As you know, I have a camera everywhere I go and Christmas Eve with friends was no exception. They always have a houseful of family and friends and you can count on there being a sing-along of holiday carols. I made the choice of a Pentax MX with a fast 28mm f2 lens knowing that... Continue Reading →
Choosing To Approach a Scene Differently
When I was a staff photographer at a daily NJ newspaper, I could measure the passing of the year if I was photographing a Black Friday story, an Easter festival or some other annually-occurring event. I'd pick up the assignment sheet and think, "Didn't I just photograph this? Has it really been a year?" Last... Continue Reading →
The Best Holiday Gifts (Now, This Is Getting Personal!)
I hear people saying how stressed out they get over the holidays with what to buy, especially for people who are hard to shop for. What to get them? It's impossible! The problem is they're thinking like consumers, not someone looking for something personal. What thing should I be buying that will fulfill the gift... Continue Reading →
Christmas Morning Photographs (Tuesday Morning, Too!)
I saw someone published a photograph of Christmas morning by Diane Arbus and another one by Elliott Erwitt on Christmas Day. Both were from the 1950s and they were significant because they were...old. They showed us how we used to be. You've heard me say if you read my essays regularly, that photographs only get... Continue Reading →
Holiday Gifts: Framed Photographs You Made
I am a proponent of printing photographs, to make them real and to make them last. So they're not seen for a second on a screen. The holidays are approaching and with that the stress over what to get someone. How much to spend? How many gifts? How much is enough? It's crazy the stress... Continue Reading →
Film is Like Christmas Morning Surprises
The one thing that I really love about shooting film, that is really missing with digital photography for me, is the waiting. The time between shooting and processing is a welcome delay. Because I have a mind that easily forgets what I shot, and when the roll is finally processed, I have a surprise waiting... Continue Reading →