In this section, I hope to answer some of the questions you may have regarding the technical aspects of my photography. You can find additional information on my techniques, etc., under "Notes" that accompany certain images. The images with notes are indicated by the asterisk (*) in the Index by Numbers list; at the bottom of each of these image pages, there is a link to the notes.

Viewing Images On a Computer Monitor

A computer monitor doesn't do justice to the rich detail of photographic prints of my images. The illustration below attempts to give you a better idea of the actual image quality by enlarging a small area (this is Image #9612, Spider Rock/Canyon de Chelly, Arizona); in particular, note the amount of detail and the richness of color in the background:

The reproductions on this website represent the printed images as accurately as possible, but they're not the same as prints. In addition to the matter of detail (mentioned above), colors on many monitors tend to be more intense, more brilliant, and less "natural" than the prints, or simply inaccurate. Prints have a different kind of luminosity, because they reflect light, whereas computer monitors emit light. I suggest you view the images under soft ambient light and adjust your monitor, if necessary, so the images look as natural as possible.

Equipment

I would like to keep this section very brief, because the equipment I use evolves continuously and I do not wish to give the impression that one's creativity is defined or necessarily limited by the specific equipment they use. Having said that, the view camera I have used for many years is a Wista SP, with a variety of Schneider and Nikon lenses; the digital camera and lenses I use are Nikon. I always use a tripod and a cable release to eliminate vibration, as well as a bubble level attached to the hot shoe, to ensure that horizons are level. Beyond that, there are many books, magazines and online tutorials to guide you in selecting equipment that best meets your needs. Keep in mind that the care and precision with which you use your equipment directly influence the quality of the final results.

Digital Manipulation

With today's sophisticated image-editing software, it is possible to make an astounding variety of adjustments to images to "perfect" them. I use two standards for image manipulation: one for my "natural landscape" images, the other for my commercial work.

With my natural landscapes, I believe a certain trust must be established with the viewer, based on the traditional values of fine-art photography. What this implies is that certain kinds of manipulation are to be expected, such as dodging; burning; adjustment of color, contrast and density; spotting (to remove tiny imperfections); and cropping (to fine-tune the relationships among visual elements and the edges of the image). While I digitally manipulate all of my images, I do so within the range of adjustments that is considered appropriate to fine-art photography, yet I am able to make those adjustments in ways that are much more precise than was possible before digital tools became available. It is most important, however, to point out that the content of each image and the relationships among visual elements remain true to what was actually in front of the camera at the moment I captured the image.

With my photo assignments, which I consider an applied art, I believe a broader set of standards applies, which is based on the purpose of, and expectations surrounding, architectural photography. It is certainly acceptable to perform all of the manipulations mentioned in the previous paragraph. In addition, it is also considered appropriate to alter the content of an image, within certain limits. The standard I use for my assignment photos is that I will freely eliminate visual distractions such as power lines, trash, bare spots in lawns, etc., and I will often put in more interesting skies. The one thing I will not do, however, is misrepresent my clients' capabilities, because I feel to do so would be unethical. With such images, which I call "photo illustrations," there is no pretension of fine art; nor is there the same expectation that the image accurately represents my experience at a particular moment. There is, however, an expectation that an image accurately (if somewhat idealistically) represents my client's capabilities. While I always attempt to employ the highest level of art and craft in portraying my clients' capabilities to best advantage -- to tell stories about the goodness of their work and how their work reflects a deep understanding of human needs and wants -- I will not misrepresent their capabilities.

View Camera Adjustments (Tilts, Swings & Shifts)

The 4X5 technical field camera (or any form of view camera, for that matter) is different in many ways from smaller formats, in that it employs various swings, tilts and shifts of the lens and film plane, which provide tremendous control over perspective and the placement of the plane of focus. For example, one can actually tilt the lens and/or the film plane in such a way as to lay the plane of focus down onto the surface of a pond and thereby capture every detail, sharply, even at the widest aperture, from one side of the pond to the other. Stopping down is then only required to increase the depth of field to sharpen elements in front of and behind (or above and below) the plane of focus. When photographing an architectural subject, one can shift the lens to lessen or eliminate the convergence of vertical or horizontal lines. For field use, the need for these adjustments is usually less than for architectural or studio subjects, but it is there, nonetheless. I almost always use a tilt, swing or shift (or a combination of them), even if just a tiny bit; you can see the difference, particularly in large prints. If you would like to know more about the use of view cameras, I recommend Using the View Camera by Steve Simmons or (if Simmons' book is unavailable) Large-Format Photography (Kodak Publication #O-18E).

Filters

I do not use filters or special techniques to alter natural effects. On rare occasion, with my view camera (which uses film) I will use a graduated neutral density filter to reduce the brightness of a sky, so that it and the ground fit within the (approximately) five-stop latitude of the film. With digital photography, I find HDR (high-dynamic-range) techniques are much more effective than filters. I may also use a weak warming filter to compensate for the cool tones within shadows, although I find that this can be handled more accurately through subsequent digital editing. With my digital photography, I will occasionally use a polarizing filter to control undesired reflections. Above all, I believe filter effects should never be apparent.

RAW

When I am capturing images digitally, I always use the RAW format, which provides the greatest flexibility in fine-tuning the images in post-capture processing.