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October 28, 2009

Luck or Skill?

20091025_Chiefs_157a.jpgAfter shooting the Kansas City Chiefs game against the San Diego Chargers last weekend, another photographer and I were discussing the differences between luck and skill. Those are two things every good photographer has experience with.

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October 21, 2009

The Beauty of Blur

20091001_EgyptD4_550a.JPGThere are two things that can ruin photos - blur and being out of focus. At times, though, blur can make a picture better. The trick to doing that is understanding how to use blur as a creative tool.

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October 06, 2009

Great New Softbox

20090915_FourSquare_036a.jpgYou know by now I'm a big fan of using strobes. Good light is so important to good pictures that I love being able to create and/or add it whenever I want. And I've always been a fan of softboxes as a way of controlling and directing that light. Now there's a new softbox that I just can't say enough good things about. But I'll try :)

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September 23, 2009

A Better Camera Strap?

20090921_NDE_012.jpgBeing a newspaper photographer for over twenty years has taken its toll on my neck and shoulders. I've grown to hate the weight of cameras around my neck, and am tired of trying to keep them from falling off my shoulders. One company looks like it has a good solution for me.

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September 17, 2009

Model Performance

20090912_LId3_296a.jpgBack in my newspaper days I volunteered at one time to do the food and fashion shoots. That wasn't really my kind of photography, but it was time to try something new. I ended up enjoying it, and learned the value of working with an experienced model.

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September 02, 2009

Loving Wireless Flash

20090901_Mercy_0407a.jpgI've been a big fan of off-camera flash since I started using a Vivitar 283 and 15-ft sync cord in the mid-80s. Since then I've added many more strobes and some radio triggers/receivers to my lighting kits. The last few years, though, I've done most of my lighting with wireless flash built into my cameras and strobes.

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August 19, 2009

In Praise of Fast Lenses

20090716_Wedding_257a.jpgWhen photographers talk about lenses these days, it's mostly about the zooms. When the light's low, though, you can't beat a good fast fixed focal-length lens.

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August 13, 2009

Moon Shot

20090802_Colorado_112a.jpgOne of the questions I'm regularly asked at workshops is how to photograph the moon. With the recent anniversary of the first moon landing, I thought this would be a good time to talk about that.

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August 07, 2009

Minimalist Approach

20090731_NDE_003.jpgMy daughter Rachel and I are spending this week in Rocky Mountain National Park. We're camping and have a number of hikes planned, including Long's Peak, if possible. Se we're traveling light.

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July 29, 2009

Chasing Sunset

20090722_OregonD5_498a.jpgOne evening this week I decided to shoot some photos at dusk and was reminded there's a right way and a wrong way to chase a sunset.

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July 23, 2009

They shopped, so I...

20090718_OregonD1_133a.jpg I'm not a big shopper. So when my wife and daughter decided to spend the first afternoon of our vacation shopping in Portland, I decided to take a walk instead. With my camera.

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July 15, 2009

Extension Tubes

20090712_NDE_154a.jpgFor years I've struggled with whether to carry a macro (closeup) lens with me on trips. I love what I can do with one, but it's another piece of glass to carry. And if I'm not sure I'll need one, I often leave it behind. Now I've finally got a solution.

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June 24, 2009

Memories

20030607_KidsDogs_109d.JPGMy wife and I have been working our way through the season one DVDs of Mad Men. Seems like each summer we pick one TV show praised by the critics that we never watched. The last episode struck a chord with me as the lead character talked about what photos mean to us.

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June 16, 2009

High Dynamic Range

CPhotoMatix01.jpgI've played with HDR (High Dynamic Range) images for several years now, using filters and multiple exposures. Now I'm using a program that does a great job of automating the process.

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June 09, 2009

Ode to Toys

20090604__OregonD2_084c.JPGI'm just back from leading a photo trip on the Oregon coast for American Photo as part of their Mentor Series program. As is usual on a workshop like this, I took along a few of my favorite accessories, which I often call toys, to add some variety.

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May 27, 2009

Playing with Dolls

20090527_NDE_017.jpgMy wife thinks I spend too much time in the basement office. Maybe she's right, Yesterday I found myself playing with my daughter's old Barbie collection.

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May 19, 2009

Wireless Photo Frame

20090417_KodakW1020Frame_046a.jpgOkay, we've all seen digital picture frames that let you have a constant slideshow of your favorite photos. What I hadn't seen, though, was a wireless frame that could also connect to your home network. Now that's really cool!

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May 12, 2009

It's not what you've got, but how you use it

20090510_Recital2_0032a.jpgThis weekend my daughter was part of a massive recital by her dance studio. No question I'm going to shoot pictures. So the question is really, "what gear should I take?" I've got some of the best cameras and lenses made. Guess what I took?

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May 05, 2009

A Twisted View

NDSboston197a.jpgNikon recently released a new digital SLR, the D5000, and I just got my hands on one. It's an entry/mid-level DSLR (12MP) with a twist. Literally. It's the first Nikon DSLR with an articulated display. That means the LCD pulls out from the body so you can see what you're framing without having the viewfinder at your eye. Cool.

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April 21, 2009

Prom Night

20090418_Prom_135.jpgMy son Nathan is graduating high school next month, and had his senior prom this past weekend. And what kind of photographer/father would I be if I didn't turn this into an opportunity for photos?

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April 14, 2009

Pixels to Spare

20090410_Royals_029.jpgI've gotten my hands on a Nikon D3X, at 24MP the highest resolution digital SLR currently available. And that many pixels changes how you can use this camera.

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March 31, 2009

Close to Home

20090329_Snow_062.jpgI love having the chance to see and photograph places around the world, and lucky to have a job that makes that possible. But travel can be hard, and sometimes all you need to do is take a trip to your backyard.

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March 24, 2009

Future Pro Photographer Contest

MS Future Pro Photog.jpgMicrosoft is once again accepting entries for their Future Pro Photographer contest. Open to almost any students 18 or over attending a two or four-year college, it's got amazing prize packages. If you know anyone who fits the requirements, urge them to enter!

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March 09, 2009

PMA 2009

20090304_PMA_002.jpgLast week I attended PMA 2009 in Las Vegas, the Photo Marketing Association's annual tradeshow. All the big (and many of the small) companies whose business involves photography have booths there, and in the past it was one of the places they'd make their big announcements. These days they tend to announce products as soon as they're available, so there are fewer big stories. What I enjoy seeing, though, are the small, often innovative things that come out.

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March 03, 2009

Gear Upgrades

20090301_NDE_119.jpgOne of the great things about photography is its variety and how it can grow with you. And that growth often comes at a price, in new or different gear. A while back I upgraded my tripods, and now it was time to do the same for heads and plates.

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February 25, 2009

Photography and Luck

20090219_YoseD2_021.JPGI've got a friend who's fond of saying, "I'd rather be lucky than good." I know what he means. Last week I had a workshop to teach in Berkeley, so flew in two days early to take a quick trip to Yosemite with some friends. And boy, did we get lucky.

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February 17, 2009

In Praise of Point-and-Shoots

20090209_Aerials_013.jpgToday's entry will be a small one, to fit the subject. I'm a big fan of compact cameras, often referred to as point-and-shoots. It's not that they're all I ever want to shoot with, but you can't beat their size for what they can do. That means I can have a camera (and a real one, NOT a toy built into my phone) with me almost all the time.

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February 10, 2009

Practice Makes Perfect, or just Happy

20090206_Houston_032.JPGThere's one sure thing about photography - you get better at it by taking pictures. That's not to say you can't learn from reading and by studying other people's photos. But if you truly want to grow as a photographer, you've got to get out and shoot. And that's true of all of us, pros and amateurs alike.

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February 04, 2009

Lenses and Sharpness

20080910_TurkeyD6_832.jpgI've had a few conversations with photographers recently about lenses not performing up to expectations concerning sharpness of photos. In the past I've always looked to the age of a lens and the design (consumer-grade or pro?). Now, though, I'm starting to think about our definition of "sharp."

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January 20, 2009

Light and Shadows

20081228_Bloch_079.jpgI admit it, I have a short attention span. Last week we went to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art to see the show, "Art in the Age of Steam." A beautiful exhibition centering on the effect the railroads had on the world and art from the 1800s to the mid 1900s. I can only look at art so long, so luckily I found a distraction.

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January 13, 2009

With a Little Help from a Friend

20090109_Boston_015_2.jpgThis past weekend I was out in Boston to teach a Nikon School (www.nikonschool.com) with friend and fellow instructor Bill Durrence. One of the Nikon sales reps for the area, Bob Watts, is the epitome of the good host, and this time we had a chance to do some shooting together.

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January 06, 2009

Cover Two Angles at Once

20090103_KU_265.jpgThis past weekend I headed out to Lawrence, Kansas to cover the University of Kansas men's basketball game against the University of Tennessee. It's become fairly common at sporting events for photographers to set up remote cameras to get more angles on the action, and that's what I decided to do this time.

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December 30, 2008

Remote Viewing

20081128_CCP2_004.jpgMore software packages are making it possible to tether a digital camera to a computer, either for remote operation (from the computer) or to share the images with others without them having to look at the back of the camera. I recently needed that, so I used Nikon's Camera Control Pro 2.

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December 16, 2008

Weather's bad, so... Light Paint!

20081216_LP_086.jpgI spent Sunday freezing on the sidelines of the Chiefs/Chargers game, so when I wanted to have some photo fun this week, going out in the 8-degree weather didn't appeal to me. Instead I turned my thoughts inside and decided to do some light painting.

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December 09, 2008

Less Painful Family Photos

20081127_Family_061.jpgI'm as guilty as most people when it comes to shooting large group family pictures. I don't like to do it. The more people you've got in a photo the harder it is to make a nice photo. This year, though, I decided to fight my natural tendencies and try to make a nice group shot at Thanksgiving.

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December 01, 2008

Finally, a photo laptop

20081030_NDE_055.jpgI've always found it strange that computer manufacturers build specialized computers for gamers, but nothing for photographers. You'd think we must be a much larger market. Well, that's finally changing.

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November 25, 2008

Choice is Good

20081116_Chiefs_086.jpgThe more choices we have, the harder it can be. Shoot JPEG or RAW? Upgrade Photoshop now or wait? Spend more on a faster lens or save $$? My favorite choice right now is between full-frame or cropped-frame cameras, because that choice gives me more flexibility in my photography.

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November 15, 2008

Darkroom - Waste of Time?

Reed - B'ham darkrooma.jpgI recently had a chance to visit with a group of photography students, some high school, the majority college, and decided to ask a question I've wondered for a while now. Is having experience with a wet darkroom (developing film, printing) still important to a photo education? Their answers surprised me.

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October 28, 2008

Just say "Hi!"

20081022_Lobby2_121.jpgLots of times photos can be made better just by talking to people. It doesn't seem like much, but simply walking up and saying "Hi, mind if I take some photos of you?" can lead to much better pictures.

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October 14, 2008

AF Settings Confusion

20070828_AcadiaD200_064.jpgThis past week I received an email from someone looking for help in decoding the AF settings on their camera. This is perhaps the most common, hardest to figure out group of settings on today's digital SLRs.

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October 06, 2008

Noon Time Sun

20080830_Powell_010.jpgThere are a lot of rules in photography having to do with composition, exposure, focus and such. My favorite is that you shouldn't shoot in the middle of the day, when the light is bad because the sun is overhead. Rules schmules.

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September 30, 2008

Portrait Tips

20080922_Grace_040.jpgIt's fall, and once again that means senior portrait season. This time a friend called and asked if I could do some photos of their daughter, who was uncomfortable being in front of a stranger's camera.
"

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September 17, 2008

Turkey's Great

20080907_TurkeyD3_269.jpgWe're back from the trip to Turkey, and what a wonderful trip it was. Turkey now tops my list of great overseas photo trips.

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September 07, 2008

Istanbul

20080906_TurkeyD2_098a.JPGThis week I'm in Turkey leading a Mentor Trek for American Photo. Our first two days were spent in Istanbul, which has quickly moved into the top of my list of great places to shoot pictures.

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August 21, 2008

Photoshop Overdose

Shave.jpgI had a note from a friend yesterday pointing out an article he'd been quoted in. It was a story in the New York Times on the overwhelming use of Photoshop in family photos. It made me wonder where we're headed photographically.

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August 13, 2008

Iceland's Awesome

20080809_Ice2_319.JPGFor the past two years I've been fortunate enough to be involved in Microsoft's Icons of Imaging program (www.microsoft.com/prophoto). And this past week I had an opportunity to join that group on a trip to Iceland, and discovered what a photographer's paradise it is.

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August 04, 2008

Portable Light Kit

20080522_NDE_026.jpg About twenty years ago I put together my first portable light kit. It was pretty basic - one stand, one flash and a cord to connect the flash to the camera. Not long after that I added a second stand and light, a slave to fire it, and eventually a radio remote (so people would stop tripping over my flash cord). For the past fifteen years it's been pretty much the same, and it was time to overhaul it.

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July 26, 2008

Just Bite the Bullet

20080711_GlacierD2_080 as Smart Object-1.JPG Over the years I've learned that sometimes you just need to spend more money than you'd like to get the gear you need. That's always been easier for the big stuff - cameras, lenses and strobes - than for the little stuff. I'm finally investing in the little stuff, and it's paying off.

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July 20, 2008

To Tripod or Not?

20080708_Seattle_008.jpgI admit it - I can be lazy. I do a lot of travel, and while I know I should take a tripod, I often don't. I was just up in Seattle attending a conference at Microsoft, and I got a good reminder of the value of packing a tripod.

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July 16, 2008

How NOT to clean a Sensor

20080713_GlacierD4_639c.jpgI've just returned from teaching a photo workshop in Montana, mostly at Glacier National Park. At one point while out shooting I noticed dirt on the sensor in my photos. There's a right way and a wrong way to fix this. Guess which one I chose?

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June 30, 2008

Fireworks Photography

Fireworks.jpgWell, it's time for a topical subject. With the fourth of July a few days away, this is a great time to go through the ins and outs of fireworks photography. I've been doing these shots for about 35 years, the most involved being the 12-exposure shot shown here that I did with a Hasselblad. It's changed a bit since those days of film, but the basics remain the same.

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June 24, 2008

Tunnel Vision

20080620_Sound_083.jpgLast weekend was the closing concert for Sound Encounters, a ten-day music camp our son Nathan was attending in Ottawa, KS (not quite as exotic as Ottawa, Canada). And I fell into the classic trap of tunnel vision.

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June 11, 2008

KISS in Action

20080608_AAFP_039.jpgI enjoy new gadgets and toys as much as any photographer, and love trying new and fun techniques. When it comes to keeping a client happy, though, I'm sometimes a fan of KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid.

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June 02, 2008

Working in Rain

ChiefChargers_SP678_122405_JFS.JPGOver the years I've had to shoot pictures in every kind of weather. Hot, cold, snowing, blowing, hail, sleet and rain. I don't mind any of them, except for rain. I hate working in rain. But if you don't go out in the rain to shoot pictures, then you're missing out on some good photos. I ran into this last weekend while teaching an American Photo Mentor Trek in Vermont, and we had some rain on Saturday.

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May 26, 2008

Career Angst

20080423_NDE_018.jpgI've been asked to present a show at a gallery this fall, which puts me in every photographer's dilemma - how do you take 35-years of photography and boil it down to twenty or fewer pictures?

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May 22, 2008

Two Extremes

20080521.BlueAngels0546.jpgEvery year, the US Navy Blue Angels perform at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It also happens to be the home office of Blue Pixel and my home for over 20 years. But this year, two very different shoots were on my calendar for the same day. The Blue Angels during the day, outside along the Severn River, and an indoor big band concert at the local high school, featuring my son and a bunch of his friends.

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May 14, 2008

Sketching

20080503_Babson_072.jpgTwo weekends ago I was teaching a workshop in Boston, at Babson College. We were staying on campus at their Executive Conference Center, whose restaurant looked out over some small ponds at the edge of a woods. It was such a pretty spot that during breakfast we decided to come back there that evening after the school and shoot some pictures.

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May 05, 2008

Fun on the Farm

20080409_Rose_062.jpgWhen I worked for newspapers I spent most of my days out on the street. In good weather that was great, and in bad not so great. But the best part of it was staying away from a desk. Now I spend most of my time at a computer, so any chance to get out and shoot pictures is a good one.

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April 25, 2008

When in doubt, JUMP!

DSC_7609.jpgWhenever I'm out teaching a class, or just on vacation with my kids, I always have them jump. Just like the old Toyota commercials (Its the "Oh what a feeling" tagline Toyota used for years in their commercials).

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April 21, 2008

Meeting People

20080405_FLD300_094.jpgI find that the hardest thing for most people to photograph is people. And that's a shame, because it's a great way to make some nice photos and you usually end up with a good story as well.

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April 08, 2008

IR in FL

20080404_FLIR_070.jpgThis past weekend I taught a workshop in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and thought I'd have some free time to go out and shoot. With that in mind, I brought my infrared camera along to play.

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March 31, 2008

Decisions, Decisions...

D200_300.JPGOver the last few months I've gotten numerous phone calls and emails from friends asking if they should upgrade from their Nikon D200 to the new D300. Just got two more, which made me think it would be a good blog entry.

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March 22, 2008

In Praise of Models

20080229_LVD1A7_290e.JPGBack in the old days (you know, when we were all shooting film) there was a time when I started doing fashion shoots for the newspaper I worked at. We were too cheap to hire models, so it always came down to the writer finding a friend to "model" for us. I remember how hard it was to get good photos..

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March 11, 2008

Thank You, Photo Gods

20080227_MontD300_132.JPGI learned years ago that when the photo gods smile on you, you should thank them. And the proper way to do that is to drop to your knees, raise your hands over your head and bow down several times while saying, "Thank you photo gods, thank you photo gods."

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February 26, 2008

A Whole New Wonderful World

D300 2500a.jpgBy now everyone's heard about Nikon's two new cameras, the D3 and D300. And you've probably heard they handle high-ISO noise better than in the past. That's an understatement.

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February 19, 2008

African Photo Safari

20080201_AfricaD6_072.jpgFor any photographer who loves to travel, going on an African photo safari must be near the top of their wish list. I've been lucky enough to do that twice now, leading trips to Tanzania in 2006 and the other one a few weeks ago. Each was great in its own way.

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February 13, 2008

Grammy Puzzle

2943XIOZ.jpgSometimes an assignment is like a puzzle where you know what the final outcome looks like but you have to find the pieces that put it all together. Blue Pixel had an assignment like that recently.

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January 24, 2008

Home Treasures

20080118_D300_024.jpgIf you're itching for something interesting to photograph, you might try looking around your home.

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January 16, 2008

I'll Take the Window Seat, Thank You

20080114_Aerial_088.jpgWhen I started traveling regularly a few years ago, I did what all smart business travelers do - I asked for aisle seating. What a mistake that was!

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December 28, 2007

It's all about the Workflow

20071216_YS_202.jpgI spend a lot of time talking and teaching about digital workflow. And when I'm out shooting, I try to live what I teach. If you follow my blog entries, you'll know that this is the time of year I do one of my larger jobs, and workflow is the key to it.

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November 28, 2007

World Traveler

Disney01.jpgIt's been a busy week. The day before Thanksgiving I left home on a whirlwind trip, and over the next six days visited China, Africa, Mexico and the mountains of India, with brief visits to France, England and Canada along the way.

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November 20, 2007

Model Shoot

Model01.jpg My niece is a beatiful young woman, and people often ask her if she does modeling. After several years of hearing that, she decided to give it a try. First thing she needed was some shots for the application, so she called me.

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November 12, 2007

Group Shots

Hallo01.jpgThere are a few simple tricks that can help make group photos more interesting. Dropping my daughter off for Halloween with friends recently, I had a chance to put some of those to work.

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October 24, 2007

Fish and Jet Lag

Fish01a.jpgAs you've probably noticed, I've been doing a lot of traveling the last six weeks. After three weeks in Europe and Asia, I flew home, only to go to Tokyo the following week. That's given me plenty of opportunity to practice dealing with jet lag. Returning from Japan, I used a fish market to help fight the time change.

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October 19, 2007

When the Light's Boring...

Tokyo01jpg.jpgI've been in Tokyo this week to lead some training for the Associated Press, and arrived a day early to make sure I got here in time. I also wanted to have some time to adjust to the jet lag (14-hrs worth!), and was hoping to see some of Tokyo and shoot photos. Unfortunately, the day was overcast and dreary.

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October 11, 2007

Size Matters

SizeMatters01.jpgHaving returned recently from a photo trip to Greece, I've been getting all of my images sorted and archived. At one point I decided to total the amount of hard drive space those photos were taking up, and it was something of a shock. Seven days of shooting resulted in 30 Gigabytes of images!

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October 07, 2007

Missing the Big Picture

Canal.jpgRecently I was in Bangkok to do some teaching, and had an afternoon free. Wanting to see more of the city, I signed up for a river and canal tour. Thailand has lots of water, and Bangkok is laced with canals. It was a good tour and I made some nice photos. But one photo I really liked when I shot it doesn't work, because I forgot to think about what I was doing.

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September 28, 2007

Getting Lucky

Delhi01a.jpgI'm on the road still, having gone to India from Greece. Flew into Delhi early (very, very early) Wednesday morning, where I'm here to lead two days of digital workflow training for some members of the Associated Press photo staff in Asia. The rest of Wednesday was a free day, though, so I wanted to get out for some fresh air and see some of Delhi.

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September 26, 2007

Parthenon at Night

Parthenon01.jpg Sometimes you get amazingly lucky, and then sometimes you don't. Kevin Gilbert and I just finished leading a photo trek of Greece for American Photo. We had a lot of fun with a great group of people, and everyone headed home with some new photos and new ideas for their photography. We started the trip in Athens, with an afternoon tour of the town and the Acropolis, who's most famous feature is the Parthenon, visible from much of Athens.

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September 21, 2007

Hard(ly) at Work

20070920_Greece4_346BP.jpgI'm in Greece leading a photo trek for American Photo. We've had a great time so far, starting in Athens and then going on to the island of Mykonos. After three days here, today we take the ferry to Santorini. We've made a lot of good photos, but perhaps as important, we've had fun and time to relax as well.

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September 08, 2007

The more things change...

20040410_NC2000_007a.jpgA big part of what I do these days is teach digital photography, and lately I've been getting ready to start my sixth year teaching the Nikon School of Photography classes. So each of the past six summers much of my time's been devoted to creating two new, all-day programs for the schools. And each summer I'm struck by how much our profession continues to be changed by digital.

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August 24, 2007

Are you a wedding photographer?

W1.jpgIn high school I was lucky enough to find a local photographer willing to take me on as an assistant. I always tell people that he paid me for ruining his film and paper. Thanks, Kent. Through those years, almost every Saturday I was at a wedding, loading Hasselblad film backs, carrying gear and holding lights. After that, I swore I'd never shoot a wedding again.

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August 18, 2007

Up to Speed FAST

20070811_Workshop_092.jpg I spend a lot of time teaching workshops, and that lets me see how people handle all the new digital photography tools and technology. This past weekend I helped a few friends with a couple days of shooting and editing, and was reminded again how far we've come in this business.

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August 02, 2007

Is your Viewfinder in Focus?

20070110_NDE_0557.JPGLast week I was teaching a workshop in Colorado Springs, Colorado. One morning a few of us went to Garden of the Gods, a spectacular place to shoot photos. While walking around the rock formations, a woman came up and asked for some help. I thought her question would make a great blog entry.

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July 27, 2007

The Joy of Reflectors

20070718_Irvine_142.jpgLast week Nick Didlick and I were teaching a workshop in southern California. We took the group out for a couple of shoots, going to San Juan Capistrano (the famous old Mission) and Huntington Beach. At the first location the focus was on architecture and plants, at the beach it was people. And once again I marveled at how easy it is to use reflectors to light people.

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June 25, 2007

Spare Parts

20070620_NDE_007A.JPG A few years ago I spent some time in Singapore teaching digital photography to a group of newspaper photographers. On my final night there, they took me out to a dinner of "spare parts." Trust me, you don't want to know what it was. If you've been doing photography for very long, you've probably collected various spare parts over the years, and sometime they come in handy for building new tools.

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June 11, 2007

Photography for Fun

20070609_OldForge_084a.jpgI spend a lot of time these days teaching photography. And at almost every workshop I teach, at least one person comes up to me and asks, "How can I turn photography into a career?" I always give them some suggestions, but I also ask them to think long and hard about whether they truly want to do that. They may find that photography's more rewarding as a hobby.

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May 10, 2007

Autofocus Options

AF01.jpgI recently received an email with some quesitons concerning autofocus. I thought the question and answer might make a good blog entry.

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April 04, 2007

Vista Success

Vista02.jpgOne of the challenges of being in the business of answering questions is staying out front with technology. We jokingly refer to it as living on "the bleeding edge." Because of that, I started using the beta releases of Microsoft Vista last fall, and last week decided it was time to install the final version.

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March 14, 2007

New Toy -Teleconverter

Tele01a.jpgEvery now and then I try out a new gizmo that so surprises or impresses me that I've just GOT to write about it. This time it's the Nikon TC-20 E II teleconverter, which I'd played with a few years ago and promptly forgot about..

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February 28, 2007

Digital Infrared

Infrared01.jpg Ever since I first read about infrared photography, many decades ago in high school, I've been intrigued by the idea. The images produced by it are otherworldly and I wanted to try my hand at it. Unfortunately, my attempts back then always ended in failure, not in small part due to the difficulty of using and processing infrared film. Thankfully, times have changed, and digital's taken film out of the equation.

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February 12, 2007

Arctic Suggestions

Arctic01.jpgRecently I received an email from someone who was part of a workshop I taught, and thought it might make a good blog entry: "I attended your two workshops in Berkeley last week, and didn't get a chance to ask my specific question. I'm leaving for an Antarctic peninsula cruise this coming week, and any suggestions for specific settings (e.g. White Balance) to try under those unusual lighting conditions?"

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February 05, 2007

Traveling Light

Morocco01.jpgAfter traveling to 53 countries as a professional photographer, I decided to really live like the everyday traveler and head off on a trip to Morocco with just a Nikon D40, an 18-200 mm lens, and a 2 gig Lexar SD card..

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February 02, 2007

A Closer View

Closer01.JPGLast weekend I went to Berkeley to teach a two-day photo class. I was working with Nick Didlick, a good friend and excellent photographer from Vancouver, Canada, and we both flew in two days early to meet some friends and drive to Yosemite National Park. I've been lucky enough to visit Yosemite several times over the last few years, so I decided to take a different approach to photographing it this time.

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January 22, 2007

Reflectors

Reflectors01.jpgI was working in my studio last week (translation - the basement) photographing some products I was going to use in a presentation. Two keys to any good photo are light and background. I often use a black backdrop as it highlights the product. And I learned long ago that with lighting, KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) was a good rule for me to follow. Good light doesn't necessarily mean lots of lights. This time, though, I needed just a bit more.


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December 13, 2006

Light Painting

LightPaint01.jpgI'm just back from leading a photo trek to Maui for American Photo (www.mentorseries.com). I do about four trips a year like this, and we had just over thirty people joining us. The second day we spent driving and shooting along the road to Hana, and after dinner that night most of us headed to the beach for a little light painting.

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December 04, 2006

Pebble Release

Pebble01.jpgLast year while shooting winter photos in Yosemite National Park, Nick Didlick (a friend and Blue Pixel Associate) came up with a unique (and low-cost) way of shooting time exposures. I was reminded of that recently when I needed to do the same thing, and didn't have a cable release.

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December 01, 2006

Tool Time - Tripods

Tripod01.jpgWhen it comes to photography, people always want to talk cameras and lenses. Yes, they're important (and I like to talk about them too), but one tool that doesn't get enough chat time is tripods.

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November 27, 2006

Easy Photo Collages

Collage02.jpgI recently went to a friend's wedding and took along a little point-and-shoot I could carry in my pocket. When it was all over I had a nice set of photos, and wanted to share them with the family. Rather than send a bunch of small prints, I wanted to give them one large print to commemorate the day. My favorite way of doing this is by using the Free Transform tool in Photoshop, and this can be done with either full-blown Photoshop or Photoshop Elements (I used version 4).

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November 06, 2006

Canary in the Coal Mine

20061027_polarbears0512.jpg Its a phrase we all know about that indicates you're in danger, and something that came to mind during a trip I just returned from.

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October 26, 2006

Planning Makes the Job Easier

20061001_NASCAR_116b.jpg A couple of weeks ago I covered a NASCAR race here in Kansas City, at Kansas Speedway. Whether I'm shooting NASCAR, NFL or the family vacation, some planning ahead of time makes the job much easier.

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September 16, 2006

Rock Star: Supernova

LukasWins2a.jpgDanny Moloshok has been covering Rock Star: Supernova the entire season. He and Jeff Bottari covered the finale this week and wrote about their experience.

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September 14, 2006

Drew Carey

20060819_Drew_8181_smB.jpgBlue Pixel associate David Bergman shares a story about some of his work for The Drew Carey Show.

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September 10, 2006

Scouting Trip

20060908_Vegas_005a.jpg Last week I was in Las Vegas for Photoshop World. I was there to speak on Pro Digital Workflow. As with any trip, though, I wanted to get out and shoot some photos too.

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August 31, 2006

I'm a Light Snob

aa20060826_USBC2_356.jpg I came to a sudden realization last weekend. I've turned into a light snob. I' won't settle for light that's just "okay" when shooting pictures.

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August 27, 2006

Take a chance, or take a pass

Lightning.jpg In 25 years of photojournalism there are things you always want to do... but somehow never get around to them. One of those for me was a nice shot of lightning. A personal favorite and a personal challenge.

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August 21, 2006

Peaches Rocks

Wellies.jpg How do you mix an Irish party band with Welly boots and a Shetland pony?

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August 19, 2006

Right Camera for the Right Job

Raft01.jpgI just returned from a raft trip to Alaska. We had a great time, but one of the big surprises for me was what camera I chose to shoot many of the photos with.

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July 30, 2006

Looking for Something Different

20060723_MontD1_171aa.jpgI just returned from a photography trip to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, and my favorite photos from there aren't what you might expect.

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July 17, 2006

Stars of Stage

01.JPGMy kids take part in a summer drama camp, whose big finish is producing a show. As with most parents, I was there with my camera. Knowing a few simple techniques, though, meant I was more likely to get some good pictures. And these tips are easy to do, even with the little point-and-shoot camera I was using.

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July 14, 2006

When Good isn't Good Enough

ipgrab1A.jpgFor those who've been riding the digital train for some time, the evolution of affordable desktop photo quality printing has been quite remarkable. I vividly remember the shock of seeing the first print roll off an Epson Photo Stylus printer. It almost looked like a "real" photograph. Today, with the proper printer and technique it is quite simple not just to match, but to exceed the quality of traditional wet darkroom printing.

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July 09, 2006

Photographing Rock Star

20060611_SNova_192smA.jpgBlue Pixel is once again providing the still photography for Rock Star as they start filming their second season. Danny Moloshok is doing the photography, and sends us some notes from behind the scenes.

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July 05, 2006

Sometimes the Wrong Spot is Right

20060704_Fourth of July0173.jpgEvery year photographers plan for days to shoot the perfect fireworks shot. I do it too - all scoped out and ready for the big show. But this year, a series of huge thunderstorms right before dusk led me to believe they were cancelled. So I went to a party instead.

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July 02, 2006

Add a Little Light

20060622_SweD2eve_237a.jpgSometimes you'll find a picture that's just about perfect, but the light's not quite what you want. If you're lucky, you'll be able add that little bit of light yourself.

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June 28, 2006

Reed Hoffmann Named a Microsoft Icon of Imaging

hoffmann.jpgToday, Reed Hoffmann was selected as one of six Microsoft Icons of Imaging photographers.

The Microsoft Icons of Imaging photographers are recognized around the world as leaders in their specialty area of photography. Created by Microsoft, the Icons of Imaging program recognizes photographers and digital imaging industry leaders who use a Microsoft Windows-based digital workflow. Microsoft's hope is that the Icons of Imaging will provide inspiration to other digital photographers to create the best photographic images possible.

Check out Microsoft's Web site that is dedicated to showcasing the members of this program and to displaying a sample of their incredible imagery.

Congratulations Reed!

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June 23, 2006

Putting the Pieces Together

20060621_KSMD1D2X_047.jpgThis week I'm in Sweden teaching an American Photo Mentor photo workshop (www.mentorseries.com). The country's beautiful, the people nice, food is good and the group we've got is a lot of fun to be with. Our first day out, though, we came across a photo we couldn't make. At least at first.

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June 18, 2006

Looking for Light

20060516_Sony_188a.jpgAs a photographer, you should always be looking at the light around you. After all, when you take a picture, you're not photographing the subject, but the light's relationship to that subject.

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June 13, 2006

Carry that Camera!

20060514_20D_041.jpgThe number one problem most people have with taking pictures is that they don't practice enough. And an easy way to remedy that is to take your camera along when doing your daily activities.

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May 30, 2006

Fireworks Fun

Fire01.jpgTwenty years ago this Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I were married. To celebrate, we made reservations to spend a little time at Big Cedar Lodge in the Ozarks, one of the premier resorts in the area. As an anniversary trip, I swore to leave computer, computer books, Photoshop books and all things digital (except a camera, of course!) at home.

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May 22, 2006

Limitations of Compact Cameras

8800a.jpgI recently received an email from a participant in a workshop our company taught. It was a question we often hear that involved some of the limitations of compact cameras, and one I thought worth sharing.

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May 17, 2006

Serendipity

Seren01a.JPGSeveral years ago I was teaching an American Photo workshop (www.mentorseries.com) with famed National Geographic photographer Bruce Dale. He told everyone that one of the key ingredients to good photography was serendipity. I loved that idea, and have always remembered it. Yesterday I ran into it again.

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May 15, 2006

A Workflow Nightmare

TennisG02.jpgA few weeks ago I got a call asking if I could shoot the NCAA Division 2 Tennis championships in Kansas City May 13th. A few singles and doubles matches for men and women. No problem, should be fun to do. At least that's what I thought. What I'd find out was that the real schedule was a bit more complicated, and would test my workflow planning.

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April 28, 2006

On the Beach

MB03.JPGA last-minute call to go to Miami Beach isn't a bad thing. Microsoft was asking me to speak on Digital Photography Workflow with Windows XP at Photoshop World (run by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals) in Miami. How could I say no?

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April 27, 2006

Judging Exposure

Light Meter.jpg Recently I received an email asking for help in understanding metering. "I just bought a light meter which I thought would be easier to use than I discovered."

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April 22, 2006

Homecoming

Paschal05.jpgOne of the things I love about photography is the door it opens to meet people and learn about their lives. I was reminded of that recently when I had an assignment to photograph a man whose brother disappeared in World War II.

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March 31, 2006

Photographers are Lemmings. Well, Maybe not All...

CherryBlossoms044.jpg Instead of thinking about going into DC and photographing the Cherry Blossoms when they're in bloom; today I actually did it. And from the number of other folks there, I was not the only one who decided to get up at an ungodly hour to shoot them at sunrise. So what's a photographer to do when you arrive with the excitement and the anticipation of creating some really cool photos and find the pristine view littered with tripods?

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March 29, 2006

Nature Photography Seminars

dan cox polar bear blog.jpg Do you love to shoot nature photography? I know that I love to travel and get up before sunrise to shoot a cool landscape or the dew on a flower. It's a great way for me to shoot things I normally don't cover, but there are guys out there that do it everyday that are exceptional at their craft. One of those is Daniel J. Cox.

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Shooting Digital Black and White

west wing bw blog entry.jpg I love to shoot black and white, especially with digital. Learn how I just did this on the West Wing TV show for NBC. This shot is of Actress Allison Janney walking outside the real White House between takes on location in Washington, DC.

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February 03, 2006

Getting Away From It All

It's hard to escape the fact that trade shows suck. Sure, lots of people look forward to shows like PhotoPlus East, PMA, WWPI and ImagingUSA, and for good reason. Trade shows, especially those that feature top-notch semiars, can be really fascinating. It's a perfect opportunity to see the newest and best products, and to actually get a moment to get some hands-on time with really pricey equipment. (And
sometimes seeing how something will feel in your hands makes all the difference.)

But when you've gone to trade shows for a while, they become some of the most grating, irritating places on earth. This year marks the fifteenth year that I've been going to trade shows, though my attendance didn't really pick up until about a decade ago. These days, I'm at about eight a year....


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January 12, 2006

Doing Good by Doing Good

Every now and then you stumble onto something that helps everyone - one of those classic “win-win” situations. That’s happened to me over the last few years through my son ’s Nathan’s involvement with the local Youth Symphony of Kansas City. When Nathan he first became involved in the group, we , as his parents , got tapped for to help out with various volunteer activities. As a photographer, I offered to help with any photos they might need to promote the organization. “Thanks, but no thanks,” I was told, because as they already had someone shooting group shots who took care of the only photos they needed, group shots each year...


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January 06, 2006

2006 Digital New Year's Resolutions

Okay all you hotshot photographers out there. I’ve got an easy New Year’s resolution for you. All I want is for you to resolve to do digital a little better this year. That’s not too hard now, is it? You know what I’m talking about - you’ve heard all this before.

For six years I’ve been teaching digital photography at all levels, from beginners to pros. And it always comes down to the same group of issues...


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November 30, 2005

Life on the Steep Side of the Hill

Marco Buechel of Liechtenstein in action at the Men's World Cup Downhill Final here in Lake Louise, Alberta, Saturday 26, November 2005.
Photography Nick Didlick/EPA

When people find out what I do for a living I usually get one of three replies. The first is, "wow that's a really cool job! " though often I hear "how can I get a job like you have?" The one the one that gets my blood pressure up though is "are you Paparazzi?"

Well the last one is easy to answer No! I am not a paparazzi, I am a Vancouver based Editorial and Commercial photographer. "You never really see paparazzi photographers" I tell them "just the pictures they have taken appear, they hide bushes and trees like monkeys....

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October 25, 2005

Reality TV becomes reality...

When super producer Mark Burnett asked me to shoot his new reality TV show, The Contender, I viewed it with a bit of trepidation. Who will watch a show about boxers. I kinda thought that too when he told me of The Apprentice. Survivor in the boardroom, but who would like Trump!

Boy was I wrong. This past weekend I shot a sanctioned series of fights in Los Angeles for Burnett of the winners of The Contender TV show. This time, a real fight, at the Staples Center, live on ESPN...


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