Thieves in Fort Cobb Oklahoma stole my tripod and gimbal this winter as I was chasing the waterfowl migration south along the central flyway.   While I was certainly disappointed at the unexpected loss, it provided a reason to review the best carbon legs on the market designed for long reach, fast glass.  My own conclusion is that RRS (Really Right Stuff) raised the bar to a new level and surpassed the competition, including Gitzo, in design, performance, and finish. Without a doubt the RRS design is feature rich compared to the Gitzo so if you love genius gear, you’ll have…

The up-and-coming wildlife photographer who chases birds is also chasing their first 400mm lens whether they know it or not. This quest for more reach often leads new shooters to choose Canon because for years they have outfitted bird and wildlife photographers with the most super telephoto and zoom telephoto options. When I mentor aspiring shooters I always advocate the importance of a lens roadmap.   My advice regarding glass purchases is to first determine what your main and secondary subjects will be and build your lens roadmap according to your primary and secondary subjects. Update your lens roadmap as your interests…

When chasing bird in flight (BIF) shots with long reach, heavy, fast glass, a full gimbal head such as a Wimberley supported on a heavy duty tripod will nearly always provide the best results. When I mentor aspiring nature photographers I’m always an advocate of the right tools that allow you to focus on the creative process and support is always a consideration when shooting long reach, heavy, fast glass. While I nearly always shoot birds with a full gimbal and heavy duty carbon legs, when bird portraits are my main subject instead of BIF, there are certain situations when…