Let’s admit it, we’re now in one of photography’s seasonal doldrums. Fall foliage is over, the trees are bare and snow has not hit much of the area, at least not in the mid-Atlantic, USA, region. This is the perfect time for checking out new equipment, innovative techniques, even changes in attitude toward whatever area of photography you have up to now avoided. In my sporadic “Homework” series (use the search box to find others), I’d like to add the perfect assignment for that rainy Saturday morning.
Depth of Field
Manipulating depth …

In Search Of the perfect ISO for your photographic efforts? So many amateur photographers I meet are confused about what the ISO means and how to best tune it to their imaging needs. I thought I’d give a brief primer here on the topic.
Just What Is ISO?
ISO is equivalent to what we called ASA during film days. ISO is a measure of how sensitive a sensor is to light. The higher the ISO, the better its ability to record light, but the ‘grainier’ the image looks. There’s always a trade-off, …

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 …

If I had to distill what I teach in a photo workshop to one lesson, it would be this: What exactly are you trying to say through that image? If you can tell me in 10 or 25 words exactly what the point of the image is, then we’re most probably looking at a good, maybe even a great image.
I know that sounds simplistic- any one ‘magic’ rule is- but the lack of a clear concept is what keeps a so-so image from being a wow! image. I see this …

I won’t refute charges that I am certifiably nuts, that I’ve finally gone over the precipice. After years of discussion, persuasion, debating and research, I finally bit the bullet and have invested in… drumroll here… Large Format Photography.
Yes, you read it right. I have taken at least three giant steps into the past- beyond digital, beyond 35mm film cameras- and joined the ranks of Matthew Brady and Ansel Adams. I’m now the anxious owner of an Arca Swiss 4×5 view camera, film and all.

We’re talking Neanderthal here:  manual focusing, manual …

I am incredibly honored to have been named to the faculty of the prestigious Nikonians Academy (http://www.nikoniansacademy.com/viewFacultyPage.html?page_id=7). Nikonians is the world’s largest organization of Nikon devotees. It is a wealth of information on anything Nikon… and more. Their forums are chock full of useful information about photography in general and I often contribute to them as my schedule permits. It’s also my go-to resource when I have a technical question.

As a faculty-member, I will be offering workshops in the field for accomplished and aspiring photographers. The wonderful thing about Nikonians workshops …

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!  If you’re shooting landscapes, one of the most effective means of adding interest and impact is to include a foreground element. I know we hear this a lot nowadays, but what I find is that this is usually mentioned as a given, an aside, without providing enough detail for the photographer looking to improve his or her skills. I’m hoping to add flesh to the bones here, so please bear with me.
I believe it was George Lepp who said that there is no such …

Here is the second installment in what I promised would be a continuing series of photo self-assignments. As I discussed in my previous self-assignment blog (http://blog.lesterpickerphoto.com/2010/07/28/photography-homework-1/) I talked about the value of these ‘homework assignments, so I won’t go over it again here, except to say that the name of the game is practice, practice, practice.
Today I’m suggesting a seasonal assignment, one that plagues many photographers.
Shooting in the Snow
Snow is white, right? Not if you’ve ever photographed it. Snow can appear white and textured or overblown and featureless. It can …

Having spent four of the grayest, rainiest weeks ever in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia and New Zealand, it reminded me of a valuable pro photographic lesson that I’ll share with you. It’s called ‘extraction.’
Of course, every photographer loves sunny days with lots of blue sky and clouds. But, what do you do when you get to a place where you only have a day or two and the weather sucks? Maybe it’s actively raining (that’s the subject of a future blog) or, worse yet, the sky is a featureless, dull …

To my blog readers:
I’m excited to announce that I was just chosen to be the new photography columnist for ScotteVest.

If you haven’t seen their Internet presence yet, you probably are not an outdoorsy-type, since they advertise heavily online. ScotteVest manufactures some of the finest travel and outdoor clothing I have ever had the joy of owning. Their claim to fame is the number of pockets built into their clothing and their durable construction. In fact, it was my use of their product that drew us together (http://blog.lesterpickerphoto.com/2010/09/19/invest-in-evest-scottevest-that-is/).
I have used ScotteVest …