Hey friends,

This week I’ve been revisiting the 24 hours that completely changed how I see Mt. Fuji - and I’m so excited to share the story with you.

Quick reminder before I dive in: That Sony A7R V deal I mentioned last Sunday? I’m not sure when it ends, but I genuinely think this is the best price you'll see.

(Full transparency: I earn a small commission through this link. It helps keep this newsletter free and my coffee mug full. Thanks for supporting!)

I shoot 99% of what you see me post with that camera, including this incredible 24-hour window at Mt. Fuji. I love shooting on the Sony A7R V and have no plans of switching anytime soon.

If you've been waiting for the right time to upgrade, this is it.

Now, let me tell you about those 24 hours...

aka: the day the universe finally gave me Mt. Fuji

We only got 24 hours of great weather around Mt. Fuji. Everything you see in that carousel was shot between 7am - 5pm on the same day.

Here's what I captured:

But here's how that day actually went down:

We planned sunrise at the Chureito Pagoda. I woke up at 5am and Fuji was completely buried in fog. Zero visibility.

I had to pivot fast: "What would look good in moody conditions?"

The Maple Corridor! I love fog in forests and tree covered locations, so we raced over there. Within minutes the fog cleared just enough for us to see the most insane light rays I’ve ever seen!

Since the fog had lifted, we carried on to hit every spot we could where Mt. Fuji was visible. The light stayed soft all day and we got a beautiful sunset at Lake Shoji.

But the next morning? Fuji disappeared into clouds and never came back.

And that’s the thing about travel photography… you can't control the conditions, but you can control your commitment to changing direction and still making the most of a “bad” sunrise. This happened to be better than anything I could have hoped for :)

We arrived in Kawaguchiko the night before with no time to scout - BUT I had already done hours of research ahead of time. Saved locations, mapped routes, ranked our must-haves. This helped make the most of the day with a lot less stress trying to decide where to go.

Here’s what I recommend doing before every travel shoot:

Most aren’t willing to do all this prep work, but because I did, I wasn’t guessing when Fuji finally appeared - I was able to jump right into execution mode. That's the difference between getting lucky and being ready when luck shows up.

Sony A7V announced
Sony just released the A7V (different from the A7R V I've been talking about). The new A7V is positioned as Sony's most balanced hybrid camera yet—26MP sensor, 8.5-stop IBIS, 10fps burst, and improved video specs. It's aimed at photographers who want versatility without the massive file sizes of the A7R V's 61MP sensor. Body-only at $2,498. Available late December.

Northern Lights Photographer of the Year announces 2025 winners
The top 25 aurora images of 2025 were just announced, and they're absolutely stunning. If you've been thinking about chasing the Northern Lights, now through March 2026 is prime time. We're in a period of heightened solar activity that's creating more frequent and intense aurora displays. If you love seeing what's possible with night sky photography, the winning gallery is worth a look. It's a good reminder of what happens when preparation meets once-in-a-lifetime conditions.

Behind a lot of those Mt. Fuji shots: the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM.

Wide lenses are everything for landscapes. They let you capture the full sweep of a scene - the pagoda with the mountain rising behind it, the entire corridor of maple trees, the lake stretching out to Fuji.

This one's been in my kit for years and it's the lens I reach for most when I'm shooting travel and landscapes. Sharp, reliable, no weird edge distortion.

If you're looking to add a wide lens to your setup, this is the one I'd recommend.

(Full transparency: I earn a small commission through this link. It helps keep this newsletter free and my coffee mug full. Thanks for supporting!)

Now that we’re home, we’re easing back into a healthier, more grounded rhythm - gym sessions, editing days, cooking, planning what's next. No big international trips immediately on the horizon, but we’ve been looking at a few long-weekend ideas… possibly Southern Utah, possibly something snowy.

If you have a favorite winter weekend destination (bonus points if it’s within the U.S.), hit reply. I love hearing about the places that mean something to you.

See you next week,
Paige

Follow Me On Instagram

P.S. Interested in Lightroom Presets? Check out my Preset Packs below, made specifically for travel, landscape, & nature.