Tips
Inside the minds eye
When I go to the beach to create landscape portrait I look around the location and take in the rocks, sand, ocean conditions, rhythm and size of the incoming waves, and the sky in the background. Next I evaluate the ambient light in front of me and on the horizon. I want to get a…
Read MoreFollow your passion and create your own style of photography
Photography is an art. Done with intention, the process allows an individual to see a scene within their minds eye, then set about to create that image. From a technical aspect this means setting up the camera and lighting in a manner that helps create that image within the camera. Imagine standing at the edge…
Read MorePower of Intention
When creating land and seascape style portraits I go through a process in which I evaluate the scene. Lets say for example I go to the beach. Before grabbing my gear and setting up, I usually walk around. I look at the tide and determine if its low or high, and watch the waves looking…
Read MoreMotion Creates Emotion
Using a slow shutter speed enables the photographer to create smooth silky patterns and flows of water. The motion in the water creates emotion as the viewer takes in the portrait. I used a three stop graduated filter to create this portrait. The filter lowered the quantity of light in the background and enabled me…
Read MoreLines of composition guide the viewers eye into and out of the frame
Lines of composition guide the viewers eye into and out of the frame
Read MorePortraits of Frog Fish
There are many ways to create portraits of frog fish. All about the face. A male hanging out in the shadow a female. It’s all about me. Singing as if no fish are listening. Who could forget the wide angle environmental portrait, showing the fish in its environment. Fish portraits are fun to create but…
Read MoreUsing a Vignette as a foreground element
This post is about one technique photographers use to draw the viewers eye into the portrait. When composing macro images, sometimes the photographer chooses to include an out of focus element in the foreground. This is called a vignette. Notice how the purple coral is out of focus and how that pulls the eye into…
Read MoreComposition and Image Design
Photography is an art. The same rules of composition and image design that apply to painting apply to photography. Elements such as repetition of design, s-curves, diagonal lines, rule of thirds, balance, and proper use of negative space work together to guide the viewers eye through the scene and tell the story. In this image…
Read MoreBuoyancy skills for underwater photography
Recently, I taught a workshop for an experienced dive instructor who wanted to learn to take better pictures. The day before the scheduled dive, we met for a dive briefing and I explained the buoyancy skills we would do. The first task was to establish neutral buoyancy 4-5 feet off the bottom and stay there…
Read MorePractice makes perfect
Professional athletes practice their sport for hours on end, so that when the moment comes they perform at a high level. Many elite athletes have personal coach as it takes dedication, perseverance, and mastery to excel. The same is true for photography. The more time I spend behind the lens the more the technical and…
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