Taylor J Glenn Photography – Travel and Wildlife Photographer

Welcome to my website where I talk about all things photography related that are going on in my life. This is not really a portfolio of my work but more a stream of consciousness style ramblings about cameras, travels and other tips and tricks I have learned over the years as a photographer.

My fellow togs have been bugging me to make a proper portfolio for my clients but truth be told, I am inundated with work so this is the next best thing. I have some time in my travels between Iceland and Mojave desert so I plant to write whatever comes to my mind. If and when I get the time to make a real portfolio, I will link it here. Do Not expect regular updates as my schedule is quite hectic.

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I chose the GFX-50R over the A7R-IV

After weeks on contemplating on what camera to buy, I have chosen the GFX50R as my next workhorse. The other camera I was seriously considering was the Sony A7R4 but my heart wanted a Medium Format. The GFX 50R is a range finder camera but I have used that style before and never had a problem. I didn't really realize how small the GFX was considering the large 50 Megapixel sensor inside it. It really isn't that much bigger than the A7R4 even when you factor in the lenses. The weight of the bodies is very close at 665 grams(a7r4) and 775 grams(gfx50r) each.

The crop factor on the 50R is 0.8 so a 35mm lens is really a 28mm full frame equivalent. Unfortunately, the camera stores around me are closed but I found this lens + camera size compare website and was able to see that for a slight increase in weight and volume, I can finally own a proper digital medium format camera. I ordered it from Amazon last week. I also had some vouchers lying around and after selling my Sony Lenses, I expect to have paid around $10,000 for this upgrade. Here is the size comparison:

You can see there isn't much of a difference when you compare the sizes. Truth be told, it is astonishing how far camera technology has come and any camera made in the last 5 years will be good enough for most of your photography tasks. You do want a sensor size larger than APSC as a minimum. My first camera was a Nikon D3S and my favorite lens was the 70-200VR II and modern micro 4/3rd or larger will give you better image quality than a decade old full frame camera. Once I have the 50R in hand, I will post sample photos and tell you how it fits my workflow.

Camera bites the dust

My beloved Sony A7r camera has died and it is time for an upgrade. I have used Nikons, Canons, and Sonys over the years but I fancy a change this time. The technology seems to have moved on a lot since I last looked into buying a camera. I will keep you updated with my new gear and other accessories I end up buying.

Right now, I am really digging the retro looks of some of the new Fujifilm cameras like the XE-3 or I may quench my childhood thirst of owning a Leica.

Nikon's Free Classes

Nikon's free classes have come to an end and it was quite the experience going through all the tutorials. For those now in the know, Nikon offered a bunch of free classes during the pandemic to help photographers around the world

It was quite a nice gesture on Nikon's part help try to help photographers in these uncertain times. I went through about 5 hours of lighting tutorials. At this point in my career, my main focus is to keep improving my lighting during my photo-shoots. It is the hardest part of photography. Anyone can buy an expensive camera and lens but it takes years to get a good understanding on how light works and all the modifiers that go along with it.

Nikon D3S & 70-200VR II

When Nikon launched the new D3S and 70-200VR II to replace the acclaimed D3 and 70-200VR, I wondered if it was possible to raise the bar on two products that are in my opinion class leaders. So when I had a chance to put these new products through the paces of three weddings and several hours of testing in a controlled environment, I am trying to answer three questions:

Are D3S and 70-200VR II worth the upgrade?
How does the D3S compare to the D3?
How does the 70-200 VR II compare to the 70-200VR?

What I am sharing with you is a subjective hands-on user experience and objective tests. Before I continue, I just want to issue a few disclaimers.

1. I am a working wedding photographer, not a lab technician. So do not expect a blow by blow technical review.
2. I have been using Nikon equipment since I picked up photography so I have zero experience with other brands of camera. So I cannot give you a comparison of the D3S versus 5D Mark II for instance.
3. My review is based on a pre-production D3S and a production unit of 70-200VR II, and a D3 and 70-200VR. This is not a super scientific test with a big batch of equipment.
4. All images posted here are straight from camera. Apart from resizing for web viewing, the images are not altered in any manner.

SUBJECTIVE HANDS-ON REVIEW

I shot three weddings using a D3S side-by-side with a D3. Nikon has not changed any of the menu settings or button layouts on the new camera. There are only two additional buttons: Quiet mode which is placed on the top left dial; and the Live View button, an addition that also allows 720p video recording, just next to the voice memo record button. Other than that, the D3S feels & operates exactly like a D3.

READ FULL REVIEW

India Adventures

This is how it all started for me. A solo trip to India many moons ago which shaped the next 10 years of my life. I was lucky enough to assist a very talented videographer/photographer for the video below. It was brutal working in the 40 degree heat to get the shots but well worth it. Yours truly actually made an appearance in the video about halfway in.

The biggest lesson I learned here was the amount of time it took to get one good photo or a usable 10 second clip. Having to re-shoot the same scene over and over can get tiring but it all comes together in the end. You can see the final video below that took the best part of 10 days to shoot.