BEHIND THE LENS
A solar photography ode to trees
As the city continues to clear up debris from the Aug. 10 storm, I began to think about non-traditional ways to illustrate the tree damage. ...
A photographer's tribute to trees lost in the Iowa derecho
The maple tree in my front yard has been the focus of an Iowa Photo feature of mine, the background of a past Shutter in Place feature, a source of shade while I photographed a Mad About Food feature and it has supplied the leaves I've used for fall foliage photos. ...
How to take smartphone photos of fruit to brighten up your social media feed
It's stone fruit season and thanks to fruit share I'm getting through my CSA subscription. ...
How to use a color wheel to make your food photography stand out
When you're photographing food at home, you have full control over the way things are arranged - the fabrics, textures and props you want to use. ...
Using refraction to create minimalist and abstract photographs
For today's column, I'm building on previous discussions of botanical photography and incorporating new techniques that are still attainable with common household objects. ...
Using water droplets in photography
On a day when rain changed all my plans, I resolved to just embrace it. ...
Experimenting with freelensing photography
A while back I was having a conversation with former KCRG newsie Justin Foss, now a strategic project manager with Alliant Energy while we waited for things to progress at a job site. ...
How to take professional-looking photos of food with your phone
Food photography in the last decade or so has shifted from dark and food-focused toward bright overhead light that casts stark shadows on messy, organic-looking scenes. ...
How to take high-quality photos of your plants with an iPhone
I eagerly watched the double peonies in my garden this spring, and the timing of their blooms was perfect for a Georgia O'Keeffe-inspired smartphone photography session. ...
Why it's important to consider shutter speed in your photography
With everything seemingly slowed down or completely stopped for the last two months or so, I think a lot of us have had our minds on the passage of time. ...
How to use light and household items to 'paint' with your camera
Photography means drawing with light. ...
How to take quality smartphone photos of all that bread you're baking
Show of hands - who's been baking bread during the pandemic? ...
Shutter in Place: Taking time to appreciate the magic of what's around you
In light of my increased time spent at home, I've begun just looking at things. ...
Make your followers hungry with Insta-worthy food photos
My social media feeds runneth over with photos of the food everyone is making and ordering from their local restaurants during this time of hunkering down. It's fun to see people challenging themselves and trying new things, When you're photographing food, keep in mind the color wheel. You ...