Everyone loves a backyard pool. In the crazy year of 2020, during a global pandemic, no one was allowed to travel, so that exciting tropical vacation you had planned was a no go.

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Backyard Sanctuary

Let’s just start off by saying that the title is only wishful thinking. I have never been able to “control” the sun. It does what is does, and we only have the option of planning so we can take advantage of the sun, not control it.

There are so many places I have on my bucket list to visit, I’m sure I won’t get to them all. On the other hand, there are so many places around where I live that deserve to be explored, I’m sure I won’t get to them all! There is no shortage of beautiful photography online. You can search on any subject and find breathtaking images. If you are a new or aspiring photographer, it is easy to feel like you can’t compete, or your images will never be as good as those that get to travel or live near the “exotic”…

Where do you get your hair done? What if you move, or aren't happy? How do you find a new salon? The business of a salon is beauty. So, the presentation of the service should also reflect beauty, or style, or elegance, should it not? At Atmosphere Salon in Westford, MA, their website was in need of an update. Most people checked there before considering a visit to the salon. The right photos of the salon and the stylists would have a big impact on the impression of a web visitor. The wrong photos, or no photos, might quickly lead on to the next…

What’s it like to take your fluffy family members to the doctor? Here are some photos to tell the story. I walked in, and right away I knew this was going to be fun. It would be a different kind of session. A gathering of cats and dogs we’re all exploring the room, looking at me, at each other, and sniffing every corner. I have a cat, and have had a dog, so none of this is unfamiliar to me. It adds a level of excitement to the room. If you’re an animal person, you immediately let your guard down, and…

There is somewhat of a ritual that has taken place in our house for the last few years. During the last half of August, we watch what seems like 100 little league baseball games as teams from around the US and the world compete in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. I’ve been shooting baseball for a number of years as I followed my son up through the ranks from little league, and now, this past season on the full size diamond. As shooting any sport, it’s always to your advantage to know the game. If you are always guessing…

As we move through August, you can’t help but think about the coming Fall. Everyone is bombarded by “back to school” advertising, and I’ve heard some whispers of pumpkin spiced coffee. I know hockey is a winter sport, but the local youth hockey program begins the day after Labor Day! It’s time to get prepared to shoot in all those dark ice rinks. I grew up playing hockey, and my son plays as well. While he was growing up, I coached the teams he played on, so I didn’t shoot much. Now that he’s in high school, I don’t coach the team,…

“There has never been a photo of me I liked…” I’ve heard ‘em all. So what happens when you need a headshot for yourself, your business, or for the company you work for? I’ve shot lots of headshots. Many people come to it dreading the time, or just wanting to get through it because they are not fond of the experience. This mostly stems from their belief that the results will be less than stellar. So here I am needing to get a great photo. The problem is, the person doesn’t believe it’s possible. Despite today’s “selfie” obsessed crowd, in my experience, there are far more…

I teach a summer photography camp for kids through the local community education department. The kids range in age from 10-14. The program asks that each kid come with a camera and hopefully, some interest in photography. What that means is that when I show up for the first class, I really have no idea what I will find. As you might expect, each kid has a different camera. The majority tend to be simple point and shoot models, and every once in a while someone will come with a mirrorless, or even a DSLR model. The range of interest in photography…

“Headshot” is a common photography term thrown around often, and it should be self explanatory. Stating the obvious, a headshot is a photo of a person, intended to show the person’s face. If you ask 10 people, you may have a lot of similarity, but I think there is still a vagueness about the term that leaves a lot of room for variability, and or style. So your idea of a headshot is usually different from his or her idea, is different from my idea… The final result is usually as unique as each individual. If you hire a professional, the finished…

Just about every camera body these days has a setting for bracketing. Bracketing is shooting the same photo at a few different exposures, usually plus/minus the meter reading. This can be used for tricky shots when you’re not sure about the correct exposure. In recent years HDR photography has become all the rage (sometimes literally, Google it). HDR is short for High Dynamic Range, and it involves shooting a scene at a range of exposures, then combining the resulting images digitally to increase the dynamic range of the image. Since our eyes are capable of seeing a much wider range of light to…