Blue Pixel

I'm not much for New Year's resolutions, but there’s one thing I do every year at this time. So if someone asks what my resolution is, I always say, "I'm going to get organized." For me that means every January I go through my images from the past year and pick out my favorites.
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I was on the road teaching a workshop last week, and part of it involved giving a little how-to on the basics of off-camera flash. The group was amazed at how easy it is. That’s true now, but it wasn’t always that way.
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I received an email from a friend who's headed to Iceland and hoping to photograph the northern lights (aka the aurora borealis). He was looking for tips on how to be successful, and after responding to him, I thought this might make for a nice blog post. Whether you're shooting northern lights, a starry sky or New Year's eve fireworks, the basics are the same.
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As photographers we know the importance of light, composition, background, exposure, and moment. But sometimes what you really need for a unique photo is a lot of lens, and that can help you make a photo no one else is able to.
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Every holiday season the Country Club plaza in Kansas City is decorated in lights. It's a beautiful scene, and well worth the visit if you're in town. Light displays like this are a lot of fun to photograph, if you know a few simple tips to get the photos you want.
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My wife Sharon had a birthday this past weekend (can't tell you her age, but it rhymes with "nifty") and celebrated with a big party. One of my gifts was a poster of photos of her over those years, which was a big hit at the party. This can be pretty easy, if you just follow a few simple steps.
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As someone who loves taking pictures, I try to have a camera whenever possible. It's not always convenient to carry an SLR, though, and point-and-shoots can be disappointing. So I was happy to hear that Nikon was entering the "small camera with larger sensor" market. And after using the J1 for a couple of weeks, I've become an ardent fan.
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I’m often asked what gear I take when traveling. And the answer is always the same – it depends on what I want to do. In the case of our recent vacation to Italy, the plan was to relax and enjoy the time together, not be out shooting from pre-dawn into night. Which meant little gear. But I still hoped to make some nice photos.
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My wife and I just returned from a vacation to Italy (yes, it was wonderful).The second night there, Sharon was tired and went to bed early, so I decided to take a walk. And was reminded once again that skill is important in photography, but luck can be even better.
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One of my favorite accessories when doing flash photography is a VALS - Voice Activated Light Stand. In other words, a person you can direct to put a light where you need it. Recently my wife Sharon played this role for me, and is just one of the many reasons I love her :)
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