Photography Blog

Shooting in the field, editing and printing

Some of the ideas held here have been superseded or revised. If you would like up-to-date thoughts on photography – both shooting and editing and my thoughts about the art, please consider subscribing to my mailing list at the foot of this page.

LPOTY 2022

October 31, 2022

I am very pleased to announce that my image of Glastonbury Tor, Storm and Fire, has been highly commended in the UK Landscape Photographer of the Year awards. This was my first time entering the competition, and I am really pleased to be recognised by the judges. Some of the people who most inspire me have placed in this competition in the past or are otherwise involved in the judging or—indeed—founded LPOTY. Tuesday last week, I attended the awards evening, and

Using ‘Texture’ and ‘Dehaze’ to Edit in Lightroom

September 6, 2022

I have written before about my love of soft, indirect light. This preference has only grown in the past eighteen months. There are a few reasons I prefer soft light. They are all practical: (1) while direct sunlight largely determines a composition for us, flatter light allows one to bring mood and story to an image during the editing process; (2) cloudy, overcast days give more time to explore and shoot; and (3) you get to keep more sociable hours. Don’t

The Permissible and the Prohibited: Image Manipulation in Landscape Photography

August 30, 2022

Not long after first taking up a camera, you will discover the rules of photography—someone will feel duty-bound to tell you. We don’t need an exhaustive list here, but look for the verb in the imperative form: “always fill the frame,” “remember the rule of thirds,” and “look for odd numbers.” These are all common edicts. However, no matter how firmly stated, rarely are these directions essential to creating a pleasing photo. Once you’ve mastered your camera settings, put away the

Printing at Home

April 28, 2022

This weekend, I had a couple of things on my to-do list: eBay some old tech and frame some recent images. eBay was a necessary evil, but I was looking forward to printing my work. I had the romantic vision of a slow Sunday proofing and perfecting my images, cup of tea in hand. However, in the end, my expectations were reversed. Listing items on eBay wasn’t as clunky as I remember it, but printing and framing were slow and frustrating.

Photography in Cornwall

April 5, 2022

I just came back from staying with friends in Cornwall. It was exhausting—staying in Cornwall always is. Though I should be sensible, I’m an early riser, and I’m out on the beaches taking photos for several hours before anyone else wakes. With full days exploring and late evenings socialising, after a few nights away, I start to feel thinly drawn. I like to think that if I lived in Cornwall, I would develop a more mature relationship with landscape photography. But

Is Instagram Dead for Photographers?

March 22, 2022

4 things Instagram taught me A few months ago, l wrote about quitting social media. I was unsuccessful. An active Instagram group chat drew me back, and addiction kept me there. Nevertheless, despite still spending some time on Instagram, I have progressed with my goals for leaving. During a few days of annual leave, I redesigned my website, and I am working on my search engine presence. I will do more of that this year. Most importantly, perhaps, I have rekindled my love of