Pun fully intended — If you know me, you know that I’m not above cheesy puns, like the one in the title above. But, if you know me, you also know that I’m a huge fan of autumn. For me, it’s a season for time travel, because I not only enjoy the present, I’m…

It’s all about the light you cannot see — When people talk about listening to jazz music, you might hear them say: “…it’s all about the notes they’re NOT playing”. Yeah, I don’t know what that means either. Jazz people are odd. But it’s an interesting notion — that is, appreciating what’s not there. What’s omitted. Naturally, like so…

It lights up our lives (pun fully intended) — Light is complicated. Just ask a physicist. I’m referring to the nature of light — it’s a particle (photons) and it’s a wave (an electromagnetic wave, to be exact). But how can it be both? As I said — it’s complicated. But that’s not what this article is about. What…

Yes, if you photograph them just right — Art is all around us. And that’s good, because sometimes we just can’t get out of the house. That was the story during the COVID years, at least. But even now, sometimes you don’t have time to get away to some picturesque place. …

Capturing nature’s artwork in photographs — Anyone who has been to Bryce Canyon National Park understands the wonders of nature. Those wonders can be wonderful. We all can appreciate the beauty that nature displays in our day-to-day lives. It’s stuff we see frequently — flowers, trees, a sunrise or sunset, maybe even rivers or mountains. …

Just a friendly reminder — This is the easiest photo composition trick you’ll ever hear. It’s not even a trick — it’s too simple for that. Nor is it anything new — people do it all the time. So, given all of that, what the heck is this article even about? I’ll explain… This is Just a Reminder That’s all…

Maybe two out of three — Health, wealth, and happiness are what it’s all about. Right? Well, at least health and happiness. Some would argue that wealth is materialistic, and that health and happiness are really all that matters. I would agree with that. But let’s leave “wealth” in there anyway, just because those three things…

Juxtaposition is a great technique — As a photographer, you want to catch your viewer’s eye. By “catch,” I mean you want to get their attention, “pique” their interest, and hold on to it for at least a few moments, if not longer. That, I think, is the mark of a powerful photograph. Subject matter can…

The flowers will thank you for it. — Flower photographers will tell you that their subjects, sometimes, seem like they’re posing for you. Or maybe it’s just me. I tend to anthropomorphize a lot. If you’re like me, you understand that flowers have faces; sometimes they’re smiling and happy, and sometimes they’re down and sad. Don’t get me…

They might bug you too. — We all have a lot of pet peeves. Or maybe it’s just me. I’m an irritable guy. One of my recent “peeves” is hearing people start sentences with the word “So” for no good reason. For example: “What did you do yesterday?” “So, I got up in the morning and…

Also, is it “cactuses” or “cacti”? — I’ve never been a big fan of cacti. Or cactuses, for that matter. And yes, either term is correct. I looked it up. But “cacti” sounds more academic, and is just more fun to say, so let’s go with that. Cacti always seemed to be somewhat dry, a little off-putting…

You’ll bring home both images and memories. — If you’re a photographer, whether amateur or professional, you travel with your camera. (I mean, besides your phone.) You want to bring back memories in the form of fun photos of what you see, snapshots of yourself and your loved ones, and, hopefully, some good portfolio images too. When I…

A simple and fun project that helps you celebrate the season. Every year, just before Christmas, I set up my tripod in some chosen place in or around my home to capture my yearly Christmas image. This, my wife would tell you, is what it’s like to live with a…

The key to a landscape image may not be the landscape itself. — I’ll start by saying that this is not a new piece of advice. Landscape photographers have heard or said this before: By including a person in a landscape image, you give the viewer a sense of scale. In other words, you give them a measuring stick — an idea of…

It’s highly debatable, that’s for sure. — Photography is full of “debates” — issues discussed at length on forums and elsewhere, where there’s no clear answer. “Raw vs JPEG” is a big one, for example. Let’s not get started with that one. Today I want to lay out the arguments on both sides of the back-button focus…

I’ll explain. — We all have happy accidents in our photography. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert) once said: “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” So, it’s ok to get lucky. But I don’t think you can evaluate your photography…

They’re not hard to do, but they can make a big difference — Modern digital cameras are powerful machines. It’s crazy how smart they are. Really. They might join forces and rise up against us if we’re not careful. So, it just makes sense to take full advantage of all of the image-making features our cameras offer. And I think there are 3…

As it turns out, they’re not boring at all. — I have a few fern shots to share with you. You heard me. Fern shots. As in, shots of ferns. Sounds somewhat boring, I know. When most people think about ferns, they think about an office plant that sits on top of a filing cabinet. But ferns are surprisingly interesting…

A photographer can tell. — Hollywood has depicted photographers countless times. From Jimmy Stewart’s character in Rear Window to Spiderman’s Peter Parker, we see photographers portrayed frequently in movies, and on television. And most of the time, the acting is perfectly fine. Sometimes it’s even exceptional. (Mr. Stewart never disappoints.) But sometimes, if you’re a…

Seattle’s Pike Place Market has it all. — Everyone enjoys a good farmers’ market. The sights, smells, and sounds of a busy market can be fascinating, even if you’re not a “foodie”. And, if you want to visit one of the oldest farmers’ markets in these United States, you have to swing by Pike Place Market the next…