Blog Archive

Solar Eclipse Photography (2024)

by Tom Wiggins
March 24, 2024March 25, 2024

On April 8th there will be total eclipse passing over the entire United States. The eclipse will pass over many states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. It will take several hours to pass across the U.S. with it… Read More »

Thoughts on Teaching Photography

by Tom Wiggins
June 30, 2023April 12, 2024

I started teaching photography over 10 years ago doing group lessons. I met many individuals who were overwhelmed by the depth of their digital camera’s menus and they had no idea where to start. It became quickly apparent that group lessons didn’t work well because all digital cameras are not… Read More »

Shooting in Manual Mode

by Tom Wiggins
February 14, 2024February 16, 2024

Over the last year, I have had several students ask me about learning to shoot using manual mode. When I explored it further, most were saying “I don’t want to use automatic. I want to learn the other settings on my camera.” A recent student said, “I want to be… Read More »

My Photo Editing Software Journey

by Tom Wiggins
November 26, 2023April 12, 2024

Exploring Photography Post-Processing Software Options (Note: I am not endorsing any products that are mentioned in this blog nor do I have any financial interest in the products) First Steps with Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro I purchased my first digital camera over 20 years ago, a 4MP point-and-shoot… Read More »

Basic Camera Controls You Should Know

by Tom Wiggins
October 17, 2023October 17, 2023

Shooting Modes Automatic (Auto) – The camera sets speed and aperture to what it determines to be the optimum exposure for the selected ISO. Program (P) – The camera sets speed/aperture, but you can change the combination of aperture and shutter speed while still at the optimum exposure for the… Read More »

Landscape Photography

by Tom Wiggins
September 2, 2023March 17, 2024

Many of my students indicate an interest in landscape photography. So, I thought I’d take a few minutes to provide some illustrations of my own landscape photos along with links to other photographers’ information about landscape photography. If you have looked at my gallery, you will see a few landscape… Read More »

4th of July (2023)

by Tom Wiggins
June 30, 2023August 31, 2023

July 4th is just a few days away! I’m sharing a few sites that have information on photographing fireworks. Picture Correct – Photographing Dramatic Fireworks Picture Correct – 6 Tips on How to Capture Great Fireworks Photos Picture Correct – Basic Setup for Photographing Fireworks PhotographyLife – How to Photograph… Read More »

The Right Digital Camera

by Tom Wiggins
May 3, 2023December 1, 2023

Digital camera technology has made many advances over the last 5 years. I have current students and potential students who are asking advice about buying a digital camera and moving away from cell phones.

Depth of Field

by Tom Wiggins
May 2, 2023August 11, 2023

What is Depth of Field (DoF) and how is it controlled? First, Aperture or f Stop – is the size of the opening in the lens that allows light to hit the camera’s sensor. f stop is expressed as a fraction as in f/3.5 which lets in a larger amount… Read More »

Buying a Tripod Update

by Tom Wiggins
May 1, 2023September 1, 2023

In 2018, I blogged about taking Sharper Photos and buying a tripod. It seems that most of my students are asking questions about purchasing a tripod. A few weeks ago, a student said, “You know you should blog about tripods with a buyers checklist”. So, I’m updating the blog post… Read More »