by Reed Hoffmann | Jul 29, 2021 | Action, Advanced, Camera Gear, Intermediate, Lenses, Light, People, Sports
As a young newspaper photographer who enjoyed shooting sports, one of my dreams was to work an Olympics. Over the years, though, as I got to know photographers who did, my interest waned. Long days, difficult venues, massive crowding. While it was great to be involved...
by Reed Hoffmann | Jul 13, 2021 | Advanced, Beginner, Camera Gear, Composition, Exposure, Intermediate, Night Photography, Travel
Want to get the sharpest photos possible? First you need a good lens, then good technique. And, if you’re using a slow shutter speed, a tripod is a must. Since much of my work the last twenty years has involved travel, I’ve found a couple of great lightweight tripods...
by Reed Hoffmann | Jul 1, 2021 | Advanced, Beginner, Camera Gear, Composition, Education, Flash, Infrared, Intermediate, Light, Night Photography, Travel, Wildlife, Workshops
What if I told you there’s an area that’s great for both wildlife and landscape photography, has a geography that’s unique in the U.S., is wide open for exploration and not heavily visited by photographers? That’s just what you’ll find if you take the time to go up to...
by Reed Hoffmann | Jun 15, 2021 | Advanced, Beginner, Intermediate, Travel, Workshops
A big part of my work life this past decade (at least pre-COVID) has been leading photography workshops. If you’ve attended one, you know I try to keep them fun and filled with lots of places to make good pictures, as well as opportunities to learn and grow as a...
by Reed Hoffmann | Jun 3, 2021 | Action, Advanced, Camera Gear, Composition, Focus, Intermediate, Lenses, People
Like most photographers, I love wide aperture (“fast”) lenses for their ability to turn a distracting background into a beautifully out-of-focus blob. But that shallow focus can also make it hard to keep the subject sharp. If you’re within ten feet, an inch or two...
by Reed Hoffmann | May 13, 2021 | Advanced, Beginner, Composition, History, Infrared, Intermediate, Light, Travel, Workshops
At first it felt like I’d walked into “The Shawshank Redemption,” except that as the heavy steel bars clanged shut behind me, I knew I could leave whenever I wanted, not years in the future. The Missouri State Penitentiary closed in 2004 after housing some of the...