Andrew Phillips

Based in Colorado and making our way around the world. My favorite subjects are wildlife, landscapes, and architecture in no particular order - of course in parallel with tumbling down the slippery slope of birding. Truthfully, I enjoy taking photos of whatever is in front of me. I love the process just as much as the end result.

The Process

“The process” consists of so many things past just pressing the shutter - research, planning, snacks, travel, composing, snacks, editing - all to chase that feeling of “I nailed this shot”. Thoughtful prep work makes a good photo that much sweeter.

Now’s a good time to point out that I don’t do all of that on my own. Not even close. If I’m being honest, this site should really be called “Andrew’s Photos - Any Goodness Made Possible by Anna’s Good Planning”. I get the camera squared away, and Anna gets me squared away.

Ultimately, I do this because we like having good photos to look back on. So this site isn’t meant to be a disruptive, socially-engineered customer acquisition funnel that optimizes for sales and conversion KPIs (let’s circle back), despite the crushing expectations of our board members. It’s really just meant to complete the last part of the process. That is, to see our photos stitched together in a cohesive story rather than sitting idly on a hard drive (and the cloud of course). I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

My Gear

  • Sony a7 IV

    As a chronic pixel peeper with an iffy post-processing setup, I chose this 33MP body to ride the line between high-res and manageable file sizes. Smart & fast animal AF and great in-body stabilization were welcomed bonus points as a nature photographer.

  • Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G

    I think I’ve found the perfect “short lens” for my style of shooting. Its surprisingly small size & weight have been exactly what I need to stay inconspicuous on the street and breezy on the trail. The bit of extra width over a standard 24-70 comes in handy more than you’d think.

  • Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM

    This is my “long lens” for anything that takes us out of eyesight of the car. Same size & weight as my old 70-200 2.8, but with double the reach for wildlife and more versatile telephoto landscapes. Also eliminates the need to bring the 200-600 on the trail, which has been a relief for my glass bones and paper skin. It’s a no brainer (despite the many hours of research before making the switch).

  • Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G

    The Big Kahuna, my dedicated wildlife lens. Stays near the car unless I think the stars have aligned for a truly great encounter on the trail. You do need to be conscious of lighting at times, but I’ve been super pleased with the results. Amazing performance considering how much more you’d pay for the next level up.

  • Sony FE 85mm f/1.8

    While I’m not a portrait photographer, I am a photographer that can take portraits thanks to this lens. Cheap, all-metal construction, perfect focal length, plenty fast - I couldn’t ask for a better lens.