Approach
My general approach to personal photography is a mixture of pre-planning and “photography by walking around.” I think about projects and try to pre-visualize the types of images that I’d like to capture. Then, when I’m walking around or driving, I look for scenes that relate to those concepts. While I’m working, I also try and remain open to unplanned photo opportunities, since they can inspire a whole new direction.
Technique
The act of photographing is an exercise in trying to optimize the technical parameters to capture the best possible image. Of course, best is subjective, but I tend to be pretty picky. Like most photographers, I try to find what feels to me like the best composition, while balancing all those technical variables and making sure that the image isn’t blurry due to camera movement. I use a tripod when possible, but I’ve also come to appreciate the built-in image stabilization in modern lenses and camera bodies.
My post-capture digital workflow is to import images into Lightroom, add keywords and do some basic image processing. I fine-tune the exposure, color balance and other parameters, and also remove noise and do some basic sharpening. I rarely crop the image. Though I’ve used Photoshop since version 2.0, I find I’m not using it nearly as much since I began using Lightroom. I make display prints using an Epson 3880 or 2400 printer with pigment-based inks and archival fiber-based papers.
Gear
Canon 5D2 & T2i with 24mm, 50mm & 85mm lenses
Canon G9
iPhone4
MacBook Pro
Lightroom & Photoshop
Epson 3880 & 2400 printers
