2019

Jump to articles by year, month, or day.

Year
Month
Day

Year alone opens that year’s archive. Add a month or day to narrow it.

Do You Have Instagram Derangement Syndrome?

​I love Instagram. But I worry that it’s driving my fellow photographers crazy. I've seen so many photographers do so many wacky things in search of Instafame that I've given the madness a name. I call it… Instagram Derangement Syndrome.

How to Fix Blown Out Areas Around the Sun

Shooting directly into the Sun, whether it is sunrise or sunset, often results in some areas around the Sun getting clipped, and we get these rather harsh edges in our sky. Even when shooting bracketed or underexposing for the highlights, we may not achieve a pleasing result around the strongest light in a scene.

The Pine Cone: Nature’s Memory Card Holder and Display

Every year, a pine tree close to our house produces the most perfect cones, and I often pick up a handful of them on my way home. The cones are undeniably beautiful, but not of much practical use. Or so I thought, until one day it hit me that a cone would make a rather nifty SD card holder.

Shooting the Milky Way in Missouri

Living in St. Louis almost my entire life, I was lead to believe the lights of the bustling city were too bright to make seeing stars anywhere nearby impossible. As I grew older and started getting serious about photography, I realized that was correct... kinda.

The Egg Dress: A Photo Rescue Story

I am starting a rescue effort. It has nothing to do with dogs, cats, or dolphins caught in tuna nets. I’m not trying to salvage old buildings nor save the environment. I still use plastic straws, people. I admit it. What I am rescuing is old photos.

New York City from the Street and Sky

After moving to New York City from London in September 2017, British photographer and actress Marielle Clare began wandering the streets of her new city with her camera. Over the following year, she captured NYC from the street and from the air, shooting photos from all angles and across all seasons.

Using Slow Shutter Speeds for Street Photography

As with any genre of photography, there is no "one size fits all" solution for exposure in any given situation. There are as many different means of achieving a "look" as there are photographers practicing those methods, and any can be adapted to fit into the kind of photography you want to be doing.

A Guide to Basic Camera Straps: Are You Using Yours Wrong?

If you're a relatively new photographer who's using the strap that originally came with your camera, here's a 10-minute video that may be helpful to you. In it, photography educator Phil Steele runs through the basics of camera straps while offering some helpful tips and tricks you may not have learned before.

Film vs. Digital: This is How Dynamic Range Compares

Photographer Bill Lawson wanted to compare the dynamic range of film and digital photography, so he recently went out and shot 10 stops overexposed and 10 stops underexposed for a 21-stop comparison to see how far you can go before the photo is unusable. He shares the results in the 7-minute video above.

CASE Act Bills Introduced in Congress to Create Copyright Small Claims

Back in 2017, the CASE Act ("Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2017") was introduced to establish a copyright small claims system for pursuing infringements on a smaller scale in the US. That bill expired without being passed, new and revised CASE Act bills were just introduced in both the House and Senate this week to revive the effort.

Portraits of Tribal Cultures in Myanmar

The diverse culture of Myanmar is part of the country’s unique identity. I was honored to visit different tribes that amazed me by the variety of their traditions, beliefs, and practices. What I witnessed in Myanmar exceeded my expectations even though I had done my research before I traveled.

Photos of Tulip Season in the Netherlands

Every year close to 1.5 million tourists visit the famous Dutch flower garden "de Keukenhof." This garden is beautiful, but the real beauty can be seen in the endless tulip fields in the countryside.

How I Ended Up Shooting an Entire Wedding on the Google Pixel 3

I'm 50 years old and I have lived through at least two major photographic revolutions of our time: film to digital and cameras to mobile phones. As a designated "family photographer," I am suddenly a sought-after person whenever there is a birthday, a wedding, a festival, or a gathering. I am also supposed to be "armed" and ready all the time, even on a vacation!

Samsung Unveils a Vertical TV for Viewing Instagram

Samsung has announced an unusual new TV that's designed for "the millennial generation." It's a 43-inch vertical screen that's optimized for viewing the same social media content you enjoy on your phone. In case, you know, you've always wanted to browse your Instagram feed on the big screen.

On the Value of a 365-Day Photography Project

Easter Sunday in Saint Louis was the ideal day for a 365 project. The sky was dialed to maximum blue, and the cirrus and cumulus clouds danced together in celestial harmony, floating lazily above our park’s decked out crabapple, cherry, redbud, dogwood, and other flowering trees.

Sorry, Leica: ‘Tank Man’ was Shot on Nikon

Leica was at the center of a firestorm of controversy in China earlier this month over a video that dramatized the creation of the iconic photo titled, "Tank Man". Now it turns out that all the well-known "Tank Man" photos were actually shot with Nikon cameras.

Multiple Exposures of Neon Lights and Nature Sights

Finnish photographer Christoffer Relander shot a mesmerizing and surreal series of photos in which he used multiple-exposure photography to blend views of Hong Kong cityscapes and Scandinavian nature. With a focus on neon signs, the project is titled, "Neonland: Urban Overload."

Shooting a Luxury Watch Photo… with a $5 Watch

The cheapest watch I could find, that was my mission! I decided I wanted to create a magazine advertising image using a really cheap watch. My goal was to replace the luxurious and expensive aspect of the image with an unknown brand but still maintaining that feel of expense and luxury in the final shot. It was also to focus on the photography and the importance and impact it has on advertising.

My 8 Best Tips for Flower Photography

Freehand flower photography out in nature (or your own neighborhood) is one of my favorite photography genres. In this article and the 8-minute video above, I will give you my 8 best tips for flower photography in the wild.

Inside My Tiny Home Photo Studio

A lot of people seem to think I have a giant photo studio space. I do not. I actually have never had more space than the 2 converted bedrooms I work in now, and not so long ago I was renting a small, bedroom-sized commercial space. And even before that, I used to work in a studio between my bed and my desk. And going even further back, I had to sit on my bed to even be able to shoot a half body.

Photographers, Beware Mindset and Success Coaches

It’s an ongoing joke with my friends and I that I am really not a fan on the current marketing messaging that the “universe has my back” and that the success of my business is down to my “mindset”.

Yashica Unveils Three 35mm Cameras and Two New Films

Yashica's Y35 digiFilm camera drummed up a great deal of excitement on Kickstarter but was universally panned by reviewers and early adopters when it finally launched in 2018. Apparently unfazed, Yashica just returned to Kickstarter with plans to launch three new film cameras and two new films.

Amazon is Bringing One-Day Shipping to Prime Members

Retailers are already having problems competing against Amazon's free two-day shipping for its Prime members, but now the retail juggernaut is planning to cut that standard shipping time in half. That's right: Amazon is planning to offer free default one-day shipping as a Prime perk.