As I have done every spring since I was a kid, I hunkered down with my family to watch The Oscars a few weeks back. Always interesting, the 2014 event featured three nominees whose personal stories should serve as an inspiration to creatives of every stripe. As you consider their stories, think about the obstacles, real or perceived, that you contend with in your own journey as a storyteller. Are you struggling to make ends meet while pursuing your passion? Have you been toiling away at your craft but not yet achieved a breakaway success? … [Read more...] about Three Oscar Nominees To Inspire All Creatives
Doug Daulton
Storyteller; words, stills & motion. Bokeh, a sci-fi feature shot in Iceland, is Doug's current project and is now finishing post-production. When not telling stories of the fantastic, Doug loves putting the natural world – from waterfalls to wild horses – in front of his camera while traveling the world. For regular updates, follow Doug on Twitter, Instagram, facebook, Google+, tumblr or his blog.
Latest posts by Doug Daulton (see all)
- 100 Years/100 Shots - April 22, 2017
- Photographer of the Day: Jacob Jackson - October 19, 2016
- Photographer of the Day: Pablo Reinsch - October 12, 2016
Connect with the Wildlife Community to Get The Shot
If you are a wildlife shooter, Moose Peterson's recent book Captured has a lot of great insights and is worth picking up. Over the last year, I have really embraced one of Moose's big ideas: developing relationships with the people in my community who work with and know the local wildlife. In doing so, one gains better access to wildlife subjects with less trial and error. On the surface, this seems a no-brainer. But where does one find such folks? And, how does one build these relationships? Here is a formula that has worked for me. If … [Read more...] about Connect with the Wildlife Community to Get The Shot
The Cutting Edge
The invention of editing is the thing that allowed film to take off. — Walter Murch Occasionally, clients will balk at the time/cost of the edit. To the uninformed, the edit may seem like simple, mechanical task when, in fact, the editor is the last storyteller to touch a film project. When I meet such resistance, I point my clients at The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing, a stellar documentary on the subject. This film is both accessible to the average viewer and educational to all but the most experienced of cutters. The … [Read more...] about The Cutting Edge
Volunteering For Mastery
Knowledge is not skill. Knowledge plus ten thousand times is skill. Shinichi Suzuki The idea of 10,000 repetitions as a path to mastery is not new. It has been a principle of Eastern thought for a very long time and has been made popular in business by Malcolm Gladwell and in photography by Steve Simon. It boils down to practice makes perfect. This principle is simple to understand. But, given our busy lives, it can be difficult to put into practice. And, too often, we tend to look for the perfect practice, particularly as … [Read more...] about Volunteering For Mastery
Do The Work, Defeat Doubt
Having an off day? Questioning whether or not your photography "measures up"? Worried you may never be "good enough"? Take a few minutes to watch this video featuring producer/writer/actor Ira Glass (This American Life) discussing self-doubt, one of the real challenges of the creative life, and how to overcome it. Then, go do the work. https://vimeo.com/85040589 … [Read more...] about Do The Work, Defeat Doubt
Identify Your Transferable Skills
Though I had some early training as an artist and storyteller, I began my career in human services, not the creative field. For those eleven years, I rarely picked up a camera if not on vacation or put pen to paper unless I was writing a report. The urge to create professionally never left me, but I found myself on a career path that, while rewarding, held little promise of fulfilling my desire to create for a living. Frustrated, I turned to my father for advice. Always reliable, he offered two bits of sage counsel. First, find a way to … [Read more...] about Identify Your Transferable Skills
Excellent Video Begins With Excellent Sound
One of the very first lessons I learned when I began working with Pixel Corps was the priority sound takes in motion pictures. Alex Lindsay is fond of saying "If your sound is bad, your image can be pristine and the viewer will disconnect." For this reason, every talented filmmaker I know is fanatical about their audio records, regardless of how big or small the job. I planned a longer article on the importance of sound in video, but the following video dropped into my Twitter feed. In this behind-the-scenes look at The Hobbit: The … [Read more...] about Excellent Video Begins With Excellent Sound
The Art of The Ask for Photographers — What’s In It For Me?
As a freelancer, I wear different hats depending on the job and the client. Whether I am a Producer, DP or Event Photographer, a big part of my job is knowing how to ask for and get what I need to make the job work for my client. I began my career in human services. As with most jobs in that field, budgets are tight and one has to learn how to get things done with little or no budget, to know when something justifies additional expenditures and, in that case, how to ask for it with the best chance of success. When I began, I was the … [Read more...] about The Art of The Ask for Photographers — What’s In It For Me?
Five Things We Need From GoPro in the Hero4
Professionally, I often use GoPro cameras to capture behind-the-scenes footage and time-lapses of pipeline builds for clients. Personally, I use it as my primary dive camera, at least until I settle on a pro dive rig. For the price, form factor, image quality and general ease of use, it is hard to beat the GoPro for many applications. Still, I have a couple of things I would love to see delivered with the Hero4. Much is made of the possible camera specs, especially 24fps 4K from the Hero4, but my wishlist is simpler, more practical and, I … [Read more...] about Five Things We Need From GoPro in the Hero4
Spiffy Gear Light Blaster
When first handed the Light Blaster, I was a little dubious. It seemed a bit like a kitschy toy not suited for a professional kit. But, like most things, its usefulness is largely dependent on the person using it and the goals they have in mind. Once I got my head around the idea, the Light Blaster makes a lot of sense in the creative arsenal of many photographers. What Is It? The Light Blaster is a strobe-based slide projector, which uses standard slides or special films from Light Blaster. On one end, the Light Blaster slides over … [Read more...] about Spiffy Gear Light Blaster
