Support the site!
I really enjoy running this site and sharing photo tips, shooting data, and gear info with you. But it definitely takes up a lot of my time. If you enjoy the site, please consider making your next purchase through one of my affiliate links. You’ll pay exactly the same, and I get a little commission in the process.
Here are the companies with which I’m affiliated. I personally use and highly recommend every one of them.
for photo gear
I have been buying from B & H Photo Video for years and have always found them to have the best prices coupled with the most reliable service. You’ll never have to put up with any bait and switch tactics from them, and they have a huge inventory of photo gear, including all of the latest DSLRs, lenses, and flashes.
for backpacks, tripods, heads, and batteries
I think the store at NatureScapes has a great selection of backpacks, cases, tripods, heads, and batteries. NatureScapes is run by my friend and fellow photographer Greg Downing, and he personally selects the stock he carries. Since there are so many accessories out there, you can be sure that NatureScapes products are geared toward the needs of the nature photographer. By the way, the site has a great online forum to help you improve your own photography too.
for travel bags
I’ve seen Think Tank photo bag and case products numerous times used by clients on my photo tours. The Think Tank Airport International and the Think Tank Airport Security are beautiful products and have become the most popular rolling bags for people traveling with photo gear and laptops on airplanes. When Think Tank contacted me in late 2011 about becoming a product affiliate I was excited because I knew they made fantastic stuff. They asked me to pick out any piece of gear I wanted so that I could confidently and personally recommend their gear. Since I don’t really do any air travel with my photo gear I decided to go with their new Sling-O-Matic 30 bag. I absolutely love it! I use it as a kind of travel bag for laptop and computer gear but also as a field bag when I’m only going to take one camera, a couple of lenses, and a couple of flashes and accessories for a day out in the rainforest. Whatever your photo travel needs, Think Tank is likely to have a great bag for you.
for web hosting
Since I first put up a website years ago, I have used Doteasy for both my hosting and domain registration needs, and I’m still with them today for this site as well the site for my photo tour company. Setting things up with Doteasy is a breeze, and their tech support is fantastic. Whenever I’ve encountered an issue, I’ve received a helpful e-mail response from a real person within 24 hours. And that same rep will stay with you until your case is resolved. I recommend the Ultra Hosting Special, which will give you the latest SQL and PHP platforms for running WordPress and e-commerce.
for your image collection
Since I signed on with PhotoShelter in late 2010, I’ve made sales connections with some great nature photography buyers. PhotoShelter hosts your portfolio online and allows you to easily set up a full-service website that includes rights-managed licensing, royalty free licensing, print sales, customer lightboxes, and great SEO tools. Plus PhotoShelter is always developing new plugins to keep your website cutting edge. Setting up PhotoShelter by clicking the link above can save you up to $30 on your signup. I shopped around when I rebuilt my site in 2010 and continue to keep current on the different photo portfolio and image archiving options out there. If I were rebuilding my site again today, I would not hesitate to choose PhotoShelter again.
for building an awesome blog
Want to take things one step further? If you want to set up a great looking blog that’s integrated with your PhotoShelter site to keep your branding smooth, Graph Paper Press has some slick templates for you. You’ll need to know a little bit of CSS to customize things but the WordPress themes are great. You can also use a Graph Paper Press theme to set up an entire site independent of PhotoShelter.
