The Stop Down Photography Podcast

It is no secret to the Stop Down Photography Podcast audience that I am a Beatles fan. The Fab Four entered my photographic orbit again this past week. I was driving, iTunes on shuffle, and (as has been known to happen) a Beatles song hit the speakers. It was Penny Lane - classic. Penny Lane was a track on the Magical Mystery Tour album, a record chock full of solid songs. But… it’s not the album...

Photographers are visual storytellers. It is paramount that when you capture a photo, you know the story you are telling in that frame. Today’s podcast is a discussion about knowing the story of your image, and I share a couple of recent experiences with understanding the story in our images. I also launched a new video course this week - Story And Vision . This 12-chapter video course teaches you...

Our paths as artists, as visual storytellers, is not a straight path. There are switchbacks, detours, pauses, and backtracking as we forge ahead on our quest to become stronger photographers. Yet there is a repeated pattern to our learning, a cycle of artistic improvement. This idea of a cycle of artistic improvement crystalized for me while assembling the chapters of a new video course I’ll be re...

The contrast in a photo makes it powerful. Good contrast enhances the photo of a subject and lets our photos tell a stronger story. When we think of contrast, our first thought is usually highlights and shadows. Yet there are more types of contrast than just light and shadow. In this episode, I’ll share 5 types of contrast you can use to make your photos have more impact. Light & Shadow Color...

The contents of our camera bag are rarely static. The gear we carry evolves as we continue our pursuit of photography. And therein lies a story. The camera bodies, lenses, filters, and tripod we add, change, and remove from our photo kits tell our story as artists. In today’s podcast, I take a closer look at the changes in my photo kit over the past five years and share what it reveals about my jo...

A few weeks ago, I had a great exchange with Joel, a friend of the show. We were talking about a set of original Ansel Adams prints on sale. Some of the photos are amazing and stop me dead in my tracks. They simply captivate. Yet other works… are less enthralling. They are, dare I say, average. I think that’s fair when measured against today’s standards. Maybe they are images we have seen already....

Working on a post-processing course about localized adjustments, those little changes to tone and color we do after basic processing, put me in a reflective mood. My post-processing style is certainly described as a series of small changes that sum up to a large change. What about my photography overall? What are the inflection points on my photo journey thus far that may have seemed small at the...

I think it's fair to say that we all have a pent-up desire to meet up with our fellow photographers. To say the past 12 months have curtailed our engagement with landscape and nature photography is an extreme understatement. As 2021 moves forward and the grip of the pandemic begins to loosen, many of you have been asking: When will your photo workshops return? Do you have plans to host any in 2021...

I meet and talk with a lot of photographers. Those just starting their photo journey have so many questions it sometimes boils down to a very open-ended question: “Where do I start?” In this episode, I share 5 tips for the beginning photographer … and I think these are helpful for us “old souls” as well for mentoring and coaching those around us starting to explore this passion we share. 5 Tips Fo...

Every time we pick up a camera, or go on location for a shoot, or work on our photos in the digital darkroom, it’s a learning opportunity. The lessons can be large or small, or just reminders of lessons we’ve already learned. Nevertheless, they are there. Reflecting on my most recent outing with the camera, there were several times I had to be mindful to stay true to my vision. In this episode, I’...

Whenever I dive back into my photo library, I tend to get lost. Not lost in the sense of being unable to navigate my library. Lost in time. Lost in thought. Lost in the photos. On my most recent dive down this rabbit hole, gathering assets for a new project, I found myself looking at my older work and taking stock of the “Then & Now” of my photography. Some things were clear improvements in my...

I am not what you would describe as a gear-head. However, I do like the gear I have and I am willing to pay for quality gear. Why? That’s the topic of today’s podcast. I recently added a 20mm prime lens to my kit for video work. Adding this lens let me shift my focus to creating compelling photographs. And that’s what’s important. The photographer tells the story, the gear helps us do that. So how...

It’s January 2021 and the COVID-19 pandemic still has a strong grip on the planet. It has certainly curtailed my travels and photo expeditions. Yet that got me thinking… what is my photo library filled with? Lots and lots of photos of places I visit often - and those places are close to home. And that presents an opportunity for a photographic study… variations on a theme. In today’s podcast, I ex...

I was listening to another photography podcast and the host was answering a listener question. A listener asked if this photographer used plug-ins in their post-processing workflow. The reply was “No,” because using plug-ins deviates from a creative lifestyle. I think this answer completely misses the mark. Is it the plug-in that’s bad? Or how the photographer chooses to use a plug-in? I have some...

Failure was on my mind this week because I failed to get out into the landscape with my camera this week. That got me thinking about failure in general with our photography, and how it is a normal, natural thing. Failures happen and will continue to happen. The trick is - use failure as a learning opportunity. If you’re not failing with your photography, you’re not growing. Studio News My ON1 Phot...

It’s a new year, a time for resolutions, and a great time to define some personal photo projects to grow your artistic eye in 2021. In today’s episode, I’ll share a template for how you can create a set of photo projects that will stretch you creatively. I use my own plans for 2021 as an example - my projects might spark an idea for your own project, too! You’ll want to listen to Episode f/51 firs...

As the year comes to a close, it is a natural point to reflect on our photography. It’s an important step to see where you’ve grown as an artist and find opportunities to stretch creatively. Now, 2020 has not been a normal year - and that is a big understatement. Nevertheless, there is value in reviewing your collection of photos from the past year. Take stock of what you did, and reflect on what...

We made it to Episode 50! That’s a nice milestone to reach and thank you very much for being part of the podcast!! One of my outings to the coast from about a month ago has been on my mind. It was an average day, with no killer skies or dramatic light. Yet I enjoyed it very much. Why was that so? Of course, getting out with the camera, especially in late 2020 is in and of itself a joy. But there w...

When I host my photo workshops, during the workshop kickoff I talk about the similarities and differences between painting and photography. The two mediums aren’t exact parallels, yet there are things photographers can benefit from when we think like a painter. And that is the topic of this week’s podcast. The ON1 Photo RAW Essentials (2021) book is finished! I hope you check it out. Rate & Re...

Each week when I sit down to write notes for the podcast, I look at my “idea board" where I keep everything from solid show ideas to half-baked ideas to random thoughts of hastily strewn-together words. I also reflect on the past week and whether there is a photo experience I think is worth sharing. Reflecting on the last 7 days, I’ve felt very connected to my photography. Why do a podcast about t...

In today’s podcast, I share an experience I just had this week. I missed a photo … in kind of a big way. I completely failed to capture an incredible sunrise. And what prompts me to share this story is because I almost missed out on simply enjoying the sunrise. Just because I didn’t capture something in camera didn’t make it any less beautiful. Rate & Review If you enjoyed this episode, please...

Marcus Aurelius walked the earth millennia before the invention of photography. Yet his way of thinking and perceiving the world holds lessons for photographers and artists, I think. His personal notebook, published as Meditations in book form, is filled with inspirational quotes about self-actualization. In today’s podcast, I share details of a recent photo outing that reminded me of Marcus Aurel...

I received a question through email that was very thought-provoking. The theme of the question was the rate of change in the photo industry, and how the pace of change - and sometimes a change itself - makes our current photo kit obsolete. Or does it? … Do advances in the industry obsolete our current kit, or do we just feel that way? Through the course of exploring this idea in today’s podcast, I...

I think many of us are the types of photographers that seek the single image. Most of my photo outings are with a single frame mindset - capture the shot. That one perfect frame that captures the essence of a place or a pristine moment in time. I certainly fall squarely into that camp. If I were a musician, my goal would be to write the next great power ballad. There is, however, another approach...

Every few months or so, the question “Do I need to specialize?” makes the rounds in the photo industry. Back in Episode #24 of this podcast, I talked about the artistic benefits of cross-training. It’s time to talk about the opposite side of that coin - specialization. I do believe there are benefits to specialization - and benefits that can advance our craft. They are: Building a business brand C...