Reed Hoffmann’s Photography Blog
Best Filters for Photography
For over twenty years as a newspaper photographer, I never once used a graduated neutral density filter. Which was stupid. And I rarely used a polarizing filter, which was almost as bad. There were two reasons for this. First, in photojournalism there’s a high standard applied against manipulation of scenes and images. Unless shooting a […]
Photographing the Super Moon
In case you missed the hoopla, we were treated to a “Super Moon” on July 12. But never fear, you’re going to have another chance to see one, or better yet, shoot it on August 10. A Super Moon is when the moon is full at the same time it’s closest to the earth. It […]
Decorating with Photos
A few years ago a student asked me, “What do you do with all your pictures?” They went on to say they’d hung all they could, and given away many as presents. But then what? I explained that for me, the process of shooting pictures was its own reward. And while I enjoy having other people […]
9/11 Memorial NYC
I’m in New York City a couple of times a year. After the terrorist attacks in 2001 people would often ask if I ever visited Ground Zero. The answer was no. I didn’t want to. As a newspaper photographer, the assignments I dreaded most were those that involved personal tragedy. It was painful to see […]
Making Great Cloud Photos
I love clouds. Not the cover-everything-up-in-gray clouds, but those big, white, puffy ones. And that’s one of the advantages of where I live. Montana may be known as “Big Sky Country,” but Kansas can compete. This past week every day was forecast for 40% rain, which meant clouds – lots of them. And one evening […]
Weather Woes
I know good photos can be made in all kinds of weather. But there’s weather, and then there’s rain. I’m fine shooting pictures in any kind of weather except rain. Hot, cold, snowy, windy, humid – I can deal with all of those. But keeping lenses, viewfinders and my glasses clear in rain is a […]
Photographing Mount Rainier
Last weekend I taught Nikon School in Seattle with my good friend and co-instructor Bill Durrence. I’ve been fortunate to visit Seattle many times over the years, for schools, workshops and business with Microsoft. It’s a beautiful city in one of the most scenic parts of the country, and occasionally flying in I’d get a […]
Resolution for Screen and Print
On the long list of topics that people find confusing about digital photography, resolution is near the top. I recently had a note from a friend who was making prints, and they came back “pixelated.” When I read that, I was 90% sure the problem was resolution (and it was). If you’re going to share your photos, […]
Photographing Baseball
With spring upon us, now’s a great time to talk outdoor action photography. Sports in particular are fun to shoot because you never know what might happen, and what picture might result. Of all the sports to shoot, I think baseball’s the most difficult because there’s relatively little action, and what there is usually happens […]
In the Zone
Lately I’ve been reading about some past photographers and how they approached their work, and came across something that really hit home. It was the idea that to be successful as a photographer, you needed to clear your mind of all other thoughts. You had to be free from the daily worries, responsibilities and distractions […]