THESE PDF COPIES ARE FREE COURTESY LIGHTING ESSENTIALS AND THE TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS FEATURED INSIDE.
OT Sunday: Bill Evans, Alec Soth and MindMapping
Music. I am a huge Bill Evans fan. Have loved his music from the moment I first heard it. Magical changes, incredible technique, voicings that inspired... and a hot rhythm section that always kept pushing him along. The first time I heard Bill Evans was late one night...
“Sea Shell” Improvisation: 1 Hour Challenge
I often say that photography is "Jazz with a camera." And I say that because I believe it to be absolutely true. A Jazz performer has to know their instrument so well, that it is second nature for them to simply play it. Jazz requires improvisation (and if it doesn't,...
Rick Gayle, Photographer: Phoenix, AZ
I have known Rick for a long, long time. I did not know that he had a blog until this morning. Funny how stuff like that goes around. Rick's blog is full of images and stories and shows a level of creativity that is rare indeed these days. I will contact Rick for a...
Miami and Key Biscayne Workshop in a Month…
I am happy to be working with Mayra and the Fotomiles Group in order to come out to Miami/Key Biscayne for a workshop. This will be a very special, limited participation workshop. Only 10 photographers and me. A full on, learn to light and master the concepts...
Hey, Hot Shot! One of My Favorite Competitions is On Now!
I first encountered Jen Bekman's project the first year it was on. I was knocked out by the level of work and would go and visit the site many times to view the work. Some of it was quite challenging, and I would look at images that were quite out of my 'zone'...
Hey… Where are you going with all that stuff?
Didja ever wonder? You got the gear. You got the lights. You got that shiny new megapixelbeast of a machine. You even have one of those latest doohickeys that everyone is drooling over. You know the one. Yeah... it's sweet. But where are you going with all that stuff?...
CreativeLIVE – Seattle – April 6, 7, 8, – Well, This Will Be Fun!
Thanks to Charles Tibbs for taking the photo. Yeah... that's me lookin' all serious and cold leaning against the back wall of my studio. Fact is, it was a bit chilly that day. Unlike today where it is pushing a bit over 70. But the weather is not the subject here - it...
OT- Sunday, #1: Darkness, Cello Madness and Jazz
Sometimes I have an opportunity to discuss other topics than photography. These times are rare, of course, but they do exist. I thought it may be fun to post some of the other things that are interesting to me on Sunday Mornings. Welcome to Off Topic Sundays, an...
A Special “Portfolio Building” Workshop, Feb 11, 12: Only 3 Students
This is a special workshop for only three students. It is on short notice, but there is a reason for that - and it will be explained at a later date. Our focus will be on mastering images across a spectrum of genres. This workshop is for the serious photographer who...
Portraits: Four Simple Approaches
I had the chance to do some portraits of some of the talent we had at the LE Weekend Meetup. They were Briana's dance company and all of them were delightful and beautiful dancers. The folks who came had a blast and I was simply stunned that so many people came so far...
“Average is Over” or Why Good Enough Sucks
Thomas L Friedman, in a post today at the New York Times, says that "average is over." And he is right. It is. You can see it in industry and media and design and art. You can see it in nearly every area of business. Apple proved it. And Mercedes. And Braun....
“Winner Gets Me” Contest Winner is Regina Pagles
We have our winner. Regina Pagles will either be coming to my studio for a 2 day one-on-one or I will be going to hers. http://reginapaglesphotography.com/#/0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/reginapagles/ Regina lives in a very small town, Springdale, Utah: Population...
The Myths About Creativity – And The Consequences
Have you ever heard... That creative people are weird? That creativity is best created in a group? That creative people are sloppy, messy and disorganized? That creative people are always coming up with cool, but ultimately silly ideas? That only "creative" people can...
10 Simple Ideas for Creating a Sustainable Photography Business
It's one thing to get a shoot now and then, and another to create and sustain a commercial photography business. Here are a couple of thoughts for you to consider. 1. Get a hard edge to criticising your own work and make sure it is living up to your standards. Getting...
Changing Levels and Why Plateaus Are Dangerous
I started photography a long time ago. Longer than many of you, and not as long as some of you, but it was back when motor drives cost $5K, and we only printed black and white. On Fiber. Much of what I learned then has sustained me for decades, and I loved every...
Project 52, 2011 Edition, Comes to An End
Last evening critique for Project 52, 2011 Edition. Tonite was a special night. It was a year ago that we had our first meeting and what a year it has been. Some who started with us left for reasons of life and love. A few just evaporated into the ethos… and that was...
Project 52 Photographer Greg Kindred
Meet Greg Kindred. "I found project 52 January 3, 2011 as I read about the project I knew immediately that I would participate. As the assignments were given out I was challenged right away with photographing a stranger. Pros shoot strangers every day, but in my...
Project 52 Assignment Three is Posted
Assignment Three is a simple still life shot. "First – there is a difference between product shots and still life. Product shots show, well, products – tech or cooking utensils or cameras. A still life can be made up of items that are not for sale, but instead are...
Project 52 PRO Launched Today. Building a Business in Photography
Project 52 started last year as a way for photographers to get critiques and assignment in a real world setting. In a no BS arena of commercial insight and realistic assignments. On many forums discussions range from what kind of lights do I need to the best prices on...
BYU Gymnastics Calendar Shoot – BTS Video
This is a great little BTS series from the good folks up at BYU. Shooting dancers and gymnast is one of my favorite subjects, and they approached this with a very unique concept... gymnasts and water. "The idea was to highlight the shapes of the gymnasts performing...
Project 52 Photographer Greg Pastuzyn
Meet Greg Pastuzyn from New Jersey. Greg attended my last New York Workshop, and hosted one of our Wednesday evening chats from his home. Greg has been working with Project 52 for a while now. "I was introduced to Project 52 through Don's blog Lighting Essentials. At...
Preparing a Game Plan for 2012
Looking to start the year off right? Great. We all feel a little bit of a spring in the step and some empowerment at the first of the year. So let's get a game plan going... something not as fleshed out as a marketing plan, and not as whimpy as a resolution. A plan....
Project 52 Photographer Charles Tibbs
Charles Tibbs, Phoenix photographer weighs in on his experience with Project 52. "First I want to thank Don for taking so much time out of his busy life to teach and mentor us for an entire year, this just tells you how passionate he is about what he does. Where do I...
Feature Article in Rangefinder: July 2010
My friend Bill Millios wrote a nice article on me and the good folks at Rangefinder ran it in their prestigious July "Portait" issue. Bill and I chatted down in Mexico during a workshop, and his piece accurately reflected my teaching beliefs, as well as other thoughts...
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