Loading RAW files into an older version of Lightroom

I have done a ton of research and sorted out the best way to open RAW files on your computer. I have also figured out the best way to resolve the issues with opening RAW images from a newer camera on an older version of Lightroom. As a bonus, I have also discovered the best way to catalog and keep […]

Olympus to sell off their imaging division

Long-time camera  industry member Olympus announced today that they would be selling their imaging division to Japan Industrial Partners who bought the lagging Vaio laptop brand six years ago from Sony Corp. and turned it into Vaio Corp. Japan Industrial Partners has experience resurrecting  failing consumer brands. I don’t think anyone considers Vaio’s laptops as top of the line by […]

Sony product advisory for some SD cards

Sony has released a product advisory for some of their SD cards where the data would be corrupted when being written by a camera or even worse not written at all. If you use Sony SD cards make sure to take some time to check the information below ato see if your cards are affected by this issue.  The notice—first […]

What is the difference between RAW and .jpg?

We often hear about shooting in RAW versus .jpg, what is the RAW format and why is it better than .jpg? Once you have a RAW file how do you get it back into .jpg format to share it online? Why do RAW files look drab compared to the image displayed on the back of your camera? All good questions, […]

Using Native American regalia as props

Recently I posted an article about my Native American heritage, you can read the original article here. In that article I talked about the practice of using Native Headdresses as props in portrait photography and why that isn’t ok. I spend a lot of time in photography forums attempting to educate photographers on Native culture and why it is offensive […]

Disabled Artists, get your work shown.

In 1999 a car accident left me with no vision in one eye and 5% low functioning vision in the other. In the small corner of vision I have remaining, I can see light and shadow and color. I picked up my camera and began shooting seriously in 2000. My love of photography began in 1986 in college. My parents […]

Please stop using my culture incorrectly.

I often call out cliché photography styles on this blog. A simple search will yield articles on overused HDR, selective color and shooting on train tracks and roads. I totally get it, these styles are the go-to when you are just starting out as a photographer, and often portraits clients want to shoot on train tracks. We as photographers need […]

Resources for photographers during Covid-19

Financial assistance for photographers The great folks at Fstoppers put together a list of financial resources to help working photographers through this tough time. Maybe you want to apply for a grant for that project you have been working on and find yourself with the time to finish now that many of us are under stay at home orders. Check […]

Get to work, COVID-19 edition.

Well Well Well… look where we are today. Many of us are sequestered at home (some voluntarily and some not), in an effort to quell the spread of COVID-19, nearly all of my photographer friends have stopped seeing clients and are spending their time looking for something to do. I have compiled a list of ideas to direct your time […]

What is wrong with shooting on train tracks?

We are well into 2020 and it is already time for another near miss story about a photographer taking photos of a family on an active train track. diyphotography.net is reporting today on a story that has become all too familiar. We in the photography community need to do out part to spread the word about rail safety. Readers of […]

Exploring the toxicity of internet photography forums

Exploring the toxicity of internet photography forums Earlier this month, I posted a teaser on several internet photography forums for an upcoming comparison I am working on between the Profoto B10 and Godox AD200 strobes. I left the following post up for a little over 24 hours so I could gauge the overall reaction in what has increasingly become a […]

Profoto B10 vs. Godox AD200

For my photo tutorial this week I thought I might do something a bit different and ask for your input. There’s been some debate recently about “light is light” and there’s no difference between a Profoto strobe and a Godox strobe other than price (and build quality). I thought it might be fun to put the Profoto B10 (~250 watts) […]

Who owns the copyright of a photo once It has been edited?

Earlier this week I saw a question on a photography forum inquiring whether the person who edits a photo owns the copyright of that image. The short answer to this question is no, so, Who owns the copyright of a photo once It has been edited? The copyright of an image remains with the original photographer regardless of the number […]

I’m ready for a full frame camera! or am I?

You have been shooting for a while, but you feel like purchasing a full frame camera will catapult your work from amateur status to pro. Are you ready for a full frame camera? What are the benefits of taking the plunge to purchase that super sweet new gear? Let’s talk about it… Starting out Most photographers these days start out […]

Understanding flash duration

Freezing motion when working in the studio can be a bit confusing. Generally (say when we shoot sports) we rely on our shutter speed to freeze action. Understanding how flash duration freezes motion can clear up some misconceptions about relying on shutter speed to freeze motion. Mark Wallace does a great job explaining how older flash technology can have a […]

A year with the Profoto B10

I have been using the Profoto B10 (not the plus version) as my go-to location strobe for a little over a year now. In my studio work I primarily use the 500-watt version of the Profoto D2 series of strobes, but these are wired strobes and location work often does not include access to a power outlet. I am also […]

2019 Recap

As 2019 draws to a close, I’d like to take some time to reflect on one of the most productive years I have had in terms of photography. I stayed on track creating photo tutorial content and started a whole new body of work, which will be announced after the new year. Somewhere in all that I found time to […]

My images are always blurry! what am I doing wrong?

Cameras, especially DSLRs can be confusing when you are just getting started in photography. Many tell me that an iPhone can snap a decent image regardless of where you take it, why can’t an expensive DSLR do the same? Think about cameras like a musical instrument, and a camera phone like a radio, both will play music – one you […]

Calibrate your monitor using DisplayCal

Calibrating your monitor is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your image quality. While you can’t control the way an image looks once it gets to your clients or viewers, you can control how it looks when you are editing it. There are several choices available for monitor calibration, I personally use the Datacolor Spyder X. […]