Now playing on FStoppers.com!

So a little news – I’m now writing for FStoppers.com! Crazy to think that a website that I’ve been reading and learning from for years is now something I’m contributing to. Also weird that I was once on the other side giving them interviews for Canon when I worked there. While that means things may … Continue reading “Now playing on FStoppers.com!”

2016: Year in photos (And a big announcement)

So one of the things I discovered in 2016 is that working in marketing for a camera company, while an awesome and fun experience, actually leaves much less time for photography than I thought. The other thing I found out was that it is incredibly hard to maintain multiple social media identities – something I … Continue reading “2016: Year in photos (And a big announcement)”

Three tips, better shot: The magic of Christmas lights

Christmas trees provide some of the best opportunities to have a little fun with lighting. That’s why it’s one of my favorite times of the year to take pictures.There are a few things that you can do to help improve the odds of getting a better picture when photographing the magic of Christmas lights. Read … Continue reading “Three tips, better shot: The magic of Christmas lights”

Buying a camera for the student journalist

Updated on June 13, 2018 In teaching multimedia classes in journalism and communications schools, one of the most frequently asked questions I get in every workshop or class I teach is “What camera should I buy?” If you’re a student new to the multimedia world, the range of options can be intimidating. Do I get … Continue reading “Buying a camera for the student journalist”

Tips from Tony Northrup on shooting Monday’s Supermoon

On Monday, the moon will be the closer to the Earth than it has been since last century. Even my mom was excited to get a photograph of this. So (for her, of course) here’s a guide from Tony Northrup to getting a great shot of the moon. I don’t personally do the stacking stuff, … Continue reading “Tips from Tony Northrup on shooting Monday’s Supermoon”

Three tips, better shot: Jewelry and “El Bokeh Wall”

While I can’t take credit for the genesis of this technique (shoutout to Laya Gerlock and his “El Bokeh Wall” writeup in PetaPixel) I did take it and apply it to an engagement ring and took the whole thing out of the studio. The basic thrust of the technique here is that by using a … Continue reading “Three tips, better shot: Jewelry and “El Bokeh Wall””

Amazing Star Wars art you absolutely must see

I caught this link over on PetaPixel earlier today – the work of photographer/artist Sebastien Del Grosso. These Star Wars art pieces he created with action figures are amazing. Makes me want to dust off the macro lens and get to work. There are other amazing pieces beyond the Star Wars stuff on his site. … Continue reading “Amazing Star Wars art you absolutely must see”

These folks take better food pictures than me

I could write up a post about how to get better food photos, but you should really check out this post from the New York Times about how to get better food photos. It’s definitely geared toward the phone-photographer segment, which I suppose is most everyone. While I’m at it, I have to give a … Continue reading “These folks take better food pictures than me”

Three tips, better shot: That time Mazda USA picked up my picture

So if you’re a regular viewer of Mazda USA’s Instagram page, you may have noticed the featured image on this post pop up in your feed (and I’m sure the chance of you being a regular viewer of that and this page are slim). That’s my shot from a trip to the Valley of Fire … Continue reading “Three tips, better shot: That time Mazda USA picked up my picture”

Three tips, better shot: Stitching photos for the full picture

When I’m out and about, I don’t like to carry around more than a lens or two – this means that sometimes I run into a scene I can’t fit into one shot. For instance, the 24mm lens I had the day I went to check out the in-progress Freedom Tower in the featured photo … Continue reading “Three tips, better shot: Stitching photos for the full picture”