#1 “View from Lanai”January 3, 2025Camera: Fujifilm X-T20Lens: XF 23mm f/2 I’m always looking for a different perspective on the same subjects. So instead of photographing the beach straight on, I looked out the smaller window to the North. I like the geometry of the building set against the natural landscape. The lines of the…
Photographing a Balloon Glow like Jupiter Flights at Connor Prairie is challenging due to quickly changing light conditions. Digital photography makes this much easier with instant feedback and take a lot of frames. However it is possible on film especially with an automatic mode like aperture priority.
Silver Beach Photography At the end of August, I spent the day with my family at Silver Beach on Lake Michigan in St. Joseph, MI. It wasn’t crowded since local kids were back in school. There was a breeze most of the day, so the water was a bit choppy, but it was perfect for…
We just marked the 40th anniversary of an important NASA mission. What does that have to do with photography? A LOT! Photos from NASA Mission STS-41B are some of the greatest in history! During the space mission, which took place February 3-11, 1984, astronauts completed the first untethered space walks. Even if you’ve never heard…
Having lived in Indianapolis for 17 years now, I always wondered who got to drive the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Camaros I’d see around town each year starting in the spring. Well, now I know because I’m one of them! An Extremely Brief Introduction to the IMS If you’re not familiar with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway…
As a photographer, I thrive on the novel. I love documenting things I’ve never photographed before. So when I was asked to photograph a ballet class, I was excited to see what I could get. This is The Ballet Studio of Carmel (Indiana) lead by Ashley Thibodeau. It was a fun class to photograph! The…
Beauty in the Ordinary Taking great photos of everyday scenes is something I pride myself in. I often say that while we’d all love to take photos of tropical or mountain scenes or bustling urban cityscapes, most of us don’t have the opportunity to do so more than a couple times per year (if even…
I feel that “everyday” photography is greatly underrated. Scroll any social media feed and you’ll see plenty of tropical locations and mountain vistas, often with thousands of likes. Those photos are nice, but I want to see everyday life photographed in an interesting an engaging way. It can be beautiful or harsh or happy or…
Bloomington, Indiana is the home of Indiana University, my alma mater. I found these photos from a visit 5 years ago that I never put on the blog. This was a walk around town on a typical Friday in September. There were no special events or anything extraordinary happening. I feel like these photos are…
Being a documentary photographer means photo stories present themselves at random times, including while waiting for takeout at an eclectic restaurant called Havana Spice in the city of Homestead, Florida. I need to be ready to shoot them at the drop of a hat. This is exactly why I carry my compact Fujifilm mirrorless camera…
I absolutely LOVE doing documentary photography of basketball! If you haven’t heard, Indiana is a HUGE basketball state. Yes, more than other states. There’s nowhere else a movie like Hoosiers could have been made. I scanned years of my archive of images I shot for organizations like the Indiana High School Athletic Association and the…
The literal definition of photography “drawing with light.” So the fundamentals of photography are shadows and light. Sometimes it’s important to get back to the basics. One reason Larry Bird was such a great player was how many free throws he shot every day as a kid. It’s Hoosier lore that he’d shoot 100 free…
I love taking photos in the snow! It lets me see everyday locations with a new perspective. Snow provides technical challenges and unique visual possibilities. Let’s talk about those before you head out in the cold with your camera. Here are 8 tips for snow photography. They cover content, composition, and technical considerations when photographing outdoors…
A good photography practice can be to return to the same scene multiple times to photograph it under different conditions. If you saw my post about photographing night snow, you’ll have seen this first image already. Well, I found myself in the same area the next day, both during the afternoon and again in the…
Twenty years into photography, it’s rare to find a subject I haven’t already photographed in some capacity. Enter Night Snow. Whenever possible, I get outside when it’s snowing those big, fat beautiful flakes, but I had never tried it at night. First, it required me to do something I absolutely hate: take a tripod. I’m…
One thing I’ve learned in my 17 years of professional photography is sometimes you need to just get out and DO SOMETHING, even when you’re not feeling inspired. Being a parent, if you haven’t decided what you’re doing with yourself at a certain time, someone will come along and decide for you. Yesterday morning, my…
This morning I decided to try an experiment. I would see if I could shoot, edit and make a blog post in 60 minutes or less. I dedicated 20 minutes to each task. I knew I could do SOMETHING in that time frame, but how many photos would I get that I liked in 20…
Going through some images from 2020, I started to see a lot of single images that I hadn’t published. When I put them together into a collection, they seemed to go together pretty well. I suppose that means my personal style and vision is becoming more cohesive each year. Related Posts Seeing as most of…
Photos for Eating Well magazine of Nate and Liz Brownlee, owners/operators of Nightfall Farm in Crothersville, Indiana.
Documenting lost golf balls as found in nature lead to an interesting series of artistic photographs.
One of the many reasons I love my work is that I never know what type of shoots are going to come my way. Documenting the rededication of Bethel Cemetery is definitely a photo story different than any I have done before. A logistics company called Cardno contacted me in the fall to document the…
Indiana City Last week I visited Indiana City Brewing on the southeast side of downtown Indianapolis to check out their brewing process. It was fun to watch. The building they’re housed in is super cool and the morning light definitely heightened the scene. I’ve been doing documentary photography and drinking beer (not at the same…
Documentary photography from Indy Mural Fest, Indianapolis Indiana 2019
Recently I had the opportunity to photograph artist Nathaniel Russell in his home studio. His work is often humorous, sometimes political and always thoughtful. Nature and animals are frequent themes, along with humans in their odd beauty and beautiful oddness. It’s great to see a native Hoosier making cool art around the world and still…
A Study in Contrasts Contrasts always catch my eye. Whether it’s contrasts in tone, color or subject matter, I like to find ways to document them with my camera. This post examines the contrasts at a new Carmel, Indiana pool. Pool Open During Construction Our neighborhood has a new pool this year and the area…
Sometimes creation is destruction. That’s definitely the case with this Crayola sidewalk chalk. It tends to happen when the chalk is worn, broken, left in the rain, dried out and then left in the rain again. Or sometimes it happens with a new box. You can never be sure when the urge will strike. With…
Today while standing in line to buy donuts at Titus Bakery, I found out it is National Donut Day. It’s not just another Hallmark holiday; it’s a reason to indulge in our unofficial national breakfast treat (as if you need one other than “deliciousness”). So sit back and let me paint (photograph) a picture for…
What do you do with those old electronics you have around the house? Recycle them? Sure, but first, use them for a take-apart project. Kids love to see what’s inside things. The opportunity to crack open an old computer is something they can’t turn down. And whether they’re using a tiny screwdriver to remove intricate…
Today we present a photo story of a young artist discovering a delicious medium. One of the many benefits of working from home when you have four (and soon five) kids who homeschool is witnessing, and subsequently documenting, their shenanigans. This is what happens when you leave a tempting item on the kitchen counter within…
A documentary photographer never rests, even on Memorial Day weekend. Indy 500 race day in Indianapolis means family get-togethers and visits with celebrity cousins. Here’s what comedian Jim Gaffigan has to say about these special family members… “…the ultimate reason for attending family gatherings is for your children to have the time of their lives…
Richard Lugar served as United States Senator from Indiana from 1977-2013. He passed away on April 28 at the age of 87. Lugar is known for his international diplomacy, working to greatly reduce the world’s supply of nuclear weapons and helping to pressure the end of apartheid in South Africa. After his Senate career ended,…
This time last year I worked on a project documenting Indianapolis Public Schools. I went to 10 different schools over the course of four days in April & May to photograph students in classes and activities. The images highlight the special programs and opportunities each school has to offer. Here are some of my favorites….
Enter your name and email below to download our PDF guide “Low Light Photography: Using Available Light”. It’s well worth your time to learn how to photograph in dimly lit or dark situations because so many awesome moments happen in the dark – and using a flash can really kill the mood! In the guide,…
One of the most difficult aspects of photography is shooting in low light. However, with my documentary approach, it’s a skill I need in order to maintain the integrity of the subject material and avoid affecting the end result with my presence. Therefore over the past 15 years I’ve developed a series of practices that allow…
Hats, boots (buy one get two free) and neon signs. This was my initial impression walking through downtown Nashville, Tennessee, known by locals as “Nashvegas” (thanks for the insider info, Val). The images in this post offer a QUICK glance of Nashville. We spent one night and approximately 20 hours in town. With four young…
I had a co-op day recently at my kids’ preschool and thought I’d take a few photos. It’s a kind and loving environment where kids can explore their own interests in their own ways. They spend time outside every day, including in the rain and snow. Scroll through the gallery below to see what it’s like…
This past weekend was the grand opening of the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. I stopped by on Sunday evening to check out the scene. It’s a beautiful setup with the Palladium in the background. The iceskating is affordable, and there are special deals on Wednesday and Thursday, so be sure to check out the website for details:…
Like many people, the images I’ve seen in the news lately of refugees fleeing violence and war have affected me deeply. Parents are going through extraordinary lengths to protect their children, risking their lives seeking safety and stability. America is a country founded and built by refugees and immigrants with these same basic goals. That’s why…