Clik here to view.
Smooth Curves
This shot is about color and form. I chose a very narrow depth of field to simplify the image as much as possible, and give it a smooth, ethereal quality. I chose the composition to accentuate the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lower Grinnell Lake
I love Grinnell Glacier Trail. The hike is about 12 miles, with about 1500 feet of elevation gain – so it’s not an easy one… but with breathtaking view like this one along the way, it’s well worth the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Into the Light
I love to shoot at Cannon Beach. I fact, I spent some time experimenting with low light photography right on this very beach with my good old Canon 10D (this photograph was taken with a Canon 5D). I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Leading the Eye
When I am planning a composition, I am constantly thinking about leading the eye. How can I make sure that my viewer is noticing the most important elements in my image? How can I keep my viewer’s eye...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Composing Photos with Leading Lines
Leading lines are one of those elegant elements of an effective composition that lots of photographers are eager to use. Leading lines direct the viewer’s attention through a photograph or toward an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Circles in the Sand
This is a shot from White Sands in New Mexico. I found this lonely little bush at the base of a huge dune – and noticed that it had drawn circles around itself… with a little help from the wind. As...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mirror, Mirror
If you are willing to cross Calf Creek at the end of the Calf Creek Falls Trail, you’ll find this pretty little reflecting pool. We arrived there at the height of the fall season – when the trees were...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Spots
Arizona’s soil is a crazy mix of pink and orange and yellow and brown. The sandstone is made up of shifting forms – hoodoos and cliffs and gullies and buttes and canyons – and they are textured with...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Echoes of the Wave
While I was photographing seals on a beach in Redwood Forest National Park, I noticed this glowing ridge about two miles away. I got in the car and drove closer to see if I could get a photo. This...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Composition: Why Size Matters
If you have ever taken photographs in a forest, you know that it can be challenging to find a good composition in a cluttered environment. One of the techniques we use for cluttered scenes like these...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Which photo do you prefer?
I took this shot of my youngest son, Damian, a few years ago in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Damian and I spent that morning traipsing through the woods, playing in the leaves, and enjoying the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Stay Warm and Dry this Winter!
Independence Pass 3,687 m (12,095 ft) – Colorado, USA How do you stay warm and dry when you are shooting in cold weather? Shooting in cold weather can be challenging – but there’s nothing quite like...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Do you Think Before you Shoot?
I love aspens. Who doesn’t? But if you’ve tried to photograph trees, maybe you know that getting a shot you really like isn’t as easy as you think it’s going to be. You pull out your camera in front...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Photoshop Blending Modes: Lighten
This is a composite shot I took several years ago in Death Valley National Park. I took the first shot with a wide angle lens. Then, I switched to a long lens and photographed the full moon as it rose...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Winter is Coming
When you’re shooting, do you lose track of your physical self? Bryce Canyon National Park is gorgeous at any time of year – but there’s nothing quite like shooting there after a heavy snowfall. We...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Complicated Blend: The Coming Storm
Sometimes, I can finish post-production work in just a few minutes… and sometimes, it takes a lot longer. This shot from Snowmass Wilderness in Colorado was a real challenge. Let me see if I can give...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Making Targeted Adjustments with Masks
I use masks in Photoshop all the time. Take a look at the layers and masks I used to process this photograph from Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. You can see that I used a mask on all but my...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Critique Your Own Work
This is a shot from Bean Hollow State Park in California. It’s not one of my favorite shots – and it won’t make it to my portfolio or my website. So why am I posting it here? Well – I believe that we...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Color or Monochrome?
When I decide to convert an image to monotone, it’s usually because I want to change what the image is about. What does that mean exactly? Well, take a look at this example. Here’s a photograph of a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Goodbye to Winter
I stood by the window a few weeks ago, watching new snow fall on the snowdrops by the door. The tiny, white flowers were tightly closed against the chill – waiting for a moment of warmth. They were a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Varina and Jay on This Week in Photo #307
Check out TWiP episode #307, where Varina and Jay Patel talk with Frederick Van Johnson and Topher Martini. We talk about the latest mirror-less cameras, our individual post-processing workflows, and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Landscape Photography: Maximizing Sales Potential
You never know what a buyer will want – and each buyer is different. But, over the past several years, we’ve learned a few things about maximizing the potential of our portfolios. Here are a few tips...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Getting Ready to Shoot Autumn
When I was a child, autumn was my favorite season. I loved the appearance of the first colored leaves – and the inevitable explosion of red and gold as the maples shifted their hue. And shooting fall...
View Article