As photographers we hear about and discuss ‘noise’ quite a bit. For you photography newbies, digital noise is equivalent to what we used to call ‘grain’ in film days.
By now my readers know that I’m not one to waste a lot of space on highly technical explanations. If you want to understand noise or grain at a technical level, there are some fine resources out there. Just start by Googling the terms “film grain” and “digital camera noise” or “digital sensor noise” and you’ll soon be an expert (or intolerably …

A hearty congratulations to Barry and Gill in England, one of two winners of my free photo giveaway last month. Here are two photos that Barry took of the framed image, hanging in their lounge.

Gill gave us a heads-up on the process:

“I was given the task of choosing one of your prints, which I have to say was very hard, far too much choice. I managed to break it down to a seascape, the Hawaii sunset took it. It makes a change from looking out of our window at the …

I was reviewing some images this week in preparation for a presentation on my photography, when I came across this image. It sparked a memory that I’d like to share with you.

Banff National Park

I took this image at approximately an hour after sunset at the end of September in Banff National Park in Canada. (Please click on the image to enlarge it).
The other photographers I was with had packed up their gear at or shortly after sunset. Since it had just snowed and the meadow was so magically covered, I …

It’s the age-old debate among photographers: gloves vs. mittens. Which are best for the serious photographer, amateur or pro?
For most photographers, the choice is a matter of preference, since the overwhelming majority of enthusiasts shoot in warm or mildly cold temperatures. In those cases you can get away with a light glove, like the excellent wool gloves made by Lowepro that sport rubberized palms and fingers that give the photographer a good grip. I own a pair that I use through the Fall shooting season.

Many photographers I know prefer mittens, …

For those of you waiting to hear who won our free photo giveaway, here’s an update… no one!… at least not yet. Turns out that unscrupulous people use ‘robot’ programs to register on websites, so the first 2 entrants that we randomly picked do not actually exist. Each time we pick a name we have to contact the address, give them 72 hours to respond, wait an extra day for good measure and then try again. Today we’ll be picking another registrant name for a large 12″ x 18″, signed …