View Post

Study The Work of Others

In Books, Study the Masters, The Craft, Thoughts & Theory, Tutorials &Technique by David12 Comments

In my last article, I suggested studying the work of others as one path toward making your own work stronger. To shoot what things feel like requires that we first have feelings about things but also to understand what possibilities exist for translating feelings into photographs themselves. It’s a conversation that could get touchy-feely really quickly, but if it gets too far …

View Post

The Unexpected Path to Everyday Creativity

In A Beautiful Anarchy, Books, Creativity and Inspiration, The Life Creative by David17 Comments

The Short Version: My two new books are out today and you can get more information and links to how to get your hands on paperback, PDF, or Kindle versions at StartUglyBook.com. The longer version below is more compelling, but it’s, well, longer. Keep reading. In bold, trendy font, the advert for some piece of computer equipment aimed at photographers …

View Post

I’ve Got Nothing.

In Books, Most Popular, News & Stuff, Pep Talks by David566 Comments

My friend, I’ve got nothing this week. I’ve stared at this screen for what seems like hours, and my mind keeps getting distracted by the way my heart hurts. It’s been a tough year so far. The pandemic. So many lives and livelihoods lost. So much fear and anxiety. And now the murder of George Floyd, the subsequent protests in …

View Post

My Favourite Photography Books

In Books, Study the Masters by David31 Comments

I’m often asked for recommendations about photography books. Not, mind you, books about photography, but books of photographs. Here are my current favourites. They of course represent my own tastes and lean heavily toward black and white documentary photographs, but you can learn from all photography, and I think black and white images are simpler, allowing us (often) to get …

View Post

Within The Frame, 2nd Edition

In Books by David199 Comments

Since 2009, Within The Frame has surpassed all kinds of expectations, among them my own. What started as a book about the passionate (and compassionate) photography of people, places, and culture, became a book that was just as much about vision. It led to other books, workshops, and connections with people that have since become collaborators and best friends. Now …

View Post

The Visual Toolbox is Shipping!

In Books, e-books, News & Stuff, The Craft by David8 Comments

I’m speaking at a creativity conference in Mexico this week, but I wanted to let you know The Visual Toolbox is now shipping! You’d think this would get old somehow, but the release of any new book is exhilarating, even more so when it’s a printed book. If you’re at the What If! Conference, come have a celebratory drink with …

The Travelling Photographer

In Books, Craft & Vision, e-books, SEE THE WORLD, Travel by David12 Comments

“Wherever you go, you take yourself with you.” ~ Neil Gaiman In Hokkaido last month one of the guys I was traveling with made an astute observation, that no matter where we travel as photographers, we will always have the same creative struggles as we do at home because “we take that same photographer with us wherever we go.” Indeed. …

Light , Gesture, & Color

In Books, Influences, Study the Masters by David15 Comments

   The first, and only time, I met Jay Maisel, he asked what kind of photography I did. At the time I was busy with humanitarian assignments and I told him so. He looked me in the eye, having just met me, and said, “You mean people pay you to do that? You’re an evil man.” And then he laughed. …