Series: Digital Darkroom Techniques

It is not like me to go back, years later, and ‘revisit’ an image. ‘Re-work’ it. I can probably count the times I’ve done this on both of my hands. I don’t know why this is… Perhaps I became so busy shooting new material that I just never had the time to go back. Nonsense… you can always make the time to go back. Or maybe I was just satisfied with the work I had done – I had completely fulfilled my vision the first go ’round. Nooooot likely, I’m my own worst critic. I don’t know if I’ve ever been truly happy with any of my photographs. Oh sure, I’ve been proud of work – but I can still find at least one two faults in every image. I honestly don’t know. Maybe I just...

Just back from a quick hike at a weird hour. Weird as in hiking from 9 pm to 1 am. Weird. Well, it is Alaska… Didn’t even need a headlamp at all last night, although it probably would have been a good idea. I spent my time in the wild with good friend and exceptional videographer, Scott Slone of Alaska HDTV. What can I say? I’ve got talented friends. We met shortly after 8 last night and drove the 1/2 hour to my “Back yard”. Yes, it’s a 1/2 hour away, but I can see it from my bedroom window. Hence, it’s my back yard. My logic is undeniable. Anyway… It seems as though I have just started seeing this area with new eyes. And the possibilities are endless. Ever since I moved here, Hatcher Pass has been my backyard. My...

This is a good time to remind you of my upcoming photo workshop/adventour in June. Seats are limited, but we have a few spots open at this time. Please click HERE to read more about this one of a kind experience. Of course, if you have any questions, please contact me at any time. I look forward to seeing you, on this incredible tour! Don’t wait, don’t hesitate… the remaining seats will not last much...

As a long time user of Lightroom, I take a couple of things for granted. Taking part in Adobe’s BETA program for Lightroom offered a lot of insight into the inner workings of this “game changer” of a program. When I teach Lightroom, there are always several people with a good deal of knowledge about the program that don’t know some of the great features possible with this program. Sharpening can be very mystifying. So many options, so many ways to confuse yourself and either over-sharpen, or under-sharpen your images. You’ve got to watch out for artifacts, halos, noise, edge contrast, and so on. Sharpening in Lightroom has a great “hidden” feature that is only 1 keystroke away. One important thing to note, all sharpening...

I wanted to post a digital sample of the posters that will be printed and delivered VERY soon. They will measure 12 inches across by 24 inches tall & I think look really nice. I’ll be posting them anywhere and everywhere someone will allow them displayed. Also coming with the posters will be small business cards (made at moo.com. Thanks for the idea Mark!). The cards will be placed at many of the same locations that the posters will be. Instead of having to write down the contact info, just grab a mini card and it has everything on it – website address, info email contact, and phone number. Without further ado – here’s a digital copy of the poster! If you see one around, drop me a line and let me know what you...

When I returned to do some more photography of the Alaska Range/Denali on Monday, the alpenglow never appeared like it did on Saturday morning. So I worked on other options, one of which was this attempt at a b&w conversion of a 4 image panoramic. I arranged the mountains along the bottom of the frame to stress their relationship with the clouds overhead. I shot this again in Live View mode, composing the 4 images that make this panorama and checking the exposure. I aimed to retain detail in the highlights (the 3 main mountain peaks – Foraker, Hunter, and Denali), and get some detail in the clouds. Live view has been a revelation in my landscape photography. Real time previews of your decision making process, I almost feel like I’m using a view...