This is a quick bulleted list of my thoughts on composition. Stuff that goes on inside my head or I have found helpful over the years. They’re not hard and fast rules. I may blatantly go ahead and break them myself the next time I go out. As I think of others, I will periodically revisit this list and add to it.
Read MoreA picture can never really do it justice. As we often say, you just had to be there. This world we share is so utterly complex yet cohesive on levels we as humans may never come to understand. So of course an advanced piece of technology made by man, albeit a pretty dang awesome one, can’t touch the real thing. But me and my camera try our best. My interpretation of experiences spent outdoors translated into a two-dimensional medium of art is best expressed in a technique called Time Blending. This is where multiple frames of a scene are taken over a period of time and blended together to create one single image. I use this technique often enough such that it has become a regular in my arsenal. It’s one of my absolute favorite things to do while in the field. It allows me to express more of the feeling of actually being there.
Read MoreI’m often asked what camera I use. Or when somebody sees my photography I’m told, “You must have an expensive camera.” I’m here to dispel some myths. Yes, I do own a nice camera. No, it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg. And it’s not necessary to upgrade and upgrade to infinity to become a better photographer.
Read MoreIt’s not all that often that I sift through other photographers’ images of a location. I certainly used to. I’d go out and basically try to make a carbon copy. It’s not a bad way to start out. But it eventually feels hollow and once you begin to put together the basics of composition, you’ll want to create your very own from scratch. In terms of landscape photography, I’m not sure there’s that much more rewarding than doing just that. It’s a special feeling - like unlocking some hidden level. And after you get the hang of it, excellent compositional opportunities will present themselves to you the world over.
Read MoreGetting in the water and shooting is one of my favorite things to do. Let’s cut to the chase. Step one: Get yourself in the water. Step two: shoot. Simple enough, right?
Read MoreAt this juncture, I check weather forecasts less and less. Especially when you’re already on location, I use my eyeballs instead and tend to work with whatever nature has in store for the day. Unless it’s pouring rain or mid-day on a cloudless day, there’s something out there beautiful to shoot. For this article, I’m going to focus on showing you a few different shots you can take from one location under varying lighting conditions. These would generally be considered less-than-ideal shooting conditions: a cloudless sunrise, an overcast morning, and a similarly overcast afternoon. Let’s head over to the Factory Butte near Hanksville, Utah to learn more.
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