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Edward Weston: The Photographer

February 3, 2014 by Steve Berardi 9 Comments

Edward Weston once said that “Good composition is merely the strongest way of seeing.” I’ve always thought that was one of the best explanations of what photography is at it’s core: it’s really just about learning to see better.

Weston is widely known as one of the most influential American photographers. He primarily shot photos in the American West (especially California), and photographed a wide range of subjects (including landscapes, portraits, and still life).

I recently came across an excellent documentary about Weston and his approach to photography (thanks to Jim Goldstein for sharing!), so I thought it’d be great to share on PN. It’s a little dated (filmed in 1948), but there’s a lot of inspirational stuff in here:

Enjoy! 🙂 [Read more…] about Edward Weston: The Photographer

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: american, california, camera, documentary, edward, film, photographer, photography, west, weston

Why You Should Prepare For the Unexpected

August 14, 2012 by Steve Berardi 11 Comments

Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi
This past weekend, I missed out on a really good photo opportunity. I was hiking with a friend in the chaparral of Southern California, when all of a sudden a big thunderstorm rolls through. I noticed the weather forecast called for a 20% chance of rain and thunderstorms, but I’ve seen that kind of forecast so often (and end up hiking under crystal clear skies), that I’ve learned to ignore anything below a 60% chance of rain 😉

Plus, I’ve only heard thunder or seen lightning twice in my five years of living in Southern California. So, when the weather forecast keeps saying “thunderstorms,” I always think to myself, “yeah, right…” [Read more…] about Why You Should Prepare For the Unexpected

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: california, chaparral, landscape, lightning, mountains, photograph, prepare, rain, rare, storm, thunder

6 Tips For Photographing Sand Dunes

January 10, 2012 by Steve Berardi 9 Comments

Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi
Sand dunes are some of the most visually stunning subjects you’ll find in the desert. In a land that’s dominated by sharp cactus and pointy rocks, dunes provide some relief with their smooth curves and soft sand. So, naturally they make good subjects for photographs. Here are a few tips for photographing them:

#1 – Watch where you walk

Avoid walking through the middle of dunes, since that’ll mess up those nice lines in the sand and ruin any opportunity to photograph the dune. Instead, walk around dunes, or only walk through dunes you know you don’t want to photograph. [Read more…] about 6 Tips For Photographing Sand Dunes

Filed Under: Landscapes Tagged With: california, colorado, contrast, country, desert, dunes, landscape, lenses, mojave, sand, shadow, sunrise, sunset, Tips, wind

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