Photography Blog

This blog offers a window into our journey as we chase light, wanders through wild landscapes, and find meaning in the quiet moments we encounter. Join us for stories from our travels, lessons learned in the field, and the small joys that come with a life spent outdoors. Some posts explore the practical side of photography while others focus on the wonder of seeing the world through a lens. Whether you’re a fellow photographer or simply enjoy a good story, we invite you to join behind the scenes and along the road.

Moab by Night (mostly) 2017
A Look Back

One For The History Books This was the last year of the Moab by Night (mostly) workshop. It pains me to say these words since this is one of my favorite regions in the US, but with the permitting changes taking place for the national parks in the region, it is not a viable workshop to offer at an affordable price anymore. That being said, I am working on another Utah workshop for 2019. Utah is a state that leaves me in continual awe of its natural beauty and I love being able to show it to people in a way that they have never seen it before. Mother Nature Let Us Have A Little Fun Anytime you are organizing or participating in a photography workshop, the weather is something that you can’t really predict. There is extensive research before deciding on a location for a workshop, including its weather

Read More

The Quick and Dirty Guide to Photographing Fireworks

Tis The Season For Pretty Explosions!!!   For the average American July 4th brings thoughts of barbecues, family and fireworks. For most photo enthusiasts there is also one more thing; how to get that great firework picture?   Overexposed, colorless images of very blurry streaks in the air tend to be the norm for most people on their first couple attempts at capturing fireworks. If your camera is set to Auto or Program mode, the meter is looking at the dark scene around you and choosing far too long of a shutter speed. When you take control and set the camera to full Manual, you eliminate the chance of the camera overexposing your fireworks. Before you start snapping away, you will need a few things…   Tools of the Trade   A Tripod This doesn’t have to be an expensive carbon tripod, as long as it is sturdy enough to

Read More

A Look Back – Waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge 2017

People, Places and Pictures   There are few settings I’d rather be in during late spring than in the Columbia River Gorge photographing waterfalls. Even better is when I get to share some of my favorite cascades with a few people and help them grow in their photography along the way. This past week I have been lucky enough to do just that; be immersed in the lush green mossy gorges and steep basalt cliffs of the river gorge with a great group of photographers! A Little Adventure With Your Pics?   For this years trip into the Gorge we were bestowed with perfect waterfall photographing weather both days. On the first day we not only had a 2 mile round trip hike to get to our introductory falls, but an adventurous decent to our second location. It is a lot scarier looking than the actual decent! Everyone did a

Read More

Exploring the Pacific Northwest in June

Oh What A Beautiful Morning…To Take A Picture! Here we are again. For most of the country after a long winter, the flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and the cameras are getting dusted off from their annual hibernation. I have been calling Seattle home now for more than 15 years, but I spend most of the year roaming the planet for workshops, classes and scouting expeditions for future workshop locations. I have been lucky enough to witness some of the most beautiful places on earth first hand but I am still in awe every time I return home to the Pacific Northwest. The combination of mountains, forests, salt water, fresh water and deserts are a dream for landscape and wildlife photographers alike. Below are a few of my favorite places to frequent this time of year. I have given you a general idea of where to head, but

Read More

A Look Back – Death Valley Workshop March 2017

I’ve been lucky enough to have spent the better part of the last two weeks in Death Valley. A little more than the first week was for my annual Night Photography Workshop in Death Valley. I’m pretty sure this is the last year I will be running this trip in the spring. I am thinking about switching to the autumn season and moving the focus to more of the milky way and although it is still fairly hot, September is the best time of year for that in 2018. Last year this workshop fell on the tail end of the largest super bloom Death Valley has seen in decades. This year we ended up with nights that clouded up early on us and violent sandstorms. Never fear though, there is always a way to harness the powers of photography! Were there is dynamic weather, there are dynamic images.   We

Read More

A Beginners Look At Color Calibration On Your Monitor

Why Monitor Calibration Is Important   Why Do I Need A Monitor Calibrator? You just clicked the shutter and on your camera’s screen you can see the amazing image that you’ve just created. Maybe it’s an explosive sunset. Maybe it’s a memorable moment at a family dinner. Maybe it’s your dog being ridiculously adorable (or mischievous). You get the image to your computer, and you adjust the picture to look fantastic. Maybe you hit the Auto button. Maybe you applied a preset you like. Maybe you spent hours painstakingly adjusting the white balance and exposure and layering and masking and blending and manipulating individual color channel luminance to arrive at your masterpiece. Regardless of your method, unless you have a calibrated monitor you have no idea if you are adjusting a greenish tint in your image or one that your screen is imparting on it. Is that brightness adjustment actually

Read More
Load More
close menu icon

newsletter Signup

Join our community of curious photographers! Get exclusive updates on upcoming workshops, behind-the-scenes stories, and practical photography advice in our monthly newsletter.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.