I’m a serious amateur photographer who shoots wildlife, nature and landscapes. I live in Fort Collins, CO and heading out in the early morning to one of the many local natural areas is my Zen time.
In the last two years I’ve spent time in Grand Teton National Park (saw my first grizzly bears), Nebraska to see the sandhill crane migration, the Palouse region in eastern Washington, Tucson for spring birding, and Sax-Zim Bog in Minnesota.
Upcoming trips in 2024:
- Wray, CO for greater prairie chickens in March
- High Island, TX for spring bird migration in April
- Grand Teton and Yellowstone in June
I started with a Cannon EOS Rebel T5 as my first “real” digital camera. I had a good time with this camera and learned a lot. Then I took a workshop in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2014 and one of the other attendees had an intriguingly smaller camera than the rest of us. He explained it was a mirrorless camera and told us all about it.
I was really interested because the camera (a Fuji) was so tiny by comparison to the big Nikons and Canons everyone else had. It was also a lot lighter – the lenses were smaller and lighter as well. I resolved that my next camera would be a mirrorless. Eventually I made that happen and sold all my Canon gear – it was a great decision for me, I love my Fuji cameras and lenses.
I’m a member of NANPA and the Nature Photographers Network. I’m also a full-time professional web designer and developer.
See more photos at 500px.
Kit Info
Bodies:
Fuji X-H2S Mirrorless
X-T3 Mirrorless
Lenses:
Fujionon XF 150-600 F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR (super high quality, only 3.5 lbs and internal zooming)
Fujinon XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR (super high quality, great for wildlife)
Fujinon XF 70-300mm f/4.5.6 OIS LM WR (a great compromise between reach and weight for wildlife photography)
Fujinon XC 50-230mmF4.5-6.7 OIS II (good quality for the price point, kit lens)
Fujinon XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS II Lens (good quality for the price point, kit lens)
Fujinon XF 1.4X TC WR Teleconverter
Bags:
I’m pretty picky about my bags. These are the keepers (note all backpacks have water bottle pockets).
Think Tank Urban Access 15 Backpack – like a TARDIS it’s small on the outside, huge on the inside. A compact bag for big trips that nonetheless holds both camera bodies, the big 100-400 lens, 3 other lenses and all supporting gear including a 13″ laptop. High-quality construction, highly recommended.
ThinkTank MindShift TrailScape 18L Backpack – my new TARDIS! A wonderful pack for my wildlife kit, it can hold the X-T3 with 100-400 or 70-300 attached and 2 other lenses and supporting gear easily. Super-comfy when full. It also has space for a 13″ laptop or large tablet. Like every bag I’ve had from ThinkTank, very well built.
LowePro Flipside 300AW Backpack – a pack for 2-3 smaller lenses and one camera body.
Think Tank Photo Cable Management 20 V2.0 – a great little bag for storing chargers, cables, card readers and other small parts. One side is clear and it has a handle.
Tripods:
Three Legged Thing Punks Brian Travel Tripod – Got this in 2023 for a photo workshop in Grand Teton. It’s a lot more stable than the VEO for the same weight, and is also a lot taller at up to 73″. Holds up to 30 lbs. The legs unscrew and can be used as a monopod. 16″ when folded and comes with a nice padded bag.
Vanguard VEO 2GO 265HCBM Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod – I got this for my NE sandhill crane migration trip in 2022. Light at 3.1 lbs and holds up to 22 lbs. Also a monopod and has a low-angle adapter. 65.5″ tall. I think it’s hard to find this model now though.