Tech Tips

Digital photography has given us many amazing tools to create better images.  No more guessing on the right exposure or composition.  Take the shot, review the image on your LCD, and adjust accordingly.  But just remember to use these new tools to their fullest advantage, and don’t get trapped following to many ‘rules’. One rule Read More

A good travel photographer records ‘the experience’ of their destination. The sights, culture, people, mood, activities…after seeing a selection of images you should have an emotional response to the story.  And part of travel for many people is experiencing the exotic foods at their destination.  Yet how many photographers actually photograph food?  I’ll admit the Read More

One trap I see many photographers fall into during my workshops is photographing a scene from a literal standpoint.  You see an interesting subject, and take a shot that shows the whole subject.  But what if the ‘whole subject’ isn’t that interesting, just one part of it stands out.  Then photograph that part!  Remember, always Read More

Some techniques are just plain worth trying, and pan and blur is one of those techniques.  Pan and blur is easy to do, and guaranteed to create some interesting shots.  The idea is that you track a moving subject with your camera clicking away so that the subject is sharp and the background is blurry. Read More

Part of any travel portfolio are city and town images of places you visit. Cityscapes are often iconic reminders of where your shoot is taking place, and quickly set the stage for other supporting images in your story. Think about how many iconic skylines you know…..New York, London, Paris, Seattle, Rio, Moscow…the list is long. Read More

With all the amazing technology and new equipment, it is easy to get lost in a sea of tech.  New cameras, lenses, lights…I love getting new gear! But when it comes to image making, I always try to remember that these new tools help me pursue my creative vision….they do what I tell them to Read More

As every photographer knows, photographs only happen with light.  No light, no picture…it doesn’t matter how cool the subject is.  So it makes sense that bringing a tool that can change or create light is very important to any photographer.  During workshops I see a lot of hesitation on the part of photographers on using Read More

We have all heard this before.  The demise of the travel photographer is having to photograph iconic scenes from the same place where hordes of tourists have photographed the same scene.  To separate yourself from the masses, and catch the eye of editors and viewers, you have to find a fresh perspective.  And even though Read More

I shoot a lot of travel photography, and at presentations folks are always interested in how ‘you got that shot’.  My first answer is you just have to get out and shoot.  It doesn’t matter if you are at your local park or on the other side of the globe, you won’t have great chances Read More

I regularly teach a class on composition during my workshops, and one topic we discuss is how the eye moves through an image.  What attracts the eye (i.e. viewer), what causes confusion, why do some photographs just look so good?  Being able to articulate these concepts is critical in visual literacy, and is fundamental in Read More