Explore and Discover Liverpool - A fotoVUE Guidebook by Geoff Drake - On My Bookshelf S07E02
In this special on-location edition of On My Bookshelf I show you how I used the book Explore & Discover Liverpool in the real world to make the most of my short visit to photograph the city of Liverpool.
Using a fotoVUE Guidebook to Explore and Discover Liverpool
If you've been reading this blog or watching my YouTube channel for a while, you'll know that I'm a big fan of fotoVUE books. Over the years they have published a wide range of photography centric guidebooks for locations across the UK and beyond. These guidebooks have been an invaluable guide to me and my photography. They haven't replaced my desire to go out and find my own locations, but they are there when I’m going somewhere new and I need some essential information such as how to get there, where to park, and what I could shoot. They help me make the most of my time at a location.
I have also featured some of the fotoVUE titles on the On My Bookshelf series. You can watch those videos here and you can see how I have put the information in these books to good use in a real world scenario.
All of those videos though have one thing in common though. They were predominately about outdoor or landscape photography (which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise as I am a landscape photographer!) I do also own copies of Photographing London Volume 1 and Explore & Discover Liverpool but these have been sitting on my bookshelf unused I'm ashamed to say. That is until now!
I was planning a trip up to Scotland from Devon to see some family and I thought that rather than driving for 10 hours, I might take a break somewhere. I was scouring through my fotoVUE books looking for somewhere to stop to take some landscape photos when I spotted my copy of Explore & Discover Liverpool. Liverpool is only a small diversion from my route up M6, so it seemed like the perfect place to spend a few hours. And a few hours is all I had so a good guidebook was going to be essential to help me maximise my time in Liverpool capturing photographs.
If you'd like to know more about this book and how I used it to capture photographs of Liverpool I produced this special on location edition of On My Bookshelf. Enjoy!
Buy Explore & Discover Liverpool
*** Use the discount code JULIAN to get 20% off all books at fotovue.com ***
If you want to add Explore and Discover Liverpool to your bookshelf, you can purchase it directly from fotoVUE here - https://fotovue.com/shop/books/explore-discover-liverpool/
My Liverpool Gallery
Here are the photographs I captured while I wandered around The Waterfront in Liverpool
Bite-Size Blog Post #26 - Trevone Thrift
I normally miss thrift season in Cornwall, but not this year! In the blog this week I head to Trevone to capture some photographs of this beautiful pink flower but capturing and processing the images were a little tricky.
That Pesky Thrift
Like most seasonal flowers, photographing thrift not only requires skill but also good timing. There is probably only a two or three week window when the flowers are looking their best. It’s not that you can’t create lovely pictures outside of that window, but if you can get them just at the right time, when the conditions are lovely, you can end up with a superb photograph!
And here lies the problem. The thrift along the Cornish coast is lovely, but the drive is anything between 1.5 and 2 hrs for me, so it doesn’t take much for that journey not to be worth it or even possible. And before you know it, the peak has passed, or sometimes I’ve missed the whole thrift season!
I made a commitment to myself that 2024 would be different. I would fully commit to capturing the thrift! Unfortunately, life got in the way, and I only made to Cornwall twice! I’ll talk about my visit to Bedruthan in a later post, but in this blog post I’m going to share the photograph I captured from Trevone.
The photograph is a three frame focus stacked image. (If you want to know how to focus stack then check out either of my videos here or here). I originally shot the sequence using four frames, with the last frame being a longer exposure to smooth out the sea. Capturing the four frame was tricky as the light on cliff tops would change too much between the first and forth frames.
I did manage to get a couple of four frame sequences, but the post processing proved too tricky. The frames would focus stack, but it would then involve a lot of manual blending in photoshop between the short exposure frame and the long exposure frame. I’m sure someone with greater Photoshop skills than me might have managed it, but I gave up in the end!
As it turned out, I rather like the three image stack with its rougher sea. Either way, at least I have a photograph of the thrift looking its best!
Trevone Thrift, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/8, 1/60 sec at ISO 64, three image focus stack.
Bite-Size Blog Post #24 - Yes Tor
I'm on a journey to expand my creative toolbox to include black and white photography. Find out in this blog post why my Dartmoor photography is changing.
Are My Tastes Maturing?
My kids have a limited palette when it comes to the foods they eat. There was a phase that if the food wasn’t yellow and it hadn’t came from the freezer, they wouldn’t eat it! I was certainly no different at that age, living on a steady diet of turkey drummers. But as I got older my tastes changed, and by the time I had a “proper” job I was eating at restaurants and drinking wine. Ginger beer and heavily processed turkey breaded drumsticks were not on the menu.
Much in the same way my food palette has expanded, it looks like my photographing style is expanding to include black & white photography. I’ve always been able to appreciate a good black & white landscape photograph, but I’ve never been able to effectively translate the style into my own photographs.
Yes Tor, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/13, 1/15 sec at ISO 64.
Life Without Colour
Recently though I’ve started taking more black & white photographs, especially of my local area, Dartmoor National Park. I admit, my first few black & white Dartmoor photographs were hasty conversions in an effort to save a mediocre shot, but I have now started to look at what the world would look like without colour.
I would classify myself as a classic landscape photographer and this I believe is reflected in the photographs I capture of Dartmoor. Lots of big open views taken during the golden hours. I like to think of these photographs as showing off Dartmoor in its best light. And while these photographs a true representation of Dartmoor, those conditions can be rare. Frustratingly rare!
It’s from that frustration that my interest in photographing Dartmoor in black & white has come about. Being able to see Dartmoor in a way that suits the conditions has freed me a little from the constraints of only being pleased when there is a certain type of light.
Cosdon Hill, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 56mm, f/13, 1/20 sec at ISO 64.
Previsualtion
One of the reasons I am starting to photograph Dartmoor more in black and white is the effectiveness of Picture Controls on my Nikon Z8. In particular the Picture Control “deep tone monochrome” has become invaluable in helping me previsualise a Dartmoor photograph in black and white. Being able to previsualise the scene in black & white on my camera has freed me from the guilt of believing I’m only converting as a last resort
And now that Lightroom also has that profile built in, I have to do a lot less guess work in getting the photograph to look the way I saw it on the back of the camera when I captured it.
Hunt Tor, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-10mm f/4 S at 120mm, f/13, 1/20 sec at ISO 64.
The End of Colour in My Dartmoor Photographs?
As much as I have and will continue to enjoy taking Dartmoor photographs in black and white, this does not mean the end of colour for me. Far from it. Getting up early in the morning and experiencing the joy of a glorious sunrise is something I will always love to witness and to photograph.
What black and white gives me though is another tool in my creative toolbox. Something that I have in my portfolio of photography styles, rather than something to fall back on. I know what all you hardcore black and white photographers are saying…what took you so long! All I can say is, it doesn’t matter how long it took me to get here, the point is that I’m here, and I love it.
Yes Tor, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-10mm f/4 S at 26mm, f/13, 1/20 sec at ISO 64.
Bite-Size Blog Post #20 - Ger Tor - Dartmoor National Park
A trip to Ger Tor on Dartmoor where I expected nothing and got something!
Just Out for a Wander
Most of my decisions to go out with the camera are based on what the weather is doing. Will the time, effort, and cost of going result in the reasonable likelihood of capturing a good landscape photograph? This approach might sound like it lacks any spontaneity, and to a certain extent it does, but with limited resources and availability, I need to be pragmatic about these things sometimes. However, life isn't always about making pragmatic or even the best decisions. Sometimes you just want to throw caution to the wind and go out for a walk.
I had a spare evening a few weeks ago, and while the weather forecast didn't look great for photography, I really wanted to go for a walk and because I feel naked without my camera, I took it with me anyway. After scanning my OS Maps and struggling to find somewhere new to explore, I settled on Ger Tor. This is a location I had briefly walked to before, but that was some time ago and now seemed as good as time as any to give it another visit to see if I was missing anything.
Time To Explore
It's a reasonable walk from the car park to Ger Tor but I wasn't in any hurry or stressing about photography, so I took my time to enjoy the experience. Arriving at Ger Tor I spent about an hour wandering about looking for compositions. I'd get the camera out every now and again and I shot a few handheld photos of this new Dartmoor photography location. It was a really positive experience giving myself the time to explore a location without the pressure of capturing a good photograph.
Ger Tor #1, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20mm, f/11, 1/125 secs at ISO 1000.
Relax and the Photographs Will Come
Taking a break, I sat down and took in the view. In one direction the forecasted clouds started to roll in and it looked like I might be in for a soaking. I was just about to pack up when the sun made an appearance behind me, and dappled light appeared on the landscape and the rocks. These moments on Dartmoor can be fleeting so I immediately grabbed my camera and captured some more handheld shots.
Ger Tor #2, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/11, 1/125 secs at ISO 1000.
The light was indeed fleeting, but I captured some unexpectedly nice photographs of Ger Tor. Certainly, nice enough for me to stick a (virtual) pin on my map for it. But more than that, it was a good reminder not to overly plan my Dartmoor photography and to be a bit more spontaneous. You never know what might happen.
Ger Tor #3, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/11, 1/125 secs at ISO 1000.
Nikon Z8 Pixel Shift Shooting for Landscape Photography
180 Megapixel raw files and reduced noise are all claims of Nikon’s Pixel Shift Shooting feature, but is it useful to the landscape photographer? In this video I show you how to shoot with Pixel Shift (on location) and how to merge the files in post-processing. I'll also look at the results to see if this is a feature that is useful to landscape photographers.
Learn How and When to Use Pixel Shift Shooting
Pixel Shift Shooting is a feature of the Nikon Z8 that was introduced in Firmware 2.0 (and it shipped with the Nikon Zf). Depending on how you configure it, Pixel Shift Shooting can generate 180-megapixel raw files with better colour reproduction and reduced noise. Sounds like a no-brainer for every shot, doesn’t it?
Well, things are rarely that easy in the world of landscape photography. With Pixel Shift Shooting there’s the risk of too much subject movement during capture (yes, the landscape does move!), there’s the additional storage space required for all the individual raw files, and there’s the additional post-processing required to create a single merged file. Even after all that, does it really make deliver you a better file to process for your landscape photograph?
I was curious to find out if this was just a headline grabbing feature or something of genuine use to the landscape photographer. So, in this rather long video I head out on location to show you how to capture a Pixel Shift sequence, then how to merge the sequence in post-processing to create a .NEFX file, and then I’ll look at the results to see if I can really notice any difference.
I hope you enjoyed this video, and you found the information useful. As I said in the video, I wouldn’t use Pixel Shift Shooting for all my landscape photographs (it has limitations), but the important thing is to know how it works and more importantly when to use it. It’s another tool at my disposal and one that I’m sure to use again in the future.
Creating an 8K Landscape Photography Video with a Pergear CFexpress Type B Card
What's the point of publishing one of my landscape photography videos in 8K? Well, I got the idea when @Pergear asked me to try out their updated 2023 Prime CF-Express Type B Memory Card. I thought the best way to put a card like that through its paces would be to shoot an entire video in 8k. And if I shoot it in in 8K, why not publish it in 8K!
What’s the Point of 8K Video?
One of the first things I did when I got my Nikon Z8 was to get a CFexpress Type B card. Not only did I want to be able to capture 8K video, but I wanted to use both card slots in the Nikon Z8 (see why here). The latter is a crucial point, because using a CFexpress type B card isn’t just for those wanting to shoot 8K video.
As part of a series of videos I produced on the Nikon Z8, I created a video on my initial choice of CFexpress card. I think most of you will agree that one video on CFexpress cards is enough. So, when Pergear reached out to me to see if I create a video featuring their CFE-B Prime CFexpress Type-B Memory Card, my initial response was no.
However, I soon changed my mind. I’d heard a lot of good things about the Pergear cards and I’d always wanted to publish a video in 8K. Rather than just talking about the cards in my office, I could revisit the topic of CFexpress Type B cards, film it on location, and shoot and the whole lot in glorious 8K! It would be a real-world test of the card’s capabilities.
Ever since getting the Nikon Z8 I have been capturing 8K video but for the most part this was b-roll. I would then place the 8K footage on a 4K timeline so that I can pan and scale without loss of quality. The difference this time would be that I would publish the video in 8K! I am fully aware though that most of the people that watch YouTube do not have monitor or TV that supports a resolution of great than 4K. So, the publication of this video in 8K is just for fun. I just wanted to do it once. But I would be interested to hear if any of you do watch it on a resolution great than 4K.
And if you are bored of me talking about 8K video, I don’t blame you! It’s still a niche video resolution. The video below though does contain some information on why using a CFexpress Type B card is still useful if you are a stills photographer and as with all of my on- location videos, I do also spend some time capturing landscape photographs! So, I hope you find something in this video to enjoy!
Purchasing the Pergear Prime CFexpress Type B Cards
You can purchase the card and card reader directly from Pergear (free shipping to almost all locations worldwide) -
🛒 Pergear CFE-B Prime CFexpress Type-B Memory Card 2023 Upgrade Version - https://www.pergear.com/collections/pergear-cfexpress-card?ref=GdYvo
🛒 Pergear CFexpress Type-B Card Reader USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gbps Adapter - https://www.pergear.com/collections/pergear-cfexpress-card/products/card-reader?ref=GdYvo
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You can also purchase the card and card reader from amazon.com -
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Between 2nd March 2024 and 31st March 2023 you can get 25% off with the code 25LPIW7H
PLEASE NOTE - The discount code will only work on amazon.com (sorry).
If you wish to order from amazon.co.uk you can do so here
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Sorry, no discount code for amazon.co.uk!
Please note that these are affiliate links (but not paid links or ads). By buying through these links I may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price for you.
Landscape Photographs of Belstone Tor on Dartmoor
Belstone #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/11, 1/20 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 22mm, f/11, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/13, 1/13 sec at ISO 64.
A Note on Publishing 8K Video to YouTube
A quick note on publishing 8K video on YouTube. While it is supported, it’s not easy. It’s not the file sizes (12GB for this video), or how long it might take to upload (about 45 mins on my connection), it’s that there is no way to check the progress of 8K processing by YouTube.
In YouTube Studio you can check the progress of the processing for the SD, HD, and 4K versions of your video, but there’s no status for 8K. You just kind of have to hope it’s happening and keep checking back (which you do by playing the video and seeing if the 8K option is there).
For your information, it takes a few minutes for 4K processing to complete, but it took nearly two days for the 8K processing to complete. I get the reason for this. YouTube don’t want to allocate lots of processing power for a resolution that not a lot of people will view! But it is frustrating you can’t see the progress. Anyway, not a problem for many of you I would expect!
Nikon Z8 (Firmware 2.0) - PRO Settings for Landscape Photography - FREE Download
What are the best settings on a Nikon Z8 for landscape photography? In this video take you through the settings that I would immediately apply to any Nikon Z8 that I was going to capture landscape photographs with. I've also included some new settings that are available with Firmware 2.0.
What Are the Best Settings for Landscape Photography?
I’ve been using Nikon cameras since 2006 and over the years I’ve learnt the language behind the Nikon menu options and which settings I always apply to a new camera. So, when I received my Nikon Z8 I already knew most of the settings I would apply straight away. There were of course some new settings with the Z8 that my previous cameras didn’t have, but I quickly learnt which settings applied to me and my workflow.
As I went through the menu system of the Nikon Z8 configuring the settings for how I take landscape photographs I thought it would be useful if I shared them with you.
Like many things in photography, everyone works slightly differently, and there is often more than one way to achieve the same thing, so the settings I describe in this video are the BEST settings for ME, and the way I work. So, I’m not saying these are the settings you have to apply to get the results you want, but hopefully they’ll give you some ideas and tips on how to configure your Nikon camera. Even if you don’t have a Nikon Z8, many of these settings will apply to other Nikon Z cameras and some Nikon DSLR cameras.
In this video I will take you through the best settings I use for landscape photography to help me get the most out of my Nikon Z8. I’ve also created a reference PDF file with my settings in it so you can look at them in a more leisurely way. Details on how to access that are further down this blog post.
More Nikon Z8 Related Videos
Since receiving my Nikon Z8 I’ve produced several Z8 related videos. Why not check out my Nikon Z8 playlist or my Nikon Z8 review video below.
Subscribe and Get Access to a FREE Download
As I said in the video it’s easy to get access to a PDF with all the settings that I talked about in the video. All I ask that you do is subscribe to my newsletter. As soon as you confirm your subscription you will receive a link to where you can download the file in your email.
Please note - If you are already a newsletter subscriber, and you try to subscribe again you won’t receive the subscription confirmation email with the link in it. However, don’t panic! Links to all the free stuff I give away, including this PDF and my landscape photography locations map are included in every newsletter.
Photographing and Printing Dartmoor with Fotospeed Gloss and Lustre 310 Papers
I love printing my photographs as much as I love capturing them! Join me in this video as I head out to Dartmoor to capture a new landscape photograph and then head home to print it on the new Fotospeed PF Gloss and Lustre 310 papers!
The Challenge of Photographing Great Links Tor on Dartmoor
Capturing photographs of one of Dartmoor’s greatest tors, Great Links Tor, is challenging. Depending on your route up it can take around 45 minutes of walking (all up hill). And then, because of its elevation, it is often in cloud. But when the conditions are right it can be a spectacular location to photograph such as the time I photographed it at sunset.
Inspired by my sunset picture I was determined to also photograph it at sunrise. This was going to be more difficult than I hoped it would be. The first four attempts where non-starters as the location was completely covered in cloud. On my 5th attempt I had the opposite problem, and it was clear blue skies. Not ideal, but I was determined to make the most of it!
While I was pleased enough with the photograph when the skies were clear, it wasn’t exactly what I wanted or visualised. But that’s the great thing about Dartmoor (or the worst thing), and that is the weather can change very quickly. And that’s exactly what it did do! And that change in conditions gave the perfect opportunity to capture an image that would make for a great photograph to use as the first print for two new papers I had just received from Fotospeed.
In the video below you can see my photography adventure from Great Links Tor on Dartmoor and see what the prints look on those two new Fotospeed papers.
Great Links Tor, Dartmoor - Landscape Photographs
Great Links Tor Sunrise #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm at 14mm, f/11, 0.4 sec at ISO 64.
Great Links Tor Sunrise #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm at 15mm, f/13, 1/10 sec at ISO 64.
Great Links Tor Sunrise #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm at 89mm, f/8, 1/160 sec at ISO 64, 6:17 crop.
Links to Products and Other Videos
*** Remember to us the discount code Julian15 and get 15% off Fotospeed papers ***
🛒 Fotospeed PF Gloss 310 - https://fotospeed.com/fotospeed-pf-gloss-310.html
🛒 Fotospeed PF Lustre 310 - https://fotospeed.com/fotospeed-pf-lustre-310.html
🛒 Fotospeed Test Packs https://fotospeed.com/paper/test-packs.html?default_brand=Fotospeed
✔️ Download Fotospeed’s Art of Printing eBook - FREE - https://fotospeed.com/ebook/artofprinting
🎞️ My video review of the Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-300 - https://youtu.be/QF3_JXuu_Ag
🎞️ My editing video with Fotospeed - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rrLOnVHcCA
🎞️ My post-processing workflow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHg4agMU-GI&list=PLJU6FMi6Tvo97OcghsCsBlKGLXY2BcMdx
Just Enjoying My Landscape Photography
Sometimes it's OK to just enjoy the experience of taking landscape photographs. Not every photo needs to win awards or have a deeper meaning. Photography can also be about having fun, admiring the view, or taking joy in the simple act of pressing the shutter button.
There Goes Autumn!
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with photographing anything seasonal. This could be the beautiful pink Thrift you find along the Cornish coast during spring, or the glorious colours of a woodland at autumn. I love photographing these unique times of year, but life has this nasty habit of getting in the way and I often end up missing the (photographic) peak of a season.
Autumn is a particularly tricky one. The days are short which make it difficult for me to get out, and when I eventually do find the time it’s normally after a storm and all the autumnal colour has blow off the trees!
Should I Risk It?
Every now and again, the stars align, and I’m presented with an opportunity to shoot some autumnal colour. However, the decision to photograph East Dartmoor Woods wasn’t that straightforward. The weather conditions over East Dartmoor Woods were forecast for clear skies at sunrise. It’s also a 5 km walk, in the dark, in a woodland, to get to the viewpoint that I wanted. While I had visited the viewpoint (in winter) I had never photographed it before.
It was a risky decision to go there, and it was a fair effort to get there. My head was telling me that I would be much better off going somewhere else where the conditions would be better, and I would be shooting something I’m familiar with (i.e. not woodlands!).
My heart on the other hand was telling me this was a fantastic opportunity to photograph this woodland while the autumn colours were still there. OK, the clear skies weren’t ideal, but the sun was rising in the right direction, and it should catch the tops of the trees. If I waited for another day, that other day might not come. The weather might turn, or I just might not find another opportunity to photograph it before the end of autumn.
It’s not often I ignore my head but this time I decided to follow my heart and take a risk! I did question this decision as I followed the path through the woodland with a head torch while trying not to think about the beasts of Dartmoor that lurk in the shadows!
But was all that effort and risk worth it? Well, you can find it out in the 5 Minute Photo Adventure video below!
What do you think? Was it worth the effort? Would you have made the 5km walk in the dark for that view or photographs? Let me know in the comments below.
East Dartmoor Woods - Landscape Photographs
Here are the landscape photographs you saw me capture in the video.
East Dartmoor Woods Autumn Sunrise #1, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 S at 37mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO64, Kase Filters CPL.
East Dartmoor Woods Autumn Sunrise #2, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 S at 82mm, f/13, 0.5 sec at ISO64, Kase Filters CPL.
Did the Nikon Z8 Kill My Landscape Photography?
I bought a Nikon Z8 then I stopped taking landscape photographs. But why? In this video I head to Dartmoor to capture some dramatic landscape photographs and I'll tell you why you haven't seen me online recently.
I’m Back! But Where Have I Been?
It’s been a few months since I published a video or written something here on the blog. It’s probably the longest gap I’ve had since I started my blog back in 2016. It wasn’t a conscious choice to stop creating content. I just stopped.
There are a number of reasons for this, and I do touch on them in the video, but it has been a bit of a struggle to get back into creating content (something which I love doing). Apart from shooting the odd music festival, I didn’t take any landscape photographs for a couple of months. I just didn’t feel like it. I’d lost my motivation.
After some soul searching, a few failed attempts to create something and support from people close to me, I’m finally back to a place where I feel creative (and importantly, I want to share my photography adventures again).
Dramatic Dartmoor
There’s nothing like a successful trip out with the camera to give your motivation for photography a good boost. The trouble with Dartmoor is that the weather plays a significant part in how your photographs turn out. My favourite kind of conditions are when things are unsettled. I’m looking for a bit of drama!
Every now and again, I get those conditions. Sometimes they are expected, sometimes not. Things get really exciting when you just aren’t sure how things will work out and it changes minute by minute. And that’s exactly the conditions I got on my recent visit to East Mill Tor!
It was the perfect type of morning on Dartmoor to give my photography a significant kick up the arse! You can see why in the video below!
I got a real buzz creating those photographs and making that video. It’s given me all the motivation I need to get going again. While the changes in my life have left me with less time to dedicate to photography, I am committed to regularly producing content for you to enjoy. Make sure you stay tuned!
East Mill Tor, Dartmoor - Landscape Photographs
Here are the landscape photographs you saw me capture in the video. I hope you enjoy them.
East Mill Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, 1.3 sec at ISO 64, f/13, Kase Filters CPL.
East Mill Tor #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, 0.6 sec at ISO 64, f/13, Kase Filters CPL.
East Mill Tor #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, 1/13 sec at ISO 64, f/13, Kase Filters CPL.
East Mill Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, 0.5 sec at ISO 64, f/13, Kase Filters CPL.
Nikon Z8 SmallRig L-Bracket and Cage Review
If you're still using the plate that came with your tripod to mount your Nikon Z8 then you are missing out on the benefits of an L-bracket or a video cage. In this video, I look at two products from SmallRig that are custom designed for the Z8, their L-bracket (3942) and their video cage kit (3941). Which one should you buy for your Nikon Z8?
Does Your Nikon Z8 Need a L-Bracket or a Cage?
Since getting my first l-bracket back when I got a Z7 I now can’t imagine using a camera for landscape photography without one. The ability to switch from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation without adjusting your tripod is essential to me. So much so that when I took the delivery of my Nikon Z8 that I had to buy a generic fit l-bracket just to keep me going till something custom designed was released.
Fortunately, that time has come and the company that has produced the goods is SmallRig. However, not only have they released an l-bracket, but they have also designed a cage for the Nikon Z8. You might now be asking what a cage is, do I need one, and should I get that instead of a l-bracket.
In the video below, I aim to answer that question by talking you through the benefits of both products. I’ll talk you through the features of each product, where there is some overlap, and why you might pick one over the other. Enjoy!
🛒 SmallRig L-Bracket for Nikon Z 8 3942
🛒 SmallRig Cage Kit for Nikon Z 8 3941
🛒 SmallRig Cage for Nikon Z 8 3940
🛒 SmallRig Cage for Nikon Z 8 with MB-N12 Battery Grip 3982
🛒 SmallRig L-Shape Grip for Nikon Z fc Camera 3480
What No Photos?
In most of my gear review videos I like to film them on-location and include a little bit of landscape photography. Well, that was the plan for this video, but it was a busy morning for wild camping. I visited West Mill Tor, Yes Tor and Black Tor and they all had tents in the middle of any potential composition. Nothing wrong with wild camping, I do it myself, but that’s the reason there are no photographs from this video!
Nikon Z8 - My Real-World Review for Landscape Photographers
My Nikon Z8 real world review is here! In the video I talk about why I bought the Nikon Z8, what I like about the Nikon Z8, what I don't, plus lots more, including my Nikon Z8 landscape photographs. And I’ll be doing all this on location from Dartmoor!
A Subjective or Objective Review of the Nikon Z8?
When I’m lucky enough to get a new camera, lens, or other bit of photographic gear, I like to share my thoughts on it. I love the art of photography but there also a part of me that loves the techy side of photography, so I do like to create videos about my landscape photography gear. Creating these types of videos also helps answer questions I get when people see me using a particular item of gear.
I don’t necessarily like titling those videos as a “review” as the views I share are personal and not necessarily that objective. I also don’t have access to lots of other gear to compare the item I own to. I also only take landscape photographs so I often have a limited perspective on what a particular item of photographic gear can do. So, my review videos can be subjective but there really isn’t a better word than “review” to describe them, so that’s what I call them!
A Slow Start with the Nikon Z8
New camera day is always very exciting, and I wanted to get a Nikon Z8 as soon as I could. When the Nikon Z8 was listed on my retailer of choice I immediately pre-ordered it and hoped I would get one from the first batch of deliveries. My eagerness to buy a Nikon Z8 paid off and I did indeed receive one on the day the camera got released.
When the Nikon Z8 arrived the first thing I wanted to do (apart from setup all the menu options) was to head out into the landscape and start taking photographs. However, if there’s one thing you can guarantee is that if I’m getting a new camera (purchased or loaned), the weather will be rubbish for landscape photography. A couple of months ago I got a free loan of a Canon R5 plus lenses for the weekend. The weather was so bad that weekend I sent the camera back on the Monday having not taking a single landscape photograph with it (hence why you never saw a video about that camera).
Well, as is my luck, when the Nikon Z8 arrived it was in the middle of a spell of hot and sunny weather. Great weather for sitting out in the garden sipping on a Gin & Tonic, but absolutely rubbish for landscape photography. Not to panic I thought. This is my Nikon Z8, and I own it, so it doesn’t matter if I spend a few days in the garden and walking the dog.
After two weeks of “sunbathing” I’d just about had enough! Fortunately for me the opportunity to use the Nikon Z8 to photograph Muse, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, presented itself and I jumped at the chance. You can read all about that experience here.
Eventually I gave up on solely basing my decision to go out based on what the weather forecast was saying. At this rate it was going to autumn before I took my first landscape photograph with the Nikon Z8.
The Nikon Z8 - A Familiar Camera
When I finally headed out with the Nikon Z8 to capture landscape photographs I was right at home. Yes, the Nikon Z8 has new features and capabilities, but at the end of the day it’s still a Nikon. Some buttons might be in a slightly different place, but it took no time at all before using the camera became second nature.
Once that first landscape photograph was captured with the Nikon Z8 I just gave up on waiting for the perfect conditions and got on with the job of capturing photographs for my review.
The Nikon Z8 – A Landscape Photographers Review
Despite a slow start, I’m finally ready to share my Nikon Z8 review. It was a great to film it on location on Dartmoor. It’s where I’ll be using the camera the most, so it seemed fitting to film it there. I had to get up REALLY early to be on Dartmoor for sunrise, but it was worth it (you’ll see why in the video). As much as I enjoyed filming the video, it was also a fantastic morning for a walk. Over the 6 hours I was out on Dartmoor I walked over 12km across some of my favourite areas of Dartmoor.
As I said at the start of this blog post this is a very subjective review. Whatever you do with the information in this video I hope you at least find it useful and/or entertaining! Enjoy!
Nikon Z8 - Landscape Photography Review Showcase
Bowerman’s Nose - Dartmoor
Sunrise at Bowerman’s Nose #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Sunrise at Bowerman’s Nose #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 1/4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Daymark Tower, Devon
Daymark Tower #1, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 1/40 sec at ISO 800, Kase Filters CPL.
Daymark Tower #2, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/13, 1/50 sec at ISO 1000, Kase Filters CPL.
Brentor Church, Dartmoor
Brentor Church on a Clear Evening, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/13, 1/15 sec at ISO 400, Kase Filters CPL.
Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor
A Clear Evening at Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 0.6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL, 4:5 crop.
Clouds Over The Tower #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/11, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
The Night Sky, Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor
The Milky Way over Great Staple Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/4, 10 sec at ISO 12800.
The Milky Way over Great Staple Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/4, 10 sec at ISO 12800.
Belstone Tor, Dartmoor
Belstone Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/13, 1/10 sec at ISO 100.
Oke Tor, Dartmoor
Oke Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/11, 1/20 sec at ISO 64.
Black Tor, Dartmoor
Black Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO 64.
Black Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20mm, f/14, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, 4:5 Crop.
Fur Tor, Dartmoor
Big Sky Dartmoor Near Fur Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 58mm, f/11, 1/200 sec at ISO 64, black and white conversion, handheld.
Brat To, Dartmoor
Brat Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 26mm, f/9, 1/80 sec at ISO 64, black and white conversion.
Arms Tor, Dartmoor
Arms Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Monty!
Monty on Black Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Viltrox AF 24/1.8 Z at 24mm, f/1.8, 1/500 sec at ISO 64.
Monty on Black Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Viltrox AF 24/1.8 Z at 24mm, f/1.8, 1/500 sec at ISO 64.
Monty on Fur Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 120mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec at ISO 100.
Landscape Photography with Nikon Z8 - A Dartmoor 5 Minute Photo Adventure
Join me on my latest 5 Minute Photo Adventure video as I take out the Nikon Z8 for its first landscape photography shoot. Would the excitement of using the Nikon Z8 to photograph Bowerman's Nose on Dartmoor outweigh the pain of a 03:30 alarm call?
Receiving the Nikon Z8
When the Nikon Z8 was announced I spent a frantic hour refreshing my browser waiting for the Nikon Z8 to be listed for pre-order on WexPhotoVideo. As soon as it did, I placed my order. I was confident I would receive a camera from their first batch of deliveries.
Sure enough, the release date of the camera came around and a shiny new Nikon Z8 box was delivered. New camera day is always exciting and receiving a Nikon Z8 was no different. You can see me unbox the camera for the first time here.
As a landscape photographer my first goal was to get out there into the wilderness and start taking landscape photographs with the Nikon Z8. However, as is always my luck with new cameras, the weather conditions were more suited to sunbathing than landscape photography! Unfortunately, the hot and sunny weather would last for days and days.
Out with the Nikon Z8 - Finally!
During the heatwave I did get the chance to photograph Muse in Plymouth, and you can read all about that here. That concert was a bit of a baptism of fire for the Nikon Z8, but what I really wanted to do was take some landscape photographs with it.
Then finally one morning I’d decided I’d had enough of waiting and I set my alarm for 03:30 with the aim of photographing Bowerman’s Nose on Dartmoor. When I set an alarm for that sort of stime I like to do it when the forecast is for great conditions, but I was so desperate to get out, even the slightest hint that there might be some cloud in sky was enough to get me out of bed.
It had been a while since I last set an alarm call that early so I when the alarm did go off it was a bit of a shock. But a few minutes later I was guzzling some coffee and, in the car, heading to Dartmoor. Was it worth the effort of getting up? Did my eagerness to get out with the Nikon Z8 blind me to what the weather forecast was saying? Well, you can find out in the video below and my first 5 Minute Photo Adventure with the Nikon Z8.
Bowerman’s Nose - Dartmoor Landscape Photographs with the Nikon Z8
Sunrise at Bowerman’s Nose #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Sunrise at Bowerman’s Nose #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 1/4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Which Memory Cards for the Nikon Z8
The Nikon Z8 supports a wide variety of memory card types, sizes, and speeds. In this video I talk about my choice of ProGrade products including their CFexpress Type B Cobalt card, Dual-Slot card reader and Refresh Pro software.
Memory Card Options for the Nikon Z8
Selecting the right memory card or cards for the Nikon Z8 is critical. It’s a versatile camera capable of performing a variety of stills and video functions. Get the wrong card and you could end up spending a lot of money on a card that doesn’t match your performance or capacity requirements.
While it’s not possible for me to recommend specific cards for your photography and video needs, I can at least share what my chosen card configuration is and why.
In the video below I will tell you why I have purchased a new ProGrade Digital CFexpress card and card reader, and what I think of the ProGrade Digital Refresh Pro software.
My Selection of Memory Cards for the Nikon Z8
Here are the products and links I talked about in this video -
🔗 Nikon Z 8 Supported Memory Cards - https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/na/NSG_article?articleNo=000044624&lang=en_SG
🛒 ProGrade Digital Refresh Pro - https://shop.progradedigital.com/products/refresh-pro-software
🛒 ProGrade Digital 165GB CFexpress Type B Memory Card (Cobalt) - https://amzn.to/3MYB6j7
🛒 ProGrade Digital SDXC UHS-II V60 - https://amzn.to/3qztNFz
🛒 ProGrade CFexpress Type B and SD UHS-II Dual-Slot Memory Card Reader | USB 3.2 Gen 2 - https://amzn.to/3BY5S5f
🔗 ProGrade Digital Whitepaper - "Monitoring The Health Of Your Digital Memory Card And Refreshing It To Regain Performance Using ProGrade Digital Refresh Pro" - https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2526/3692/files/Monitoring_the_health_of_your_card_V1.2.pdf?v=1620756719
Using the Nikon Z8 to Photograph One of the Biggest Rock Bands in the World
Photographing Muse was NOT how I expected to be using the new Nikon Z8 for the first time! In this video I share with you the experience of using the Nikon Z8 to capture photographs of one of the world's biggest rock bands live in Plymouth.
Photographing Muse with the Nikon Z8
I expected my first trip out with the new Nikon Z8 to be at a location somewhere on Dartmoor. After all, the vast majority of my photography is landscape photography. However, when my friends over at MusoMuso said they had a photo (pit) pass for the Muse gig in Plymouth and would I like to shoot it I just had to say YES! I haven't shot a gig for a while and it was a high-pressure event to take out a new camera, but the Z8 performed, and I had a great time!
When I shared this story on my social media channels and asked if anyone wanted me to make a video about my experience, lots of you said yes! So, just for you, here is that video!
Muse - Captured with the Nikon Z8
My Nikon Z8 Review Announcement
After saying goodbye to my Nikon Z7 yesterday I'm extremely excited to welcome the Nikon Z8 to my camera bag. I will be producing a real-world review of the Nikon Z8 but in the meantime here is a little unboxing video to get you excited
The Nikon Z8 is Here!
Following on from yesterday’s blog post and video where I said goodbye to my Nikon Z7, it should come as no real surprise to you that my new camera is the Nikon Z8.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be taking the Z8 out to some of my favourite locations to capture landscape photographs. I’ll then publish my real world, on location, video review!
If you have any questions or there is something you want me to cover in the review, just let me know in the comments below. It will have to be something related to landscape photography though. Don’t ask me what it’s like for bird photography!
In the meantime, here’s a short unboxing video to whet your appetite.