Over the past few months, I’ve been building out a wildlife setup that fits how I actually shoot here in Scotland. I’ve selected from the best Nikon Z lenses primarily for my Z8. Most of my time has been spent walking — exploring woodland, open areas, and edges where you might come across something rather … Read more
I took a walk along the River Earn today. I’ve been given information that certain stretches of the river have beavers along them, so I wanted to go down there myself, take a look at the area, check the flow of the river, look for any signs of activity, and scout potential shooting locations—particularly how … Read more
I’ve spent around a year shooting with the Nikon Z8 — a camera that is remarkably intuitive to use, yet offers so many possible setups that it can feel overwhelming at first. During my time in the Philippines I used the Z8 mainly for family, travel and documentary photography. But since moving to the Scottish … Read more
My Nikon Z 180–600mm lens arrived last week and, after much deliberation between OM System and Nikon for my wildlife photography setup here in Scotland, I finally got to take it out along with the Nikon Z8 and the 400mm f/4.5 lens on Friday. Both of these lenses are among the best lens options for … Read more
Yesterday I headed up to Loch Turret reservoir. I’ve been there before with Sofia, but this time I wanted to go further — to cross the burns that had previously stopped us and push a little deeper into the hills. I took the Nikon Z8 paired with the Nikon Z 24–120mm f/4. The goal wasn’t … Read more
In a previous article, I discussed the choice that I was making about which system I would end up using as my primary wildlife gear in Scotland. I wrote that article while I was still living in the Philippines. Now I’ve had some time here in Scotland and I’ve finally made a choice, but it … Read more
Nikon might not release cameras as quickly as some other manufacturers, but what they do bring out tend to be photographers’ cameras. The current Z lineup has matured into a capable system, yet the question remains: which Nikon Z body is actually the best for photography in 2026?I own three of the main Nikon Z … Read more
Last Updated: June 2026 Added my current Nikon Z8 field kit, updated accessory recommendations based on long-term use, and refined buying advice throughout the article. The Nikon Z8 is proving to be a dream camera for me — the autofocus is incredible, the handling is near perfect, and the image quality is nothing short of … Read more
There are days when photography has nothing to do with testing gear, and everything to do with finding a little bit of quiet. Today was one of those days. I’ve been running on empty lately, and most of my time and energy has been tied up with worries about Isobelle. So this afternoon I took … Read more
I woke up this morning with mixed feelings — questioning my own thinking, but also feeling a strange sense of excitement. For the first time in a long while, decisions feel like they’ve been made. Now it’s just a case of working toward the point where we can act on them. This week was a … Read more