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 …

Aperture Priority–The Auto Exposure For Photographers

There is an auto-exposure setting on most cameras that allows a photographer to set the proper depth of field while the camera picks the appropriate shutter speed for a correct exposure—“A” or “Aperture Priority”.

Join A Location Photography Workshop In Spring 2019

Join professional magazine photographer Chuck Place for 5 fun location photo shoots on consecutive Saturday mornings starting March 23 in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country and Santa Barbara area. With input from Chuck, fine tune your photographic skills and …

Photographing The Shape Of Motion With Shutter Drag

Most of the time we love fast shutter speeds. They “freeze” the moment. But on the other hand, fast shutter speeds also hide the beauty and grace of movement. The swirl of a dancer, the sensuous shape of a breaking …

Photographing Native American Powwows: Planning, Etiquette and Tips

I could feel the drum beat in my bones, almost like a heart beat. Native American dancers seemed to float just above the dance floor, red rock canyon walls towering over the dance arena. I was photographing the annual Gallup …

Magic Hour Photography: Get Creative And Capture The Drama

Few photographers can resist shooting a beautiful sunset. Clouds build up, color starts to develop, you have a perfect ocean or lake surface for great reflections or you found some fascinating trees or buildings to silhouette against the colorful sky. …

Halloween Photo Shoots: A Return To Childhood Fun

I’m a big fan of Halloween and I love photography. That’s the beauty of October. I get to combine two of my great passions. As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler, harvest season in my area kicks …

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 …

Have Fun Searching For Colorful Photographic Details

For me, these intimate photographic details often say more about the culture of an area than more general shots and they always add a spot of strong color during a drab part of the day.