Hello, my friend!

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I just got back from my summer workshop in the Dolomites—and what an experience it was! Another incredible trip with an outstanding group of photographers. The Dolomites have quickly become one of my all-time favorite places to photograph, and this trip only deepened that feeling.

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Below is a selection of new work from the journey—I hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating it.

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​​I hope you find some useful information in this edition of The Morning Blaze and as always thanks so much for reading & sharing. Have a great weekend! - Mark D.

📺 MY NEW VIDEOS

Set This One Button Before You Miss Another Shot

Ever missed a great shot because you were stuck fiddling with your camera settings? I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit. In this video, I’ll show you how assigning just one custom button can completely change how fast you shoot. It’s a simple tweak that’s made a huge difference in my workflow—especially when conditions change fast and I only have a few seconds to react. Whether you shoot on Sony, Canon, Nikon, or Fuji, I’ll walk you through exactly how to set it up and why it works so well. This is one of those little things that feels small but makes a big impact—and once you try it, you won’t want to shoot without it.

15 Months with the Nikon Z8 - Would I Still Switch?

It’s been about 15 months since I made the switch from the Fuji GFX100s to the Nikon Z8—and I’ve got a lot of thoughts. At the time, I wasn’t totally sure if it was the right move. I loved the look of the GFX files, but I needed something better suited for the kind of landscape photography I do. In this video, I’m sharing what it’s really been like using the Z8 for over a year—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and whether I’ve had any regrets about leaving medium format behind. If you’re thinking about switching systems or you’ve been curious how the Z8 holds up long term, I hope this gives you some helpful insight.

🔓 VAULT FAVORITES

Even the World's Best Photographers Can't Deny It's Results!

There's a lot of noise out there, people telling you what to do, how to do it, and when to do it, and that's not what this video is all about. Rather the advice in this video is the single best photography tip that made the biggest improvement and impact to my photography over the past ten years. And not only that, in this on-location video I take you along on a trip in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and photograph some of the best light I've ever seen!

📖 GOOD READS Understanding White Balance: A Comprehensive Guide for Photographers Are you finding it challenging to achieve the “perfect” white balance in your photographs? You're not alone. Even seasoned photographers often grapple with the complexities of white balance correction. In this guide, we'll delve deep into the nuances of white balance, offering valuable insights and practical tips to help you conquer this essential aspect of photography. ✅ The Significance of White Balance Before we dive into the intricacies of white balance correction, let's understand why it's so important. White balance refers to the adjustment of colors in an image to ensure that whites appear neutral and colors are accurately rendered. Different light sources emit varying color temperatures, leading to color casts that can distort the true colors of your subject. Consider this: sunlight bathes your scene in warm, orange tones, while shade lighting imparts a cool, bluish tint. As photographers, our objective is to neutralize these color casts, allowing us to faithfully represent the scene's true colors and capture its essence. ✅ Exploring White Balance Correction Methods 1. Leveraging the Eyedropper Tool One of the most commonly used methods for white balance correction involves utilizing the eyedropper tool in editing programs like Lightroom. By selecting a neutral area in your image - such as a white or light gray surface - you can effectively adjust the white balance. Experiment with different areas until you find the perfect balance that accurately represents the scene's colors. >> Read More​