Just Worms - Photo

Traverse City, Mich. - 07/30/2005 - Macy Wright, 2, enjoys playing with her favorite worm. Her bother and she were fishing along the Boardman River in Traverse City and she thought the worms were more fun than fishing.

Park Fun - Photo

Traverse City, Mich. - 07/29/2005 - Sophie Stoops, 8, enjoys climbing on the bars and tires at F&M Park in Traverse City. She was on an outing with other children from the Central Day Care Center.

TC Film Festival - Photo

Traverse City, Mich. - 07/28/2005 - Addie Semer one of the many volunteers working the Traverse City Film Festival changes the marquee at the State Theatre on Front Street, in Traverse City, Mich., as they prepare for second day of performances at the theater, Thursday, July 28, 2005.

Staying Cool - Photo

Thompsonville, Mich. - 07/27/2005 - Jacob Williams, 8, from Lima, Ohio does a slam dunk at the Crystal Mountain Resort's water park "The Park at the Waters Edge" while trying to stay cool.

More Women's Open - Photo

Thompsonville, Mich. - 07/27/2005 - Kelly Cavanaugh blast her way out of a sand trap on the eighth hole at Crystal Mountain Resort to go on to win the Michigan PGA Woman's Open at the resort, near Thompsonville, Mich., Wednesday, July 27, 2005.

Women's Open - Photo

Thompsonville, Mich. - 07/26/2005 - Debbie Massey of Cheboygan, Mich., pulls the flag on the fifth hole for Dodie Mazzuca of Scottsdale, AZ., at Crystal Mountain, near Thompsonville, Mich., during the second day of play of the 2005 PGA Michigan Women's Open Tuesday, July 26, 2005. Massey led field after the first day of play but fell to a tie for sixth place after shooting a 77 today.

Cropping A Photo - Post

Original Photo - Cropping for dynamic effect is perhaps where cropping can be the most fun since we get to bend the rules. Experiment with different aspect ratios, shapes and sizes. Can you find the hidden photo before scrollng down?

Cropped Photo - Photography, be it digital or traditional, is an applied art. There are technical aspects to taking the 'photograph' but there's also a significant artistic component in the composition of memorable photos. Every picture tells a story and how we crop an image is an integral part of the story telling process.

Cropping doesn't mean 'chopping' out important bits of context or history of an image. Rather, think of cropping as the act of cutting away unnecessary or unwanted portions of an image to help focus the viewer's attention and help tell a story.

While there are many aspects of photography including depth of field, lighting, color balance, etc., which affect an images impact, cropping is one of the most fundamental principles in image composition.

Remember, cropping is as much an art form as it is a technical operation. No two images or scenes are the same and therefore no two cropping solutions will be the same. Concentrate on the fundamental issues behind why an image is being cropped and then be bold and experiment. Learning from failures is just as valuable as learning from successes.

Giving Your Work A Price - Post

Photojournalists have always struggled with pricing work. I have found several good links that will help with pricing and business practices.

Abraham Menashe's price tables

Photographer's Index Stock Photo Price Calculator

NPPA Cost of Doing Business Calculator

NPPA Independent Photographers Toolkit

Common Cents Column On The Cost of Doing Business

Hopefully you will find the links practical! I will also put them in the side bar.

Critter Sparks Wildfire - Photo

Traverse City, Mich. - 07/23/2004 -Volunteer fire fighter Jim Morse from Almira Township Fire Department pours water on what remains of a wildfire just off Cedar Run Road on Barney Road. Fire fighters from around the Grand Traverse area responded to the fire. An electrocuted squirrel may have sparked the wildfire that scorched up to 15 acres and threatened homes.