A friend and fellow photographer recently related an unusual experience they had in a discussion with a professional photographer. They asked the professional if they had seen a photo by a well-known photographer. The professional replied, “Oh no, I never look at other people’s work.” Unfortunately, my friend wasn’t able to follow-up on that comment….
My wife and I decided to get out Houston for a few days to take in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. On the drive there we stopped at McKinney Falls State Park in Austin. Located at the confluence of Onion Creek and Williamson Creek, these creeks join and meander through the park over limestone formations…
During a recent getaway trip to Central Texas, we stopped at Lange’s Mill along Threadgill Creek. It’s a beautiful old grist mill. For being built in 1849, it looks to be in pretty good shape. They don’t build them like that anymore. At first glance, the siting of the mill relative to the creek appears…
Recently, I shot my first environmental street portrait. It was fun. The thing is, my original plan was to get an architectural street photo. Sometimes, you just have to grab opportunities when they present themselves. Embrace the unexpected and sometimes you get rewarded. Both environmental street portraits and architectural street photos are amalgams of two…
Last week the Stony Brook Camera Club (SBCC) meeting included the Image of the Year competition. I was interested to find out what this was about and figured I would be able to at least see some great photos. Since I am a newbie to SBCC, I had no idea how photos were entered for…
I enjoy watching the PBS show, Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. I recently saw an episode (“On Broadway”, Season 7, Episode 9) featuring renowned actor and singer, Mandy Patinkin. It was a very emotional show, both for Patinkin and viewers alike as the story of his family was revealed and Patinkin learned…
There’s something special about trees that makes them such wonderful photographic subjects especially if it is a bent and twisted tree. They are so many shapes, forms and textures. Trees are majestic in life and in death. There is simply a beauty to them that draws us like a moth to a flame. For a…
I recently ran across a very good article, Photo Editing Is No Substitute For Photography Technique, by Andrew Goodall, that refutes the recent trend emphasizing the importance of editing over getting it right in camera. This wasn’t a SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera) diatribe as the author recognizes the need for editing. Rather, he makes…
Street photography is one of the more exciting genres in photography. It forces us to get out of our comfort zone and go out in public to photograph random strangers. How will they react? How do I respond to that reaction? It’s about overcoming your anxiety and pushing those boundaries. It is also about the…
