Restoring Balance
Dear Bubbles: Can you settle this once and for all: does setting the white balance affect a RAW image? ~Jeff Dear Jeff: It’s complicated. No and yes, which is why we’re easily confused… Let’s start with what RAW is. It’s…
The Impossibility of Creativity
Dear Bubbles: Why is the creative stuff so darn difficult? ~Mark Dear Mark: It sure feels hard sometimes, doesn’t it? Early on in my photography career, I spent much of my time photographing iconic scenes around the southwestern United States.…
Help-U Haiku
Dear Bubbles, Rumor has it you have your workshop participants write haiku’s. Is this true? If so, could you tell me how doing this would help my photography? ~Intrigued Dear Intrigued: A haiku in response: My cover is blown! Words…
Get a Move On
Dear Bubbles: I’m a little embarrassed to ask, but here goes anyway: how do you get the water to look so soft in your pictures? ~Inquiring Minds Want to Know Dear Inquiring Minds Want to Know: First off, under no…
Taking Control
Dear Bubbles: I shoot all of my landscape photos on Av mode. I saw a meme on Facebook recently that said, “Everyone’s a photographer until Manual.” How do you feel about this? I’m not sure I’m ready to go to…
Common Mistakes with Landscape Photographs
Dear Bubbles: Over all of the years you’ve been teaching photography workshops and all the images you’ve seen in them, what would you say are the most common mistakes people make with their landscape photographs? ~Anne Dear Anne, It’s hard…
Switching Gear
Dear Bubbles: You were a full-frame Canon shooter, and you’ve moved to Olympus (OMD EM1 Mark II, I believe?). What do you like about your Olympus micro-four-thirds gear for landscape photography, and what do you feel you’ve given up leaving…
Two-for-One: Sunglasses and Processing
Dear Bubbles: I almost always wear fairly strong prescription sunglasses (polarized) when I am outside, because I am very sensitive to bright light. I tend to be wearing them whenever I am making photographs. I don’t usually worry about this…
Self-Publishing a Book
Dear Bubbles: Now that I find myself with extra free time these days, I’m considering putting together a book with my photographs and thoughts. I’d want to sell it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. But I’ve never done anything…
Another Dose of Depth of Field
Dear Bubbles: Could you please explain this depth of field and hyperfocal business to me ONE more time? Thank you! ~Still Don’t Get It Dear Still Don’t Get It: An abundance of unscientific evidence has proven that in order for…
DAM! Sorting Out Image Management
Dear Bubbles: My first photography influencer told me to keep my photographs by years. Now I have six different external drives and, being of a certain advanced age, I can’t remember where I parked my car far less what year…
Histogram is Out of Shape
Dear Bubbles: I shoot in JPEG format. I’ve heard that my histogram should look like a bell curve. I can never get it to look like that. What am I doing wrong? ~Feeling Exposed Dear Feeling Exposed: I’m glad you’re…
Celebrating Lucky Number 13
Dear Bubbles: Congratulations! It’s been 13 years since you’ve left the corporate world to become a freelancing entrepreneur. How have things changed for you since then? What lessons have you learned about photography and life since leaving Intel? ~Mom and…
Bubble Wrap
Dear Bubbles: When I wrap my framed prints for shipping, which way does the bubble wrap go? Bubbles in or out? ~Al Dear Al: This question reminds me of another question: “Should the toilet paper go over or under the…
Becoming One with the Right Tripod
Dear Bubbles: One of your timely statements was that we should try to become one with our tripods. What type of tripod is worth becoming one with? ~ Lari Dear Lari: Ah yes, tripods get no love. Of all the…
Keeping it Fresh
Dear Bubbles: I feel stuck. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to and photograph many beautiful places, but lately, when I visit a spot, I just don’t feel inspired to take any photographs. Is there something wrong with me? What…
If No One Saw Your Photos
Dear Bubbles: I just finished watching the “Finding Vivian Maier” documentary per your recommendation. Very good. But now I’m wondering, if no one ever saw YOUR photographs, would you still photograph? ~Sam Dear Sam: Wasn’t that a fun story? For…
It Takes Two
Dear Bubbles: I recently heard about the “photo celibacy” approach at a recent conference. When trying to find your photographic voice or vision, how can cutting yourself off from studying other photographers help you develop your voice? Or expand it?…
The Art of Not Sucking
Dear Bubbles: Why do I suck so bad at photography and how can I get better today? ~Robert Dear Robert: I appreciate your enthusiasm to improve your photographic skills. But first, we have to address the sucking… I don’t know…
Graduating to Grad ND’s
Dear Bubbles: You listed “graduated neutral-density filters” on your workshop’s recommended gear list. I’ve never heard of them before. What are they and what do they do? Do I really need them? ~A Filter Virgin Dear A Filter Virgin: Well,…
Developing Your Style
Dear Bubbles: All the workshop gurus and self help photography courses advise me to “develop my photographic style.” I don’t know what my style is. How can I develop it? ~ Bothered, Bewildered, and Confused Dear Bothered, Bewildered, and Confused:…
Playing Favorites
Dear Bubbles: It’s your brother. Which of your photographs is your favorite and why? Is it your favorite because of the adventure you had, your camera equipment and settings at the time, the location, the people you were with, or…
Color or Black and White?
Dear Bubbles: I loved how one of my images looked in B&W in camera, but when I put it on my computer and saw it, I’m not sure what to do with it. I may actually like it better in…
Modus Operandi
Dear Bubbles: I have a problem with learning aperture and shutter speed. I read about it, think I’ve got it, but when I go to use it I can’t remember which is which or what I’m supposed to do. So,…
