The Wild Photographer

In this solo deep dive, I walk you through the exact camera setup I use before every shoot, every trip, and sometimes even check between battery or memory card swaps. These aren’t just preferences—they’re the important, yet often-overlooked settings that can make or break your ability to capture fleeting moments in nature photography. 
We get into the philosophy behind shooting in manual with auto ISO, why I prioritize speed and readiness for wildlife over anything else, and how I customize my camera to react as fast as the scene unfolding in front of me. From autofocus strategies and drive modes to white balance and RAW vs. JPEG, this episode is all about removing friction so you can focus on what really matters: making great photographs.
Whether you’ve just unboxed a new camera or you want to fine-tune your current setup, think of this as your field-ready blueprint for getting your gear working for you, not against you.
Not all things do I check and reset daily, but here is a quick guide for those that I do look at near-daily:
Double-check RAW is still active
Confirm drive mode it back to high-speed
Re-check autofocus settings for single point / single shot
Verify Manual + Auto ISO is set
Check exposure settings (and go back to an even exposure)
Image stabilization is turned on, both in-camera and on lenses
Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off

Your smartphone is already the camera you carry everywhere — and in this episode, Court makes the case for why that can make it the best camera in the world. From smarter shooting shortcuts and better composition to long exposures, portrait mode, slow motion, and simple edits, this episode is packed with practical ways to get more out of the camera that’s already in your pocket. Court also shares which phone features he actually uses, which ones he skips, and a few favorite apps for shooting and editing on the go.
What You’ll Learn
 Why your phone can genuinely become your most useful camera 
 Quick access tricks that make it easier to capture fleeting moments 
 How to improve composition with aspect ratio choices and grid lines 
 When night mode, portrait mode, and live-mode long exposures shine 
 Why pinching to zoom can reduce photo quality
 How to think about editing for photos that will mostly live on phones 
 Which smartphone features are worth using — and which Court mostly ignores 
Talked about in the Episode: 
Leica LUX App
Lightroom Mobile App
Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off

In this episode I sit down with legendary photographer, guide, and longtime friend Eric Rock for a conversation packed with field-tested wisdom, big-picture perspective, and the kind of insight that only comes from a lifetime spent photographing (and guiding instructional photo tours) in wild places.
We dive into what it really takes to become a stronger nature photographer, from learning to capture a wildlife subject with intention, to building fieldcraft techniques that help you create better images before you ever touch the shutter. 
We also get into the nuts and bolts of photography: prime lenses vs. zooms, what focal lengths Eric tends to trust most for wildlife, how he thinks about exposure, and why the histogram is still one of his favorite tools on a digital camera. Eric also discusses his editing philosophy, his evolving visual style, and how photography can be used as a meaningful tool for conservation and education.
This episode is full of practical advice, but it’s also a deeper conversation about patience, purpose, and staying connected to the passion that got you into photography in the first place.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why bears are such powerful teachers for wildlife photographers
How to approach wildlife photography ethically and effectively
The importance of guides, awareness, and fieldcraft
Telephoto choices, zooms vs. primes, and lens versatility
Setting photography goals for daily practice and long-term growth
What makes a compelling travel photograph
How to become successful in nature photography today
Why the histogram still matters
Eric’s minimalist editing workflow and evolving creative style
OM System gear, favorite lenses, and surprisingly useful non-camera gear
Find Eric Rock online:
Website / portfolio: Eric Rock Photography 
Instagram: @ericsrock 
OM SYSTEM Ambassador profile: official ambassador page and learning resources 
Additional Photo Resources: Court's YouTube Channel
New Course! Conservation Communications Course
Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off

In today's episode, Court records in-location while prepping to photograph the Rocky Mountains from Boulder, Colorado—then pours a couple decades of landscape photography lessons into a practical, no-fluff playbook. From where to focus (so everything’s sharp) to when to shoot (with specifics for best times of day), to nearly a dozen other tips, this is a field guide you can use immediately—whether you’re shooting mirrorless, DSLR, or point-and-shoot. He concludes with bonus content on editing and forecasting for the best weather and sun position.
Summary
Landscape photography gets dramatically easier when you simplify it into a repeatable workflow:
Build the scene in layers (foreground, mid-ground, background).
Lock in focus and stability (hyperfocus “one-third in,” tripod, and a no-shake shutter method).
Let time-of-day do the magic (golden hour + blue hour are your unfair advantage).
Nail exposure the smart way (manual settings, protect highlights, and hedge with slight underexposure).
Edit with intention, not chaos (masking first, then a few powerful sliders).
Scout light and weather (and use tools like Sun Surveyor to predict where the sun will be in relation to your subject). 
Mentioned Resources & Links
Sun Surveyor (official site): https://www.sunsurveyor.com/  
Will Patino's Editing Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@WilliamPatinoPhotography

Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off

Today’s guest is National Geographic legend Jason Edwards—a photographer who doesn’t just document the world… he translates it via powerful storytelling techniques, which we cover in excellent depth in the conservation.
Jason talks about storytelling as a responsibility: becoming a portal for people who may never stand where you’re standing. We dig into his deceptively simple “five frames” storytelling challenge, his ruthless “one thing per photo” rule, and a powerful litmus test: does your image land emotionally without a caption?
We also get wonderfully practical—how he builds images in-camera (no object removal), how he culls his thousands of photos per trip, why “context shots” still matter even if everyone’s taken them, and how to think like a pro without getting swallowed by social media.
Top 10 takeaways
Storytelling = connection: you’re sharing an experience for someone who may never get to be there.
The 5-frame storytelling concept forces clarity—every frame must earn its place.
A single image can be “the one” if it moves someone without needing a caption.
Use an adjective test (cold, lonely, chaotic, tender) to strengthen emotional storytelling.
Jason’s core rule: you only get one thing in a photo—build everything around that anchor.
Supporting elements are “actors,” not clutter: if it doesn’t add, it subtracts.
Don’t copy the internet: avoid pre-researching other photographers’ shots if you want your story.
Practice “context shots” (the obvious wide/establishing frames) so your story has structure.
His culling workflow is brutally efficient: 3 passes + color labels to find the true story set.
Be a pro by acting like one: protect your credit, respect your work, and don’t let social metrics define your worth.
Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off