In The Field and In The Studio

Great equipment doesn't guarantee great photographs. But great equipment in the hands of an experienced professional photographer can create opportunities for great photographs. Years ago, when I decided that this work was what I wanted to do, I made a commitment to obtaining the best tools available for the work I do. My theory was that I simply did not want to blame my mistakes on having 2nd rate equipment. If I fail to take good photographs, it's on me.

I'm a Nikon guy. Always have been. Nikon's mirrorless cameras and lenses are spectacular. My camera bodies are Nikon's high-end mirrorless bodies, the Nikon Z8. My glass is also all Nikon Z, S-Line Lenses. For wide angle shooting I use the Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S. For longer shots, I use the NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 and the Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6. And my workhorse is the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S. For close work, I have an MC 105mm f2.8 Z lens.

Since I'm essentially a landscape shooter, I almost always shoot from a tripod. My go-to is the Really Right Stuff TVC-3X tripod, an Acratec Panoramic Head and a Really Right Stuff Leveling Base. This combo is rock-steady. I have always shot from a tripod, but I was stunned by the difference in sharpness in my images when I changed to my RRS setup.

I also have some specialized accessories for shooting panoramas and for long exposure shooting, as well as a cable release, so I can keep my hands off my camera, another necessary technique to ensure maximum sharpness in my images.

For Aerials, I have the new DJI Mavic 4 Pro, with the RC-2 Pro Controller. This is by far the best Drone I’ve had and I’m loving it!

In the studio I currently work on a Mac Studio M1 Ultra with a 4 TB internal SSD, and a 27" Apple Studio Display, Apple's most powerful desktop offering three years ago when I purchased it. I have multiple external hard drives in the studio, from a 50TB OWC Thunderbay NAS to assorted 4TB Samsung external SSDs. I also maintain a library of portable 2 to 5 GB hard drives for permanent archives of everything I shoot. Additionally, I use the online backup service, Backblaze, which updates any changes to any drive or device connected to my Mac studio 24 hours a day.

Mavic 4 Pro

I genuinely love using the Mavic 4 Pro. It’s an incredibly capable tool, and when conditions and context are right, it lets me see a golf course in a way that’s both revealing and quietly beautiful. The image quality is outstanding, the flight time is generous, and the stability inspires confidence—even when I’m working in less-than-ideal light or wind. That said, aerials remain a secondary focus of my photography. My work is rooted on the ground—where golfers actually experience the landscape, the architecture, and the light. The drone simply adds context. It helps tell the broader story of a property, show routing and setting, and occasionally provide a sense of scale that complements what I capture at eye level.