The other week I got a comment that is not at all unusual, simply saying that I should try new things so as to not get stale. I get comments like this frequently enough and they are usually respectful hints that my style might be getting a bit old. Now granted I also get comments saying that my portfolio is too diverse, as I have heard that from a few galleries, so neither can be taken too seriously. If I…
I was leading a workshop in New Jersey last week, and whenever I teach I emphasize storytelling and how important that can be to an image. For me, the best images have story packed in. It might not be obvious, but it is always something that the viewer can take to interpret as they like. In this particular shot that I set up, it was all about the story. Forget fancy image compositing – that’s not what I’m all about…
One morning last week I was sitting outside as the sun was rising. A bluejay followed me to where I was sitting and perched in a tree close by. We looked at each other for a long while until he flew off. A minute later he returned, this time with 2 friends. They sat all around me that morning and I felt so at peace, feeling accepted by nature and the beauty within. I took that inspiration, and one of…
I wanted the last class I would ever teach at After Dark to be a big one, so I decided to end it with a set design class. I went out that morning with the very kind man behind Sweetlight John and gathered sticks, leaves, debris of all kinds, soil, cobweb, and a lantern. When it came time to do the class, I nearly forgot that it was nighttime! I was envisioning everything being lit by a window. So instead…
I went hiking the other day, and as I was merrily walking along a trail and commenting on how beautiful the dirt looked (seriously though) I whacked my head into a tree branch and fell on the ground. I do dumb things all the time. Like that time I thought it would be a good idea to buy 300 copies of my own book, only to realize that it is very difficult to travel with so many books. Thus, I have…