It has always seemed ironic to me that, as a professional photographer, the technique I use most often is something I can not see with my own eyes. Shallow depth of field is a product of camera optics and I …
Category: Composition

When You Want It All–3 Steps To Maximize Depth Of Field
Back in the day when my students actually shot on location together, pre-virus, discussions on depth of field were a continual topic. This was partly because some my students had just moved away from full camera automation, the dreaded “P” …
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Stunning Architecture Photography In Black And White
Architecture is one of those photographic subjects that cries out to be captured in black and white.
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A Color Photographer’s Conversion To B&W
Text & Photography by Chuck Place© I have been a photographer for over 40 years and recently have developed a real interest in black & white photography. Like all photography, it’s a journey and I am inviting all of you …

Fill The Frame For Greater Visual Impact
The first step in creating any image is knowing what you want to say about a subject or location. Be clear in your own mind what is important and what is secondary. Then make it clear to your viewer by …

The 4 Piece Photo Challenge
It’s raining outside, you can’t go out and play and you’re developing cabin fever. What to do? Assign yourself the 4 Piece Photo Challenge! Sounds silly, I admit, but it’s a great tool for building up your photographic creativity.

Delicious Food Photography: The Basics Of Cooking Up Mouth Watering Images
I was shooting an article on Monterey, California, known for Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and great seafood. Dungeness crab is at the top of the areas epicurean list and I had already photographed a display of crabs on …
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Forced Perspective: Add Drama And Depth To Your Photographs
Standing in the middle of Taos Pueblo, I was trying to decide how I would photograph the impressive five-story North Building. I knew I would use a technique called Forced Perspective to emphasize the scale of the building and create …
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An Exciting Photo Shoot At The Lively Farmers Market
Shooting strong images at a busy farmers market is a test of concentration. A photographer is forced to create order out of chaos, still lifes out of produce and portraits of people who are too busy for a portrait shoot. …
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Window Light, An Amazingly Elegant Photography Light Source
We all have that lighting system available, of course. I use window lighting for a wide range of photographic subjects, but I have noticed in my classes that many students seem to ignore it. It’s a seemingly easy light source …
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