While touring the countryside, I became fascinated by the reverent shrines within small Mexican cemeteries. The shooting conditions were difficult at best, and I thought it would make a great blog post to illuminate how I approached the work shot in midday sun, through dusty glass and with very limited time. I’m still editing the work, and finishing several concurrent projects.
August is when I prepare for another trip back to Burning Man. Despite the complicated logistics, endless details and physical challenges of photographing in the intense heat and alkaline dust, I am drawn to return again. . When I post my Burning Man photo galleries after each event, many people ask me for details on how I photograph there, and how I protect my gear (and myself) in such conditions. They also ask what gear I use, so … more >>
In 2014 I decided to refresh my approach to photography. I was heading to Cuba to collaborate on a historical photography project. I wanted a greater connection to subjects than I’d been having with my face obscured behind my big beloved Canon dSLR. I needed a camera that could also frame subjects if held high, held low or when shooting from the hip. I wanted a lighter and smaller system for greater agility and spontaneity. Image quality had to be excellent, with great low-light performance … more >>
I was contacted by the art director at Yankee Magazine asking me to illustrate a feature for their 80th anniversary issue. The subject: “Inventions and Ingenuity from New England”. Nancy had seen several of my Photoshop montages over time, and believed that my style would be ideal the project. She especially liked my “Telling History” piece, a realistic montage project I’d done for the Baltimore Sun. I accepted the assignment knowing I’d enjoy another challenge of creating a illustrative visual using historic images. … more >>
New in this post:
• Seattle workshop “Creative Photography With Any Camera”
• Maine workshop “Autumn Photography and Creativity in Lightroom”
• Download a much-requested image from my collection
There’s more good stuff to share…
This is the story of my favorite and most collected images: “The Buddha of Borobudur“. I’m often asked about the location of this unusual place, and also how I made this image. I’ll describe my personal process, the gear I used and my Photoshop technique. I’ve learned from photographic travels that my best images come when I manage the excitement that could otherwise occupy my senses. When I have attempted to capture the quiet essence of … more >>
Recently, I received a little gift— a chance to slow down, reflect on my favorite creative Photoshop techniques and recall how my artistic style emerged from grade-school experiments.
This collaboration began with an email from artist/author/instructor Seán Duggan. We had met a few summers ago while both teaching Photography and Photoshop at Maine Media Workshops, and revealed that we admired each others’ work. In his email, he asked if I would like to contribute to “Photoshop Masking and Compositing”, a new Photoshop book he was co-writing with digital artists Katrin Eismann and James Porto.
After many requests, I am excited to be leading three new Creative Photoshop day-long workshops in downtown Seattle. Learn the creative potential of Photoshop by attending one (or all) of my three new workshops tailored to fit any artist or photographer’s abilities and goals. Creative Photoshop workshops are held in small groups of up to 10, so they’re more content-efficient and personalized than the larger classes at conferences and touring workshops. The day consists of on-screen … more >>
I love to teach workshops in beautiful locations, and none are finer than the coast of Maine. This summer I return for my seventh year to Maine Media Workshops. I’ll teach a workshop called “Imagination Vision and Voice”. Last year this workshop was very well received, and I was fortunate to have a great group of students at all levels or experience. We have a helluva lot of fun too!
When making photographs, I love to use strong design to compose the graphic elements within the viewfinder. My experience as a graphic designer and art director has influenced how I see the world, and how I compose the rectangle of every image. One particularly memorable weekend taught me a lot about designing within the frame. Back in the mid-80’s one of my co-workers invited me to join him for a road trip to the Hershey … more >>
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