How to Use Selective Focus in Photos
One of the most powerful photography techniques to learn is selective focus. It makes your photos look more intentional, more professional, and lends impact, directing the viewer’s eye. What is Selective Focus? Selective focus is basically what it sounds like. You select what portion of your image you want to be in focus, while blurring…
Giving Up A Full-Time Job For the Freedom Of Travel Blogging
The day my corporate job was eliminated, my husband and I celebrated. Sure, I was scared—after all, I was losing a good income. But my excitement for my newfound freedom overshadowed my fear. I could now more fully follow my dream of traveling—and writing about it. I had started a travel blog the year before…
How to Start in 360 Degree Photography
The email read: “Congratulations—your photos have received over 50 million views! You’re a top photographer on Google Maps. You’ve just accomplished what few people have done! Keep it up!” I had been producing Google Street View business tours since 2014, and I couldn’t help but smile. It was a big number that represented real shoppers…
5 Reasons Why Adding Editorial Photos To My Stock Portfolio Was a Smart Idea
When I first heard about stock photography, I was intrigued. It sounded like a win-win for any photographer. I would take pictures of things I found interesting and have a shot at selling them to others on stock sites. Although commercial stock was originally my go-to, I began to split my uploads between it and…
How I Got Published in the New Yorker
On my way to the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Boston, I dreamed about being free to explore the world instead of being cooped up in an office building. I thought longingly about leaving behind the piles of paperwork to head out for adventures on exotic tropical islands. I looked forward to learning skills that…
A Day in the Life of a Pro Photographer
Over a decade ago, I used to have a nine-to-five job working as an HR manager. My daily routine was very repetitive. I’d commute to work, do the same tasks in my cubicle, and head back home in the evening. Rinse and repeat the next day until the weekend came. It all changed when I…
How I Earn Money by Doing What I Love
“Hold on!” I shouted to my kids as we took a whitecap across the broad side of our canoe. Our boat rocked hard and water splashed in, but we stayed upright as my wife and I paddled frantically to get pointed downwind. The stunning turquoise waters of the lake had been placid just an hour…
Tropical Thailand Is a Photographer’s Dream
My ginger cat, Ninja, lies sprawled behind my open laptop on a sturdy, stone picnic table with a sea view. My feet rest on a carpet of fallen leaves, a balmy, briny breeze fans me, and a patchwork of bright blue sky peeks through a green, leafy canopy overhead. I work peacefully accompanied by my…
Getting Started in Client Photography
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to become a professional portrait or wedding photographer but had no idea where to start, you are not alone! It can seem pretty overwhelming, especially if you’ve never done anything like it before. I’ve been a professional portrait and event photographer for the last 16 years,…
How I Earned $800 in Bylines by Looking Back at My Photos
A new year tends to make us look back over the past year. I usually think about what changes to make and what I’d like to accomplish going forward. Then there’s the joy and goldmine of article ideas I find from looking back through travel photos. Being a visual person, looking back over my travel pictures is how I pay the bills. To give you an idea,…