Hagia Sophia is old. Very old. The building that currently stands on the first of Istanbul’s famous seven hills dates back almost 1,500 years and has had a remarkable and colorful history. It’s also a beautiful place to visit.
Reviews & Tips
A Modular System for Charging Camera Batteries
The headline feature of the Watson Duo Charger is that it has swappable charging plates that make it compatible with a very wide range of camera batteries.
Joby Ballhead X Review
While it’s designed to be paired with the Joby GorillaPod Focus flexible tripod, the Joby Ballhead X is very good on its own terms as a small, strong, and affordable ballhead for a travel tripod.
Photos Taken with a Nikon 105mm f/1.4E ED Lens
A collection of sample photos taken using the new Nikon 105mm f/1.4 lens with an emphasis on travel photography.
Review of the Oben BC-166 Dual Action Ballhead
The Oben BC-166 heavy-duty ballhead doesn’t try to do fancy. It aims for no-fuss, rock-solid support and easy adjustment. And it succeeds well.
Using Sigma’s USB Dock for Lens Updates and Tweaking
Sigma has a USB dock for its newer lenses that allows you to update the lens’s firmware and customize some of the lens’s core functions like autofocus and optical stabilization. Here’s how the USB dock works and what you can do with it.
My Current Favorite Powerbanks
A rundown of the external USB powerbanks that have earned a regular place in my travel kit for one reason or another.
New Wide-Angle Lenses from Nikon
Nikon has announced three new wide-angle lenses: a 28mm f/1.4 and 8-15mm fisheye zoom for FX sensor cameras and a 10-20mm ultra-wide zoom for DX sensor cameras.
Platypod Ultra Review
The latest Platypod, the Ultra, is another ultra-mobile and super-flexible mount that can be used as a tiny travel tripod or as a secure mounting point in all sorts of ways.
Places
North Stradbroke Island, Australia
Known to the locals as “Straddie,” North Stradbroke Island near Brisbane separates southern Moreton Bay from the Pacific Ocean. With miles of spectacular ocean beaches and an abundance of local marine life such as whales, sharks, turtles, and dolphins, it’s a popular summer holiday destination.
Waterloo Panorama Virtual Tour
This 360° panorama captures the entire painting inside the Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo.
Climbing Kilimanjaro
We’ve made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. 19,341 feet. We’re on top of Africa, far above the clouds. And though we’re right next to the equator, it’s very, very cold and there are thick ice glaciers.
Newark at Night from the Air
Newark, New Jersey, isn’t exactly known as a jewel of the American northeast. But from certain vantage points, it can actually be quite pretty. Glittery, even.
Fireworks in Chichicastenango
Guatemalans sure love their fireworks. And Chichicastenango, in the Guatemalan highlands, is not a place that considers fireworks only night-time entertainment.
Highclere Castle
You don’t have to be a fan of Downton Abbey to appreciate the beauty of Highclere Castle sitting on a stately hill in the English countryside of Hampshire about two hours west of London.
The Lakes of Hanoi
Hanoi has a lot of lakes. And as you’d expect from a bustling, industrialized city of several million people in a country with a decidedly mixed record of dealing with environmental challenges, most of those lakes are severely polluted. But the lakes provide a respite from the crushing traffic and incessant bustle in other parts of the city.
Ushuaia’s Maritime Museum
It’s the jail at the end of the world. It would have been very cold, very drafty, and, even compared to the low bar set by late-19th-century prisons, altogether rather unpleasant. But if you could sneak to a window, what a view!
GoPro HERO5 Black vs HERO5 Session
The GoPro HERO5 Black and HERO5 Session look very different, but there are also important differences under the hood. Here’s a detailed comparison.
GoPro Tips
Is it Normal for GoPros to Get Hot?
You might have noticed your camera getting very hot to the touch. In general, that’s normal, but there can be some consequences.
How to Format SD Cards in a GoPro
It’s always a good idea to format the SD card in the camera. Here’s a rundown of how to do it with recent GoPro models.
How to Set the Date and Time on a GoPro
GoPros have a couple of different ways of setting the date and time, each with its advantages.
Hands-on Review of the Wasabi Power Clutch for GoPro Cameras
The Wasabi Power Hand Grip is an external USB battery and hand grip in one. It’s a convenient way to add extra battery power to extend your GoPro filming.
Does GoPro Wifi Work Underwater?
Wondering if you can control your GoPro remotely by wifi underwater? An explanation of what’s possible and what isn’t to remotely control GoPros underwater.
Do GoPro Touchscreens Work Underwater?
Wondering if the touchscreen on the back of GoPro HERO5 Black or HERO4 Silver works underwater?
What the GoPro Spot Meter Does
Wondering what the GoPro spot meter does? Here’s an explanation.
New Waterproof Sennheiser Microphone for the GoPro HERO4 Black and Silver
Sennheiser has released a new microphone for the GoPro HERO4 Black and Silver, the MKE 2 Elements. It attaches directly to the camera and is waterproof.
Lightroom Tips
How to Filter Virtual Copies or Master Files
Lightroom has a quick way to separate out the virtual copies from the master versions. Here’s how to do it in the Library module.
How to Post to Instagram Directly from Lightroom
There are several different ways to post to Instagram from a desktop or laptop. Here’s an option for posting to Instagram from Lightroom directly.
Using JPEGmini Pro to Make Files Smaller when Exporting from Lightroom
JPEGmini Pro offers a way to make filesizes impressively smaller when you export JPGs from Lightroom or use with a publish service.
How to Export Photos While Maintaining Folder Structure
If you’re looking to export multiple images organized into folders while preserving the folder structure, there’s a plugin that can add that capability to Lightroom.
Revealing Clipped Highlights and Shadows
Lightroom has a very useful feature that shows you precisely the parts of an image where highlights or shadows are getting clipped as you adjust the settings.
How to Export Square Photos from Lightroom
Here’s a method for exporting square photos from Lightroom without having to create virtual copies or use the crop tool.
How to Make a Contact Sheet in Lightroom
Contact sheets are a throwback to film days, but they still have their uses. Here’s a guide on how to make a contact sheet in Lightroom.
How to Correct Lens Vignetting in Lightroom
Vignetting is a common issue with many lenses, especially at wide apertures. Lightroom has two methods to correcting or reducing it.