David’s Blog

I am not much of a filter guy- I rely on great subjects in great light. I really try not to create something that isn't there by using filters, both in my camera and in my computer. It always looks contrived and certainly unnatural. For those of you who are convinced you can create a  photo using multiple filters so that the it looks natural and...

I was recently interviewed by a local accomplished photographer, Chris Mazzarella. He has a very nice website that is forestcentric: http://forestforward.com/2012/03/13/an-interview-with-david-middleton-2/ Take a look around on the website and read my short interview- there are pearls  to be found, not big ones but some nice small ones. Next month Chris is...

I am going to keep this short and sweet (unlike my recent posts): Here are the things you must do when you are out taking pictures. No arguing, no excuses, no being lazy. Just sit there and listen and then go out and do it. 1. Check your histogram for every shot you take. This is why we use digital technology- we can see what the exposure is going to be....

Your indulgence, please. A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of getting to know a wonderful man named John on one of my workshops. He was an older man with a quiet sense of humor, a gentleman in every sense of the word and I really enjoyed my times photographing with him. At the time John was also going through some pretty hard cancer treatments and I...

Those of you who have suffered through one of my insufferable workshops will remember me going on and on about background. Usually its during a critique I bellow "background, background, background," making my point by pointing out bright spots or other distracting things behind the subject. "If the brightest thing in your picture is not the subject, it is...

One of the things I most enjoy when teaching a workshop is helping people when they are out taking pictures. Because I don't take pictures during workshops I spend my time wandering around looking through cameras, making suggestions and answering questions. Doing this is the most effective way to teach photography because the experience is real and the...

I am still going through my 700+ scans of the slides I sent into Scan Cafe and have found lots of images I had completely forgotten about that I still like. I don't really, really like them but I like them none the less. The reason I don't really, really like them is because every one of them has a flaw that I see whenever one pops up on my screen. Some...

I suppose I should tell you why I have decided to devote some time to learning proper video technique. The reason is pretty simple actually. It is because it is becoming increasingly apparent these days that video is an expected part of every website, presentation or promotion. And not just any video- high quality, professionally shot with professional...

My brain is about to explode! And no, it is not because my NY Giants are actually in the Super Bowl with a half-way decent chance to win. It is something even harder to fully comprehend- video! Not the simple amateurish-looking video you see on U-Tube but the lush, almost cinematic video with deep rich sound and wonderfully storytelling you see...well, you...

This pair of photos was taken about 10 minutes apart while I waited for something to happen at Wonder Lake in Denali National Park. Unfortunately, not everyone waited until the last possible moment. They was a non existent sunset and figured nothing was going to happen. Oops! So here is the rule for the new year: if you are waiting for sunset wait the...