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Over the past three decades, I've carried a camera just about everywhere I've gone. Those experiences did far more than fill hard drives. They forced me to confront a question no camera manual addresses: why do some photographs endure? Why do others, technically...

I've been photographing birds for more than thirty years. A large part of that time has involved working with other photographers to help them get more from their time in the field. One habit I see more than any other is the tendency...

I've been editing photos since the 1990s, first in a darkroom, then in early digital software, and now across three decades of workflows spanning film, digital, and print. In all of those years, the single most common mistake I see photographers make, beginners...

Quick Facts: Topic: Colorado photography road trip Locations: 14 photo stops statewide Best season: Late September for aspens, summer for wildflowers Skill level: All levels Gear: Wide lens, telephoto, sturdy tripod, polarizer, ND filter Subjects: Peaks, alpine lakes, dunes, canyons, fall color Best...

Most photographers who decide to sell prints make the same mistake on day one. They open their lab's pricing page, double the number they see, and call it a retail price. A $63 canvas becomes $126. A $109 metal print becomes $218. Both...

I've spent more than twenty years behind a camera. Most of it went toward chasing light across landscapes, from the Pacific coast to the high desert. Contrast is the reason some of those frames hang on a wall. Others sit forgotten on a...

I've spent decades shooting in conditions that most photographers avoid. Over those years, I've worked with hundreds of photographers who share the same habit. They put the camera away the moment rain starts. I understand the instinct. Wet gear is expensive to repair,...

Quick Facts on Intentional Camera Movement: Topic: Intentional camera movement (ICM) Gear needed: Any camera with a slow shutter Helpful extras: ND filter and a tripod Skill level: Beginner friendly Starting shutter: About 1/2 second Cost: Free to try with gear you own ...

Quick Facts on Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes: Topic: Fujifilm film simulation recipes Gear needed: Any Fujifilm X-series camera Best results: X-Trans IV and V sensors Skill level: Beginner to intermediate Time to set up: About 5 minutes per recipe Cost: Free, no software...

Some of the most technically demanding work I've done in more than 30 years behind a lens didn't happen outdoors. It didn't happen on a ridgeline at sunrise or in a canyon at golden hour. It happened in a spare bedroom in the...

Quick Facts: Topic: Woodland fungi and mushroom photography Skill level: Beginner to intermediate Time required: 1 to 3 hours per outing Core gear: Macro lens or extension tubes, a low tripod, a diffuser Best season: Autumn after rain, though fungi fruit year-round Best...

Quick Facts: Topic: Maine photography road trip Locations: 14 photo stops statewide Best season: Early October for foliage, summer for long days Skill level: All levels Gear: Wide lens, telephoto, sturdy tripod, polarizer, ND filter Subjects: Lighthouses, rocky coast, harbors, mountains, fall color ...

Quick Facts: Topic: California photography road trip Locations: 14 photo stops statewide Best season: Spring for waterfalls and poppies, fall for clear skies Skill level: All levels Gear: Wide lens, telephoto, sturdy tripod, polarizer, ND filter Subjects: Coast, mountains, deserts, redwoods, bridges Best...

Black and white photography changed how I see long before it changed how I shoot. When I switched my camera's viewfinder to a monochrome preview and worked consistently in monochrome, color stopped being the first thing I reached for when evaluating a scene....

Quick Facts: Genre: Family photography Best light: Golden hour or open shade, never harsh midday sun Group settings: f/5.6 to f/8, ISO 200 to 800, shutter 1/200s or faster Lens: A 35mm or 50mm for groups, an 85mm for individual portraits Focus: Continuous...