“The Photographers” – a ballad
Sung to the tune of “Three Drunken Maidens” a traditional British ballad
© Grit Laskin – published with permission)
Early Saturday morning, while strolling in the wood
I chanced upon a lady who by the wayside stood
And what, pray tell, would such a lass as you be doing here?
I’ve come to take some photographs, she said as she drew near Read more
Shooting tips: Making the Most of Cloudy, Snowy Days
© Paul Mozell
The first snowfall in Massachusetts is exciting for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the return of great outdoor photography opportunities after stark and wet November weather. Combining my photography with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing makes this a wonderful season. But, the challenge for many photographers is how to uncover, and expose great compositions in the snow. This will be the first of a series of articles that will address shooting techniques, carrying and caring for your equipment in cold weather, and how to dress yourself for a long and comfortable day outdoors.
Winter forces me to return to my roots as a black & white photographer and the crutch of bright colors is usually not available. I welcome the simplicity and the challenge of finding compositions that rely on strong graphic elements, shadow, and subtlety. On cloudy days like the one in this shot taken in Massachusetts in mid-December, the flat light allows the detail of the scene to come alive. You might ask: “Why not convert this file to monochrome?” and my answer is, I like the idea that the viewer must search for the minimal color in the image. It’s a subtle trick that makes you spend more time viewing the photograph. But then again, this doesn’t rule out the black & white conversion.
Glorious Autumn Reflections
After you have photographed the white spires of New England churches behind the wide-branched sugar maples, and the leaves floating in the bubbling stream, and you feel like you have run up against the cliche wall… it may be time to visit a pond in the woods! 
A lake with fallen trees, or one dammed up by beavers, may offer interesting shapes and patterns to place in your composition. In this photograph I used a little fill from the built-in flash on my Nikon D200 to bring out the detail in the fallen branch. Read more
When to hire a pro photographer
© Paul Mozell
Let’s say that you work in the marketing communications department of a technology, financial services, or bio-tech company. The VP of marketing has just assigned you to a team developing a new corporate identity. This includes new marketing brochures, sell sheets, web content, and a schedule of press releases. The VP says she wants the new materials to have strong graphics and make liberal use of photographs.
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