Philosophy & Reflections

Mom's house from the back

A Repository for Memories: My Mother’s House

When growing up, it’s often common to think of your parents’ house as “Home.” Somewhere you can always go back to, somewhere that should always be a safe place. My mother’s house was that for me as much as I was able to have that, and over the years I’ve been in and out of that house so many times, living there as well as just visiting. And through it all I’ve had my camera(s) with me, documenting the process.  When I was young I remember looking through picture albums with one of my parents and them telling me stories or just reminiscing about certain events. I find that in my own life, the more I photograph something the better I can remember it later, whether it’s a space, a time, or an event: my friends’ houses, getting together for barbeques and whisky tastings, my bedrooms over the years, birthday parties, my times in COVID quarantine, and yes, my mother and her house. Over the years these all provided good fodder for my cameras.

AI Photography: My Journey Into A New Medium

My name is Ed, and I’m a photographer from Alabama. Having shot for about 12 years now, I’ve always been fascinated by the ways technology can enhance and transform the art of photography. In this article, I explore the exciting new world of AI-generated images and the impact they’re having on the world of photography and art. Drawing on my experiences with AI tools, as well as my passion for film photography, I reflect on the ongoing debate around AI-generated images and their place in the art world.

Wedding Inspiration shot on Film

My Story of the Imperfect Perfection of Film in Wedding Photography

I was always looking for a way to earn money on the side with something I love and escape the suffering of nursing. When Corona pushed things to the limit in 2020, I started taking selfies with my phone and playing around with photos. Instagram wasn’t new anymore, and people just posted whatever came to mind. So I started taking photos with my Sony Alpha 5000, which I used for vlogging back then. Here a traffic light, there a tree, and here an old car. But I couldn’t get away from the question of “how can I make money with it,” so I started calling for couples to photograph for my portfolio.

yellow maple leaf amid dried brown leaves on pavement

The Case for Always Taking Your Camera

In all of the photography advice I have ever received, the most common is to always bring your camera. You never know when you might come across something that you want to aim your camera at, and the comfort of having a camera around your neck or tucked in your pocket or bag is joyous. I love the spontaneity of being able to take a picture anywhere. You can find small or substantial moments and you never know when they will pop up. It could be a cloud formation or the way that a shadow hits the sidewalk as you are walking to the mailbox. It might be a bird in mid-flight or your child running. That “decisive moment” that Henri Cartier-Bresson described is much easier to find when you have your camera with you.

The Case for Not Always Taking Your Camera

Okay, it might be blasphemy to write this for a photography website. The other night, on a beautiful spring evening, I took Jupiter the dog for a little walk before dinner. I wanted to enjoy that prime space between winter and full-on spring. I usually grab a camera, even when it’s for a quick walk, but this night I deliberately left the camera behind. The time had just changed, and so we had that extra hour of daylight that all of the clock-switching nonsense aims for. We walked past the neighborhood park and turned onto a wide sidewalk trail heading east. The huge full moon was just rising and peeking out over the houses and treeline. It was absolutely gorgeous, beautiful reds and oranges reflecting the sunset hues in the opposite sky. I paused, and so did Jupiter.

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