This is one of my favorite flower images. It’s not dreamy or perfect, but it is packed with meaning for me. I took it some years back and could have easily missed the opportunity. She was sitting propped up on a flower holder. I had taken many photos of the Rose in her prime and […]
Read More
Artists use Negative and Positive Space to achieve balance in an image. It refers to the area that forms the image. Positive and Negative Space exist as a unit, just as the sun and the moon make a day. Positive space is the area that forms the Subject and Negative space is the area all […]
Read More
When we look at an image, the mind likes to make connections to see a whole concept. Leading lines help this happen by creating a continuance between the main subject and other elements in the photograph. In photography, lines are compositional tools that guide the eye. Photographers use them to bring attention to key areas […]
Read More
The Dahlia flowers growing in my garden remind me to take note of the many things I feel gratitude for. Earlier this year, I went through a dark period. I lost my creative drive and had a difficult time seeing beyond my own perceived failures. Several practices helped me find light. Among them was the […]
Read More
The truth is, the creative journey is not about making art. It is about clearing the way to knowing yourself and living your own authentic life. The path is about self-acceptance and doing the things that make you truly happy. If you pay attention, you will find your voice and move beyond the shadow of […]
Read More
The Rule of Thirds is an excellent guide to composing images. However, be careful not to lean too heavily on the rule to make your composition. As my mentor, Robin Grigg-Woods, in her Art Basics program says, “use thirds as a tool, not a rule.” The Rule of Thirds is useful to situate the focal […]
Read More
Photoshop’s Mixer Brush does a good job of simulating paint on canvas. The one major element that digital artists have a difficult time wrapping their heads around is that – the paint on the canvas can mix with the paint on the brush. This means that, whatever color is on your canvas, can be mixed […]
Read More
Recently I discovered Blur and Unsharp photography in a new focused (heh!) way. I was fortunate to get a chance to participate in an 8-week Blurs program run by Alex Lapidus and Heiko Mahr. The program introduced a range of techniques including Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), Long Exposures, Multiple Exposures, and more. It was a […]
Read More
I am digitally painting pet portraits to raise money for free and low-cost spay and neuter clinics in the country of Panama. Many people in Panama live at the poverty level, with a number of stray dogs and cats begging at the door for scraps. Animals find a way into the heart, so families feed […]
Read More
I am experimenting with the Cyanotype photographic process to make some rudimentary prints. The images here are my first effort. I heard about cyanotype from an artist in my cohort, Lou McCorkle, who has created some beautiful pieces. Check out her profile, you will be impressed by what she has achieved using this process. Cyanotype […]
Read More
We all get in our heads. Whether it is the outside world infringing on our perceived freedom, or pushing hard to accomplish things that our lives are built around. Whatever it is, at some point we find ourselves lost or stuck from thinking too much. It is stressful and difficult to find a creative flow […]
Read More
I love shooting flowers, but in a particular way. Set up indoors to get close-up without the interference of harsh sun, wind, rain or bugs. Honestly, I haven’t embraced my love for close up flower photography because it feels a bit lame. I have made reasonable attempts at shooting travel scenes, architecture and portraits of […]
Read More
Through the Black Lives Matter movement, there is an awareness of racial contrast waking up in a world that thought itself awoke. As I sit here in the computer bubble of my introverted life, things can feel a bit surreal, at times. I have white friends wanting to break free of unconscious assumptions, and friends […]
Read More
“Absolutism is a form of hiding. Perfect is the enemy of good.” -Seth Godin I think of Seth Godin as a modern-day prophet. His wisdom, while given through the lens of business, applies to all aspects of life and is a great companion on the creative journey. Seth talks about how the aim to be perfect […]
Read More
As developing creative artists, we often tend to compare our work to the work of other creatives and come up short. We photographers think, ‘I need to learn this new technique,’ ‘I don’t know enough about that software,’ ‘I need a better camera’; If only I had this, or knew that. Regardless of our stage […]
Read More