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[photographerclay]

Photography is about vision. It's an inspiration to see the world through your own unique perspective.

I’ve touched on this before, but it bears repeating: photography, to me, is about vision and the inspiration to view the world from my unique perspective. I think other photographers share this sentiment. It’s simple to see the world as it objectively exists—as the camera lens captures it—but is that the way our minds truly interpret a scene or subject? Our smartphones, with their cameras,…

[photographerclay]

What is your best photograph?

This morning, I meticulously organized my vast collection of photographs and carefully sifted through those I had awarded a 5-star rating, the highest honor in my catalog. To my surprise, I found that some of the images I had esteemed highly were unexpected. A bit of background about my catalog of photographs. 596 photographs have a rating of 5 stars. There are over 20,000 without a…

[photographerclay]

Art or Not? Exploring the Boundaries of Creativity

I have set a goal to talk and think more about creating art using my photography. I understand that many photographers spend more time discussing technique and equipment than contemplating art. It’s easier to discuss equipment and technique, while art is much less clearly defined. As I mentioned yesterday, I often aim to infuse my photography with more artistic expression, but I frequently fall…

[photographerclay]

Challenges and Passion in Crafting Artful Photography

In the early days of photography, a photograph was scoffed at by the art world and denied the status of art. It’s hard to believe, but it wasn’t until around 1940, a whole century later, that the art world finally came to acknowledge photography’s undeniable artistry and beauty. A century of resistance couldn’t diminish the profound impact that photography would have on the art world. Not every…

[photographerclay]

The wonder of new tools in Photography

Yesterday, I discussed photographers’ grievances regarding the shift to subscription-based software, particularly Adobe products like Photoshop and Lightroom, which are part of my regular toolkit. Contrary to some opinions, there have been significant improvements in both existing tools and the addition of new ones, many powered by artificial intelligence. I understand that not everyone engages…

[photographerclay]

Stop complaining about the Creative Cloud!

I’m exhausted from seeing constant complaints about Adobe’s subscription model, and I realize this is a hornet’s nest of a topic. It has been 12 years since the subscription service came out. In those 12 years, I have spent $1,438 with my previous purchases of Photoshop CS4, CS5, and CS6, pulse Lightroom 3, 4, and 5 I spent over $1,550. After 12 years, I am still 11 months ahead of what I spent…

[photographerclay]

The greatest tool in the world of photography

My opinion on the greatest tool in photography is bound to cause a stir among my fellow photographers. Don’t be fooled by fancy cameras, film or digital mediums, lens coatings, or filters. The truth is, it’s not the physical gear that matters. For me, it comes down to two things, which have worked together. In my opinion, the addition of artificial intelligence has made Photoshop an even greater…

[photographerclay]

Another thing that is "ruining" photography

Photography is an art form that is constantly evolving, and with that comes new technology and techniques. Yet, no matter how much progress is made, there will always be those who claim that something is “ruining” photography. But isn’t it important to embrace change and innovation? After all, it is through these advancements that we can create new and exciting works of art. Let’s celebrate the…

[photographerclay]

The challenge of getting restarted

One of the biggest challenges I have faced during my many years of involvement with photography is restarting my photography routine. In September 2023, my life took a major turn when I moved from a place where I had lived for many years. Initially, I didn’t have a permanent address, and my plan was to travel for a few months, which I did. During this time, I visited some amazing places that I…

[photographerclay]

Words I loath in photography

The specific words for me are – ��pics,” “bokeh,” “tog,” and the phrase “fix in [insert name of program]” – hold different meanings and connotations for different individuals. Understandably, certain terms within the photography community can evoke strong feelings or interpretations. For instance, “bokeh” refers to the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image.…

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Reclaiming motivation

The road to reclaiming your motivation to create can be long and arduous. In September of 2023, we moved from where we had lived for 7 years. Our previous home, with its familiar surroundings and comfortable spaces, held countless memories and moments of inspiration. The decision to move was not easy and adjusting to a new environment proved challenging. As the days passed, the longing for the…

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Two basic types of photographers

In my opinion, there are two main types of photographers – documenters and creators. There isn’t anything wrong with either type of photography. Nearly all of us started out as documenters. Some of us moved into creators. I am no exception. I must confess that my early creations were truly dreadful. In fact, during my photography school days, I was almost crushed by the weight of my instructor’s…

[photographerclay]

Change happens with or without you.

Your daily dose of rambling about photography.

It is said that the tide and time wait for no one. Just like the tide and time change happens. Change happens to our photography as well. New tools and techniques become available. One of the latest changes is the proliferation of artificial intelligence (hereafter referred to as AI) in the art world. Some are fearful of the seemingly sudden proliferation of AI others seemingly embrace it, while…

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Photographers are a difficult bunch.

Shot at ISO 12,800 Photographers are a difficult bunch to please. I recently read an article about the return to analog film photography versus digital photography. It was an opinion article, much like this one. In the article, the author stated, “photographers these days yearn for more than just the cold digital experience.” He goes on to discuss an exhibit by a Frank Ockenfels, whose work…

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Keep climbing to improve your art

As we gain years of experience we often lull ourselves into a false sense of security, knowledge, and achievement causing us to believe we don’t need to learn more or push ourselves to further hone our craft as photographers and artists. Nothing could be further from the truth. We must, and I repeat must, continue to push ourselves to gain further knowledge, and skills, and push the boundaries of…

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To stay relevant stay current

There are lots of articles on staying current in business or your chosen profession. Some of the key points the experts make are: Educate Yourself Is your personal education adding value to your conversations each day and managing your team? If not, what actions do you need to take to increase your education? Energize Skills When was the last time you did a personal skills audit? Embrace…

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The double edge sword

Social media is the double-edged sword of our times. We love it and hate it, we embrace it and we avoid it. Social media is a source of information and misinformation. It exposes us to a wide audience, the good, the bad, and the ugly. We can use it to express our opinions, thoughts, and comments. It is a source to find anything and everything to be offended by. So why do we bother? Back in the…