First Time Out with the Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Macro

Yes, I know the new kid on the block is the 90mm f/3.5 Macro from OM-System, but I’m a little behind the times. I picked up the older 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens for Micro Four-Thirds just a few hours ago, and headed immediately down to the local botanical garden to try it out. My first impression: this thing is tiny and light. I had the Olympus OM-1…

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The Moon in This Photo Is Awesome

I've been really into the concept of "layering" recently. It's the theme of this month's Photo Challenge in my community, which you can find here: https://positivephotocommunity.com/feed This theme is important to me because I want to keep improving as a photographer, and adding "layers" to photographs is one way to do this. You see, this photo is a good one. I like it. I put it on…

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Olympus OM-1: My New Bike Riding Companion

https://youtu.be/UKENrV7z8gI For years now, my spring and summer bike rides have been accompanied by the Fujifilm X100v. I LOVE that camera, but I've moved on to something quite a bit different: the Olympus OM-1 (actually created by OM-Systems.) The Olympus OM-1 is a more-than-capable camera that is small and light, and when I have the 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO lens from OM-System on it, it's one of the…

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My Last Day With the X100v…

I am a gear hoarder. BUT I'm trying to change that. Just sold my Fuji X100v... and although I'm happy it's going to get used by someone, I'm still sad to see it go!  Took one last trip with it yesterday. Here are some photos from my adventure:  This shot is one of the reasons I love the X100v so much. It's just a snapshot. I pointed…

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Professional Photographer Interview with Annie Bailey Photography

I recently had a chance to send one of my main photography inspirations, Annie Bailey, a few questions. Her work has always been something I've treasured seeing. Her images consistently stand out because of her style and use of light, combined with her obvious love of her subject matter. She's one of the best, and I'm honored to feature her here. You can find her on Instagram…

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Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 Review for Fuji X Mount

A while ago I ended up selling my Fuji 16-55 f/2.8 red-badge lens because while I thought it was a really good lens… it was also big and heavy and I had all the focal lengths covered in primes. A year or so later, here comes along the Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 Contemporary lens, and I’ve got to admit, this thing makes me totally miss having a zoom…

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Colbor CL100X Video Light For Photography Review

In 2022, I got more and more into video and photographic lighting. It was part of my quest to get outside my box of being a "natural light" photographer, and instead own up to what it really meant: I was afraid of lighting. So when the Colbor CL100X came in the mail (Full disclosure, Colbor sent me this light, but didn't dictate any conditions and will not…

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Sometimes Art is About DOING

I passed this amazing barn probably dozens of times through the years. Every time I did, I thought: "I'll come back. I don't feel it right now." But one of the things I'm learning is that art and creation, sometimes, is just about DOING. Taking the photo. Putting the word on the page. Dipping the brush in the paint. Sometimes to "feel it" you have to just…

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Easy Home Studio Set-Up for Macro Photography

Creating a home studio for macro photography was far easier than I imagined! Recently I've been noticing the sun setting earlier and earlier, meaning summer is coming to a close. I wanted to build a home studio in order to get ready for the fall and winter and give myself some creative opportunities at home. First, you need a desk. Almost any desk will do, as long…

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Fuji X100v “Color Negative 400” Film Recipe Bike Ride

https://youtu.be/BCdmgqw7xXY The Fujifilm X100v is the ultimate bike ride photographic companion. Small, light, and extremely capable, THIS is the camera to take with you wherever you go. On this day, I rode my bike through some roads in Nebraska looking for roadside beauty. Using the "Color Neg 400" film recipe from Fuji X Weekly created some strong, contrasty images that were pretty cool! All examples below are…

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