Outdoor Photographer March 2015

With its 24-megapixel sensor and EXPEED 4 processor, the Nikon D750 takes features from Nikon’s other high-end DSLRs, the D610 and D810, to create a powerful tool for nature photographers. Award-winning photographer and Nikon Ambassador Moose Peterson has been using the D750 since late 2014, and he shares his impressions and insights on the standout capabilities of this impressive DSLR. “The image quality is really quite amazing,” says Peterson. “I really like the way it deals with color and white balance. And it does a great job of getting those multiple variable strands of a particular color and bringing them to life, rather than just melding them together. They’re all just very distinct, and that color is very important in my photography.“ To get the best possible performance from the…

Photographer: Marc Adamus Location: Ogilvie Mountains, Yukon, Canada Situation: Marc Adamus creates images to convey the way he feels about a scene. These photographs aren’t meant to be seen as literal recordings of the landscape—they’re interpretations. In this photo, titled “Into The Flames,” Adamus was constrained by image capture technology, so he adapted and overcame those limitations. He explains, “The great mountains of the Far North in Canada’s Yukon were photographed during a backpacking trip across the range. This is three exposures blended by hand to create a scene that I feel best represents what I saw there. It was an awesome show!” In general, no matter how good the camera and lens combination, and no matter how talented the photographer, a picture is a poor substitute for the real…

The appeal of Ansel Adams’ work hasn’t diminished with time. Although some art critics have dismissed Adams as more of a popular culture figure than a true artist, we know better. To dismiss Adams as little more than a product of a time is to fail to recognize the lasting impact he has had on the efforts of conservation around the world, as well as how much of an inspiration he continues to be to photographers everywhere. Pop culture figures fade with time and distance from their specific context; Adams’ legacy is still growing. I don’t own any Adams prints, but if I could, the one I’d buy isn’t “Moonrise,” nor is it the famous image of Half Dome. “Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite Valley,” is the Adams print I’d most…

Stone Butterfly  An avid photographer in his early years, Mitch Dobrowner took a hiatus from serious photography to focus on raising a family. In 2005, inspired by his children and his wife, Dobrowner returned to pursue his avocation as a nature photographer. His richly detailed black-and-white landscapes and dramatic storm photos show the influence the work of Ansel Adams has had on him. See more of Dobrowner’s work in the article by William A. Sawalich in this issue of OP . Montana Sunset Photographing in and around Montana’s Rocky Mountains, David Muench has been using small digital cameras instead of the large-format film cameras that used to be in his pack. In the hands of a craftsman, any camera can produce world-class imagery as Muench shows in this photo, as…

NIKON D5500 Nikon has introduced the next DX-format DSLR to their lineup. The D5500 is the smallest and lightest camera (with a decrease from the D5300 body size by a small 2/10 inches, but a more impressive 2 ounces) while maintaining durability for the avid traveler. The 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor with optical low pass filter removed produces sharp, detailed images with rich color tone. The camera also includes an EXPEED 4 image processor and expanded ISO range spanning 100-25,600. The D5500 is the first Nikon camera to offer a 3.2-inch vari-angle LCD monitor with touch sensitivity for full setting control. The 39-point AF system utilizes 9 cross-type sensors to lock onto quickly moving subjects and shoots up to 5 fps. Video is captured in 1080/60 fps full HD with full-time…

Lens Selection: Con$umer Or Profe$$ional? Q Do you, as a pro, always buy the best lens available, or can you work with some of the less expensive optics? B. Dalton San Francisco, California A If photography is your business, then you need to make investments in equipment that meet your needs and are cost-efficient, just like any other businessperson. Photographers who are under contract to one or another manufacturer, as I am with Canon, may need to use the latest gear to produce images relevant to the sponsor’s needs, but that’s another issue. I typically work with a mixed arsenal of professional and consumer-level lenses. But the real answer to your question is another question: It all depends on what you’re really trying to accomplish with your photography. Most manufacturers…