I suspect that a lot of landscape and cityscape photographers, like myself, are not always able to devote the time necessary to wait for atmospheric conditions and astral bodies to be in that “ideal” position for the image you have in mind. Some of the early landscape masters were known…
Essays and Inspiration Category Archive - Page 2
My Hard-Won Photography Lessons
The old axiom that we should learn from our mistakes is sound, although sometimes those lessons can be a bit on the painful side. As a 15-year-old, freshman high school student in 1960 I was excited to work as a photographer on the school yearbook. Assigned the task of developing…
The Importance of Creativity in Photography
In my previous article for Photography Life, I wrote an article about stage photography, where I discussed some of the modus operandi I use to take professional stage photographs. That article was a lot more straightforward, technical, and objective than the one below. That’s because I’m hoping to explore the…
Photography as Part of the “Second Act” of Our Lives
I have been interested in photography since I was a teenager. However, as so often happens to all of us, life gets in the way of our interests and passions sometimes. Jobs, mortgages, kids, and family responsibilities become our priority in what I have come to call the “First Act”…
Lessons from My First Bird Photography Workshop
Although I bought my first DSLR in 2012, I only started dabbling in nature photography in 2015. After a few frustrating efforts trying to capture birds with the 55-200mm lens, I decided to take the plunge and buy my first serious lens – the Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6, at the end…
Photographing Snow in Paris
Last winter, the weather was really special in Paris. Snow surprised residents on two occasions. It had not snowed so intensely for more than five years. So, it is easy to imagine the excitement with which the city received this event. Hundreds of photographers went out into the streets to capture…
Taking Pictures Outside Your Comfort Zone
After deciding to take my photography a little more seriously about three years ago, I came up with a strategy (a somewhat loose one) for how I might improve. My end goal was to find myself as a photographer and improve my skills along the way. In the back of…
Innocence and Emotion: Portrait Photography of Children and Elderly People
Through the years, I have seen hundreds of thousands of moments pass in front of my camera lens. Happy ones, sad ones, gloomy ones, serene ones. Some full of life, as well as others – with nostalgia. Which of those moments have I captured in my images, though? Within this…
The Practicalities of Not Becoming a Pro Photographer
There is so much antagonism in photography: light versus darkness, DSLR versus mirrorless, geek versus artist, Nikon versus Canon. And yes, soon after getting involved in it, one will inevitably face the ultimate dilemma: professional versus amateur. I got my first DSLR, a Nikon 3100, a good few years ago…
What Is the Limiting Factor in Your Photography?
Everyone has a limiting factor. Everyone has some reason why they aren’t taking exactly the photos they want, 100% of the time. The best photographers in history didn’t capture a perfect result (or even something good) each time they clicked the shutter, and neither will you. But your ordinary or…