I often hear people say they like to use film because it’s so unpredictable. It’s not. It’s extremely quality-controlled. All the manufacturers have high standards for what goes out into the film boxes we buy and there is no unpredictability to a roll of Ilford HP5 or any other film. There is unpredictability when it... Continue Reading →

Always go before the event. The best photos happen before the event starts and after it ends. I knew that was the case so I went down to the town of Louisville Colorado on Labor Day morning as the parade was getting ready. People milling around but nowhere to go or be. A captive audience.... Continue Reading →

I went out a couple evenings ago to my local downtown street with an Ansco Universal 5×7 inch camera and one film holder–two sheets. I set up the camera on the sidewalk next to my car where there was a large south-facing wall bathed in near-sunset evening light. I thought that wall will work as... Continue Reading →

Here are some portraits of musicians Lauren Frihauf, Andy Sydow, and Loren Dorland from a photo session before Andy’s show at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox in Denver. Plus show photographs. Lauren opened the show and then sang backup during Andy’s show along with Loren. I photographed Andy’s band during a recording session at Mighty Fine Studios... Continue Reading →

Before the fair opens, there is a parade in town. Which sounds fun but every photojournalist knows the best parade photos happen before and after the parade, so I went to where the parade was setting up an hour before start time. And made Rolleiflex portraits. They were made for my American Street Portraits book... Continue Reading →

Every August I look forward to the arrival of the Boulder County Fair. And it never disappoints. I mostly look for people in the rides area and the experience of kids and teenagers (that’s who mostly are on the rides) as they navigate the decision about where to go next. And boy, the price for... Continue Reading →

The photojournalist in me loves to go to a party with a camera. This time the party was two music stages and a sea of people celebrating Independence Day in my town. I wanted to document something that told the story of the day. Something about the people gathered. I didn’t want to photograph the... Continue Reading →

America turned 250 a few days ago. As I always do, I I went to the Niwot 4th of July parade because the town and its people are a perfect picture of Americana. I went to make street portraits and decided on a theme–stars and stripes. That focus set the direction for who to ask.... Continue Reading →

The Denver PrideFest Parade is one of the most colorful, which is why I make portraits with Ilford HP5 black and white film. These folks are bursting with color. In a way, working with monochrome has a way of engaging the viewer with the subject as they fill in the details. Plus, the whole American... Continue Reading →

As I mentioned in the previous post, I was up at Mark’s cabin last weekend and along the way, I passed through the small mountain town of Jamestown. He lives about 6 miles further up the mountain. On the way back down, I stopped to see if the Jamestown Mercantile served breakfast, and the answer... Continue Reading →

I started a local gathering of photographers at the Irish pub in town over four years ago and every Tuesday, the gang’s all there. Some weeks four or five, others 16 or 18. We never know. There’s no RSVP. There’s just showing up and maybe bringing some prints or a tablet or laptop to show... Continue Reading →

I picked up an old 1960s-era Miranda Sensorex at a flea market recently for a mere twenty dollars and I wanted to try it out to see just what it could do. It came with a 50mm f1.8 lens, the lens that came standard with the camera. When it comes to describing cameras by looks,... Continue Reading →

Cat is a local woman who I’ve known for decades and she contacts me every few years for family photos and always wants me to use black and white film. She’s a fan of film photography and a photographer herself so she knows black and white can make for dynamic portraits. So, last week I... Continue Reading →

It was a roasting hot 95°F Saturday and I had done a lot of work inside to beat the heat. But as it reached 5:00 PM, I was getting stir crazy. I wanted to go out to make portraits for my American Street Portraits series but I thought it would probably be too hot. No... Continue Reading →

In my career as a professional photographer, I’ve photographed many feature stories for newspaper and magazine articles–often portraits of business leaders, authors, dignitaries and at times, celebrities. For my Wise Photo Project, when I am between commercial photo assignments, I make complimentary magazine-style portraits of local residents 70+. I bring a little light to make... Continue Reading →

In case you missed it at the bottom of the last post, there was one extra special portrait I made when I was out working on my American Street Portraits project last Sunday evening. A friend just saw it and said, “That’s love!” The serendipity of that moment–that I was able to be there, be... Continue Reading →

Over two recent Sundays, at The Art and Approach of Street Portraiture (Film & Digital) Photo Workshop at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center in Denver, photographers learned to make portraits like these. The last photo, of the dad with his daughter, the little girl was crying as our group passed. I went up to them... Continue Reading →

Ever wonder what happens if you photograph with Ilford Delta 3200 and expose it at 250? Well, that’s what I inadvertently did this week. Doing it was completely unintentional! I didn’t notice it until I pulled it out of the developing tank thinking it was HP5 and saw edge markings saying 3200. Say what? Lesson:... Continue Reading →

When you hire a professional photographer like me, it’s good to know what to expect–what you’re getting. And what you’re not! Here’s what you won’t get from me. I don’t use AI to make image constructions (or whatever they’re calling them today). I don’t use Assisted Culling of my photographs. I don’t use Presets to... Continue Reading →

Yesterday was Easter and I wanted to find someone dressed up in their “Easter finest”. So, I went out to McIntosh Lake in Longmont Colorado with the Graflex Crown Graphic 4×5 camera and a couple sheets of film and immediately saw this little girl in her beautiful Easter dress. She’s who was waiting for my... Continue Reading →

Because I had evening plans, I didn’t want to go out and make street portraits and then not have time to develop them, so I took the 4×5 out instead, the Crown Graphic press camera. I sat on a bench by McIntosh Lake in Longmont Colorado and waited until somebody commented on the camera and... Continue Reading →

I was out in Los Angeles last week for an actress portrait shoot. While there, I hit the streets for my American Street Portraits series. These are from the trendy Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. Rolleiflex 3.5F & Ilford HP5 It was good to work in a different location and meet these folks in sunny... Continue Reading →

I post my photography to Instagram. So does Joel Meyerowitz, a big name in art photography. Same goes for Steve McCurry, Bruce Gilden, Alex Webb. And Marc Seliger, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino, David Bailey. Also Ralph Gibson, Matt Stuart, Alec Soth, and Daido Moriyama. All regular posters to IG. They enjoy being on the receiving... Continue Reading →

I’m a fan of vernacular photography (aka snapshots)! I collect them when I find interesting ones of people engaged in life. Doing interesting things besides standing in front of things. I recently bought a trove of negatives–120 2 1/4″ x 3 1/4″, and 127 40mm x 40mm. It’s time travel. In the past, I found... Continue Reading →

I was making a post on LinkedIn and wanted to make a point that adding a bit of film to the professional photographer’s toolbox can be a leg up on the competition. And from my point of view, the pros I know who use film I find to be the better photographers. It probably should... Continue Reading →

I have over 1200 portraits for my ongoing American Street Portraits series made on film with a 1960 Rolleiflex, the camera of choice for many celebrity portraits and magazine covers for Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. (I’m talking industry heavyweights like Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, David Bailey and Cecil Beaton.) By now, you probably... Continue Reading →

What is it about a well-worn camera that makes us like it better than one that is in pristine condition? Maybe because it has seen things. Traveled the world, perhaps. It has provenance. This is a friend’s Leica M2 that he handed me the last time we were together. He said, “I loaded a roll... Continue Reading →

I photograph everywhere I go and from looking at my photographs I guess I go to a lot of pubs. It’s where I meet friends for drinks and conversation. Here’s a selection of pub photos I’ve assembled from the last few months. I’m not a big drinker. I like a good craft beer–an IPA–or a... Continue Reading →

I can saw the lady in the box in half, and she appears cut in half, but that doesn’t make her severed for real. It’s conjuring. It looks real but we know it’s not. AI is that magician working for people without writing skills, photography ability, anyone unable to create so they need a conjurer... Continue Reading →

You don’t have to practice the guitar for an hour a day to become a guitarist. Ten minutes a day on a daily basis is fine. It adds up and keeps you working at it. It becomes a part of your life, not a long session one weekend when you think of it and talk... Continue Reading →