Apple recently released it new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus smartphones. One of the features of the 7 Plus that the company touts is its ability to create bokeh, an effect that was previously only done by digital single lens reflex cameras (DSLR). The bokeh effect is known by most experienced photographers, but probably not [...]
When we travel we all like to take pictures to capture the memories of the trip. It’s always preferable to find or wait for the best light of the day. That usually means the quality of light that one finds early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Sunlight at those times usually has [...]
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst” – Henri Cartier-Bresson I often hear people say: “I take terrible pictures.” When they say that an old joke comes to mind. A tourist happens upon famed violinist Jascha Heifetz on the streets of New York City. The tourist asks him how to get to Carnegie Hall to [...]
When is photographing wild birds like shooting a football game? The two different genres of photography, wildlife and sports, may seem very dissimilar but the skills to shoot each are actually related. While there are always exceptions to the rule, most sports photography requires a telephoto lens to bring athletes who can be far away [...]
If you look for photographic tips on the Internet you’re likely to get a number of entries that are about “secrets” in photography. They’re usually titled something like “5 secrets of highly successful photographers” or “10 secrets to improve your pictures.” However, there aren’t any real “secrets” in photography. There isn’t a photographic illuminati guarding [...]
(All of the following photos were taken in my hometown of Walnut Grove) “Then close your eyes and tap your heels together three times. And think to yourself: ‘There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.’” – Glinda the good witch from The Wizard of Oz Recently the web site Light Stalking had [...]
I once heard a feature story on the radio about holiday cooking traditions. A woman said that she cut the end off of a roast before cooking it because that’s the way her mother did. Her mother said she did it that way because that’s how her mother did it. Finally she asked her grandmother [...]
“Got to learn balance. Balance is key.” Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid One compositional goal that you can strive for in your photographs is that of balance. You may think that achieving balance in your pictures is an easy thing to do. All you have to do is to center your subject in the [...]
Capturing motion is different depending on where subject is and how it’s moving relative to the camera. If a runner is moving from one side of the frame to the other (left to right or right to left), he/she will look like they’re going faster than if they’re coming towards or away from the camera [...]
So you’ve mastered the fundamentals of photography. The principles of shutter speed, aperture and ISO are ingrained in your brain. You’ve developed an eye for composition and understand the essentials of light and lighting. You’re comfortable and skilled with using your equipment and got your timing down. Perhaps you want to step up your skills [...]
