One of the most spectacular buildings in Los Angeles is the Disney Concert Hall.
So beautiful and elegant, I was able to make a few shots recently during another shoot.
I wanted to show a few images to represent my vision of this beautiful edifice in the City of Angels.
Be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

This week a video was released by a father who photographed his daughter every week for 10 years.
An amazing feat and testament to patience and the will to stay the course.
When my oldest son was born, my mom took a polaroid of him every month on his birthdate. It was a great idea that I wished I had thought of and done. His first year of life is documented by these polaroids and my mom always showed up with her camera on the appointed date.

CLICK HERE
I think this is a great inspiration to get all of us to start documenting our lives.
Now we all can’t start and finish a project that lasts for ten years, but what about one that lasts a month?
Documenting our world can sharpen our photographic skills, help us to appreciate our lives and the people in them and help us to look back on our lives and have a visual record that can last beyond ourselves.
Look around your world and start documenting your life.
Start small and work up and be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

My semester ended this week for my photography classes.
I was able to document each class, and the beginning classes were asked to jump.
I’ve always loved this shot.
Phillipe Halsman made it popular back in the 50’s when he was working for LIFE magazine and he started asking his subjects to do a jump for him at the end of his session for the magazine.
It got so popular that celebrities were offended if they weren’t asked.
So, he has Hollywood celebrities and political icons levitating for his camera.
I love seeing how many of my students can follow the mass exercise of everyone jumping on the count of three.
Take a look at the feet and see how many were able to join their peers.
Shot with my iPhone, be inspired!!!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

I’ve been fulfilling this blog for over 1 1/2 and I’ve taken and written about hundreds of images.
What I look for now is images that truly inspire me.
I was at a new coffee house, well at least new to me, and I spotted this awesome light fixture.
The detail was so fascinating, I was completely enthralled and had to capture it.
I placed the bottom of the fixture that the cord hung from, in the bottom right area of convergence and let the rest of the fixture settle into the image.
The other thing that caught my attention was the warmth of the light that illuminated the room, it gave a nice feeling and glow to the overall image.
Always be looking and be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

I found this mural on a building in the Little Tokyo art district in Los Angeles on a photo shoot.
I’ve seen and photographed murals like this previously, but I wanted to capture a different aspect.
I decided to show just one eye and to make it appear that it was keeping watch over the area, like a silent and unblinking sentry.
The sun flare was a nice touch that gave some drama and flair to this image.
The eye is placed purposefully in the upper left area of convergence to make it stand out for the viewer.
I love how the darkness under the eye creates mystery and allows the eye to float above the land.
Urban landscapes provide many possibilities for interesting and captivating images.
Be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

Had a session with a very photogenic young lady yesterday.
When we first started the session she was a bit tentative and unsure of what to do and how to look, etc..
We spent about 20-30 minutes trying different poses and various things to help her relax and start having fun.
I think the hardest part about this shoot was getting the model to believe in herself.
I’ve known her for quite some time, but I’ve never photographed her in an extended shoot before.
My goal was to get her to relax and believe that she was a good model.
How and what did I do?
Everything.
I talked, I performed and I even tried distracting her.
Nothing was really working.
Finally, I started showing her the images that I was getting and explaining what I wanted.
It was cool to see it click on her face as she understood that she looked good in the images.
After that, she had confidence and as you can see from the first image, that self-confidence translated to her photos.
Showing someone’s soul can be a tough assignment, but once the photographer can make that connection and get the subject to be themselves, great things start to happen.
Do whatever it takes to get to this point and I guarantee your portraits will be amazing and soul revealing.
Be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

I made an image that stirred me today.
Just a thought about a telephone pole that had hundreds of staples that are all that is left of the flyers and announcements that people have posted over the years.
One interesting mode of affixing flyers was a nail and a bottle cap.
Whatever works.
Yet, time as brought all of the flyers to the same end.
My apologies for the analogy that I’m about to make, but it reminded me of Shelley’s famous poem, “Ozymandias.”
How the great and might king, has now been brought low, by time and the elements.
How all these announcements, great and small, important and trite, have all been brought to the same end.
Now all that is left are the staples and nails that once affixed them for all to see.
Remember that we are all here but a short, short while.
Be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

During one of my last classes today, I was able to make this portrait.
Nice light that was being filtered by some trees as the class was experimenting with some David Hockney techniques.
I love making images everyday.
It keeps me on my toes and fresh, always looking and searching for the next image.
What I have noticed about my students, they almost never get close enough to their subjects.
Get close and watch how the intimacy of the subject and the viewer ramps up.
Try that on your next shoot and see if the results change.
Be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

Saw this on the internet the other day and it stopped me cold.
The thing that inspires me so much about this image is the different way the photographer continued to look at this in a new way.
Turning it on it’s side, just makes this a completely different image.
Love it.
Be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS

I wanted to touch on the subject of using props again.
They can turn almost any portrait shoot from mediocre to great.
For example, I recently had a session where the subject brought her guitar.
All we did was have her sling it over her back and voila! She turned into an indie musician.
She was able to channel her inner Taylor Swift and things got better from there!
Don’t discount the power of the prop.
Be inspired!

Michael is the author of, “Take Better Photos Now,” and, “Mommie Pics,” ebooks that help everyone become better photographers through tips and secrets that he has learned during his more than 25 years of experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher. He currently is an adjunct professor at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. To purchase either ebook, click the links. CLICK HERE FOR “TakeBetterPhotosNow!
CLICK HERE FOR MOMMIE PICS