Do you find your interest in photography to be constant or does it waver? Passion and interest are a complex topics for me. I find myself trying to answer why my interest in photography has remained strong over the years even through distractions and challenges along the way.
Essays and Inspiration Category Archive - Page 3
Bird Photography in Southeastern Arizona
At the beginning of May, I travelled to southeastern Arizona on a wildlife photography trip. This is one of the southernmost areas of the United States. Thanks to its dry desert environment, the species here are quite different than those found in many other parts of North America. After arriving,...
Photographing Something Before It’s Gone
When I shoot large format film, one of the great challenges is being picky with the photos I ultimately expose. Certainly there are benefits to shooting this way, namely that the rate of "keepers" is higher with this format. But there are also drawbacks. One of the biggest is being unable...
Behind the Composition – The Catalyst
As I began better exploring the woodlands of Eastern Pennsylvania, I came to realize that photographing grand vistas which would stop people in their tracks, in the same manner as is found in the western states, would not be possible. The grandest vistas in Pennsylvania are hilly overlooks, often speckled...
Behind the Composition: Amongst the Dead
It was May of 2018 when my girlfriend, Melanie, and I made the decision to use my family's cabin in northern Pennsylvania as a basecamp and travel to various state parks in New York for a week. This was the second year of what has since become our yearly vacations...
On Expectations
“If I did what has already been done, I would be a plagiarist and would consider myself unworthy; so I do something different and people call me a scoundrel. I’d rather be a scoundrel than a plagiarist!” – Paul Gauguin
The Four Seasons of the Little Egret
As an amateur bird photographer, I often asked myself what is so special in birds, and why many people are so attracted by them. The answers to these questions are not unique and likely involve subjective feelings and personal motivations. Some are simply attracted by the fact that birds are challenging...
Returning to a Location
If you frequently return to the same location for photography, how do your photos change over time? Do you gain a better understanding of the scene in front of you? These questions have been on my mind recently as I return to old locations for various reasons.
10 Things I’ve Learned in 10 Years as a Photographer
I just realized that I’ve been doing photography seriously for ten years (plus some change). So, I’d like to take this chance to look back and share ten of the most important things I’ve learned along the way, in chronological order.
Levels of Perception in Photography
If you close your eyes, point your camera in any direction, and take a picture, I’m willing the bet the photo won’t be a success. Unless you’re doing some artsy “blindfolded photography” project, it completely lacks intent or any engagement with the scene in front of you.