The Wells Point

Learning how you learn, photographically and otherwise

davidhwells — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:10:51 +0000

I recently finished my annual class built around photographing the Tucson Rodeo. The weather was great and the pictures were even better! Most everyone we encountered was happy to be photographed. The class was a small group, so everyone got lots of attention. Because it was such a small group, I had time to [...]

The sweet spot for dramatic shadows

davidhwells — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:20:48 +0000

This podcast shows you how to find the ’sweet spot’ for making dramatic shadows in your photographs.

Valuing creativity in music (and photography)

davidhwells — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:43:44 +0000

I recently wrote about the similarities and differences between music and photography. While we experience each through very different senses, they also have a lot in common. Both have long, rich histories, which I pondered briefly in the last blog entry. This week, I am thinking about the fact that while both are used artistically [...]

Covers in music (and photography)

davidhwells — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:33 +0000

I have often pondered the similarities, differences and connections between music and photography. The former is something I have no talent for, other than the ability to enjoy it. The latter is something that I continually find both challenging and rewarding. I have considered these two media throughout my life, initially, as a toe-tapping [...]

Internet good news and bad news

davidhwells — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:07:04 +0000

It is such a cliché to say, “What did we do before the Internet,” yet it also is a good question. For my teenage daughter, there is no such thing as life without the Internet. I do remember that time and as a rule, I prefer today’s technology over the “old days,” of going to [...]

Buying various types of camera insurance

davidhwells — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:07 +0000

A friend is heading off to India on a fascinating assignment. Besides giving him advice on India, our conversation turned to the potential risks there. Inevitably, (and wisely) this led us to the question of insurance, particular in terms of cameras. I walked him through the various types of insurance I have. [...]

Darwinian competition among photographers….

davidhwells — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:11:38 +0000

I am now working out West. Last week I was in California photographing for my ongoing project on the foreclosure crisis. This week I am in Arizona photographing and teaching a workshop at the Tucson Rodeo. I am thrilled to be out of the cold in the Northeast. Since coming West, I have been [...]

Thinking points for any photographer

davidhwells — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:03:12 +0000

I was recently catching up on my reading of photography magazines and enjoying one of my favorite magazines. I remembered what great a resource it was and how much I had learned from the recently started publication. Then I also remembered it was free, which made it all that much of a better “read.” [...]

What is my naming convention and how did I come up with it?

davidhwells — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:50:42 +0000

In the last blog entry, I explained the importance of a naming convention and offered some things to think about in creating your own. In this blog entry, I will tell you my thinking in creating the system that I use. It is NOT for everyone, but it works for me. If you [...]

What is a naming convention and why do you need one?

davidhwells — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:59:00 +0000

What is a naming convention? Is that when a bunch of names get together and agree on who will be their presidential candidate? Nah, seriously, a naming convention is one of the most important parts of digital imaging workflow and yet most photographers have little idea what it is, let alone how to use it.

Grants made easy and grants made hard

davidhwells — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:54:21 +0000

Is it my imagination or are some photography competitions almost begging for submissions? Lately, I have been inundated with calls for work! I have been gathering various these requests for submissions in order to make a blog entry on the subject. I am not sure if it was my looking for them [...]

Onward and __ward in the world of stock photography (part two of two)

davidhwells — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:12:54 +0000

Because I make my living primarily as a stock photographer I spend a great deal of time and energy trying to understand the “stock market.” (I am not referring to the one in New York City’s financial district.) Today, the market for and suppliers of stock photography cross the globe. So the more I know [...]

Onward and __ward in stock photography (part one of two)

davidhwells — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:09:03 +0000

I make my living primarily as a stock photographer meaning most of my income comes from licensing the publication of existing images. This is compared to being primarily an assignment photographer or a teacher of photography (though I do plenty of both.) The stock photography business is known to be increasingly competitive, with too much [...]

Variations on a theme

davidhwells — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:08:33 +0000

In my photography, my teaching and my discussions with other photographers, the idea of variations on a theme comes up often. For me, one of the joys of looking at photographs is seeing the different ways that photographers interpret the same thing. Yet, when some photographers come together to talk or photograph they can [...]

My favorite part of my favorite class

davidhwells — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:23:03 +0000

I recently wound up my time in Asia with a stop in Singapore, where I gave a few short presentations to large audiences as well as some longer workshops for smaller audiences. Everyone I worked with seemed happy with what I did, so I will be going back next year. So keep an eye on [...]

My long-time “project” on Communism

davidhwells — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:36:05 +0000

During my recent trip to Vietnam, I put to rest the lingering anxieties, stereotypes and misconceptions that I had held on to concerning that country. On that same trip, I also “finished” a long-standing (and rather informal) “personal project” that I had been working on for a couple decades. Since I was eighteen I [...]

Vietnam as a war, Vietnam as a country

davidhwells — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:12:57 +0000

When I told my seventeen-year old daughter I was going to Vietnam, she was very impressed. I ostensibly went to visit a friend who lives there and to try to see the country through his eyes. I also went to photograph (and scout locations for a potential photo workshop.) I am pretty sure my daughter [...]