Most of us photographers are very particular about maintaining our tools. Lenses need to be stored in dry, temperature-controlled, padded places to prevent scratches mold growing between the elements, or even something like oil leaking between the elements. We take great care to ensure that our cameras are well-protected if it is raining, or we mig…

The more you dig into advice about photography—and really, probably advice about anything—the more you will find conflicting advice. One of these contradictions is within the way we’re taught to work on or to pursue our art... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/taking-a-break/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphoto…

Not long ago, I had the chance to talk with a childhood friend. We started reminiscing about school—the teachers who shaped us, the friends we made, and the moments that stuck with us. Some of our classmates are still around, while others have passed on. We talked about our kids and grandkids and how our interests changed as we got older. At some p…

Weddings are momentous occasions that encapsulate the essence of love, commitment, and celebration. As such, the decision of whether to allow guests to take photos during the ceremony can spark considerable debate. This nuanced discussion touches on preserving the sanctity of the moment, while also embracing modern social practices and personal pre…

As photographers, we pour our hearts into our work, often searching for the next opportunity to showcase our art. But what happens when that opportunity comes with a price tag—literally? Lately, I’ve been wrestling with a growing trend where photographers are asked to pay to submit their photos to contests or books. It’s been on my mind, and frankl…

Creating new photographs is an incredibly exciting thing. I think at one time or another, we’ve all rushed home with our digital negatives to process them quickly because we’re just so eager to show them to the world. And that excitement is wonderful—we should be excited about our photography. It’s that kind of passion that breathes life into it an…

Photojournalism is more than just taking pictures; it’s about capturing the essence of events as they unfold, often in the most challenging circumstances. During the Trump rally assassination attempt, the true spirit of photojournalism was on full display. Four seasoned photographers stood their ground in the photo pit while an intern, understandab…

Oh, those were the days! It's incredible how much has changed since I was a kid in Hinton, West Virginia. There was something almost adventurous about needing to go to the payphone two blocks away to talk with a friend. I remember it vividly. The payphone stood under a big tree right next to the courthouse. It felt like a secret mission every time …

Can you force creativity? Should you force creativity? The answer to the first question is most definitely yes—you can force creativity. But for the second question, things get a bit murky. My gut instinct is to say that no, you should not force creativity. But, sometimes, you have to. Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/the-creati…

Since painting with light is what we photographers do, we’ve discovered over all these decades how to utilize light in many different ways. When you stop to consider it, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of things we can do simply by manipulating light. We’ve learned to apply colors to lighting or to utilize the colors of the ambient lighting a…

Audiences are a tricky beast! Who are these people? On the broad scale, we often categorize our audiences into two groups: Those who look at prints, and those who consume photography digitally. But that is painting with a very, very broad brush—and it’s vital that we go deeper to really understand audiences and their various disparate fragmentation…

Today, we’re diving into the magical world of night sky photography. You're in the right place if you've ever wanted to capture the stars in all their glory. Let’s get started! Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/capturing-the-cosmos-a-journey-into-night-sky-photography/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.…

What is a photographer’s medium? I can see where maybe you’re scratching your head and thinking that our medium is of course photography. But technically, that’s not quite true. Not when you think about the finished products that we produce. So let’s look at it through the lens of other art mediums. Painting for instance. If you’re a painter, then …

There are so many different things that photographers prize highly. The answer might be different from one photographer to the next, too. Take prints, for instance. One photographer may treat them as a precious artifact, storing them in perfect condition, using only the best archival materials, and handling those prints with gloves. That’s the most…

The biggest part of photography is coming up with new kinds of art. To do that, we take our inspiration from all kinds of places—the conventional art world combined with the things that inspire us as we go about our lives—but there are some other unconventional sources in which we can look. Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/a-new…

For many photographers, the idea of creating a still life image is boring. Who wants or needs yet another photo of a bowl of fruit or a vase filled with flowers? The fact is, however, that still life images don’t need to be boring — and even if you do choose to go with more traditional subjects, the creation of these images will prove to be a valua…

Certain things in life make the act of creation quite difficult. At times, adversity arises and makes it hard for us to power through and keep producing photographs. This could be any type of adversity. Maybe it’s a physical injury or ailment that makes it much harder for you to travel, hike, or carry your camera gear. It could also be mental or em…

I think to be a creative kind of person, there is a certain level of mercilessness required. At least, if you want to be the type of creative person who learns and grows. And when I say mercilessness, I certainly don’t advocate being merciless toward others. Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/merciless/ Follow me: https://www.face…

I’ve found that this is very true throughout my career. There are lots of reasons to be doubtful, reasons that, if you let them, will stop your creative pursuits before you get underway. It starts with the dive into photography itself. You may feel like you are not artistic enough to become an artist or the very thought of learning all of the thing…

Second chances can be powerful, especially in places we think we know well. Revisiting familiar spots, where all the obvious photos have already been taken, presents a unique creative challenge. It pushes us to look deeper, finding fresh perspectives and capturing what’s truly unusual. That’s why I believe in going back to those well-trodden places…

What are our motivations for making photographs? If you ask around, among friends and neighbors, you’ll quickly find that many photographers harbor dreams of making money or becoming known for their art. But are those the right reasons for creating photographs? Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/why-do-we-make-photographs/ Follow …

Art always seems like such a planned event. It’s a production. We think about our ideas, we jot them down, we plan and plan for how we can take the perfect photograph. Then comes the day when we actually set out to take that photograph — that, too is a production. It’s often a long trip laid out on maps, organized through lists of gear that we chec…

We’ve all heard that old saying, “There’s no accounting for taste.” There’s so much truth to that. Tastes vary so much from one person to the next that no matter what, there is no one right answer that will satisfy absolutely everyone. That puts photographers in something of a conundrum. Of course, we want to produce photographs that people will lo…

Gear wishlists. We all have them, and they’re often quite extensive. Filters, lenses, new camera bodies, lighting equipment, computers, and software — some of our wishlists are extensive! But is any of this stuff really necessary? Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/forget-about-gear/ Follow me: https://www.facebook.com/Will.Moneym…

Something is interesting about photography that you may not have noticed before. And it’s one of those things, just like the perfect composition, that you can’t “unsee” it once you see it. Have you ever noticed that the overwhelming majority of photographs — almost all, if not all — neatly fit into one of a few niches? We have genres like landscape…

Art really is timeless—and that is true across all mediums, be it photography, sculpture or something like literature or movies. To see what I mean about the timeless nature of art, look no further than books. Here, you’ll find works that could be a century old, two centuries, or perhaps even older than that. And yet, we still read them today and g…

There is a lot of information on how to plan shot lists or choose gear for photography projects, but what about the creative side of planning? Here are some thoughts that may help you! Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/tips-for-planning-a-photography-project/द्वारा Will Moneymaker

We all have lots of old ideas laying around in the form of handwritten notes or archives. Here are some thoughts that may help you use some of those ideas in your photography. Podcast notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/working-with-the-ideas-youve-already-had/द्वारा WIll Moneymaker

Changing tastes are a fact of life—and that means it’s worthwhile to look at images that you may not have enjoyed before. You might see something new. Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/changing-tastesद्वारा Will Moneymaker

What is the photographer’s voice? And more importantly, what does it mean to express that voice? Here is an essay with some of my thoughts on the matter. Podcast notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/the-photographers-voice/द्वारा Will Moneymaker

Sometimes, breaking the rules better serves a photograph. Experienced photographers know that the rules are best followed most of the time, but not always! Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/when-you-know-enough-about-the-rules-to-break-them/द्वारा Will Moneymaker

Technically correct photos aren’t always artistically correct. Sometimes, the wrong techniques or effects are actually the right choices. Podcast notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/sometimes-correct-methods-techniques-wrong/द्वारा Will Moneymaker

FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is a very real thing in photography. Here are some of the places it crops up, and what you can do to get past it. Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/overcoming-fomo/द्वारा Will Moneymaker

Where photography is concerned, it truly is possible to create whatever you can imagine. Here are some ways to get your creative ideas flowing! Podcast notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/photography-has-no-limitsद्वारा Will Moneymaker

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/copyrights-and-the-community/ It doesn’t take much to say something when you think it might be necessary—and it can be a good way to help foster a sense of community.द्वारा Will Moneymaker

https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/the-true-meaning-of-originality/ In this day and age of Google Image Search and photographic travel guides, what does it truly mean to be original? Here are my thoughts on originality.द्वारा Will Moneymaker

https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/balancing-perfection/ If ever there was a creative devil, it was perfectionism. Learn how to selectively cut corners to move on to new projects rather than rehashing the old.द्वारा Will Moneymaker

https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/clean-edges/ As they say, the devil is in the details, and we photographers don’t always notice the little distractions around the edges. Here are some thoughts on this!द्वारा Will Moneymaker

https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/avoiding-extremes Marketers sell flagship cameras because that’s the only way to excite us. But do we need it when less expensive models will suit most needs?द्वारा Will Moneymaker

https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/meaningful-to-whom There’s a difference between personal significance and significance for all. It takes creativity to show people what makes a photograph meaningful to you.द्वारा Will Moneymaker

Podcst Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/edward-weston/ Edward Weston was a famous 20th-century photographer known for pioneering high-detail photography work. His personal life was also tempestuous. Here is the interesting story of this remarkable American cultural personality.द्वारा Will Moneymaker

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/training-your-brain/ Brain training is a popular fad nowadays, and there are ways to train your creative brain, too! It’s all about activating the brain’s reticular formation.द्वारा Will Moneymaker

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/emphasis/ Sometimes, the emphasis is necessary for photography, but it’s not as easy as adding an exclamation point. Here are thoughts to help you get your point across.द्वारा WIll Moneymaker

Ah, the Inverse Square Law. No, it’s not the latest Netflix thriller, though it could be the title of a photographer’s journey to mastering the art of light and shadow. If you’ve dabbled in photography or audio recording, you’re probably nodding along, recognizing this principle as an old friend (or foe, depending on your experience). But today, le…

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/effortless-photography Art should be an effortless thing that sweeps you up rather than leaving you in awe of technical aspects. Here are my thoughts on achieving effortless photography.द्वारा Will Moneymaker

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/lessons-from-old-gear/ There is much to learn from old cameras—lessons we risk losing. Maybe it’s time to dust off those antiques to see what they can teach us.द्वारा Will Moneymaker

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/taking-light-and-making-lemonade What is the solution when you don’t like the lighting or the conditions in which you have to photograph? Find a way to turn your lemons into lemonade! Follow me: https://www.facebook.com/Will.Moneymaker https://www.instagram.com/willmoneymaker https://www.youtube.…

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/best-camera-camera-works/ Which camera is right for you? We could talk all day and next week about various camera brands and models and the features each offers. At the end of the day, however, the camera that works best for you is the best one. Follow me: https://www.facebook.com/Will.Moneymaker…

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/printing-by-feel How do you choose printing papers and methods? If you’re like many photographers, you go by popular opinion on one aspect or another. Perhaps you choose papers based on their archival qualities because one paper or another won’t be yellow with time. Maybe you like certain finishe…

Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/photography-isnt-dying Is photography dying as an art form? I don’t think so, and here are my arguments against the idea that photography is in its waning years. Follow me: https://www.facebook.com/Will.Moneymaker https://www.instagram.com/willmoneymaker https://www.youtube.com/@photographyclips …