Parker Photographic Insiders Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! Patterns in photography make people happy! And they can make you a better photographer, too. Let me explain. What’s your favorite song? You don’t even have to think… …it just lights you up, right? That’s because music triggers dopamine… your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitter. Patterns in photography work the same way, activating your brain’s reward system by creating a sense of order and satisfaction. That’s why our eyes...
about 14 hours ago • 2 min read
Parker Photographic Insiders Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! Imagine this… … you're trapped. Behind you, gators. In front, a herd of wild buffalo. To your left, a marsh that might as well be a nest of snakes. And to your right, a forest blocked by barbed wire. There’s no escape! Your heart’s racing. But you think, "If I can nail this shot, it’ll be worth it… maybe." Well, that was the situation I found myself in one day last spring. So, I only had one choice… …create photos of the...
8 days ago • 4 min read
Parker Photographic Insiders Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! I have a confession to make. Even after 35 years of photography, I still second-guess my shutter speed choices. Too fast, and I lose the beautiful motion blur I wanted. Too slow, and the subject isn’t as tack-sharp as I’d like. Sound familiar? At first, I thought shutter speed was just about technical precision—following a formula to get the “right” setting. And while that’s partly true… The real challenge is knowing what...
15 days ago • 3 min read
Parker Photographic Insiders Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! I was all alone. Shrouded in darkness. An hour before sunrise. But I was as giddy as a child in a candy store. Soon... the sunrise would bloom behind me. But for the first time, I didn’t care about that. My eyes were locked on the butte in front of me… …its silhouette a quiet promise of the magic to come. Patiently, I waited. The colors I’d envisioned danced in my mind, ready to transform the scene into something...
22 days ago • 2 min read
Parker Photographic Insiders Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! Does this sound familiar? You're standing before a stunning scene. The light is perfect, the moment is fleeting… and yet, you're stuck—searching for the composition that just won't come. Frustration builds as the pressure mounts. You scan the scene again and again in vain. _________ Been there, done that. But what if it didn’t have to be this way? A few decades ago, I challenged myself to retrain my brain to "see"...
29 days ago • 2 min read
Parker Photographic Insiders Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! I hated every minute of it? 25 years behind the camera as a portrait and wedding photographer. It wasn’t my dream field, but it was the one I stumbled into… practical, familiar, and in demand. But deep down, I always wondered… can you teach an “old dog” (like me) a new trick? Let’s find out… What I really wanted was to capture the raw beauty of landscapes and the unpredictable grace of wildlife. But my reality wasn’t as...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Parker Photographic Elevate Insiders | Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! I got slapped, my hand pulled back,No cookies in the jar, just bills in a stack. “I’ll snag a dollar, buy a cookie,” I said,But nope—Mom’s glare filled me with dread. Fast forward a decade, earning my keep,Bagging groceries while dreams ran deep. Three thirty-five an hour, I worked with pride,Plastic or paper? I’d ask, smiling wide. I bought a computer before my first car,A three-door Mustang that wouldn’t get...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Parker Photographic Elevate Insiders | Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! The year was 2007. I recently joined a photography forum… …a space to connect with like-minded creatives, share my work, and grow as a photographer. So, I uploaded an image I was proud of... And then… the trolls attacked. The ridicule stung, even though I tried to brush it off. It brought back memories of the early ’90s when I’d proudly shared photos with peers, only to be laughed at. Both experiences left scars....
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Parker Photographic Elevate Insiders | Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! You’re standing there staring into the abyss… …searching for something to photograph. The light is perfect, the moment is fleeting… but you’re stuck. It feels like there’s nothing left to photograph. Wrong! Look around… photo opportunities abound. Many photographers overlook their immediate surroundings… ...missing the rich photo opportunities right in front of them. Myself included. We scan past them without a...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Parker Photographic Elevate Insiders | Photography + Editing tips Hello Reader ! Straight out of high-school in 1989… I had one dream… …to become a pro photographer. But dreams didn’t pay the bills. Three years later, I found myself behind the counter at a local camera store. Not exactly my dream… …but still close enough to keep the fire alive. On my first weekend off, I headed to Sedona for a little hiking… camera in hand. And captured what I thought were breathtaking shots. All I could find...
2 months ago • 2 min read