My Own Found Film Project

Anyone recognize these folks? My friend is inspired by the 70-year-old found film story in the NY Times last week. So, he knows I have a box of undeveloped film I've found left in cameras in the past, so we're starting a project. I developed three 12-exposure rolls of black and white Kodak Verichrome Pan...

Thankful in a Difficult Year

I'm thankful in a difficult year. Thankful for a good 2020 photographically despite a difficult world situation. Thankful for commercial & editorial client of many years as well as new ones connected with this year, even if the number of billable hours is way down, we're all struggling. Work is difficult right now. Thankful for...

To Be The Best Photographer in The World

What's your goal? How far do you want to take this thing, photography? What's the limit as you perceive it as applying to you and your work? For me, it's not a hobby but my life's work. There's no limit as I see it--it's simple, my goal is to be the best photographer in the...

The Wise Photo Project Goes Worldwide to Photograph Sweet Wonderful Old Faces

It really started kind of small in Kenneth Wajda’s Boulder Colorado commercial portrait studio back in 2015. He advertised an open studio on Mondays in the local events listings for seniors age 70 and over to come in and get a formal portrait made at no cost, figuring that was his slowest day at the...

The Value of the Snapshot & Prints With Borders

I miss the snapshot, those small photos that would get printed with their scalloped white-edge border. I often order prints of my own and always add a white border to the print, but it's not the same as when it was done back in the 1950s, with the paper cut with a decorative edge. I...

Time Traveling With a Leica or Rolleiflex

Ohmigod, is that a Saturn?  And look, remember when you had to pedal your bike! [This is a repost of the most popular 6x6Portraits blog post ever. We're time traveling today back to 2016.] The year is 2066. We're teleporting to different parts of the earth, holding meetings on virtual beaches while sitting at home,...

Visiting Camera Shops Is (Should Be) Fun!

I make a point of going out of my way to visit camera shops when I travel to any city or town if there is one to stop in and say hello. First, I never know what I might find. And second, there's a joy in keeping these stores in business, poking around the used...

How I Can Afford to Make The Wise Photo Project

I photographed Margaret, a lovely 98-year-old woman last week in my studio and will gift her a framed 12x12 portrait this week. How am I able to gift photo shoots and framed portraits at no cost to seniors in The Wise Photo Project? Easy, through commissioned portraits--when people commission a portrait, they know that the...

Happy Holidays: Buy Film, Make Art!

Happy Holidays to all my friends and family who let me photograph them (it's not an unusual occurrence!), sometimes in good light and sometimes in good shadows. To all my readers, viewers, listeners and subscribers on my various channels--here, YouTube, and my podcast--I'm thankful for all of you. Cheers to a great 2021 and as...

What is a Photograph Worth?

A conversation blew up on Reddit this week with people asking how can a photographer justify high prices for photographic prints. Which got me thinking, does the proliferation of "everyone has a camera" nowadays, does the cheapness of photography mean that there's no room for experience and quality anymore? No need for high-end photographers? Are...