The Photography Blog


"It's never just Black and White"








Inspiration and information to help you make the most of your photographic journey”




Fabulous field guides for my favourite destinations. Full of rich detail to help you make the most of your photographic opportunity on location.

Layers of Colour with ICM

Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) is a doorway to opening your creativity. Here I present a hands on guide to getting started, with an emphasis on using ICM to blend colours and textures.



Panning for Gold in Kathmandu

Panning is a simple way to kill an afternoon and make yourself exhausted. The concept is pretty simple: you use a slow shutter speed like 1/30 of a second to separate a moving object from a chaotic background. Hundreds of your shots will be useless. A rare few will be perfection. Those are the ones you show your friends.



Butterflies in Bhutan

I'm going to miss Bhutan when I head home, but this time for the most tiny of reasons. The butterflies. Having a few days to step into their miniature world of scaly wings and hairy heads has been an absolute joy.



Stars Over Uluru

I've written a few articles on the basics of star trails, but the finer details on making your trails look as lovely as possible are often where photographers struggle the most. This article explores the finer points from my annual visit to Uluru to chase the stars.



See What I See

Introducing my new series of streaming videos you can enjoy at home, and see what I see after taking a walk in the park with camera in hand. See what I see as I walk through the images on my desktop and extract precious moments from the RAW files.



Below the Treetops

Two hours drive from Brisbane or the Gold Coast is Lamington National Park and a patch of highland rainforest surrounded by valleys of eucalyptus woodlands. Much of this region is regrowth that has re-established after being cleared by graziers in the early 1900s. Today these forests are home to numerous species of birds, and the cattle have been replaced by tourists. Birders and photographers come here especially to see the Regent Bowerbird, and enjoy a number of other hard to find species.



The art of photography is not about the camera, it's about what you do with it. Change your attitude to change your photography.

Transforming Your Photography

We're talking about how photography can transform a moment, transform the subject, and even transform ourselves. With a little inspiration from Bhutan and the Himalayas we walk through a range of ideas you can focus on to move your photography forward.



The Part For The Angels

Leaving room in your photography for the imperfections and the flaws is a nice thing to do. When we strive for a perfect image, we leave little room for the magic to happen.



What Is A Photographer

When so much of our lives exist in the digital landscape, what does it mean to be a photographer these days and does it matter if your work is never finding its way into a physically printed form?



Slow It Down

Walking with a macro is nice, but only works if you adjust your pace to suit the task. Macro photography is process of exploration. Slow it down. Slow. It. Down.



4K for Minimalists

How much gear do you really need to get started with quality 4K video production? We tend to think that better video is about adding more gear, but smaller rigs and zero accessories is fast becoming the ultimate setup for engaging cinematography.



AI Is Not Your Friend

The lines between photography and digital art have never been more blurred. But what happens when you remove the role of photographer entirely?



Very selected features on the hardware, software and extra wares that help me get the job done.

S-E100 F2.8 Macro for L-Mount

The S-E100 F2.8 Macro lens for L-Mount has just been released by LUMIX, and it’s very different to anything I’ve used on a mirrorless system before. It’s a super compact lens for super small subjects, but delivers super-sized performance and in particular the Autofocus is on a whole other level.



Leica Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH

Another great fast 50mm prime for the L-mount, this time with a seriously impressive build quality that we have come to expect from Leica.



Custom Settings for the LUMIX G9II

I've prepared an outline of my custom setup for the LUMIX G9II, plus a copy of my settings ready to download to your camera and customise for your own needs. A great way to get started and try some of the various features built into this amazing little MFT body.



SD Cards Explained

Shopping for an SD card is frustratingly hard, with so many brands, standards and price points to navigate through. Especially when speed is a necessity rather than a luxury. It's also possible that the best value SD card is a MicroSD card, if you have the right adaptor.



The Worlds Worst Menu System

I'm astounded that Sony have released a camera that is so darned good, yet crippled by a user interface so completely awful. The ZV-E1 is hard enough for a seasoned professional to tame, but a potential road block to be avoided for anyone just starting their journey into photography.



Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 Di III VXD

I travelled in the Himalayas for a few months in late 2023 with this lovely lens. If you're interested in more than just tech specs, and what it's like to work with this lens for an extended time then you've come to the right place.



There's more to photography than just the camera. Looking at the bigger picture is good for your development.

Creatively Valued

Most of the time our clients are wonderful people to work with, because we're helping each other to get where we need to be. But sometimes you end up with a client who actually doesn't value your work at all, and that's a problem in more ways than you might imagine.



Do You Care About AI

The fundamental differences between machine learning and human artistic expression is not something you can teach. It's something you have to experience. That's always going to be the bridge that AI cannot cross.



Photography is My Family

Someone recently commented to me, “I don’t know how you do it all!” Which seemed kind of funny because most of the time I feel like I’m not doing nearly enough. I’m also aware how lucky I am to have the luxury of dedicating myself to my photography in a way that not everyone can. It’s not that I don’t have time for friends and family, it's just that photography IS my family.



Life Without The Algorithm

There's more to photography than being popular. Being genuine counts for something too. In the new frontier of the Fediverse the focus is on enjoying your craft instead of being crafted by the algorithm.



Take it Slow at the Night Market

Last week I shared a series of stills from the Queen Victoria Market, from the reopening of the Night Market. This time I've gone back with my very modest video rig to capture a slow-motion series using the high-speed ability of the Lumix G9 and a single lens.



Free Advice for New Beginnings

If you've suddenly found yourself in the freelance market, or have a very small business that needs to be online instead of on-site, then starting up a web presence is key to your future. I'm offering my time and expertise to help strangers get started on this journey. No charge, I just want to be helpful to other people who are struggling.



Inspiring destinations that offer something unique for photographers. I love sharing the beauty in this world, and sharing why I think you might want to see it too.

Beautiful Chaos

Nepal is a country filled with rough edges. They are numerous, but they are outnumbered. The solution to any problem in Nepal is to simply slow down. Bistari bistari. Slowing down gives everyone a chance to make room, and then move forward. It's the same for photographers.



Expedition Photography Workshops

I’m changing my mix of photography tours and workshops. From 2024, I’m going to be adding a really big ship into the mix. A very lovely big boat that specialises in expedition cruising, and creating unique opportunities for people who love their photography.



Expedition FAQ

This FAQ is for anyone contemplating joining me on an expedition workshop to explore their photography, and explore some amazing parts of the world with me and Heritage Expeditions.



Snow Leopards in Tibet

"The Velvet Queen" is a movie about much more than photographers and snow leopards. It's a call for all humans to connect with our true nature as creatures of the wild.



Doing Our Best

Be Your Best Tours is the natural evolution of my experience in travel. Since 2004 I've been designing and delivering photographic journeys to discerning travellers. Now it's time to make room for people who are happy to leave the camera at home.



Covid and Travel

Expectations of a return to international travel are giving many of us something to look forward to. Myself included. As a professional guide however, the reality of travelling in a covid filled world poses a whole new challenge.





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