Behind the Lens

Another one bites the dust

An old leaning shack is on the verge of falling down on a farm near Chinook, Montana. → Buy a Print or License Photo

I don’t know if it is because I’m simply getting older or if there’s something else going on here, but it seems many of the things I photograph as a simple, rural, agriculture photographer seem to disappear awfully quickly. This week I learned that this neat old building on a farm north of Chinook, Montana in Blaine County has finally fallen. What a shame. I mean, it should come as no surprise that a building in this bad of shape would ultimately fall, but it’s just sad to finally know it happened.

I have a gallery that includes photos of those things that are gone forever. Subject matter no one will ever be able to photograph again. Fittingly, I suppose, I call it “Gone But Not Forgotten.” I hate adding new photographs to it, but I suppose that’s a fact of life.

If you haven’t visited it already, be sure to check it out.

Building a new photo gallery of badlands photos

A hoodoo, or rock formation, in the Terry Badlands near Terry, Montana. → Buy a Print or License Photo

I’m currently adding new photo galleries to my website and right now I’m working on adding a new gallery of badlands photos. It will include photos of badlands in Montana and elsewhere, photos of hoodoos, photos of other rock formations, and landscape photos of the badlands. I hope to have it done soon. It will include photos from many of Montana’s classic badlands locations, such as Rock City, Jerusalem Rocks, Terry Badlands, and Havre Badlands, as well as photos from Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Stay tuned.

Photo editing with Photoshop #2: The Long Barn

I use Photoshop to edit my photos for clients and for my collection of stock photography. Follow me as I edit this photograph of a rural farm scene in Wisconsin using Adobe Photoshop CC. I will be using my standard workflow and editing practices. This video also includes a brief use of Alien Skin Software's Exposure X2.

Photo editing with Photoshop #1: A Winter's Shed

A glimpse behind the scenes shows how a magazine is designed

If you ever wondered how a magazine designs its publication this image below offers some insight. Now granted, each magazine does it a little differently, and I'm sure the method below is a bit old-fashioned, but it does offer some insight into the mind of those working behind the scenes to make magazines look great.

This is a mock-up of two pages in Range Magazine using my photos of country kids, which will be featured in an upcoming issue. The process begins when I pitch a gallery of images to a magazine. When the editor or art director likes the idea they will initiate the process of how it will look and come up with a mock-up to pass along to the other staff members for review and approval. Once a layout has been approved the art director will layout the magazine digitally and pass this or its rough digital draft onto the photographer and/or writer to proof and add captions. Then the layout is locked down, the magazine goes to press, and then you will see it on your newsstand or in your mailbox.

This article featuring photographs of country kids will be seen in an upcoming issue. But if you want to see some of those photos now you can visit my gallery of country kid photos HERE.

A mock-up of two pages in an upcoming issue of Range Magazine featuring my photos of country kids.