Hi ,

First of all, Happy New Year to you!! I always like to think of the turn of a new calendar page as an empty journals or a brand new sketchbook, or perhaps an even better analogy, especially for those of you who have been at this for more than 20 years or so, as a brand new roll of film, perhaps a roll of Velvia. 

There's always a level of excitement about the creativity you'll unleash upon that blank canvas, although I'll admit, there can also be a bit of apprehension, because we have all the history from past years to compare against, and when that gets in our head, then it starts us down a funny road. Especially if we have past photos that we're really proud of.

"Will my next few photos be as good as my favorite ones I shot last year?"

Yea, don't even go there. What I can guarantee you is that they'll be different, because each time you head outside with the camera, you're bringing fresh eyes, new and recent inspirations, more experience, and a creative eye that's constantly evolving. 

Whether you're aware of it or not, the fact is that you are effectively a different person every time you launch into a new creative project, whether it's an elaborate undertaking, or you're simply going on a photo walk. 

Remember, it's the process of being creative that matters. Being lost in the experimentation and the fun of looking, seeing, trying different approaches and enjoying yourself in those moments is far more important than the end result. 

And as it often turns out, the more you lose yourself in the process, the end results will often surprise you. It may not be what you thought it would be going into it, but that's why being creative can be so incredibly rewarding. 

So Happy New Year... now grab your camera and go lose yourself as soon, and as often as you can.

Now that the holidays are over, I'm going to try this again...

A few weeks ago I launched a brand new online course, and now that all of the end of the year excitement is behind us, I have reset the subscriber-only discount code, so you can get it at a special, exclusive price. 

THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE TO USING LENSES.

This concise, but highly practical tutorial is designed to help you get the maximum benefit from your glass, no matter what kinds of subjects you like to shoot.

And as a subscriber, you get first crack at it with a limited time, exclusive discount code that will save you $10 on your enrollment.

Enroll here, and use code "LAUNCH10" to save 25% on the course.

I'm really excited about this course, because each lesson is concise and packed with usable information you can use right away. I give you straightforward ideas and concepts that are guaranteed to help you improve your compositions and your confidence with using different lenses.

The whole course is less than an hour and a half, but the information and tips you'll get will make a huge difference in your photography!

Do You Wish You Had Better Mastery with Your Lenses?

Lenses are your camera’s eyes to the world and they determine the overall look of your imagery more than any other piece of equipment in your camera bag. 

For this reason, it's vital that you understand how each type of lens "sees" the world so you can use them to capture images that match your own creative ideas in the moment.

In my concise, and highly practical tutorial, I'll show you how to effectively use the four main types of lenses, and give you straightforward tips that will help you maximize your creative control when using each type.

These are tips and techniques I've collected through 30 years of experience as a professional outdoor photographer; techniques I've used on commercial assignments, stock shoots, and when I'm out photographing my own adventures for fun.

Whether you're a beginning photographer, or a longtime shooter looking for some new inspiration, this course will give you tips you can use right away, no matter what types of subjects or scenes you like to shoot.

WHAT YOU'LL GET...

TIPS ON HOW TO USE THE FOUR TYPES OF LENSES

The guide is broken down into four types of lenses: Wide angle, Normal, Short Telephoto and Long Telephoto. I'll show you how to identify the visual and creative characteristics each one offers, and give you solid creative tips on how to get the best results from each type.

CREATIVE IDEAS YOU CAN USE WITH ANY TYPE OF SUBJECT AND ANY CAMERA

For each type of lens, I'll give you a few concise, easy-to-undestand techniques use can use to capture more compelling images that work with any type of subject, no matter what you like to shoot or what camera system you use.

CREATIVE FOCUSING TECHNIQUES - TIPS ON HOW TO USE BOTH SHALLOW AND WIDE DEPTH OF FIELD EFFECTS

In photography, we have an extremely wide range of focus and depth of field. I show you how to different focusing techniques and effects for maximum creative benefit in your imagery.
 

LOTS OF IMAGE EXAMPLES

In this concise 75+ minute course, that's comprised of 13 separate tutorial videos across 7 different modules, you'll see tons of image examples that illustrate the specific creative methods, ideas and techniques I cover.

TIPS FOR BUYING LENSES

I also give you tips on how to shop for new lenses, what to look for, and how to choose the best lenses that will fit with your own shooting style. I also discuss the benefits of zooms vs. primes.

Thanks for reading and have a great rest of your week!