Summer is prime time for burgeoning professional shutterbugs to snag photo internships. Many newspapers, magazines, and television stations offer unpaid internships to students looking to forge a career in photography. As a teen, I spent three consecutive summers shooting video for a local TV station in order to gain professional experience. Back then, the Internet was practically nonexistent; rather, I was forced to rely on word of mouth and recommendations from teachers in order to snag my gig. Today, students can visit the National Press Photographers Association’s website which maintains a list of internship opportunities in the United States. Another … Continue reading →

Halloween pictures don’t have to only include trick-or-treaters and pumpkins. If you are looking to add some mystery to your All Hallows’ Eve photos, then look to the sky. The moon phase for Halloween 2011 is Waxing Crescent which means you won’t have a full sphere to document. Still, the light from a Crescent moon will easily help to cast an eerie glow on your holiday subjects. However, before you shoot at the sky, consider that there is a distance of approximately 240,000 miles between you and the moon. Unless you have special equipment you probably won’t be able to … Continue reading →

Despite this week’s wicked winds and freezing cold temperatures, we’ve experienced a very mild autumn. When you live in northern Wisconsin you never take for granted a rare 12-day stretch of 80 degree days in late September/early October. As a result of the unseasonably high temperatures many of the flowers that frame our home are still in bloom. We’ve only had one night that dipped below freezing, so many of the blossoms are still sturdy and bright. The unusual occurrence has inspired me to get outside to document the pretty sights. While my photo specialty is not floral and fauna, … Continue reading →

(A real hot dog.) Take a look at this photo. This is the Halloween costume I wanted my 7-year-old to wear trick-or-treating. She refused. She also turned up her nose at Old Navy’s other tasty costumes, including the cupcake, ice cream cone and hamburger. I told her that she would surely score double treats if she went door-to-door looking as cute as the hot dog in the photo above. Actually, I bet the dog would rake in an even bigger haul by donning Old Navy’s Banana Split costume for pups. I know I would surely snap a shot of a … Continue reading →

Some people despise going to the dentist, while others can’t stand the thought of standing in long lines at the DMV. For my mom, nothing ruins her day more than having to pose for a family picture. The woman can’t stand being in front of the camera, and it shows. If a picture speaks a thousand words, then the images my mom reluctantly appears in clearly shout: “I don’t want to be here.” If you are as camera-shy as my mom, you might find the following tips helpful for those times when you are forced to smile on cue: Lips: … Continue reading →

In a previous post I shared my excitement about scoring a manager’s special coupon to Sears Portrait Studio. I was told that I would be saving hundreds of dollars by booking a session to get my daughter’s photos taken—-so I did. Turns out, I didn’t save hundreds of dollars. In fact, whatever I saved, I ended up spending in order to purchase extra prints for various family members and friends. I’m pretty sure Sears planned it that way. That’s okay, though, I knew the coupon was incentive to book the session, and the employees at our local portrait studio didn’t … Continue reading →