Shoutout to Royal Camera Repair

by | Jan 15, 2021 | Recommendations

Shoutout to Royal Camera Repair
If it hasn’t happened to you yet, get ready for it. Equipment gets old. Accidents happen. Moth and rust corrupts. When your photography equipment breaks, have you thought about where you will go to get it fixed? If you’re like me, your lens might be too old to be repaired by Canon. And who wants to pay Canon repair... Read More »

Observing Some Results of This Amazing Survey!

by | Jan 8, 2021 | Perspective

Observing Some Results of This Amazing Survey!
Last week, I launched a survey showcasing 38 different photos, asking “Which of these photos would you describe as peaceful?”And the results have been fascinating!For some of the photos, 100% of the feedback was “Yes”, such-and-such photo could be described as peaceful.And for other photos, the response was totally... Read More »

On Assignment: A Peaceful Scene

by | Jan 1, 2021 | Assignments

On Assignment: A Peaceful Scene
This was a tough photo shoot to bring you along on! Taking a video at night is quite a challenge. And that hillside! It is literally a field of thorns. But come now! Let me take you behind the scenes, and show you how that epic, pre-dawn trek unfolded! The app PhotoPills puts the beginning of Blue Hour at when Civil... Read More »

Christmas Gift Ideas for Photographers!

by | Dec 21, 2020 | Recommendations

Christmas Gift Ideas for Photographers!
I got a fun email over the weekend. It was from a mother. She was looking for Christmas gift ideas for her daughter. “Any accessories that you think would be beneficial for a budding leisure photographer?” I thought that was a fun question. So I replied with some ideas, and thought this whole concept would make a... Read More »

On Assignment: Made In His Image

by | Nov 30, 2020 | Assignments

On Assignment: Made In His Image
It was quite convenient that the current assignment, Made In His Image, landed around the holidays! With Robert & Kendalyn and their family in town, I had ample opportunities to shoot it. However, not every opportunity turned out as I expected…. I really liked that first location. The brown, textured curtains and... Read More »

The Gift of Photography

by | Nov 28, 2020 | Perspective

The Gift of Photography
For the past couple of months, I’ve been looking forward to going out to St. Louis for the wedding of a good friend of mine. The wedding is next week. So I decided I had better figure out my travel schedule and decide whether or not I’d make some time for photography along the way. My initial thought was to head out... Read More »

Editing Out Reflections in Glasses

by | Nov 21, 2020 | Tips & Tricks

Editing Out Reflections in Glasses
I very much enjoy using off-camera flash when doing indoor shots at a wedding. It's just so soft, and it does a really great job of pulling subjects off the background! However, there can be a problem. Bright directional light creates reflections in glasses. After shooting Thierry & Hannah's wedding in September,... Read More »

The Truth Revealed

by | Nov 12, 2020 | Perspective

The Truth Revealed
Can you tell me what this is a picture of? Maybe it’s a picture of an epic ocean sunrise. Maybe it’s a picturesque old barn on the midwestern prairie. Maybe it’s a grizzly bear on the steep slopes of an Alaskan mountainside! Who knows. You can’t tell. It’s totally not properly exposed. Now, since I’m the... Read More »

On Assignment: Autumn Reference Photo

by | Oct 30, 2020 | Assignments

On Assignment: Autumn Reference Photo
Maybe you can’t tell…but I had no idea how to go about shooting this great assignment, Autumn Artwork Reference Photo! November is late to be photographing fall colors. I suggest you try to photograph this assignment as soon as you can. Just a couple days can make a big difference in how much fall foliage there is... Read More »

Playing with Tone Curve

by | Oct 24, 2020 | Tips & Tricks

Playing with Tone Curve
While editing the Assateague Island Field Day group photo not too long ago, I felt my typical adjustments in the Basic panel just weren’t getting it right. Maybe it had something to do with how bright both the foreground and background were? I don’t know. Here’s the best I could do using just the Basic sliders like... Read More »

A Twinge of Sadness

by | Oct 17, 2020 | Perspective, Stories & Expeditions

A Twinge of Sadness
Have you ever been out taking pictures someplace that you’ve never been to before, enjoying the beauty of the place simply because it’s a beautiful place . . . and then someone starts giving you a glimpse into the history of the place? It gives a deeper perspective on the way you view the location. No longer is it... Read More »

Behind the Shot: Crimson Display

by | Oct 10, 2020 | Stories & Expeditions

Behind the Shot: Crimson Display
It was a quaint little place. Not all that attractive in and of itself. But the view was amazing! An especially great place for morning devotions, even when it was cold outside. But on one particular morning, I saw the horizon begin to glow red, I knew it was time to jump into my wool socks and wind-proof jacket!... Read More »

On Assignment: An Illustration of Selfishness

by | Oct 2, 2020 | Assignments

On Assignment: An Illustration of Selfishness
Oh, this is going to be a good assignment! Surely, everyone has a water hose, an algae-covered pond, or an old rain barrel somewhere close by! But has anyone ever thought to take artistic pictures of them?? The pond that was supposed to be all stagnant and ugly turned out to look way too healthy to illustrate the... Read More »

Creative Posing Ideas

by | Sep 4, 2020 | Assignments

Creative Posing Ideas
This month’s photo assignment, Creative Posing, is a little different than normal! Instead of asking you to photograph a concept or come up with your own interpretation of an idea, this assignment is to photograph something specific. Very specific! So specific, in fact, that it will require you to study provided... Read More »

Constraining Factors

by | Aug 19, 2020 | Perspective, Pic of the Month

Constraining Factors
The sound of my alarm going off was evidently louder than the pitter patter of water dripping off the trees onto the rainfly. Everything inside the tent was still pretty damp from the previous evening’s rain, but outside, the moon was making it’s appearance through broken clouds. Our group of four slowly piled into... Read More »

Pin It on Pinterest