Focus Forward is where I share my journey in photography. I’ll share the good, the bad, and the ugly, and there’s plenty of all of three.
I see everything as a snapshot. I really do. Well, most of the time. I find that the more active I am with my camera, the more likely I am to capture in my mind’s eye a still image of a live event. The ability to visualize a scene as a photograph is called “the…
If you’ve ever wondered what that weird mountain-shaped graph is doing in your photo editor, you’re not alone. It’s called a histogram, and once you know how to read it, it becomes one of your most powerful tools. A histogram offers a visual guide to exposure, contrast, and tonal distribution. It might sound complicated, but…
The vista was breathtaking! Standing on a hill overlooking a valley in mid-spring, with a narrow road winding through it, I knew I had to capture it with my camera. The little red barn tucked into one of the road’s bends was the perfect focal point. I set up my tripod, connected my remote shutter…
When I’m publishing a photo at one of my sites, I like to tell the story of the shot – where it was, when I took it, and sometimes how I did it. The problem is that I’m often publishing several months after I took the photo, and I can’t always remember those details. As…
I’ve been fascinated by the concept of lens compression for about six months. I wanted to learn not just what it is and how it works. More importantly, I wanted to learn how I might use it in my photography. My biggest challenge was finding the time and location to demonstrate of it with my…
One of the most-often-repeated phrases of photographers is “Get off Auto.” That’s good advice, but it’s scary and intimidating if you’re new to camera settings. And maybe you don’t really want to learn all about photography, maybe you really just want to take some good pictures that you want to actually print and display or…
Have you ever looked at a picture and it looks like you’re zooming into the scene? That’s a “Zoom Burst”. In the photography community, we find divided opinions on it, some hate it, some love it, and some don’t care. I learned how to do it when I was doing a weekly photography challenge. Zoom…
The Exposure Triangle (ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed) is only one concept of photography that a photographer needs to accommodate, but it’s an important one. There are a lot of things that can be adjusted with post-production tools like Photoshop. But shutter speed gives you creative options that you’ll want to learn in the camera, which…
Imagine this: You’re standing at the edge of a breathtaking sunset, camera in hand, ready to capture the scene. The colors are rich, the light is fading, and you’re kind of desperate to make the most of it. You adjust your camera, but something isn’t quite right—the shot either comes out too dark or too…
Photographers often say that the best camera is the one you have with you. I believe that, and for that reason, I’m actually taking a course in iPhone photography. When I’m out and about, I often carry my Canon Powershot, because it’s easy to use, and it’s actually a pretty great little camera. But the…
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