Hi ,

I hope your new year is starting off well. I've been keeping my creativity levels pretty high during the first few weeks of 2026, and even managed to squeeze in a welcome family trip in there as well.

And, I'm excited to announce that I already have a couple of Fujifilm-related events on calendar for this winter and spring!

On February 11, I'll be doing a virtual event for National Camera Exchange in Minneapolis. The details of the event and the topic I'll be covering are still being worked out, but I'll let you know when things are finalized.

Then, on the last weekend of April, I'll be in Reno for Action Camera's Anniversary Sale. I've been trying to get down to Action Camera for years, and so I'm really excited that we were finally able to coordinate and have me do an event with them! Again, details forthcoming. 

As many of you know by now, I've expanded my creativity in the realm of sketching and watercolors, and having been immersed in these new forms of visual media for almost a year, I've learned a few things. 

Actually, I've tried to sketch for years, but my lack of skill often left me frustrated and quitting for long periods before picking it up again. Fortunately, it seems to have stuck this time. 

Perhaps a better way to describe my current experience is that I'm "re-learning" things I already know and have dealt with for over 30 years as a photographer.

With all of my artistic endeavors, whether they be photography, sketching or recording rock and roll songs, I often find myself walking the tightrope between being "Good" and being "Loose and Artistic."

I want to be technically proficient, but that often gets me too focused on details that, in the end, don't best serve the final piece, whether it's a photo, a painting or a song. 

Conversely, if I try to be too loose, then I might lose the overall focus of the piece, and what I'm trying to show might end up being lost to the viewer or listener. 

This is a tightrope that we ALL walk as creative artists. We went to be proficient with our craft, but we also want to be artistic, and each of us straddles that line in a different place. 

So how do we find a balance between the two?

One approach I've found it so approach a subject and allow yourself to be immersed in the process, as you work the scene. Be painstaking as you play around with exposure, composition, technique, lenses, etc.., as you get lost in your creative experimentations and take multiple frames and try to capture the "best" photo you can.

Then, for the next subject, simply walk up, give yourself a few seconds and then shoot the first photo that comes to mind. Instead of giving it too much thought, go with your gut. Let your raw creative instinct come forth and take control for a change. 

I've tried this countless times with photography, and now I'm doing it with painting. I'll work on something with the goal of being as precise with my technique as I can. I might spend 20-30 min, maybe an hour on the piece. 

Then, when it's done, I'll grab a new piece of paper and give myself about 30 seconds to one minute to recreate the same scene, or do something similar, but in a much faster, loose style. 

And you know what I found? Often times, I end up liking the second one better, because in that very brief period, I was forced to focus on only the most vital, important aspects of the scene that will ultimately convey the subject, instead of getting lost in the details. 

Whether its with the camera, a pencil, a paintbrush, or if you're writing a piece of prose or a hit song, your overall goal is the same:

You want to capture the essence of the moment and get that down in a way that best matches your unique personality. 

And this is the fundamental goal of any creative artist... but it's often the most challenging thing you can try to do as a human being. That's why we keep practicing.

Coupon Extended For One More Week!!

A few weeks ago I launched a brand new online course, and now the official new year is behind us, I have extended the subscriber-only discount code to the end of January, 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.

Brand New Song!

As many of you know, I was a guitar player and musician long before I was a photographer, and my creative life still includes writing and recording music. 

Last week, I released my latest song, called I Just Want You. This is another love song with a bit of bluesy influence by artists like Lucinda Williams and John Hiatt.

I seem to write two different kinds of songs: Love songs and "how do we deal with the messed up world" songs. However, I have apparently decided that I don't want to write "messed up world" songs anymore, at least not lately, so I just keep cranking out love songs. It makes me a lot happier. :)😞

You can listen to I Just Want You, and my other songs in your favorite music streaming service. 

BTW, the album cover is one of the photos I shot in the Queen's Rose Garden in London's Regent Park.

Ok, that's all for now. Thanks for reading and have fun being creative this week!