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The Painted Hills in the snow

The Painted Hills in the snow

Winter finally made it to Oregon and 2024 came in like a lion weather-wise. We had high winds, ice, snow and temps near 0°F. Needless today there was a lot of storm damage and hardship with electricity, water and phone/Internet disruption many people were in survival mode for at least a week in the area … Read more

My Favorite Photos From 2023

2023 was quite a year with several epic adventures. The Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Coast, the San Juans in Colorado for Autumn colors and then I returned to Caddo Lake for more Autumn bayou adventures. Of course I still found time to photograph my home here near Mount Hood as well as another love of … Read more

My Favorite Wildlife Photos of 2021

Denali Alaska Grizzly Bear

In the past, at the end of the year, I have only posted the summary of my previous year as it was represented in the landscape photos that I had made. As I looked through my portfolio from 2021 one thing stood out to me and that is that I am starting to have a large part of it wildlife photos.

Factory Butte Utah

Situated between Capitol Reef to the west, the Henry Mountains to the south, the San Rafael Swell to the north and the San Rafael desert to the east. This butte is a popular spot for both Photographers and OHV (off highway vehicles). This situation has created a conflict of sorts as the landscape has tracks through it. This causes a challenge in the hope of getting a pristine photo of this location.

Ethical Landscape Photography

Landscape Photography Ethics

We are a part of a collective of humanity that causes an accumulative, damaging effect. It is not just the one person but the effects of us all wearing these places down. I feel that it is imperative that we develop a collective consciousness that instils a want to preserve these places.

Photography Close to Home

Macro Photography

If you are like most of us, you have been spending a lot of time around the house lately. We can only spend so much time working or doing chores before we start to try to figure out something that will occupy our creative minds between obligations. I like to give my mind a break by taking time to be creative. As photographers, and creatives, we have a lot of options for making some creative artistic images at home.

Macro Photography – Macro photography is a type of photography that involves photographing small things. It is Springtime and the flowers are blooming and the bugs are starting to crawl. They both make excellent subjects for macro photos. You do not necessarily need a lens that is made specifically for macro if you have a zoom lens that will shoot at a focal length of about 90mm or more. Something that I like to do with flowers is to take a spray bottle and spray water drops on the flowers. I also like the look of a shallow depth of field. Using an open aperture and getting close to your lens will create a soft feel around the narrow-focused area in your shot. Give it a try.

Abstract Photography – Everyone knows about abstract painting, but abstract images can be created with your camera too. An observant eye can find patterns and textures that could be interpreted as impressionistic paintings. Structural shapes, angles and patterns can be framed in a beautiful yet abstract way. Not only are you able to create abstracts by observing your surroundings but you can use the camera adjustments to alter the reality of the scene. Something that I enjoy doing is to extend the shutter speed to a second or more and move the camera to create patterns of movement. This technique is called Intentional Camera Movement. Try varying the degree of focus. Shoot into the sunshine through leaves. Be creative.

ICM - Intentional Camera Movement

Portraiture – Photograph your family or your pets. Artful portraiture is something that can challenge you. Try using your family members or your pets as subjects for your photos. Be mindful of the background and consider the lighting on your subject. Some beautiful portraits can be made using the light that comes in from a window. Set up a sheet as a backdrop and use shop lights with a fabric or some translucent paper in front to reduce the harshness of the light. Be creative.

Taken in a dark room with a single light

The best thing about a digital camera is that we are not limited on how many photos there are on a roll of film. This allows us to just get lost in taking photos. It allows us to experiment. You can take a photo, preview it, correct, or change a setting and try it again. It allows you to be able to occupy yourself creating artistic images all day. So, do not despair if you are agonizing about not being able to get out and take photos like you would like to. Play and practice close to home in the meantime.