December 15, 2021
First outing with a macro lens on a Sony A6000. Tiny shells, sand grains, and the difficulty of keeping wind-blown subjects still long enough to focus.