The Stop Down Photography Podcast

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In this episode, I challenge you to check your patterns and routines. Are you dedicating time to your photography, to grow as an artist? I share a story about my effort to overcome a certain inertia with my life patterns and its impact on my photography, and how a disruption to my typical day-to-day rhythm sparked creativity and making time for personal growth.

Also, an update to the ON1 Photo RAW Essentials book is coming! Join my mailing list for a discount when the eBook launches in late January.

Have a photo adventure this April! Join me on a photo workshop in Big Sur California, happening April 8-11th, 2024. There are a few spaces available.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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Non-destructive editing is the professional standard for photo editing in the digital age - and with good reason. Keeping your original image untouched is fabulous. Creating virtual copies or versions of an image to try out different looks and styles without duplicating the original file is wonderful. However, there are pitfalls, such as editing tool lock-in or, in a world where you can endlessly refine and tweak settings, the mental challenge of treating a photo as done.

Those are challenges for sure. Yet my big problem with non-destructive editing is plugins (and no, Smart Objects doesn’t solve this problem for me). Listen to this episode to learn more, and share your thoughts in the comments.

Using Photoshop Smart Objects For Round Trip Edits In Lightroom, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/blog/using-photoshop-smart-objects-for-round-trip-edits-in-lightroom

2024 Workshop Lineup, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/workshops

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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The topic for this episode of the podcast was inspired by a listener question. If you have a question you’d like my thoughts on, please submit your question through the contact form on my website.

Our camera is the primary tool we use to create our work and express ourselves as artists. We get attached to certain cameras, and they sometimes become an extension of ourselves. Nevertheless, an inevitable question every photographer will face is – should I upgrade my camera body?

I take on this question in the podcast and share thoughts about several possibilities that motivate photographers to move forward and purchase a new camera body. I hope you enjoy the show!

Also check out:

Announcing The 2024 SDP Workshops f/114, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/podcast/announcing-the-2024-sdp-workshops-f-114

Scott’s current camera lineup, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/gear-cameras-lenses

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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There is no better way to grow as a photographer than to immerse yourself in photography. And there is no better way to do that than take part in a photo workshop. That rings true for me, both as an instructor and as a student. When a workshop finishes, I am always invigorated and my passion for photography rekindled.

I am very excited to share with you my workshop line up for 2024. I am hosting 3 workshops next year:

Bryce Canyon National Park, Feb 13-15, 2024, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/bryce-canyon-2402

The Big Sur Experience, Apr 8-11, 2024, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/big-sur-experience-2404

Adventures In Antarctica, Nov 29-Dec10, 2024, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/adventures-in-antarctica-2411

2024 is going to be a great year for photography. And I hope you’ll join me on an adventure next year.

Can’t wait until 2024? I have last-minute availability in my Oregon workshops in November 2023. There is one space open in each workshop:

The Oregon Coastal Adventure, Nov 7-10, 2023, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/oregon-coastal-adventure-2311

Bandon Beach & Beyond, Nov 13-16, 2023, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/bandon-oregon-2311

There’s still time to join us!

And if you missed Episode 3 of this podcast, you can listen here: https://scottdavenportphoto.com/podcast/ignite-your-creativity-with-a-photo-workshop-f-3

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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In the previous episode of the podcast, I shared the photo gear I was packing for a non-photo trip, a family vacation. I have returned from that trip and am happy to say that my gear choices worked wonderfully. I successfully fit photography into this non-photo trip and have images I know I’ll be happy with.

Looking back on the trip, some things certainly worked better than others. Also, my success wasn’t just about the gear I chose to bring. It was a balanced combination of the gear choices, travel choices, flexibility, and a touch of opportunism. In this episode, I explain how the gear worked, how certain travel choices provided more chances for camera work, and how staying nimble and flexible led to pleasantly unexpected photo opportunities. I hope you enjoy the show.

I am also finalizing the 2024 photo workshop schedule. I’m narrowing in on 3 workshops for next year, one in February, a second in April, and a third in November/December of next year. It’s a little early to announce, though I will say one of these workshops is going to be big - trip of a lifetime big.

Get the the inside track on workshops and the first opportunity to register. Join my mailing list using the signup form on the my website’s landing page.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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Travel is a joy. Exploring a new place or revisiting an old one, as well as reconnecting with friends and family away from the routines of home. As photographers, our thoughts gravitate toward the photo opportunities our travels will present. But what to do when the purpose of a trip is not photography? You are not immersing yourself in photography like you would on a photo workshop. Instead, you are going on a business trip, or heading to a conference, or taking a family vacation. You want to incorporate photography into the trip… so how best to pack? What gear to bring?

In this podcast, I share the photo gear I am packing for an upcoming family vacation. The nature of the trip changes the cameras and lenses I’m bringing, the bag I’m using to carry my gear, and of course the tripod choice. I hope you enjoy the show!

Products and events mentioned in this episode:

MindShift PhotoCross 13” Backpack, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/blog/thinktank-photocross-13-backpack-review

MindShift FilterHive, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/blog/mindshift-filter-hive-review

3 Ways I Use My PlatyPod, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/blog/vlog-3-ways-i-use-platypods-in-my-photography

Really Right Stuff TVC-24 MK2, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/gear-tripods-ballheads

Bandon Beach & Beyond workshop, November 2023, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/bandon-oregon-2311

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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Whether you are a seasoned photographer or just starting out, there are common photo mistakes that we all make. And we make time and time again. In this podcast, a light-hearted rundown of several rookie mistakes I’ve made in very recent history that cost me good photos.

Have a listen and hear if any of these fumbles and stumbles have happened to you.

Failure to get crisp focus
Forgot to adjust the polarizing filter
Didn’t bring a spare battery
Left the remote trigger at home

Attention ON1 Photo RAW users! I am teaching 2 classes at the KelbyOne ON1 Photographers Conference, July 25th - 26th, 2023. Join me and a host of other great instructors for two days of ON1 classes, everything from landscape to travel, macro to wildlife, portrait to print preparation. Save 50% with early bird registration for US$149. All the details are here: https://kelbyonelive.com/on1-conference?af=scottdon1

Join me this November for my Bandon Beach & Beyond landscape photography workshop. A small workshop, just 6 photographers, spending 4 days capturing the stunning Oregon Coast. You’ll get plenty of 1-on-1 time with Scott both in the field and with post-processing. Improve your camera work, level up your processing skills, and capture great photos and great memories. The workshop is US$1595 and all the details are on the workshop page: https://scottdavenportphoto.com/bandon-oregon-2311

I mentioned two photo backpacks in this episode. Check out my reviews of each:

MindShift Rotation 180, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/blog/review-thinktank-updates-the-mindshift-rotation-backpack-34l
ThinkTank PhotoCross 13, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/blog/thinktank-photocross-13-backpack-review

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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To say my visit to Cambria, California and the surrounding area did not go to plan would be putting it mildly. Mother Nature was in a sour mood and she quickly squashed my plans and pre-visualized photos. I share thoughts and takeaways from this less-than-successful photo excursion.

In studio news, I have been busy with several ON1-themed projects of late. Some are complete and others are still to come.

ON1 Photo RAW Essentials addendum for 2023.5 is posted. Book owners can get the addendum using the link in the first few pages of the book. https://scottdavenportphoto.com/products/on1-photo-raw-essentials-2023

Story & Vision, ON1 Photo Kit, US$29.99 through June 29th, 2023. A video course about why we edit our photos and how to create stronger stories in your images. https://www.on1.com/landing/story-and-vision-photo-kit/

ON1 Photographers Conference, a KelbyOne Live event, July 24th and 25th. Join me, Scott Kelby, and a host of other top-notch instructors for 2 days of ON1 editing courses. https://kelbyonelive.com/on1-conference?af=scottdon1

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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This podcast is all about staying active with your photography, pacing yourself, and a little bit about World War Z. How does a 10-year old zombie apocalypse movie intersect with photography? It’s a phrase uttered in the beginning of the film … “Movemiento es vida”, movement is life.

That phrase rings true for me in several ways, and certainly for photography. I hope you’ll give a listen to a personal story of mine from the pandemic, the behavior changes the global lockdown triggered for me, and how I’m moving forward with my photography…. with a new appreciation for pacing.

Join me this November 2023 for a photo workshop. There is space available in my Bandon Beach & Beyond landscape photography workshop. Spend 4 days with me and a small group of like-minded photographers, capturing the rugged beautify of the dramatic Oregon Coast.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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I’m back! I know it has been a bunch of time since my last podcast. I am regretful for that, though there is no grand story to explain my absence. Life simply got busy, and the podcast was the first thing to fall “below the line” of what I could keep up with. To ease back into the podcast, how about a light-hearted chat about the tools we hold most dear - cameras and software.

Our cameras and editing software truly are modern marvels. Cameras have loads of options and modes for just about any subject and shooting condition - fast moving subjects, long exposures, low light. Software is equally powerful to process those images. Magically reveal details we didn’t think were there, AI features to find and fix subject and noise, and an infinite combination of digital filters for any look or mood you can imagine.

With all of this power at our fingertips and the infinite configurability of our cameras and editing software… what could possibly go wrong?!? Well, you guessed it. Plenty. I’ve just returned from hosting a workshop in Big Sur and all of us had our share of missed button presses, wrong way sliders, and toggled switches that left us confused with our gear for a few minutes.

I share 5 mini-stories about mistakes made with buttons, switches, and sliders that I suspect you’ll relate to, if not have fumbled with yourself, on your journey of photography. Hear these tales about the obvious-in-retrospect mistakes photographers make:

The Blurry Problem

The Mysterious Over/Under Problem

The Incredible Drifting Composition

The Ghosts Of Retouches Past

Unexplained Fading Of Effects

Ok … well that last one … I guess it’s not unexplained since I’ll tell you what actually happened!!

Mentioned in this episode:

Bandon Beach & Beyond: Join me November 13th - 16th, 2023 in Bandon, Oregon for a 4-day immersive workshop. The Oregon Coast is a fantastic location to capture seascapes.

The Lighten Blending mode: Try your hand at capturing traffic trails and use the Lighten blending mode to create the composite. This blending mode works wonder for traffic trails and cityscapes, too!

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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Happy 2023! I use a lot of photo software for my photography - Lightroom, Photoshop, ON1 Effects, ON1 Resize, Topaz Sharpen AI, Luminar Neo, Radiant Photo… I admit it, I like software tools. I don’t use every tool every day, some are more specialized or niche than others. My core processing tools are Lightroom and ON1 Effects. These are my bread and butter.

These days, subscriptions are common place. Like it or not - subscriptions are here to stay. Adobe was the first to make the pivot to the subscription model, leaving perpetual licenses in the rear view mirror. Other vendors have waded into the subscription waters, and I think it’s a matter of time before perpetual licenses become the exception and not the rule.

I have been a subscriber to Adobe’s Photography Plan for several years now. I got curious if the Adobe subscription has been worth the money for me and my photography. I took a look at the features Adobe has delivered since November 2019 and asked a simple question about each feature - would I pay to upgrade for that feature? Listen to the episode for my thoughts and my more complete analysis is below. For me, the subscription pencils out and I’m getting value for my yearly outlay to Adobe.

2023 Photo Workshops

It is the start of a new year and a great time to think about where you want to take your photography in 2023. I wholeheartedly endorse attending a photo workshop - not a photo tour, a photo workshop - to improve your photography and spark your creativity. This was one of the very first topics I talked about, way back in Episode #3 of the Stop Down Photography Podcast. If you are new to the podcast, you may have missed this episode. Have a listen.

I am hosting workshops in 2023. All of the workshops for 2023 are listed on my workshops page. Some workshops are sold out. There is space open in my two Oregon workshops in November of 2023.

The Oregon Coastal Adventure, Nov 7-10, 2023: Headquartered in the heart of old town Florence, Oregon on the Siuslaw River, this workshop concentrates on the central Oregon coastline. Locations include Heceta Head, Heceta Beach, Yachats, and the breathtaking Cape Perpetua. We’ll also venture inland to Sweet Creek for an excellent forested hike along a picturesque creek.

Bandon Beach & Beyond, Nov 13-16, 2023: Based in Bandon, Oregon with its amazing sea stacks, this workshop explores Bandon and the southern coastline of Oregon. Locations include Shore Acres in Coos Bay, Port Orford, Lone Ranch Beach, Sisters Rock, and the endless pockets of rugged coast between Bandon and Brookings at the southern border of Oregon.

Whether you join me on a workshop or sign up with another photographer, make 2023 the year you immerse yourself in several days of photography. You’ll be glad you did.

My Lightroom Subscription Analysis

The context for my examination of my Lightroom subscription has two primary constraints:

I care about Lightroom Classic, the desktop-centric application

I am the type of person that historically upgrades my software every year

So, how did I judge the Adobe Lightroom releases? I reviewed the Adobe Lightroom release notes for the versions released from November 2019 through October 2022 and looked at each feature in each release. The question I ask about each feature is simple:

If Lightroom were a traditional, perpetual license, would I pay to upgrade to have that feature?

The summary of my analysis is yes, for me, the Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop subscription is worth the money. The features that Adobe has put into Lightroom have been compelling enough to

Adobe released four major versions of Lightroom in the last three years

Versions 9.x, 10.x, 11.x, and most recently 12.0

I would have paid for three of them

The 9.x, 11.x, and 12.x releases have features that are compelling to me and I’d pay to get them

Assuming a perpetual license for a Lightroom upgrade would be in the $100-$120 range:

3 paid upgrades would be about $300-$360

My subscription plan costs $120/year, or $360

If it were Lightroom alone, the subscription (probably) costs a bit more than yearly paid upgrades. However, the subscription also provides a license for Photoshop which I also use, has also gotten feature updates, and back in the day costs hundreds of dollars for a single license.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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I have a set of 3 questions to help me get unstuck when I’m in the field:

What do I want to say?
How do I effectively say it?
Why is one writing technique preferred over another to deliver my message?

I learned this approach to storytelling from writing. A writer asks these key questions as they work on their piece, whether it’s creative writing, a screenplay, or even educational or technical writing. The story arc needs to be there to effective get your message across to the reader.

It’s similar for photographers - we are visual storytellers. When I’m stuck in the field, I use these questions to get unstuck. In this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast, I talk about these questions and examples of how you can use them when you are stuck in the field, trying to find the best story the landscape has to share.

Studio News

In studio news, I have finished writing and editing the next edition of ON1 Photo RAW Essentials. It is off to the indexer (yes, the print edition gets an index!) and the eBook is on track to release in mid-December. The print book will follow a few weeks after the eBook.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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I carve out at least one day a week to step out into the landscape with my camera. However, of late, I’ve been skipping those outings. I’ve made excuses of one kind or another, or talked myself out of taking in a landscape shoot. I have done camera work for some family events, but not landscape photography. A couple of days ago, the conditions in San Diego were perfect for sunset. I asked myself “Do I need another sunset photo?” That question gives me pause. And that is the topic for this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast. I also try to answer that question.

In studio news, I have been doing the deeper planning for my Death Valley workshop happening January 24th - 27th, 2023. The detailed itinerary is shaping up wonderfully. One space has opened for the Death Valley workshop. If you are interested in joining me and a small group in Death Valley in January, visit the workshop link and grab that open space.

I am also hard at work on the 2023 edition to ON1 Photo RAW Essentials. The new release of Photo RAW 2023 added a slew of new features that demand a book update. I’m well into the new edition and am on track to publish it by the end of December 2022. You can hear a little more about the book project in an Ask Me Anything (AMA) YouTube video I posted a few weeks back.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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Photographers, myself included, hold our cameras in high regard. It is the beloved tool we use to create our photos, to express ourselves. We put a lot of time and energy into choosing our cameras to select the one that best fits our photography and personal style. Yet to our viewers, the camera doesn’t matter - at all. That is the topic for this episode. Listen and hear how a recent meeting with an old friend that underscored that sobering truth for me.

In the studio, I am busy working on an update to my book, ON1 Photo RAW Essentials. Subscribe to my newsletter at https://scottdavenportphoto.com to be alerted when it’s finished.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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The summer heat has kept me indoors a lot these past few months. As we enter September and the temperatures drop ever-so-slightly in the Northern hemisphere, I am stepping back out in to the landscape. I have noticed I am rusty and my muscle memory is in need of some retraining. I especially noticed my after-shoot workflow was a little clunky with my hiatus from the camera. So … here are 4 tips for your after-shoot workflow:

Charge your batteries while importing photos

Import still photos first, video second

Cull the obviously bad photos at the start of import

Work only on your selects

Listed to the episode for more details.

In studio news, I have finished the podcast migration! The Stop Down Photography Podcast is at its new home, scottdavenportphoto.com/podcast, and the move went smoothly! If you’re hearing this podcast, then you are all set.

September is also a time in the photo industry cycle that new software releases come out. I have been watching a few different software packages tease and in some cases deliver new features and functions.

ON1 announced Photo RAW 2023. You can see my first look at it on YouTube on my website at https://scottdavenportphoto.com/blog/4-amazing-features-in-on1-photo-raw-2023. If you are purchasing ON1, please support this podcast and use my affiliate link, http://bit.ly/sdp-ON1 and use offer code SDP20 for a 20% discount.

Skylum has released some extensions to Luminar Neo, including an HDR extensions and a noise reduction extension. Extensions are a purchased add-on to Luminar Neo, so you can pick and choose the extra features you want. If you are buying Skylum software, you can support this podcast by using link https://bit.ly/sdp-luminar-neo and use offer code SDP10 to save US$10.

Radiant Photo is the new kid on the block. This is an AI-powered editor and takes a different approach to editing. I’m still exploring this software. You can see my review on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TEMZI8hWIQ. If you are adding Radiant Photo to your toolkit, please support this podcast and use my affiliate link, https://radiantimaging.pxf.io/6bN4Rr.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.

Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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I am a photographer of an age where one foot of my photography was in film and the other is in digital. Make no mistake about it - I love digital photography and I have no intentions of going back to film. I don’t miss the darkroom, or waiting for the negatives, or wasting half a roll of film to switch to a different ASA (ISO). Yet there is one thing I do miss about my days working with film. And it has nothing to do with actual film. I share what that is in this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast.

Also in this episode … the podcast is moving! During the weekend of August 20, 2022 the podcast feed is moving to a new home on scottdavenportphoto.com/podcast. If you are listening in your favorite podcast app, the change should largely be invisible to you. If you’re on the web, and specifically on stopdownpodcast.com, update your bookmarks to the this podcast’s new home. All future episodes will be posted to scottdavenportphoto.com/podcast.

Finally, my 2023 landscape photography workshops are all open for registration. Visit scottdavenportphoto.com/workshops for all the details.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

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A few weeks ago I had an interesting experience that I knew I wanted to discuss on the podcast. I was working with a student who is starting a blogging business, and she wanted to improve here photography skills. She writes articles about health, well-being, and mindfulness and includes nature and landscape photos to visually enhance her content.

We met in San Diego and talked some about her photography and the types of images she needs for her business. When we got out into the field, I noticed something interesting. My approach to the location changed. The photo opportunities I saw were different. Why? The images to be captured had a specific purpose to fulfill. It was like being on a photo assignment… and that’s a creative exercise anyone can do.

In studio news, a couple of things. First, I have the roster for 2023 photo workshops set and they are opening for registration. I have four physical, in-person photo workshops planned for next year:

Death Valley, January 2023
Big Sur, April 2023
The Oregon Coast (2 workshops), November 2023

The details are on my workshops page on scottdavenportphoto.com.

Second, the podcast is moving. As I’m sure you know, costs are rising everywhere, and I’ve needed to look for ways to trim the expenses for my business. So I am consolidating The Stop Down Photography Podcast website into my main website, scottdavenportphoto.com. Rest assured all of the past content will move over and be maintained and the entire backlog of podcasts will continue to be available. I am in the midst of the migration and expect to complete it by the end of August 2022. I will announce on the podcast when that switchover takes place.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

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Episode 100! This is certainly a milestone for this podcast. Like our photo journey, the road to this milestone has been one step at a time, the result of continued, sustained effort.

Looking back at the past 99 episodes of The Stop Down Photography Podcast, the most popular ones are the “Taught Me” episodes. In my daily life, I very often connect the philosophies of other people and ideas - photographers, artists, or otherwise - to my photography. I thought for Episode 100 it would be a good to do another of those. And it so happened I had another of my mini-epiphanies connecting music to photography.

Join me for a story of an odd pairing … the pyschedelic melodies of Pink Floyd as a source of motivation. Have a listen - I think you’ll get motivated to take another step forward on your journey as a visual artist.

Subscribe to my mailing list and be among the first to hear about my 2023 photography workshops.

Past episodes referred to in this podcast:

What Marcus Aurelius Taught Me About Photography f/46
What Bruce Lee Taught Me About Photography f/13
What George Harrison Thought Me About Photography f/4
Ignite Your Creativity With A Photo Workshop f/3

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

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A photo journey is rarely a straight line. There are switchbacks, twists, and turns along the way. Visual artists change direction, pivot, encounter roadblocks. For me, that carries over into my project work. I don’t work linearly through a project, and many personal photo projects stall.

Pressing pause on a personal photo project is totally fine - as long as you do revisit it from time to time. I conceived of a small personal photo project, The Off Season, about 7 months ago and finally returned to the project to complete it. In this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast, I share why I think it’s important to dust off older projects and make progress on them, maybe finish them up. In addition to the satisfaction of completing a body of work, it is a jolt of invigoration into your photography.

Also, an update on the last podcast episode, 3 Tips For Milky Way Photography f/98, to cover the topic of Long Exposure Noise Reduction (LENR). Thanks to listener Tony for asking the question - does LENR have a place in astrophotography to help combat noise from the higher ISOs we have to use?

If you have a question about the podcast or other photo question, use the contact form to send it in. Messages come straight to me, Scott Davenport.

Other resources mentioned in this show:

Put It On The Shelf f/14, The Stop Down Photography Podcast
Personal Photo Projects For 2021 f/52, The Stop Down Photography Podcast

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In early April, I headed into the Southern California desert for some astrophotography. Clear skies and a new moon were perfect conditions to capture the Milky Way. And I learned a few things during this star gazing adventure. I have 3 tips to share with you for better photos of the core of the Milky Way. I hope you enjoy the episode.

Tip 1 - Planning Is Important (If Not Vital)

Astrophotography needs certain conditions to be met or your photos will fall flat. You need to know where and when to go for the best Milky Way photos. The location you choose needs to have low light pollution. Without a dark sky, the stars and Milky Way won’t be visible. Use tools like the interactive map at lightpollutionmap.info to find a dark sky.

Next, you need to know when to go. The folks at capturetheatlas.com publish a yearly calendar that lists the best dates of the year to see the Milky Way - and when the galactic core will be visible.

Finally, you need a clear sky. Fog, rain, or clouds will obscure the night sky. Use your favorite weather forecast app (or multiple apps) to check the forecast. My go-to app is Yr.no which has great micro forecasts.

Tip 2 - Choose The Right Lens And Camera Settings

The galactic core of the Milky Way will stretch across a wider part of the sky, so you want a wide angle lens to capture its breadth. You also want fast glass that can gather a lot of light, an increased ISO, and limits on exposure time to avoid blur.

Use a wide angle lens, 24mm or wider
Use a wide aperture like f/2.8
Increase ISO to 3200
Use the NPF exposure calculation in Photo Pills

Tip 3 - Manual Focus For Tack Sharp Stars

For tack sharp stars, use manual focus.

Turn off auto-focus and focus peaking
Turn on any manual focus assist features
Frame a bright star in the viewfinder
Rotate the focus ring until that star is its smallest

Resources mentioned:

lightpollutionmap.info: Use it to help you find a dark sky for astrophotography.
capturetheatlas.com: Calendars with the best times to see the Milky Way.
Yr.no: A weather app with great microclimate forecasts.
Photo Pills: Exposure calculators for pinpoint stars

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

Affiliate Links

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Landscape photographers often seek out the untouched landscape, visions of nature that have no human presence - the pristine landscape. When I first started with landscape photography, those are the types of images I sought out. And I like those images, and I still capture those images. Yet, does including a human element in your photo make it bad? Spoiler alert, no. In this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast, I share thoughts about human elements in your landscape photography, and how well-placed people or structures can tell a stronger story and make your photos better.

Another topic discussed is how I’m using Topaz Sharpen AI to recover field mistakes I made with past photos. Images I thought were lost to camera shake or missed focus are once again usable when using tools like Sharpen AI. The technology is truly amazing. Add Topaz Sharpen AI to your toolkit and recover photos you thought were lost to camera shake or missed focus. Use my offer code SDP15 and Save 15% on your purchase.

Resources and articles mentioned in this episode:

The Hidden Gems In Your Photo Library f/35, The Stop Down Photography Podcast
Should You Use a Human Element in a Landscape Photo or Not?, FStoppers

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

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Highs and lows are part of any artistic pursuit and photographers are certainly not immune. I am no stranger to emotional peaks and valleys, and I’m sure you can relate as well. In this episode of the podcast, I share a story across the span of one day during which I hit both highs and the lows in my photography… in very rapid succession.

I think you’ll find it a relatable story. Also, how pre-visualization of an image is good yet spontaneity and the element of surprise also yields good work. I hope you enjoy the show. Keep an eye on my YouTube channel for on-location and behind the scenes footage of the photo outing described in this podcast.

There is one space open for my one and only landscape photography workshop for 2022. The Big Sur Experience is a 4-day photo workshop in the Big Sur area on the California coast. The cost is $1695 for this 4-day workshop. Click the link to read all the details on the workshop page.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Big Sur Experience photography workshop, May 9-12, 2022
Scott’s YouTube channel

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

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Landscape photography requires patience. Yet there are things you can do in the field to streamline your workflow and be more productive. I used these techniques last week on a visit to La Jolla, California. On this day, I knew I would not have a lot of time to linger at the beach and these 4 things made me more productive in the field.

Look Around. It seems obvious, but how often we leap directly into snapping away with our cameras. Look around first. Explore the location. Think about potential compositions, but resist the urge to capture the images.
Take Handheld Test Shots. Now get the camera out and take some sample compositions. Work handheld and be more nimble. Don’t sweat the technical details just yet. You’re making sketches of potential compositions. Review your test shots and identify your strongest composition.
Make Small Adjustments - Still Handheld. Work your strongest composition and make refinements. Try angle variations, focal length changes, take steps left and right. These changes change the dynamic of elements in the scene. .
Plant The Tripod And Break Out The Filters. With your prime composition well-dialed in, set up the tripod and get out the filters. Then - patience. Let nature unfold before you and capture its decisive moment.

If you are signed up for The Big Sur Experience photo workshop, check your email! I sent out the workshop handbook. The handbook has loads of details about our upcoming adventure in California, from recommended gear and clothing to locations we will visit.

There is one space open for my one and only landscape photography workshop for 2022. The Big Sur Experience is a 4-day photo workshop in the Big Sur area on the California coast. The cost is $1695 for this 4-day workshop. Click the link to read all the details on the workshop page.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

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Waiting is both fact and reality for certain genres of photography. Landscape photographers wait for the light. Wildlife photographers wait for their oft-shy subjects to pose. Street photographers may wait for the right person to walk through their frame.

However, not all waiting is created equal. I certainly find that to be true. While I am willing to wait, sometimes hours, for one type of photo, I can rapidly grow impatient for a different type of photo. That’s interesting – and an insight into what makes you tick as a photographer. When you know what subjects and scenes you are willing to wait for, you know the type of photography you’re passionate about.

The Big Sur Experience Landscape Photography Workshop

Join me on my one and only photo workshop for 2022 in the stunningly beautiful Big Sur area. The workshop runs 4 days from May 9th through May 12th. The cost is $1695 and is limited to 6 participants. Full details are on the workshop webpage: https://scottdavenportphoto.com/big-sur-experience-2205

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation. Thanks very much to those that have donated financially to support the podcast. Your contributions help keep the show ad free.

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The end of the year is a natural point to take a moment and reflect on your photography for the past year. If you set photo goals for 2021, measure how you did, and look to what lies ahead in 2022. In this episode, I share how I did against my photo goals for the year and talk about the challenges 2022 is going to present for visual artists.

On a personal note, first and foremost, thank you for listening to The Stop Down Photography Podcast. Heading into 2022, some personal events unfolding will impact the amount of time I can dedicate to photography and content creation. I expect the cadence of podcast episodes to be slower, but I do fully intend to keep making podcast episodes. Listen to this one for more details.

Ready to review your body of work in 2021 and set photo goals for 2022? Listen to Episode #51 Reflect On Your Photography for some ideas on how to do that, and how to leverage your photo library.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

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If you have listened to my podcast for a while, you know I am a fan of The Beatles. I’ve been enjoying the three-part documentary The Beatles: Get Back and as I’ve watched I see many lessons in there for photographers. I have 5 observations from Get Back that relate to photographers:

A change of scenery is good
Outside influences are good
Versatility feeds creativity
The start and the finish are very different
Creators can’t help but create

Listen to the podcast for more thoughts on these themes and how they can help keep your art and photography moving forward.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

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I have a confession - I really enjoy assassin movies. You know those movies where the protagonist is a highly-skilled, ultra-focused, near infallible villain. Maybe it’s a guilty pleasure - or an excuse to eat popcorn.

On my return flights from the Oregon Coast, I rewatched some of the John Wick films. I also saw one of my favorites, The Hitman, again recently. That got me wondering… why do I like these movies so much?

Well… as you might guess, the answer has an intersection with my photography. Four connections, actually.

Disciple and rigor
Knowing your gear
Improvising in the field
Revealing the unseen world

Intrigued? Have a listen to this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast and see how much these connections ring true for you.

And if you are in the mood for an assassin movie now, here are a few of my favorite super-assassin films:

The Jason Bourne movies (Amazon)
The John Wick movies (Amazon)
The Hitman (Amazon)
Pitch Black / The Chronicles Of Riddick / Riddick (Amazon)

Got a movie suggestion? Leave a comment or use the contact form to tell me.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

A special thank you to members of our Patreon community. Your pledges make this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.

Affiliate Links

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A few weeks ago, I talked about how I was preparing for my trip to the Oregon Coast. My planning included brainstorming a few themes to explore with my camera while in Oregon. I also promised to talk about how the pre-visualization played out once in the field. It was a mixed bag. As it turns out, plans may be worthless, but planning itself is important. Join me for a chat about the photo themes I explored in Oregon and how I hit, or in some cases missed, the mark.

I also have some things to share from the workshops I hosted while in Oregon. The photographers that joined me created some very impressive images. During the photo presentation part of the workshop, I noticed some themes in the work. One of the themes really surprised me. Listen to learn more.

If you are interested in joining me on a photo workshop in 2022, join me on Patreon. The Patreon community is the first to know about upcoming workshops, before they are announced publicly. You can also join my mailing list using the Sign Up For My Newsletter button at the bottom of every page of scottdavenportphoto.com.

You might also enjoy these episodes:

What Vincent Van Gogh Taught Me About Photography f/37
Just Get Out There! f/85

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

A special thank you to members of our Patreon community. Your pledges make this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.

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Preparing for a photo trip has its own level of enjoyment. Picking out the gear, thinking about locations, and the growing anticipation of photographing a new place, or even a familiar favorite, I like the build-up to the actual trip. It’s fun.

In a few short weeks, I will be on the Oregon Coast for some photography. In addition to the gear choices and virtual location scouting, I am doing something a little different. I am thinking about what ideas and feelings I can explore through photography on this trip. I talked about this concept in Episode 84.

Feelings the Pacific Northwest elicits for me include the power of the ocean and where things meet. I am visiting in November, and want to explore the concept of the off-season. In this podcast, I share thoughts about these theme-based concepts and how they might affect the locations I choose to visit. I also discuss the gear I will bring on the trip - I’m always asked!.

I hope you enjoy it and that it sparks some ideas for you when you prepare for your next photo trip.

Gear mentioned in this episode:

Camera bodies: Sony A7Rii, Sony A6400
Lenses: Sony 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS, Sony 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS, Sony 20mm F/1.8 G, Sony 70-200mm F4 OSS
B-Roll cameras: Sony RX0, DJI Osmo Pocket
Filters: Haida M10 filter system

All of Scott’s gear is here: https://scottdavenportphoto.com/gear.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

A special thank you to members of our Patreon community. Your pledges make this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.

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Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera: Compact APS-C Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with Real-Time Eye Auto Focus, 4K Video & Flip Up Touchscreen - E Mount Compatible Cameras - ILCE-6400/B Body

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In early October 2021, I hosted a group of photographers from a San Diego camera club for a sunset shoot at the beach. It was the first group outing I’ve hosted since 2019! And I gotta tell you … it was energizing! In this episode I share thoughts, observations, and feeling about this event and why the simple act of just getting out there with your camera is important.

I also talk about how this workshop has been the first I’ve done as a mix of virtual and physical meetings. The virtual aspect of the workshop is intriguing … which prompts a question that I could use your help with. If I were to host a virtual photo class, what topic do you want to learn about? Use the contact form on StopDownPodcast.com to share you thoughts with me.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

A special thank you to members of our Patreon community. Your pledges make this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.

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We all start our photo journey capturing things and places. Flowers, mountains, animals, your hometown, a city you are visiting. We photograph nouns. And that’s normal and part of the process of finding out what we enjoy photographing, the subjects and scenes that make us want to pick up our camera again and again.

Yet, when I look at the work of other photographers, the images that I find most interesting are photographs that convey ideas. I’ve noticed this in my own work as well. These images have staying power. They are more than just well-arranged subjects in a strong composition. The image conveys a story for sure, and also an idea, a feeling. The photo is more than the sum of its parts.

In this podcast, let’s talk about capturing ideas with our cameras, not just places and things.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

A special thank you to members of our Patreon community. Your pledges make this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.

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After a year plus of pandemic conditions, growing accustomed the new normal of limited interaction with the world and produced a problem for photographers – inertia. After weeks or maybe months of not regularly making photographs, finding the motivation to pick up the camera and capture images. I’ve certainly been fighting inertia during the pandemic.

This past week, I had the good fortune to meet up with my long time photo buddy, Spencer Pablo. And our conversation left me energized and wanting to create new images. In this episode, I share some of the things we talked about and how meeting up with a photo buddy can help you push through any motivational challenges you are facing.

1 Space in my Oregon Workshop: One space opened in my Oregon Coastal Adventure photo workshop this November. I am taking a small group, just 6 photographers, on a 4-day adventure in Oregon. The workshop is $1295. You can claim that space here: https://scottdavenportphoto.com/oregon-coastal-adventure-2021

Luminar Neo: Skylum announced a new product, Luminar Neo, a new creative photo editor. Pre-orders are as low as US$34 for a single license. More details about Luminar Neo on the product and how to grab the early-bird pricing are on Scott’s website.

You can see more of Spencer’s work here: https://www.spencerpablophotography.com

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

A special thank you to members of our Patreon community. Your pledges make this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.

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As a content creator with a photo business, paying attention to industry news comes with the job description. A portion of my time is spent reading industry news and product announcements with a “business hat” on. This past week, as I was absorbing product announcements, I took off my business hat and put on my “artist hat.”

My non-business creative brain got thinking… for the photo artist in us, is the photo industry news enlightening? Does it help in the creation of our art? Or, is it all just a big distraction? A distraction that doesn’t advance us as artistic people? And that is the topic for this eposide of the podcast.

ON1 announced Photo RAW 2022. with new features including the new Sky Swap AI feature to replace dull skies, the ability to run Photoshop plug-ins, and a new Time-Lapse feature. Support the podcast and save money using offer code SDP20 at checkout. For a full review of the new features coming in Photo RAW 2022, read the article on scottdavenportphoto.com.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

A special thank you to members of our Patreon community. Your pledges make this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.

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Show Notes

As photographers, we often seek out specific photos. We travel to the gorgeous, breathtaking location, or the iconic city or other famous subjects to create an image we know has a good chance of being strong. Although, there are plenty of photo opportunities all around us … all the time. We just need to be open to seeing them.

In this podcast, I share a story of how life put me in Fallbrook, California. It’s not a place that jumps to mind as a hotbed of landscape photography. However, when I switched gears from seeking a certain kind of photo, and let myself be open to seeing the photographs I could make, there were good photos to be had.

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Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!

Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.

A special thank you to members of our Patreon community. Your pledges make this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, The Stop Down Podcast may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

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Every photographer and every creative knows that inspiration strikes… it is not something that an artist just turns on. There isn’t a bucket of inspiration we dip our cup into when we want to make photographs. Creativity has peaks and valleys, inspiration ebbs and flows. And that is a normal cycle in a creative life.

In this episode, I talk about my current creative valley and why I’m taking a “lean in” strategy and embracing the valley. Creativity can’t be forced, and sometimes it needs space to breathe and regenerate.

I’m taking a cue from Episode #14, Put It On The Shelf, and will take a short hiatus from the podcast. I’m thinking for the month of August 2021, I’ll take a break from the podcast. It’s not a full sabbatical from photography, though. Listen for more thoughts.

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Thank You Patrons!

A special thank you to supporters on Patreon. Your support makes this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. You can also make a one-time donation

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Captain Barbosa in the film Pirates Of The Carribbean said this about the pirate code of parlay:

The code is more what you’d call “guidelines” than actual rules.

That’s exactly what the “rules” of photography are. They are guidelines, helpful advice for creating our photos and using our cameras. Learning the rules is an important part of the photographer’s journey. And so is knowing that the rules can be broken.

5 Landscape Photography Rules You Should Break

The Rule Of Thirds: The rule of thirds is an essential concept to learn as a photographer. It is also a rule that should definitely be broken. Symmetrical scenes or compositions that leverage negative space are examples of when to break this rule.
Fill The Frame: This rule is about making your subject occupy the frame and avoiding dead space. In a landscape scene, leaving a little extra wiggle room at the edges of the frame is helpful. A composition with no leeway at the edges can be a problem if the horizon needs to be straightened.
Landscapes Require Extreme Depth Of Field: No doubt, crisp detail from the foreground to background looks great in a landscape. Yet equally compelling landscape photos can be made at wider apertures and shallower depths of field. Try this with the composition technique of framing.
Golden Hour Or Blue Hour Is The Only Time To Capture Landscapes: The sweet light of the golden hour is beautiful. However, photography is about the light, not about your wristwatch. The “off hours” can be great, too. Overcast days in the forest, or infrared at midday, or unique light just after a rainstorm.
Landscapes Must Be Epic: The epic, almost otherworldly, landscape images of rugged terrain have been a social media trend for several years. And yes, these images look great. Photos of simpler, more peaceful scenes are also great. And, unless you live in the foothills of the Dolomites, the “everyday” landscape is much closer to your doorstep.

If you’re interested in the seascape tips I mentioned in this podcast, have a listen to episode #68, 5 Tips For Seascape Photography f/68.

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Pirates of the Caribbean - Complete Collection [Blu-ray]

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I took a hike in the mountains local to San Diego last weekend. I wanted to take in the sunrise in the mountains, and that meant a very early rise, an hour-plus drive to the trailhead, and then the hike itself. And it was a really great outing. Good weather, great sky, the photo accompanying this podcast is just a short distance from the summit of Garnet Peak.

A hike like this one requires endurance. After the hike, I was thinking about endurance and the role it plays in our photography. Photographers need endurance. And not just physical stamina. We also need mental fortitude, a level of grit, to keep pushing forward in our artistic pursuits.

Check out my full review of ON1 NoNoise AI. This noise reduction software yields excellent results, it holds its own against other products like Topaz DeNoise AI, and man … NoNoise AI is very, very fast.

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I can’t believe 2021 is already half behind us! “The days go slow and the years go fast” … as the saying goes. For us photographers, the mid-year mark is a natural point to assess our progress for the year thus far and checkpoint our photo goals. Are you on track? Have some goals been achieved? Or is a course correction needed?

In today’s podcast, I share thoughts about the importance of measuring against your goals and some thoughts about how to go about that. Also, back in Episode 52 of this podcast, I shared my three photo goals for 2021. This week, I checkpoint my progress and have some mixed results to report. Listen for more.

And … if you didn’t set any photo goals for 2021, it’s never too late to start!!

Lightroom Asset Management

I leverage Lightroom’s filtering and search tools a lot to answer questions about my photography habits. It’s much more than just a find-my-photo tool. I have a book and video course on Lightroom Asset Management that explains my entire asset management workflow, from top to bottom. The book/video combo runs about US$15. It’s a bargain.

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Thank You Patrons!

A special thank you to supporters on Patreon. Your support makes this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. You can also make a one-time donation

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In today’s digital age, post-processing is an important part of creating our images. I’ve used many different apps over the years to create my images, and I still use several software packages today. I have not found one tool “to rule them all.”

I am frequently asked which tool “is the best” or which “is my favorite” and these questions are valid, but usually lacking context. What is a “favorite” or “best” very much depends on what you, the artist, want to do with your photos and what your approach to editing is. In today’s podcast, I share my reasons for using multiple photo applications, and I hope it gives you context and things to think about for your own workflow.

The 4 reasons I use multiple photo applications in my workflow.

Asset Management: I treat asset management as distinct and different from post-processing. Most of our asset management tools come with solid fundamentals for editing, yet they don’t satisfy all of my editing needs.
Specialty Tools: The digital filters in different tools use different algorithms - and produce different looks. Some of those looks, like LUTs or texture blends, I cannot get with the basic editing tools in my asset manager.
Ease Of Use: Some photo packages I find easier to use than others. Yes, you can do anything in Photoshop, although another tool with a simpler interface or a streamlined, specialized tool lets me make my edits more quickly. I may enjoy post-processing but I don’t enjoy wrestling with a tool to achieve a look.
Sparks Of Inspiration: A streamlined workflow is great. Yet to avoid becoming formulaic, starting with a different tool, or exploring a new one, can spark creativity.

You’ll notice that image quality isn’t explicitly listed. Of course, image quality is important. No matter what tools I use, the final image has to look good!

Photo Apps I’m Using Today

Adobe Lightroom
ON1 Photo RAW (save 20% with offer code SDP20)
Skylum Luminar AI (save $10 with offer code SDP10)
Adobe Photoshop

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Thank You Patrons!

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I tend to see the world in large sweeps. I see foreground, midground, and background as parts of a whole. That’s my natural way of seeing the world, and that influences how I see the subjects of my photos. I see subjects in context and capture how they relate to their surroundings.

That’s an interesting topic … how do different photographers tend to see the world outside of photography, and how does that influence their photography. Does personality or past experiences bias how photo subjects are seen? And, when you become self-aware of how you see your subjects, what learning and growth opportunities does that present?

Good topic for a podcast, I think!

You Might Also Enjoy

Harness The Energy Of Others f/6, The Stop Down Photography Podcast

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Thank You Patrons!

A special thank you to supporters on Patreon. Your support makes this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. You can also make a one-time donation

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Photographers are constantly managing tradeoffs. One creative choice for an image invariably comes at the cost of something else. Every frame we capture contains a compromise. Photographers learn this early on our path to mastering photography. The exposure triangle - aperture, shutter speed, ISO - teaches us this lesson. Adjust one, the others are affected.

There are plenty of other compromises we make with each and every photo. Some are technical, some are compositional, some might even be financial. So how best to manage the tradeoffs? Anchor your creative choices around the story of your photo, and manage the ripples of of the artistic decisions as best you can.

I have more thoughts on this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast.

Read an interesting and entertaining backstory of why we have the 24 frames per second video standard. Guess what? It’s a compromise!

How An Off-The-Cuff Compromise Made 24fps The Standard Film Rate, DIY Photography

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Thank You Patrons!

A special thank you to supporters on Patreon. Your support makes this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. You can also make a one-time donation

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For the past decade, I have exerted a lot of energy into improving my seascape photography. I’ve certainly improved, my workflow is more refined, and I am more consistently producing solid photographs of the ocean. After finishing a batch of photos from my latest visit to the San Diego coastline, I honestly felt a little unfulfilled.

The photos I produced are good quality, yet it felt a little “easy” to create them. Is that good or bad? Is my well-oiled, low-effort workflow a signal that I am stagnating creatively? Do I need to stretch and branch out? And what does doing so look like?

Let’s explore this idea in this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast.

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Thank You Patrons!

A special thank you to supporters on Patreon. Your support makes this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. You can also make a one-time donation

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It’s a fair statement that we photographers take more bad photos than good ones. Over time, our keeper rate will improve as we practice our craft and grow our photographic eye. But … a keeper rate over 50%? That’s crazy talk … I’d be happy with 5%.

So what can we do with all those “bad” shots? Learn from them. Put yourself in the role of the casual observer, disconnected from the photographer that captured the image. As you review the photo, pay attention to where your eye wanders, how the subjects of the photo interplay, and what story the photo tells you (or doesn’t tell you!).

Then tap into your photographer skills and think about what different decisions you might make with the camera if capturing that scene or subject again. How could you tell that story more strongly? Let’s talk about this in today’s podcast.

Studio News

On my blog, I posted a full review of the updated ThinkTank Rotation Backpack. This is my go-to field bag and the front half of my ground-free kit. I’ve got a full write-up and video detailing the features of this backpack and why it’s a critical part of my creative and nimble field workflow.

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Thank You Patrons!

A special thank you to supporters on Patreon. Your support makes this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto. There are many zero-cost ways you can support the show. You can also make a one-time donation

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While working through some photos taken a few years ago at Long Pond on Mount Desert Island in Maine, I realized how little I explored that area. The photos I have are nice, they are of good quality. Yet my repeated visits to this pond did not push me artistically. I stopped to reflect on why that was.

I think it is because I didn’t give myself permission to spend time at the location, explore the area, think about additional photos that might not be the “killer landscape” image. And that is so critical for artistic growth. Embarking on experiments for the sheer purpose of learning and growing. I share more thoughts in today’s episode.

Also, I am adding an additional workshop to the 2021 calendar. The Oregon Coastal Adventure in November 2021. Check the workshops page on my main website for details. The workshop will open for public registration very soon. More details in the podcast.

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Thank You Patrons!

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In art forms like music, live performance, or motion pictures, the artist can take the audience on a bit of a journey. It could be a few seconds to a few minutes or longer. And at the pivotal moment, there is the crescendo. These art forms can build an audience to a climax. The process of building up the tension or anticipation or surprise is knowable to the audience.

A musical example is the song Swingtown by The Steve Miller Band. The first 45 seconds of the song is a build-up of instruments. Each one lays down a simple rhythm or beat. In an of themselves, the individual riff or melody is peppy and upbeat but is not elaborate or flashy. Yet once all of the drums, guitars, pianos, and vocals come together, you’re hearing a wall of sound. And the process, the build-up, is part of the experience.

Photography is a different type of art form. The process by which a photograph is made is unknown to the viewer - and by and large, the viewers don’t care about the process. They take in the photo in a single “visual gulp” and pass judgment on the sum total of the work. Of course, we photographers pursuing an artistic lifestyle are interested in the process. We are the exception.

Does that mean the artistic process is not important? No, of course not. It is very important - to us and to fellow photographers. However, to viewers, your process will be largely hidden. That is both OK and very good to know because it reminds us that when we produce our work, we need to know it’s the final image that matters most. That is what our viewers will see.

The Oregon Coast Workshop Update

Workshop page

The Oregon Coast workshop I am co-hosting with Derrick Story has sold out. Yes, wow, that was fast. If you were not able to get a space in this workshop, please let me know. At a minimum, I will make sure you are on the waitlist for the workshop. Things do happen in the months leading to a workshop and there may be a cancellation. Also, I am considering opening a second workshop, also in November, likely the week of November 15th, 2021. If you are interested, please reach out through the Stop Down Podcast contact form or the contact form on my website, scottdavenportphoto.com.

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Thank You Patrons!

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In today’s podcast, I share a story of how our subconscious mind affects our photography. And can do so in curious and interesting ways. After a recent visit to the San Diego beach, I noticed a theme in the photos from that outing… a theme I wasn’t aware of when I was capturing the images.

Workshops are back! Join me on the Oregon Coast from November 9th through 12th on a workshop, co-hosted with Derrick Story.

The Oregon Coast workshop information page
Workshop registration page

Reserve your space with a $295 deposit.

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I have been stepping out more with the camera of late. And, as you might have guessed, I made several visits to the San Diego coastline. Gotta get my fill of sand, surf, and sky! As summer approaches in the Northern hemisphere and the prospect of travel seems more possible than it did a couple of months ago, you might be thinking of a coastal visit in your near future.

In today’s podcast, I have 5 tips for seascape photography to share with you. Put these into practice on your next visit to the beach and you’ll create stronger photographs.

Know The Weather And Tides. Weather is important for all landscape photography, and seascapes are no exception. Don’t be deterred by “poor” weather, because photo opportunities can be found in all sorts of weather. Also, know your tides! Be safe and don’t get cut off from the mainland hidden away in a beautiful cove.
Include Foreground. This isn’t just about having a foreground subject (which is important, especially at wide angles). The foreground is also about giving your viewer a place to “virtually stand” in the frame. A small patch of sand or a rock outcropping lets your viewer mentally step into the frame and take in the fullness of the scene.
Capture Motion And Change Mood. What mood do you want to convey with your photo? The power of the ocean? A relaxed day at the beach? A complete feeling of zen with smoky and smooth water? Choosing a shutter speed to capture the right type of motion will set the mood of your photo.
Photograph The Ebb. Related to the previous tip, after a wave laps up on shore, photograph its retreat. The rush of water returning to sea creates wonderful leading lines that draw your viewer into the scene. A bonus tip - before setting up and taking your images, watch how the ocean behaves and the lines your eye follows. The ocean is giving you hints on how to compose - use them!
Get Wet. For a good seascape photo, sometimes you have to get wet. If getting a little wet is the difference between a good seascape and an outstanding seascape, I choose to get wet. It is only water. Of course, be smart and be safe. Don’t risk personal health or potential injury for a photograph.

Listen to the episode for more in-depth thoughts on each of these tips.

Resources mentioned in this podcast:

Yr.no weather predictions
Windy app for ocean swells and direction
Tide Chart (iOS) for tide predictions

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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 that got my photographic brain active. It is the made for television film of the same name.

The Magical Mystery Tour was the 3rd Beatles film. And it was not a success. Yet there are several connections to and lessons for photographers in this film. This is the topic for today’s podcast.

The connections between The Magical Mystery Tour and photography I talk about are:

Be Open To The Journey
The Presentation Medium Matters
Have A Clear Story
Keep Producing Work

There is still time to SAVE 15% on my new video course Story And Vision. This 12-chapter course is all about becoming a better visual storyteller and making stronger images. Use the offer code STOPDOWN at checkout to SAVE 15%. Offer valid through April 30th, 2021.

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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 how to assess the story in your photo and enhance it with your post-processing tools in the digital darkroom.

Listeners of the podcast can Save 15% on Story And Vision. Use the offer code STOPDOWN at checkout. Offer valid through April 30th, 2021.

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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 releasing later this month. In this episode, I talk about the cycle of improvement. There are four phases of the cycle: Capture, Analyze, Express, and Reflect. Like phases of the moon, there is no beginning or end, the pattern is circular and we don’t get to take one lap around the track and call it good!

Capture: It makes sense to start with capturing images. We are, after all, photographers! And, a base set of images is needed - you need a starting point from which to grow and improve.

Analyze: The next phase is a self-critique of your unprocessed images. The reason an image assessment is so important is that it helps you answer the big overarching question:

What adjustments are needed to make the story of your photo stronger?

Express: This phase is when you post-process. You get to express yourself creatively and artistically. The key thing is – the adjustments are in service of the story of your photo. Your processing approach will change when the story of your photo is at the forefront of your mind.

Reflect: Once processing is done, take another moment and reflect on the final image. Yes, a little more self-reflection is a means to improvement! This is an opportunity to take a step back and consider the story you’ve just told in the photo. For an image that really works, what is it that makes the photo come together? For a photo that falls short, what are the problems? How would you capture it differently to tell a stronger story?

And The Cycle ContinuesReflection leads back to Capture. Apply the lessons you learned in the Analyze, Express, and Reflect phases to your next outing with the camera. Will you compose differently? Get closer? Use a different depth of field? Be more patient and wait for the right moment?

As you practice in this cycle, when you’re in the field, making the capture, you might already be thinking about the Express phase. You can see more than just the scene in front of your lens … you’ll visualize the story that will unfold.

Capture, Analyze, Express, and Reflect. You can start today and analyze a few of your images, and then keep doing it. You’ll grow as a visual storyteller and improve as a photographer.

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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: Bright crisp highlights against deep, rich shadows. When capturing photos, pay attention to how the primary subject is lit. Is it fully lit, in partial shadow, is it casting a shadow? How do the light and shadow through the rest of the frame interplay with your subject? Contrast that reinforces your subject and draws your viewer to the subject of an image tells a stronger story.
Color Contrast: We live in a world of color. Opposing and complementary colors create a dynamic image. Color contrast can also be vivid colors against neutral or muted colors, like a person in red amid a field of white snow.
Texture Contrast: Juxtaposing elements with rich detail against soft and smooth elements is another form of contrast. The textured hands of a grandparent cradling a soft, smooth newborn, or a rough gnarled tree shrouded in a blanket of fog are examples of texture contrast.
Fluidity Contrast: This type of contrast is pitting the immutable against the malleable. When some elements in a scene are fixed and others are moving, you can create fluidity contrast. Long exposures are a great opportunity for fluidity contrast. This is one type of contrast we as photographers have more control of in the field by using filters.
Subject Contrast: Photos with a clear contradiction or opposition in their subjects is the fifth form of contrast. Subject contrast can certainly be one of the other four types of contrast. There are also physical characteristics to consider, such as large versus small, or thematic contrast, like man versus machine. Anachronisms are another type of subject contrast when two unrelated objects are thrust together. I know I did a double-take the first time I saw an orange-robed monk in Asia on a mobile phone!

Contrast adds a duality to your photos and creates good visual tension. Develop your eye to recognize scenes and photo opportunities with more contrast and you’ll create images with more impact. Listen to this episode for more thoughts about the contrast in our images.

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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 journey to date as a photographer.

The notable revelations in my kit changes are:

For my still photography, the gear I use to capturing stills has had little change. The most important upgrade is a switch to a modular filter system - I use the Haida M10 filter system now. Yes, my camera body got an upgrade, yet I’m still using 4+-year-old Sony A7Rii cameras. And my lenses … they haven’t changed at all.
The foray into videography is what’s fueled the change in my photo kit. Capturing behind-the-scenes footage for YouTube has changed very little. The

That in turn reveals something else. The improvement in my stills has been outside of the technical space. It’s been learning to see better, understanding light, getting better at composition. The filter upgrade has given a boost to my long exposure work. Yet the cameras and lenses I own continue to serve me well. While there are sharper lenses and newer camera bodies out there, they are not (yet) the limiters on my photography.

Interestingly, the foray into video has had a positive impact for my still photography work. Part of capturing behind-the-scenes video is thinking about the different angles, establishing shots, B-roll, supplemental footage … all the things that make a video more engaging. That’s spilled over into my still work in the form of a group of photos from a given outing, instead of the singular composition I’d chase in my past.

So, examine your photo kit. What’s changed? What’s stayed the same? And why do you think that is? What changes have fueled your creativity and improved your artistry? There is an interesting story to be heard from the gear in your bag … and the echoes of the gear no longer with you.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Episode #45, Is My Photo Kit Obsolete? f/45
Scott’s current gear is all listed at https://scottdavenportphoto.com

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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. Or maybe it is a concept we are familiar with now.

So what makes photographers like Ansel Adams so great? What makes the past masters of photography deserve our reverence? It comes down to a single word - vision. The masters of old had singular, unique vision. They showed us our world in a different way, made visible something the rest of us didn’t see.

Dorothea Lange’s work capturing images during The Great Depression put a face on struggle. She made others see hunger. And, rightly so, her work influenced generations of photojournalists and documentarians.

Edward Weston’s work is all about detail for me. Whether it is a nautilus shell or sand dunes or those famous bell peppers… a viewer is transfixed by his images. We get lost in the lines and curves that weave through the frame, creating forms and shapes we didn’t see after the first glance.

And what about Ansel Adams? He had the singular talent to incoprorate weather into the landscape. Weather became a central character in his imagery, an essential part of the photo.

And for those of us that aspire to have vision like the past masters, what lessons can we take away? Don’t be afraid to capture the subject that move you, that stir some feeling or emotion in you. When that little voice in your head says “take a photo” … go ahead and listen. Also, concern yourself more with the content of the photo and less about the technical aspects. Technique is important, sure, but the content is most important. The past masters made incredible images with far less technically capable equipment. Their vision is what mattered, and their vision continues to stand the test of time.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Ansel Adams Gallery, https://shop.anseladams.com/collections/original-photographs-by-ansel-adams

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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 time, yet resulted in a big payoff?

I have 5 of these turning points to share with you in today’s episode. They are:

Walk a scene before planting the tripod legs: I find better compositions and make stronger photos when I explore with a camera handheld first. Now, when I plant the tripod legs, I spend more time making the photograph and less time adjusting the tripod.
Ask “What makes this place unique?”: I ask this question of myself when I struggle with composition. Finding what is unique about the location leads me to stronger photography. Listen to the episode for the origin story of this question for me.
Putting My Filters In the MindShift Filter Hive: This wonderful bag is the best $60 I have ever spent on my photography. When I am working on a photo and need a filter, lens wipe, or battery, they are all at my fingertips. I keep my attention focused on the photography and not fishing for gear in my camera bag.
Rating and tagging every photo in my library: An upfront investment for sure, yet the small habit of rating every photo and tagging the good ones means I can slice and dice my photo library in so many ways. It is easier to find images for a project, build retrospectives, and examine past work to measure my progress as an artist. In this sense, tagging indirectly makes me a better photographer.
Pulling back 5% on post-processing sliders: I love post-processing and in the early days I would push those sliders to 11! Now, I dial in a look I think is good, push the slider a little farther until it seems like too much, then pull back about 5%. The results are a more natural-looking image in line with the aesthetic I like.

What about you? What is a small change you have made to your photography that has had a big payoff? Use the contact form to reach out.

Resources mentioned in this show:

MindShift Filter Hive (ThinkTank or Amazon)
The Metadata Time Machine f/10, The Stop Down Photography Podcast

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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?

It’s a straightforward question, with a not-so-straightforward answer. The short, wishy-washy answer is “I’m honestly not sure.” Of course, there is more to the answer than that. In this episode, I share with you my thinking about in-person workshops in 2021, the considerations to ponder, and when I’ll be re-opening the doors for more on-location photo adventures.

You might also enjoy these episodes:

What George Harrison Taught Me About Photography f/4
What Bruce Lee Taught Me About Photography f/13

Check out the print products available through Saal Digital, and claim your US$20 voucher for your next purchase.

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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 photography. What was more telling is a regression in my photography, something I was better at doing in the past than I am now.

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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 does a lens for video work help me making still photographs? Have a listen, I’ll explain.

The lens I bought is the Sony 20mm f/1.8 G (Amazon)
MindShift Filter Hive (ThinkTank | Amazon)
Artists Make Great Photos, Gear Solves Problems f/40

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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 explore this notion of variations on our oft-photographed subjects and share three ideas to pursue your own variations on a theme

The Something Same, Something Different approach. The subject or location remains the same, so you the photographer can vary something else. Change your composition and put the signature subject in a different part of the frame. Alter your angle to the subject - get low or go high. Try changing your lens. Get close and shoot wide or step back and reach in with a long lens. Try a different depth of field. Pay attention to how each of the changes you make changes the dynamic of the captured frame.
The Anti-Photo. When at a location with a signature subject or a classic composition, make a photo that is not about that subject or composition. The signature subject can be in the frame, but the story of the photo should be about something else.
A Study Over Time. Our frequent haunts can become long-term photo projects. Capture the same scene in different weather or different times of the day. The happenings in the scene over time - visitors, vendors, events - can become the source of variation as well.

Also, review the images in your library of your frequently visited places as a source of inspiration. What photos would round out the story of a place?

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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 thoughts about this topic in today’s Stop Down Podcast. And yes, I use plug-ins!

Resources mentioned:

What Bruce Lee Taught Me About Photography f/13
ON1 Photo RAW, Save 20% with offer code SDP20
Skylum Luminar AI, Save US$10 with offer code SDP10

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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 Photo RAW Essentials book is now available in print! You can buy the print edition on Amazon. The eBook is available through my photography website.

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ON1 Photo RAW Essentials (2021): The Photographer's Guide To Learning ON1 Photo RAW

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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 first because part of choosing the right set of photo projects is knowing what your opportunities for growth are.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

New Video Course, Luminar AI Start To Finish
Reflect On Your 2020 Photography f/51
The Power Ballad, The Medley, And Photo Presentation f/44

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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 worked and what didn’t work. Only when we measure our photography can we improve our photography.

I examined my 2020 work this past week. Listen to the podcast to hear about the things I discovered. Some were expected, others were surprising. I use a healthy amount of metadata when I review my past work. Most of it comes for free via the EXIF data captured by our camera. I also rely on ratings that I’ve added throughout the year. Have a listen to The Metadata Time Machine f/10 for thoughts about why I think it’s important (hint: you can do examinations like this!).

I looked at my work in four different ways:

By The Numbers
Camera Settings & Gear
Photo Content
Post-Processing

Listen to the episode for details, or visit the episode website for notes on these four areas.

This level of examination takes a little time, and I feel it is time well spent. Dedicate an hour or two to reviewing your photos. Use the points above as a guide. You’ll have a firmer footing on where you are creatively, and be poised to grow in 2021.

I’ll be back again in the new year. In the next podcast, I’ll talk about the opportunities I’ve identified with my photography and discuss the personal goals and projects I am planning for 2021.

Have a happy, wonderful, and safe new year!

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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 was more to it than that.

The more I thought about it, I think it has to do with the mindset we have when approaching a landscape. Are we rigid, fluid, or a mix of the two? I have some thoughts to share about this in today’s podcast.

You may also enjoy Photography Is To Savor Not Conquer f/8.

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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.

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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 that? It’s because of the other interesting fact of the last 7 days. I haven’t picked up my camera. Not once.

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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.

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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 Aurelius’ teaching and your mind and demeanor have a lot to do with what you make of the world. As Marcus would say, “It’s all in how you perceive it.”

Resources mentioned in this podcast:

Meditations, Marcus Aurelius (Amazon)
Clear Skies & Calm Surf, In The Field #483, Scott Davenport Photography
Interested in the next edition of ON1 Photo RAW Essentials? Get on Scott’s mailing list.

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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 talk a lot about post-processing software, as that was a subtheme of the email question. Some of the software I use I also have discount codes for. These codes are great ways to support The Stop Down Photography Podcast at no extra cost to you.

Try ON1 Photo RAW for FREE, Save 20% with offer code SDP20
Try Luminar, Save $10 with offer code SDP10
Shopping on Amazon? Use my link and support the podcast.

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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 - a body of work. A set of images that stand together to tell a story. To continue the musical analogy, it’s a visual medley, a photo essay. And a collection of images can tell a richer story than just the single image.

In today’s podcast, let’s talk about presenting a series of photographs as a set. I also share a personal story of what led me to want to talk about this subject. The result is the six photos you see on the episode webpage.

Brother of Mine (YouTube), by Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe (Amazon)
Luminar AI from Skylum Software
- Use offer code SDP10 at checkout to Save 10%
- My free Luminar tutorials are in my Luminar Learning Center
ON1 Photo RAW 2021 from ON1
- Use offer code SDP20 at checkout and Save 20%
- My free ON1 Photo RAW tutorials are in my ON1 Learning Center

Got feedback, a question, or an idea for an episode? Send me a message!

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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
Concentration on a singular subject will produce stronger photos
Gaining a deeper, more intimate connection with a subject and its surrounding community or ecosystem
Access to more unique subjects, which feed more unique photos
Self-reflection

Join me in today’s podcast for a chat about specialization. You can also listen to Episode #24 The Creative Benefits Of Cross-Training. Specialization isn’t the only route to improving your art.

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In the past several weeks, I had two different conversations with my fellow photographers in which flipping an image, either horizontally or vertically, came up. The factors and considerations for each type of flip were different, yet there was a common theme. Fliping an image can trigger a different response from our viewer - and from ourselves.

In today’s podcast, I explore how flipping an image changes how our viewers consume our work. Also, I talk about the psychological trick of flipping an image vertically plays on our mind, and how we can use that to our advantage for contrast and other tonal corrections.

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Today’s episode, Learning To See, grew from a listener question about how to improve one’s eye for photography. If you have a question or an idea for an episode, please send me a note using the contact form on stopdownpodcast.com and share your thoughts.

A common challenge all photographers face is recognizing a photo opportunity. The good photographers see an opportunity and capture the frame. The great photographers see the unique opportunities that others don’t see. Often times, we are the good photographer, and maybe on occasion the great photographer.

Growing your eye for photography is a skill, and like any skill it can be learned and it can be practiced. In today’s show, I share three ideas for how to grow your eye for photography. They are:

Ooh … That Would Make A Good Photo: When something makes you stop and think “good photo op!” take an extra moment and understand why. What made you think that? Being mindful and studying the reason a scene or a photo catches our attention adds to our creative bank. You are more likely to recognize an opportunity in the future if it’s similar to a prior experience.
Use the B&W Creative Mode: Modern cameras let you view the world using a creative mode, such as black & white. Try capturing photos using this mode. Why? You can actually see and experience the world in black & white and you will see differently. Devoid the distraction of color, light and shadow will be more obvious and influence how you compose and balance a scene.
Think In 4 Dimensions: When looking at a scene, think about how it could look at a point in the future. The future could be a few moments away (the next crash of an ocean wave), a few minutes away (the “right” person walks past an interesting spot on the street), or a few seasons away (visualize how a spot might look in summer or winter). Think beyond what is happening right now and what could happen next.

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As a photo educator, I field a lot of photography questions. And I love questions - keep 'em coming! Many of these questions are of the form “What is the best … ?”. Most of the time, these questions are about gear, software, or accessories. Rarely are the questions about advancing as a photographer, pushing your craft ahead. Gear can play a role in that - provided you think that way.

In today’s podcast, I want to challenge you to take a different approach when you think about a new camera, lens, bag, or software tool. Take a moment, reflect, and ask yourself what artistic problems are you facing? What barriers do you face? And how could gear help you clear those hurdles?

I’ll also share a few stories from my photo journey how this approach helped me keep my photography moving forward with the right tools, not just the latest kit to hit the street.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

MindShift Filter Hive (ThinkTank | Amazon)
The Sony A7Rii or the Sony A7Riii?

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To say that 2020 has been a tough year for creatives is putting it mildly. I have certainly struggled throughout the year to keep active with my camera, keep moving forward with my photography. This past week, I made a promise. A reaffirmation, really. I commit to the pursuit of photography.

In today’s episode, I share my story and why I think the pursuit of photography is the right phrase. It’s not about goal setting. It’s not about keeper rates or contest wins. It’s about choosing to lead an artistic lifestyle and continue to grow as an artist.

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Learning composition did not come easy for me. It took a lot of studies, measured practice, and repeated effort to improve my skills. When I review my work, I pay extra attention to composition. There are a few compositional tips I think are less commonly used by landscape photographers:

Implied Leading Lines
Composing Open versus Closed Spaces
Blurring Focus To Compose

I discuss these techniques in today’s podcast. I also talk about this compositional markup of a photo from my library. Visit the episode webpage to see it. Members on Patreon - check your community feed for a video showing my critique and markup of a photo from my library.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

Negative Space Vs. Dead Space f/30, Episode #30

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Vincent Van Gogh wrote, “For the great doesn’t happen through impulse alone, and is a succession of little things that are brought together.” That beautifully describes the photographer’s journey. Artistry does not happen in leaps and bounds. It is a series of small steps, each one adding upon the last.

In today’s episode, let’s talk more about Van Gogh’s thoughts on making great art and how it relates to photography. I also share a personal story from last week that squarely reminded me of how small steps and incremental learning are a large part of the photographic journey.

References mentioned in this episode:

The Learning Curve
Scott’s YouTube Channel

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I received many, many questions about artificial intelligence, or AI, last week after Sklum’s announcement of Luminar AI. Today’s episode is inspired by those questions. Rather than discuss this specific product, let’s instead take a step back and look at AI in photography at a higher level.

AI is clearly here to stay. And chances are, you are already using AI in your photography - even if you don’t realize it! As photographers, we can leverage AI as a tool to fuel our creativity. Photography has always been a combination of artistry and technology. The more we free ourselves from the mechanical parts of photography, the more time we can focus on creativity.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Luminar AI - A Deeper Look, Scott Davenport Photography

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In the summer of 2019, I took a drive on California’s Route 1 from San Diego to Big Sur. I recently revisited my photo library looking at all of the captures from that trip. I found several very solid photos that I had never worked on before. They simply didn’t “make the cut” when I first culled them a year ago.

That’s interesting. I see something in those photos now I didn’t see before. It also underscores that I probably have dozens and dozens of hidden gems in my library just waiting to be found. And I’ll bet you do, too.

See my 6 Hidden Gems on stopdownpodcast.com.

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I’ve enjoyed some very interesting conversations with listeners of the show over the past few weeks. Some have been about camera technique, others about post processing, a few about asset management. Back in Episode 30 I asked you to share your thoughts about the things you find most challenging with your photography. And consider that an open invitation - I’d like to hear from you!

I thought a question from listener Tony was a great topic for a full podcast episode. He recently visited Acadia National Park and faced some undesired weather. Tony’s question - How do you deal with bad weather when on location

My approach - I think about bad weather ahead of time and have a few contingency plans at the ready. Listen to this week’s episode for a deeper dive into this topic.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Sketching Over Planning f/15
LifePixel, infrared conversion

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I think there are two things that are true for every photographer. Number one, we want to improve our photography. Number two, we consume the work of other photographers. Straightforward, right? These two things are complimentary if you have the right mindset when you’re looking at other photos.

In today’s podcast, I talk about how we consume photos and some pitfalls to avoid. I also share a personal story about how I used an aspirational mindset to capture the photo accompanying this episode.

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Photo projects are beneficial in and of themselves. A group of photos tells a very different story than a single image. Photo projects don’t need to be weighty either. If you’ve ever created a collection or album in your computer, you’ve got a photo project.

There are several creative benefits to having many photo projects running in parallel. I share more thoughts in today’s podcast. I also share a personal story of how one photo project led to feeding another photo project and spawning new ideas for yet even more photo projects.

When your photography has fluidity, it feeds your creativity. So have a few irons in the fire.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Creative Benefits of Cross-Training, Stop Down Photography Podcast Episode #24
The Americans, Robert Frank
Haida 17-Stop ND5.0 Drop-In Filter Review
Removing Hot Pixels (Lightroom, Photoshop)
Luminar Start To Finish video course

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Feedback is very important to growth as a photographer. We need feedback. We need to know how we can improve our art. There are two pieces of feedback. The first piece is the feedback itself. Is it constructive? Is it actionable? The second piece is the rate of application. How quickly can you put the feedback into practice?

Today’s episode talks about how different sources of feedback have different rates of application. Some feedback loops are short and tight, and improvement is very rapid. Other feedback loops are longer and take time to cultivate. A few can take a lifetime.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Show Empathy In Your Photo Critiques f/17, Stop Down Photography Podcast
What George Harrison Taught Me About Photography f/4, Stop Down Photography Podcast

Studio news this week - my next video course, Luminar Start To Finish is nearly complete. It will release in August 2020. If you are a Luminar user and want to improve your skills, be on the lookout for the course. Members of the Patreon community will get this course free of charge. Watch for it in your Patreon feed.

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What is the most challenging aspect of your photography? Share your thoughts using the contact form on stopdownpodcast.com. It may just be the topic for the next episode.

The concepts of negative space vs. dead space can be confusing for photographers. Both sound bad. I wrestled with negative and dead space for a long time. I was recently reminded of this compositional conundrum during an online coaching session with a student. In today’s podcast, I’ll share with you the same advice I gave my student. The key is knowing your subject.

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Our relationship with most of our photography is transitory. Yes, there is time spent capturing the photo and time spent in post-processing. After that, most of our photos get little attention. A social media share, perhaps a glance when reviewing past work, and that’s about it.

Yet there is great value in spending more time with a photo. Bringing it into the physical world. Living with it. I have printed many of my photos over the years. The one included with this episode has been on my wall for about a decade. What I find very interesting is how my relationship with the photo has changed over the years.

Listen to today’s podcast for more thoughts.

Resources in this episode:

Scott’s free videos and tutorials for printing your work
ON1 360: The Complete View Video Course

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When the creative groove grows too deep it becomes a rut. Today is a discussion of one of the ways to keep your creative mind engaged. Inject a little randomness into your process. It really does wonders. A method I like to use is Brain Eno’s Oblique Strategies. Yes, it’s a strange name … but give a listen. These strategies have a lot to offer.

I also mention some new training courses coming soon. Two titles are in the works. ON1 360: The Complete View and Luminar Start To Finish. These courses will be free to Patreon members when released.

Resources in this episode:

Oblique Strategies card deck
Oblique Strategies on the web

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It is July 2020 and it is feeling like a “lost year” already. I’ve felt somewhat aimless at times, drifting about. The phrase “lost year” reminded me of John Lennon’s “Lost Weekend”, actually an 18-month period. During this time he drifted a bit and wasn’t really rooted anywhere. He bounced around a variety of recording studios and had lots of collaborations.

Yet John was incredibly creative during this period. He finished 3 full albums and charted his first #1 US hit as a solo artist. That got me thinking. What can I learn from John’s “Lost Weekend”? Is there something I can apply to my photography?

I explore this idea in today’s podcast. Given the current world situation, in-person collaborations aren’t really feasible. However, experimenting in post-processing certainly is. I share my story of how I shook up my workflow to spark some creativity.

Here are three ideas to shake up your post-processing:

Use a different editing tool. Start your workflow in a place that’s not typical for you. Perhaps edit an entire batch of photos using your least-used editing tool. Starting in a new place will lead you down a different path.
Explore the corners of the editing tools you own. Dig deeper into the editing tool you use most. Look at filters, effects, or sliders you don’t typically use. Try them out.
Push your tried and true sliders in a different direction. Most of us have a few favorite sliders and filters. Push the sliders in the opposite direction than you normally do. For example, selectively desaturate colors in a HSL tool or go negative with clarity and sharpness.

It is OK if you fumble around a bit. It is also OK if the photos you produce are ones you never want to share. The goal of these ideas is to make discoveries, learn, and spark creativity.

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I have noticed - maybe realized is a better term - that my default mindset when I look at photos is that of a critic. I’m immediately dissecting the photo. Is the composition strong? How is color used? Is the subject in focus? How would I do things differently? Can the photo be better?

There is nothing wrong with critique. Critique is good. It’s a great way to learn and grow as a photographer. Self-critique is extremely important, too. Every artist wants to grow. Identifying areas for improvement can help push us forward.

However, admiring photos is also important. For me, that seems to have been pushed into the background somewhere along the way. Today’s podcast is a reminder to me to take a moment and simply admire good photos. Admiration is also a useful creative tool, one that can inspire us to move our own art forward.

Do you have a favorite feed of good, solid photos… ones that inspire you? Leave a comment or contact me at https://stopdownpodcast.com.

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Every photographer has a signature style - whether you know it or not. Join me for a talk about George Harrison’s musical style and what it has to teach us photographers about developing our own style. From loose musical timing to using “naughty chords”, George’s style has a lot to inspire a photographer.

The Stop Down Photography Podcast: Recent Episodes

Scott Davenport