Color Workshop with Teresa Freitas
I’m not confident in what I’m doing when it comes to color photography, at least nowhere near as when I’m editing my black and white work. So when I saw Teresa Freitas was going to have a workshop in San Francisco, I jumped at the chance.
Photo Walk in Historic Folsom
A morning photo walk in Historic Folsom with the Sacramento Photographers Facebook Group
Morning in Old Sacramento on Black and White Film
Spent the morning shooting Old Sacramento with my Leica M6 with Kodak Tri-X film (expired).
Trying Out Kodak Vision3 250D Film
After getting my film developed and scanned, I have to say, I’m in love with this film The colors are nice and bright and the grain is smooth as silk. I only have one more roll left but you can be sure I will be ordering some more.
Using Film to Rekindle My Photography
Did I get the exposure right? Did I get the shot of the interesting street scene? I had no idea, and that’s what brought me out of my funk. I had to work for my photography again. Become a part of it in a way that I felt was lacking using my digital cameras. I came home feeling like I had done something meaningful. It was the experience of shooting and not the final product that gave me joy.
Shooting Film on the Golden Gate Bridge
Shooting Portra 400 film on the Golden Gate Bridge
Street Photos of Mardi Gras in Nevada City
After an interesting and eye opening chat I had with Reuben Redding a few weeks ago, I have been shooting various subjects with different cameras in an effort to try and find my way. One thing that came up in that discussion was that I seem to want to label myself a “street photographer” or a “landscape photographer” instead of just a “photographer.”
The Perfection Trap
We’re humans, so we’re imperfect, so why should we expect our photography to be any different? Imperfections are what make photography such a magnificent art form.
Christmas Trip to Disneyland in Black and White
During the holidays, the park is transformed into a winter wonderland of festive decorations and classic holiday music. The celebratory mood of all the families, the the aroma of baking treats, mixed with the holiday-themed decorations, evokes a nostalgia of days of Christmas past.
Top Ten Photographs from 2023 and Looking Ahead to 2024
Things got a little crazy for me in 2023 photography-wise, and that is reflected in my top ten pictures from this year.
Street Photography Workshop with Gus Powell
The class started with Gus discussing his various exercises for the street. These included some common street photography tips such as fishing (staying in one location for a while) and following (pursuing an interesting subject). He also talked about having shot lists and wish lists before going out and also forcing yourself to take half a dozen head shots if you’re feeling nervous or timid. But the real star of this lecture, and the most useful, was his idea of Sketching.
Purple Crocus Flower in Shadow
I asked myself, what are my strengths? I love black and white photography because of the play between light and shadow. And there was my answer. Could I approach color flower macro photography the same way I approached my black and white shots?
Walking Tour of Historic Folsom with the Leica Q2 Monochrom
I recently acquired a Leica Q2 Monochrom to see how I like it compared to my M10 Monochrom. As I'm getting older, autofocus is something I'm becoming more interested in having, especially for candid and travel photography.
Navigating Burnout in Photography
Making a living with photography is my goal, but am I willing to kill my love of the art form to achieve it? And if I’m not, am I really going to make any money? These are questions I’m constantly wrestling with and are likely behind my periodic bouts of burnout. And when I burnout on photography, I mean it.
Post Processing Leica Monochrom Images in Lightroom
A behind the scenes look at my post-processing techniques for Leica Monochrom image files using Lightroom, Silver Efex Pro, and Photoshop
Shooting Folsom Lake with the Leica M10 Monochrom
Shooting middle of the day "Street" Landscape Photography with the Leica M10 Monochrom with a red filter to create high contrast black and white images.
What Makes A Good Street Photograph?
Street photography is a bit of a mystery to me. Probably because its origins are surrounded in mystique and filled with famous names and even more famous photographs. But what sets an iconic street photograph apart from just an average or a not very good one?
How Do I Find My Photography Style?
Everyone with a phone or camera is out shooting. On the whole, this is a good thing. But with images flooding everyone’s brain on a daily basis, one question remains. How do you stand out?
Coming Storm
Shooting in black and white forces you to look for different subjects and aspects to shoot. When looking for a black and white photo, you look for textures, contrasting light and shapes. It was the latter that I was on the hunt for that day. I wanted to make the perfect silhouette against the dramatic sky.