Photography Journal
-
Creative Editing Finishing Touches
2022-01-17 23:51:30 UTC
Over the years, I have learned some editing tricks using Lightroom, Photoshop, and Topaz Studio 2 that help to give my images a nice final touch. These simple techniques can help you take your image from good to great. I have included a video to show these tools in action. …
-
Inspiration Guide 2022
2021-12-18 22:41:48 UTC
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” —Steve Jobs
![]()
It’s another January; a New Year is upon us. How do…
-
Holiday Gift Guide
2021-12-01 18:53:00 UTC
Here are my 2022 top holiday gift ideas that any photographer would love! I hope you find something new for yourself or a photo idea for a friend.
![]()
Camera Tech Gear
![]()
I love this peak design tech bag for extra batteries, cables, extension tubes, etc.. It is handy for all…
-
Kickstart a Personal Photography Project this Year!
2021-11-01 15:12:00 UTC
![]()
Why not start the new year with a personal photography project?
Beginners to professional photographers benefit from the focus, determination, and direction that a project provides.
Key Benefits of a project:
A method to experiment, dive deep into a skill and expand as an artist. Projects are not dependent on…
-
Creative Photography Gifts
2021-10-19 20:12:24 UTC
This holiday season, consider making a gift for friends and family with your photography. There are so many great vendors and ideas online. Below are some of my personal favorite.
![]()
Artifact Uprising has been one of my go-to vendors for many years for printing. They have fantastic quality. I have…
-
Enjoy the best of fall!
2021-09-28 11:42:06 UTC
Fall is here!
“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” ― Oscar Wilde.
![]()
The season of fall can be short-lived, depending on the weather. I take advantage of any sunny day to get out and enjoy this beautiful season. There are so many fall events in the local area.…
-
Lightpad Photography - 6 easy steps
2021-09-14 17:14:09 UTC
Use a Light Tracing Pad to create magical, translucent flower images!
5 easy steps to get you started
![]()
I love to capture flowers in natural light. The light brings out the almost translucent quality of the petals. I wanted to find a way to get this same effect when shooting…
-
Lesson from a year of growing Dahlias!
2021-09-14 15:18:00 UTC
“Maybe the desire to make something beautiful is the piece of God that is inside each of us.” — Mary Oliver
![]()
I have always loved and admired beautiful things - fabric, paintings, music, and flowers. I grew up surrounded by beautiful gardens. On both sides of my family, there is…
-
4 Tips for Fall Photography
2021-08-30 21:25:51 UTC
In many US areas, this is the time of year to capture the beauty of autumn and all its colors, textures, and details. I hope you can get out to shoot this season, even if it’s just in your neighborhood or nearby park—these four tips can be used anywhere to…
-
My Gear - 2021
2021-07-30 19:54:22 UTC
I get asked often about my photography gear, favorite lenses, bags, etc… I have not done an updated post, so here is one for 2021. I have a fresh perspective on gear this year - simplicity! I want to enjoy the experience of being out in nature, capturing beautiful…
-
Explore how to create a time lapse video!
2021-07-30 11:53:49 UTC
Do you enjoy viewing time-lapse videos but have no ideas how to create them? I was reluctant to try capturing or putting together a time-lapse video. myself. I thought it would be too tricky and take too much time, but I recently decided to jump in and give it a…
-
Summer in the DC Metro Area
2021-06-21 23:04:36 UTC
Living in the Virginia, Maryland, DC area offers so many great summertime places to photograph summer flowers. June thru August, there are so many places that shine. I encourage you to grab your camera, your sunscreen, water bottle and try out one or more of these great photo locations this…
-
Queen of all Flowers - Roses
2021-05-13 14:14:42 UTC
The queen of all flowers, the rose, graces us with decadent blooms from early May into June.
![]()
![]()
![]()
June is the best time of year to see, enjoy and photograph all varieties of roses. In the Virginia, Maryland, DC area, there is an abundance of rose gardens to visit and enjoy.…
-
Multiple Exposure
2021-05-12 14:56:44 UTC
Multiple exposure photography is a fun technique to add creativity to your images. Layering one or more images to create one final image allows you to really showcase the subject, create impressionistic images, and express your subject creatively. All genres of photographers use multiple exposures, from portrait to street and…
-
Raised Dahlia Bed
2021-05-02 20:16:52 UTC
Dahlia flowers are one of my all-time favorites to grow and photograph. This flower is unique; it is traced back to the time of the Aztecs, who used it for medicinal purposes. The plants were shared from New Mexico to Spain in the later 1700s where they were grown, and…
-
Peonies
2021-04-20 00:10:32 UTC
The Peony is one stunning and robust flower! It has been around for 4,000 years and is appreciated in homes and gardens worldwide. Most plants can last 100 years. The plants were first seen in the eastern part of the world and spread as the members of royalty moved to…
-
Patio Container Gardening
2021-04-13 18:28:30 UTC
I have a small patio in my backyard that I like to fill with container plants to enjoy from spring into the fall. Containers are a great way to add some additional plants to your outside space without having the expense or work of more extensive flower beds. There are…
-
Blue flowers make a rare splash of color in your garden!
2021-04-11 16:50:39 UTC
The color blue is a favorite for most people. It is calming and associated with depth, stability, and peace. While the color is in our sky and waters, it is only ten percent of the world’s flowering plants. There is very little if any blue pigment in the entire plant…
-
Bluebells of Virginia
2021-04-05 15:55:11 UTC
It is that time of year on the East Coast and in Virginia, where spring arrives, bringing the beauty of Cherry blossoms, spring Daffodils, and Bluebells. While the Cherry Blossoms take center stage in late March, the VA Bluebells in early April are not to be missed. A native…
-
Creative Editing: Topaz Studio 2
2021-04-01 20:46:43 UTC
If I could paint, I would either be a watercolorist or an impressionist. I am drawn to the soft, dreamy colors and lack of structure. I also enjoy capturing both macro and landscape images with a shallow depth of field and then editing them to look like art. I typically…
-
Creative Technique: Free Lensing
2021-04-01 15:25:27 UTC
Free Lensing is a great tool to capture a very shallow depth of field image. This process helps you create Images that are dreamy and ethereal. This technique may seem risky to some, but you can do it without harming your camera or lens if you practice.
![]()
![]()
This technique requires…
-
Lessons from the Sea
2021-04-01 14:54:00 UTC
“The sea can do craziness; it can do smooth, it can lie down like silk breathing or toss havoc shoreward; it can give gifts or withhold all; it can rise, ebb, froth like an incoming frenzy of fountains, or it can sweet-talk entirely. As I can too, and so, no…
-
Creative techniques for spring images.
2021-03-17 23:20:39 UTC
Spring is here! I love this time of year. The colors in the gardens on the east coast are beginning to pop with color and new blooms in April. It is one of my favorite times of year to get out in the garden with my camera. Spring flowers are…
-
The beauty of color!
2021-03-17 23:14:00 UTC
“Color was not given to us in order that we should imitate nature. It was given to us so that we can express our emotions.” Henri Matisse
Color is a critical factor in telling a visual story. Color evokes emotions and brings an image to life. Decorators, film-makers, commercial designers,…
-
Camellia - “Queen of Winter Flowers”
2021-03-10 12:44:25 UTC
For over 60 years, garden enthusiasts in Virginia have celebrated the Camellia. There are gardens across the state that have recognized this historical plant’s collections and celebrated its winter blooms. I enjoy capturing the colorful blooms each spring in the gardens here in Washington, DC. The plant thrives from…
