In this episode, I challenge you to check your patterns and routines. Are you dedicating time to your photography, to grow as an artist? I share a story about my effort to overcome a certain inertia with my life patterns and its impact on my photography, and how a disruption to my typical day-to-day rhythm sparked creativity and making time for personal growth. Also, an update to the ON1 Photo RAW Essentials book is coming! Join my mailing list for a discount when the eBook launches in late January. Have a photo adventure this April! Join me on a photo workshop in Big Sur California, happening ..read more

Non-destructive editing is the professional standard for photo editing in the digital age - and with good reason. Keeping your original image untouched is fabulous. Creating virtual copies or versions of an image to try out different looks and styles without duplicating the original file is wonderful. However, there are pitfalls, such as editing tool lock-in or, in a world where you can endlessly refine and tweak settings, the mental challenge of treating a photo as done. Those are challenges for sure. Yet my big problem with non-destructive editing is plugins (and no, Smart Objects doesn’t so ..read more

There is no better way to grow as a photographer than to immerse yourself in photography. And there is no better way to do that than take part in a photo workshop. That rings true for me, both as an instructor and as a student. When a workshop finishes, I am always invigorated and my passion for photography rekindled. I am very excited to share with you my workshop line up for 2024. I am hosting 3 workshops next year: Bryce Canyon National Park, Feb 13-15, 2024, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/bryce-canyon-2402 The Big Sur Experience, Apr 8-11, 2024, https://scottdavenportphoto.com/big-sur-exp ..read more

In the previous episode of the podcast, I shared the photo gear I was packing for a non-photo trip, a family vacation. I have returned from that trip and am happy to say that my gear choices worked wonderfully. I successfully fit photography into this non-photo trip and have images I know I’ll be happy with. Looking back on the trip, some things certainly worked better than others. Also, my success wasn’t just about the gear I chose to bring. It was a balanced combination of the gear choices, travel choices, flexibility, and a touch of opportunism. In this episode, I explain how the gear worke ..read more

Whether you are a seasoned photographer or just starting out, there are common photo mistakes that we all make. And we make time and time again. In this podcast, a light-hearted rundown of several rookie mistakes I’ve made in very recent history that cost me good photos. Have a listen and hear if any of these fumbles and stumbles have happened to you. - Failure to get crisp focus - Forgot to adjust the polarizing filter - Didn’t bring a spare battery - Left the remote trigger at home Attention ON1 Photo RAW users! I am teaching 2 classes at the KelbyOne ON1 Photographers Conference, July 25th ..read more

To say my visit to Cambria, California and the surrounding area did not go to plan would be putting it mildly. Mother Nature was in a sour mood and she quickly squashed my plans and pre-visualized photos. I share thoughts and takeaways from this less-than-successful photo excursion. In studio news, I have been busy with several ON1-themed projects of late. Some are complete and others are still to come. ON1 Photo RAW Essentials addendum for 2023.5 is posted. Book owners can get the addendum using the link in the first few pages of the book. https://scottdavenportphoto.com/products/on1-photo-ra ..read more

This podcast is all about staying active with your photography, pacing yourself, and a little bit about World War Z. How does a 10-year old zombie apocalypse movie intersect with photography? It’s a phrase uttered in the beginning of the film … “Movemiento es vida”, movement is life. That phrase rings true for me in several ways, and certainly for photography. I hope you’ll give a listen to a personal story of mine from the pandemic, the behavior changes the global lockdown triggered for me, and how I’m moving forward with my photography…. with a new appreciation for pacing. Join me this Nove ..read more

I have a set of 3 questions to help me get unstuck when I’m in the field: What do I want to say? How do I effectively say it? Why is one writing technique preferred over another to deliver my message? I learned this approach to storytelling from writing. A writer asks these key questions as they work on their piece, whether it’s creative writing, a screenplay, or even educational or technical writing. The story arc needs to be there to effective get your message across to the reader. It’s similar for photographers - we are visual storytellers. When I’m stuck in the field, I use these questions ..read more

I carve out at least one day a week to step out into the landscape with my camera. However, of late, I’ve been skipping those outings. I’ve made excuses of one kind or another, or talked myself out of taking in a landscape shoot. I have done camera work for some family events, but not landscape photography. A couple of days ago, the conditions in San Diego were perfect for sunset. I asked myself “Do I need another sunset photo?” That question gives me pause. And that is the topic for this episode of The Stop Down Photography Podcast. I also try to answer that question. In studio news, I have b ..read more

Photographers, myself included, hold our cameras in high regard. It is the beloved tool we use to create our photos, to express ourselves. We put a lot of time and energy into choosing our cameras to select the one that best fits our photography and personal style. Yet to our viewers, the camera doesn’t matter - at all. That is the topic for this episode. Listen and hear how a recent meeting with an old friend that underscored that sobering truth for me. In the studio, I am busy working on an update to my book, ON1 Photo RAW Essentials. Subscribe to my newsletter at https://scottdavenportphoto ..read more