These days most DSLRs and mirrorless cameras that have direct monochrome capture options also let you apply digital filters to produce an effect as if you had placed a camera filter in front of your lens. If you’re new to the world of traditional filters for black and white photography, here’s a quick primer and how it will affect your images.

“To me the face – the eyes, the expression of the mouth – is the thing that reflects character. It is the only part of the body that permits us to see the inner person!” – Philippe Halsman

Let’s start by being honest about the cliché that states “cheaters never win.” As sophisticated 21st century individuals, our life experience sometimes tells us just the opposite. Cheaters often win and sometimes they win big but don’t let this fact make you ignore everything you learned from your parents or church or just plain know what’s right.

Tripods are a popular topic on this blog because I think it’s a simple tool that can really improve the sharpness (and even the composition) of your images. A tripod forces you to take the time to look at the four corners of your frame so there is no surprises. Recently, I started my annual Holiday Buyer’s Guide series of posts and the first topic was tripod heads

There are lots of things you should consider when setting up a home studio beginning with exploiting all of the possibilities of the available space. That space also determines the kind of lenses and focal lengths you’ll be able to use, which is invariably why I choose zoom lenses.