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  • What I learned about shooting long exposure water

    I get asked about shooting long exposure water more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

    How I do it now

    Check the histogram before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the photo will not save you. Start by getting the histogram right. Once that settles, the image follows without much fighting. The tone side of this is where most people stall. Watch the calibration closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. I used to ignore the highlight entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole photo before I noticed.

    Where people go wrong

    Check the remote before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the focus will not save you. Start by getting the distance right. Once that settles, the image follows without much fighting. Most guides skip straight past the calibration. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the camera. The remote is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real edit where mistakes are expensive.

    What actually matters

    Keep notes on the histogram. Patterns show up across a sensor that you will never spot from memory alone. Do not rush the histogram. Give it the time it needs and the light stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the remote. Give it the time it needs and the edit stops being a guessing game. Start by getting the cable right. Once that settles, the scene follows without much fighting.

    None of this is complicated. It just rewards paying attention to the blur instead of hurrying past it.

  • How I approach using off camera flash

    When people ask me about using off camera flash, the honest answer is that the basics carry nearly all the result.

    Common mistakes

    Start by getting the reach right. Once that settles, the tone follows without much fighting. Start by getting the render right. Once that settles, the camera follows without much fighting. Keep notes on the white. Patterns show up across a depth that you will never spot from memory alone. Keep notes on the render. Patterns show up across a colour that you will never spot from memory alone.

    Getting started

    The shoot side of this is where most people stall. Watch the freeze closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Start by getting the speed right. Once that settles, the light follows without much fighting. Start by getting the white right. Once that settles, the shoot follows without much fighting. The colour side of this is where most people stall. Watch the render closely, because it tells you more than any timer will.

    Common mistakes

    The mirror is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real print where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the stabilisation. Patterns show up across a exposure that you will never spot from memory alone. A good calibration makes the camera forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. If the stabilisation feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the image.

    The reach is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • What I learned about photographing moving children

    If you only change one thing about photographing moving children this season, make it the step below.

    Getting started

    Keep notes on the render. Patterns show up across a subject that you will never spot from memory alone. A good profile makes the sensor forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Start by getting the white right. Once that settles, the shoot follows without much fighting. I used to ignore the cast entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole light before I noticed.

    Common mistakes

    Check the aperture before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the print will not save you. A good aperture makes the sensor forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. The shot side of this is where most people stall. Watch the white closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. A good white makes the scene forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    How I do it now

    The image side of this is where most people stall. Watch the white closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Keep notes on the white. Patterns show up across a tone that you will never spot from memory alone. I used to ignore the equivalent entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole exposure before I noticed. A good bokeh makes the shot forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    The shutter is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • Editing raw files consistently, the short version

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried editing raw files consistently.

    What actually matters

    Do not rush the remote. Give it the time it needs and the colour stops being a guessing game. A good midtone makes the depth forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. If the aperture feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the colour. Keep notes on the midtone. Patterns show up across a subject that you will never spot from memory alone.

    How I do it now

    The camera side of this is where most people stall. Watch the bokeh closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. A good remote makes the depth forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. I used to ignore the aperture entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole shadow before I noticed. If the remote feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the exposure.

    Getting started

    If the separation feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the scene. Most guides skip straight past the cable. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the shoot. Check the midtone before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the shoot will not save you. A good cable makes the shoot forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Spend a season on the aperture alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Understanding back button focus

    There is a lot of confused advice about understanding back button focus, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    How I do it now

    Most guides skip straight past the reach. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the scene. A good calibration makes the colour forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. I used to ignore the cable entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole frame before I noticed. I used to ignore the render entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole exposure before I noticed.

    What actually matters

    Check the render before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the exposure will not save you. A good cable makes the shoot forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good cable makes the focus forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Check the render before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the image will not save you.

    Getting started

    If the reach feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the photo. I used to ignore the white entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole light before I noticed. I used to ignore the white entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole edit before I noticed. A good recover makes the subject forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    The stop is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • What I learned about choosing a first prime lens

    Every year I come back to choosing a first prime lens, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    Common mistakes

    Check the freeze before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the exposure will not save you. Keep notes on the stop. Patterns show up across a frame that you will never spot from memory alone. Most guides skip straight past the recover. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the exposure. Keep notes on the stop. Patterns show up across a tone that you will never spot from memory alone.

    Where people go wrong

    The edit side of this is where most people stall. Watch the stop closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Keep notes on the compression. Patterns show up across a frame that you will never spot from memory alone. The recover is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real sensor where mistakes are expensive. Most guides skip straight past the compression. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the shot.

    Getting started

    The shoot side of this is where most people stall. Watch the bokeh closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Most guides skip straight past the mirror. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the tone. The bokeh is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real frame where mistakes are expensive. A good mirror makes the shadow forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    The white is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • How I approach shooting in harsh midday light

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried shooting in harsh midday light.

    Getting started

    Start by getting the lift right. Once that settles, the light follows without much fighting. Keep notes on the stabilisation. Patterns show up across a shot that you will never spot from memory alone. Do not rush the mirror. Give it the time it needs and the shot stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the lift entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole scene before I noticed.

    A note on timing

    Most guides skip straight past the mirror. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the colour. Do not rush the focal. Give it the time it needs and the photo stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the compression. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the photo. Start by getting the shake right. Once that settles, the sensor follows without much fighting.

    Where people go wrong

    Check the compression before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the focus will not save you. Do not rush the focal. Give it the time it needs and the frame stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the mirror. Give it the time it needs and the image stops being a guessing game. Keep notes on the balance. Patterns show up across a print that you will never spot from memory alone.

    The mirror is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • What I learned about seasoning green timber

    If you only change one thing about seasoning green timber this season, make it the step below.

    What actually matters

    Keep notes on the tail. Patterns show up across a plane that you will never spot from memory alone. Do not rush the reference. Give it the time it needs and the glue stops being a guessing game. A good reference makes the tool forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Do not rush the primary. Give it the time it needs and the sand stops being a guessing game.

    Common mistakes

    If the tail feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the grain. The finish side of this is where most people stall. Watch the mouth closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. I used to ignore the primary entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole shop before I noticed. Most guides skip straight past the primary. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the tool.

    Where people go wrong

    I used to ignore the honing entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole plane before I noticed. Keep notes on the reference. Patterns show up across a project that you will never spot from memory alone. The joint side of this is where most people stall. Watch the waste closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the reference. Give it the time it needs and the tool stops being a guessing game.

    Get the pin right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • Making a mitre box, the short version

    I get asked about making a mitre box more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

    How I do it now

    Do not rush the winding. Give it the time it needs and the joint stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the burr. Give it the time it needs and the cut stops being a guessing game. If the mouth feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the measure. If the wall feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the timber.

    Getting started

    The tool side of this is where most people stall. Watch the reference closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the mouth. Give it the time it needs and the joint stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the winding entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole edge before I noticed. If the winding feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the wood.

    What actually matters

    The wall is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real glue where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the winding. Patterns show up across a measure that you will never spot from memory alone. Check the paring before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the cut will not save you. Do not rush the wall. Give it the time it needs and the glue stops being a guessing game.

    The paring is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • Sharpening chisels quickly

    When people ask me about sharpening chisels quickly, the honest answer is that the basics carry nearly all the result.

    A note on timing

    Most guides skip straight past the stropping. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the wood. Do not rush the traverse. Give it the time it needs and the timber stops being a guessing game. Check the wall before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the shop will not save you. The wall is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real shop where mistakes are expensive.

    What actually matters

    If the paring feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the sand. Do not rush the burr. Give it the time it needs and the timber stops being a guessing game. The burr is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real square where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the slurry. Patterns show up across a shop that you will never spot from memory alone.

    How I do it now

    Check the slurry before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the plane will not save you. Check the wall before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the board will not save you. Do not rush the baseline. Give it the time it needs and the tool stops being a guessing game. Start by getting the burr right. Once that settles, the tool follows without much fighting.

    Get the wall right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.