Kristina in the Snow
The white snow in a winter scene can and often does fool a camera meter into underexposing a portrait, so here are the steps to take to get the right exposure. I throw in a few portrait suggestions too.
Selina, Downtown Columbus Ohio. Windchill 4°.
You would think a windchill of 4° Fahrenheit (-16°C) would be too cold for a photo shoot, but not with some models. We booked this January shoot weeks in advance so we knew it would be cold, but we had no idea how cold until the day arrived. Here’s the story behind this image and how to work with a model when it is so cold.
Kristina at Christmas
On Christmas eve I found myself doing Christmas portraits for Kristina’s portfolio. She is a friend of mine who is a model and actress in L.A.. There isn’t a lot of space in my studio when the Christmas tree is up so I had to improvise a bit with the lighting and I needed to get the right mix of flash and ambient light for the look I wanted.
Christmas Lights, Easton Shopping Center, Columbus, OH
‘Tis the season and there are a lot of Christmas lights out there to photograph. It is fun and easy, and with a few tricks up your sleeve there are creative things you can do. Many of these techniques can be used on other lights throughout the year, so this is a good time to practice your skills for photographing lights.
Sunny, Columbus Ohio. December 18, 2017.
There are only two photos in my favorite photos folder for December 18, and both come from walks with our dog Sunny. The first photo is at the end of our walk a year ago today and he is looking up at me with an “I want something look”. Probably he wants a treat. This is my favorite photo for this date.
Kroger Panorama. Graceland Shopping Center, Columbus Ohio. November 12, 2013. Click for a larger version.
I’ve done a lot of commercial panoramas for clients as diverse as KOA Campgrounds and Crown Plaza Hotels. When I am on a commercial assignment I follow all the right steps and use all the right equipment. For the Kroger pano above I did everything right.
But there are times when you are doing your own thing and decide at the last minute you want to try a pano. You might get lucky trying to do a handheld panorama. I will tell you how to increase your odds of getting a good handheld pano.
Holly, Easton, Columbus Ohio. December 14, 2006.
A long time friend was visiting us and we were out enjoying the Christmas lights. I decided it would be nice to take a picture of her surrounded by all of the lights.
Sandy Hook Elementary, Newtown Connecticut, December 14, 2012.
Perseid Meteor photographed from Rose Hill Cemetery west of Lamoni, Iowa. 4:55 am CDT, August 13, 2018. Cropped from the original image.
Tonight (Dec 13-14) is the night of the Geminid Meteor Shower. This article will tell you what you need to know to photograph what should be the best meteor shower of 2018.
Graceland choir members fill the stage at the Shaw Family Auditorium.
Combine an excellent selection of musical numbers with beautiful performances and you have the recipe for a musical Christmas feast. The Graceland University choirs and orchestra, under the skilled direction of Sara Blessing and Jack Ergo, did themselves proud Friday night at the Shaw Family Auditorium in Lamoni, Iowa. The evening was filled with beautiful musical renditions.
My online photographer’s buying guide is one of the most comprehensive on the internet with 75 articles covering almost every aspect of photography.
Burning Bush, Ohio. December 3, 2018.
It was December 3 and this burning bush by our front porch was the last bit of fall color in our front yard. Fall is my favorite season of the year and I hate to see it go, so I captured this image with my iPhone.
Sunny’s Territories, 2008-2018.
When our rescue dog Sunny came from Iowa to Columbus, Ohio to live with us, he stayed pretty close to home.
Favorite Photos, November. Click for a larger version.
Here are my favorite photos for the month of October. The story behind this “favorite photos by date” project is here.
Some of the winter travel items I carry in the trunk of my car. This is the “kitchen” and “furnace”.
I grew up in Colorado where strange weather can strand you in any month of the year. Even though it is rare, I’ve seen blizzards in the Colorado high country in July. So I learned to carry some safety essentials when doing winter photography in remote locations. You never know when you might be stranded for several hours, a whole day, or longer, until the blizzard abates and someone can come find you. This is what I carry in my car when I hit the road in the winter and pretty much any time I am going to be in the High Rockies. I include a few winter travel tips, too.
Email from Business.com
Business.com acquired Top Ten Reviews which meant a link in one of my articles was going to die soon. I received this email from Business.com. This is how real professionals deal with a link that needs to be updated.
Last Light on Long’s Peak and the Keyboard of the Winds, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Thinking about a photography trip to one or more U.S. national parks this winter? You can benefit from the work I have done. Some national parks look better in the winter than others. You will want to make them a priority. After you read this article I recommend you also read the companion article: The Best National Parks to Photograph in Winter.
Originally posted January 17, 2017. Updated and re-posted November 28, 2018.
Bryce Canyon After An Overnight Snowstorm
Cold and snow can cause a lot of damage to your camera gear. Something as simple as taking pictures outside and then bringing your camera inside your house or car can cause hidden damage that won’t show up until days or weeks later. The simple steps in this article could save you hundreds of dollars in repair bills.
Michael Fulks, the publisher of Apogee Photo Magazine, wrote at an excellent review of Digital Photography Exposure for Dummies and gave the text an A++, the magazine’s highest rating. The review follows.
Photography DVDs
Photography DVDs can inspire your photography, give you new ideas, and teach you new skills and techniques. These are my favorites.
Photoshop Lab Color (2nd edition)
Everything you need to know about Dan Margulis is in Mastering Photoshop: Advanced Color Correction, Part One. After you have devoured the book I recommend in that article, you will know why you need to get Photoshop LAB Color: The Canyon Conundrum and Other Adventures in the Most Powerful Colorspace (2nd edition).
If you want to master Photoshop, a complete course can be found in the books recommended below. Think of this as a multi-book master class.
Lightroom & Photoshop: The Essentials
If you are serious about digital photography and you use Lightroom and/or Photoshop, these books are “The Essentials”. These are the books you read when you are ready to move beyond th3e basics.
Scott Kelby has written some of the best, most readable introductions to Elements, Lightroom, and Photoshop. If you are new to this software, this is a great place to start.
Some of the Best Digital Photography Books
Some well chosen books can make a world of difference in your digital photography. Some of the best books are about the camera side of digital photography, some are about the digital darkroom side, and some are about both. Out of hundreds of books in my photo library, I picked out the best.
Can a world class, National Geographic photographer lose his passion? Yes! How does he get it back?
After you’ve mastered all of the basic, intermediate, and advanced exposure skills and techniques, what book should you read next?
Jennifer Blakeley does beautiful newborn photography. Her celebrity client list includes Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green; and Jocelyn Towne and Simon Helberg (Big Bang Theory). She is also the founder of Alphabet Photography. A highly respected and award winning Canadian photographer, she has also worked with the Canadian Olympics Gymnastic Team.
Your photos will look their very best if you optimize them with high quality image editing software.
The original DeLorme inReach Two Way Satellite Communicator
You need help. You can barely move. You are far enough from the trail that no one can hear your voice. You have no cell phone signal. What do you do?
Every now and then you hear tragic stories about people who lose their lives simply because they didn’t have a cell phone signal and couldn’t call for help in an unexpected emergency. A $260 – $340 satellite communicator would have saved their lives.