Equipment Reviews

My first serious computer monitor was a LaCie Electron Blue IV, an incredibly heavy, blue beast. It served me well for many years until recently. It can no longer reach the desired brightness, so I had to start looking for an alternative.

At the time when I bought the massive LaCie CRT screen, it was one of the best monitors around. It certainly wasn't the cool way to go - that would have been the flat screens - but if you wanted to see true, solid blacks instead of mere dark grays, a CRT screen was your only option. LCD monitors were regarded as lacking the color accuracy required for photography professionals, and if you wanted to get true black and high contrast, an old school CRT monitor it was.

The Batteries:
PowerEx batteries come in two types – the standard high capacity 2700 NiMH version and the newer “Imedion” low discharge 2400 NiMH version. Both are very high quality batteries that can be charged hundreds of times and have no charge memory (meaning that they can be charged without being drained first). While the standard PowerEx batteries are likely to last a bit longer and recycle a bit faster, the “Imedion” batteries will hold their charge for over a year. This is a great feature as it means that you can have a set or two in your camera bag or flash and know that they will always be ready when you need them most.

Travelling photographers from around the globe have a need for a rolling bag to carry expensive and heavy photography equipment with them on domestic and international flights. Backpacks and shoulder bags can be difficult and uncomfortable to carry with such heavy loads, and small carry-on luggage cases don't do the job well either. Fortunately, with the introduction of the new Think Tank Airport Security V2.0, this challenge has finally met its match.

I recently got back from a wonderful and successful trip to San Diego, California. Because I didn't want to miss any opportunities during my trip, I carried all of the photography gear I own including two DSLR's, two flashes, all of my lenses, support equipment (see full list below) and more. As you can imagine, such a trip requires a reliable, durable and yet practical rolling bag to get the job done.

Editor's Note: The Gitzo GT1541T has been discontinued and replaced by the Gitzo GT1542T since this article was first published.

I love the wilderness. There is nothing quite like the feeling of venturing into the untamed back country and finding yourself in a remote area, seldom touched by man. It is here where the beauty and complete awesomeness of the natural world overwhelms me and fills me with inspiration. Surrounded by nature, away from the chaos of ordinary life, I have the chance to see beautiful sights and interesting creatures many others will never get to experience.

As a nature photographer, I'll admit to shooting the popular landscape icons and easily accessible roadside attractions, but it is the undiscovered and little known places far from civilization that I am most drawn to. These places, I feel, are the most exciting to share, and allow the most opportunity for creative and unique images. They are also where I often feel the most inspired, due in part to their remoteness, and the ability to experience them without a dozen other tourists and photographers getting in the way.