Stan Trzoniec

There are many accessories that not only make life pleasurable in the field, but also add greatly to the picture-taking experience. Here are some of my favorites, most of which go with me depending on what my course of action might be:
First on my list is a good, heavy-duty, but light to carry tripod. My choice for comfort and support is a carbon-fiber model. Two actually, one of which...

When it comes to long lenses and related gear, a new age has dawned. Wildlife, sports, and even landscape photographers can now enjoy the convenience of stabilized lenses to shoot handheld with longer lenses at slower shutter speeds. The result is sharper images overall, especially in low-light situations. Another advantage is that you can easily add extension tubes...

My first macro lens was the popular Nikon 60mm Micro-Nikkor. Good move, I thought, as the 60mm focal length could double as an all-purpose lens for a variety of assignments. Trouble is, when I started to get into more and more 1:1 (life-size) work, I only had 21/2" of working space between the front of the lens and my subject. The 105mm was next, sharp as a tack but again...

Now doesn't it seem ironic that just as we're in the midst of the digital revolution that slide films are at the peak of performance and quality? While all sounds like doom and gloom when it comes to silver-based products, around my circle of friends I find that most are still shooting film at a rate close to or even sometimes more than they were shooting before. Sure...