Don Peters's blog

The most important tool for photography—and the only one that's free—is the brain. Mine received a much-needed tune-up recently from a good book, Lee Frost's The A-Z of Creative Photography (Rev. ed. 2010).

I create my favorite photographs when I abide by two related precepts. One is that, although photographs don't all have to be simple, they should all be as simple as possible. The other is that I should be steering the viewer's eye towards what matters, and away from what doesn't, at every opportunity. 

Not long ago, I read a complaint about all the "manipulation" of photographs that is being done these days. The man who was complaining expressed a preference for unmanipulated, original photographs. I've heard similar comments on many occasions.

Let's take a look at that unmanipulated, original image. 

When we think of landscape photography, many of us tend to think of our wide-angle lenses. There are situations, though, in which a telephoto lens is a better choice—or the only choice.

Some photographs continue to hold our interest long after they are taken. Others don't. What accounts for the difference? It's worth looking at our own work with that question in mind. The answer may tell us what kinds of photographs we should be taking.

We need to be on the lookout for photographs that aren't yet available, but soon may be. 

We get a good composition when the right combination of subject matter and light coalesces in the viewfinder. Subjects are often moving. Light is often changing. We need to be thinking ahead to avoid missing shots.

A contrast mask is one of the most useful processing techniques I know of. Many people seem unaware of the technique. It's very easy to learn and to apply.