Inspiration is a demanding mistress
I never know when that moment of revelation is going to strike. It is kind of like an "aha" feeling---but a little bit different, both more and less. I'm plodding…
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June 8, 2012
digital photography: techniques: thoughts: photographs
Harold Davis Workshop Updates
Last weekend's Macros and Close-Ups workshop was held at the western end of Point Reyes in a romantic and historic Coastguard Lifeboat building. Saturday was foggy, but we were surrounded…
June 5, 2012
Golden Gate Moonrise
Capturing a dynamic range that includes detail in both the moon and the night landscape is essentially an unsolvable problem. The moon is as bright as daylight and the the…
June 4, 2012
Expecting the Unexpected
As a photographer, I am often reminded to expect the unexpected. The expected can produce workaday good pictures but it is the unexpected that produces great photos. Since fortune favors…
May 29, 2012
Peonies mon amour
At this time of year some flowers are too special not to photograph. In that spirit, I've been having a great time the last few days photographing peonies. These flowers…
May 24, 2012
Tulip
The tulips were strongly backlit by the sun. The flowers were also swaying to and fro in a swift breeze. With my 200mm telephoto macro lens mounted on a tripod…
May 15, 2012
Metamorphosis
Down at Port Oakland when I saw the pelicans in this photo flying past gigantic hoists I thought it looked like the machines were turning into the birds, or at…
May 11, 2012
Full Moon Rising
Before I get down to explaining the images of the "super" full moon rising that accompany this story, let me point you (in case you may be interested) to a…
May 9, 2012
Advance Copy: Creating HDR Photos
Yesterday we received an advance copy of my new book Creating HDR Photos: The Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Photography published by Amphoto. In keeping with family traditions, this morning I…
May 5, 2012
My Approach to Photography
I have often been asked about my philosophy and approach to photography. Recently I've spent a lot of time considering how to describe my work, and also where it fits…
April 30, 2012
Star Magnolia Panorama
To create this image of a Star Magnolia, I brought some branches into my studio and arranged them on my lightbox. I shot the images in three panels using HDR…
April 20, 2012
Moab Paper to sponsor Harold Davis
While on the topic of fine art printmaking, I am delighted to now be sponsored by Moab, a boutique manufacturer of quality substrates and my paper manufacturer of choice for fine art…
April 16, 2012
Making large prints on Washi rice paper
We've been making large prints on Washi rice paper. I'm very pleased with the way a 36" x 44" Washi rice paper print of Mountains on the Beach (image shown…
April 8, 2012
Who owns the night?
Who owns the night? In many California parks and public venues clearly not you or me. Anyone who has spent much time photographing at night has certainly experienced being kicked out…
April 7, 2012
Fellow Traveller
One way that digital photography differs from film photography is that you never are truly finished with an image. Technologies may change and improve---and frequently do. For example, Adobe Camera…
March 31, 2012
Photographing Flowers at Wayside Gardens
We are very excited to have Photographing Flowers available at Wayside Gardens. Check my book out on the beautiful Wayside Gardens site---and as always on Amazon, where it has garnered 53…
March 30, 2012
Denial
Against a darkling winter sky I stand adamant, seed pods crackling in the wind. Stubborn and mute with life hardly visible I know that my seeds will drop on the stony ground…
March 28, 2012
Cable Car Power
The highlight of the San Francisco Cable Car Museum is the wheels that power the cable cars. These have a somewhat Victorian steam punk look, despite the fact that they…
March 23, 2012