Category: Blog

Learn photography tips, tricks, and techniques from a professional photographer. Explore inspiring photos, tutorials, reviews, and more on this photography blog.

Photomatix Pro Review and Sample Photos

I do my HDR in Lightroom now, but Photomatix was a huge part of my process. Here’s how I got natural results out of it and where its built-in tools fell short.
Mesquite Dunes – Death Valley

This is one of my first photos from Death Valley that popped out to me while going through my Lightroom catalog. I wasn’t planning on visiting the Mesquite Dunes, but since they were just right off the road, we stopped by. It actually took a bit of wandering around to find some peaks that hadn’t…
Venice Beach Pier – Blue Infinity

This shot is another one from the night I went to Venice Beach. I go to Venice a lot; it’s kind of my get-away beach, but the other night, I went there specifically to take photos. I might do it again this week sometime since my auto mechanic is down there for my wife’s Saab.…
Best ND 500 For Your Buck – Review and Sample Photos

After doing a lot of research and never being able to locate a Lee Big Stopper, I came across the Light Craft Workshop ND500. If you’re looking to shoot long-exposure photography mid-day, this filter is all you need. It’s crazy affordable, and the quality is fantastic. Best ND 500 For Your Buck Reason Why I Like…
Beneath the Venice Beach Pier

I have always been fascinated by Long Exposure Photography. It is a style of photography that makes the water and clouds look smooth and silky. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not attracted to it in a weird way. Well, maybe a little . . . Anyway, to do this style of photography, you need a…
ISO – The Simple Explanation!

Here’s a simple guide to what ISO is and why you want to keep it low. I shoot almost all my landscapes at ISO 100 on a tripod, and I’ll explain how that keeps images clean and sharp.
Kecak Monkey Performer of Bali

This is one of the monkey performers of the Kecak dance in Bali, Indonesia. He was quite the character during the performance, often interacting with the audience. A few times, he would jump into the crowd and take their sunglasses and put them on, which is, I guess, what monkeys do. He gave them back,…
Bali Plumeria In HDR

The Plumeria of Bali reminded me of Hawaii. They were so healthy and full and in bloom everywhere. We can grow some plumeria in Southern California, but they are never nearly as healthy-looking as they are in Bali. So, I took the opportunity to get a few shots when I could. This one I colored…
Bali Rice Field Tower

This is a photo from when I was in one of the rice fields of Bali. I don’t know about you, but this shot reminds me of old Chuck Norris movies. Missing in Action or something. They loved blowing these things up with grenade launchers.
Bali Kecak Dance Ceremony

When I was in Bali, I went to one of the famous Kecak Dances. In the beginning, there is this ceremony where a priest starts by lighting the fires and blessing the dancers by splashing them with water. I was able to get a pretty cool shot of him lighting the fire with the sun…