Stephen Bay's Photography Blog

What I Learned From Painters as a Landscape Photographer

Although I am a photographer, I think it’s important to study the work of other visual artists especially those in different mediums. Painters, illustrators, graphic designers, collage, and other 2d artists often approach their work with a different mindset and I feel there is much that photographers can learn from them. In a painting, nothing is accidental and everything was the result of a conscious decision. Thus if you see a particular color treatment or composition you know that was because the painter deliberately decided to make it so.

Read more →

Why Epic Sunsets Are Bad for Landscape Photography

When I first started focusing on landscapes (I shifted from travel photography) I was always chasing the light and seeking that epic sunrise or sunset. If I didn’t get a fantastic color burn, I said to myself, I’ll come back and keep coming back until I get it. I thought if I had a great foreground adding an epic sky would make the image even better (literally my logic was it had to be double plus good).

Read more →

The Best Way to Improve Your Photography: Have a Vision

Beginning photographers often ask me how best to improve their work. I have a bit of a reputation for doing technical images that require a lot of Photoshop, so I think they expect me to say something about mastering post-processing and how that can take an average photo to the next level. But while post-processing is necessary, it is not the most important thing in my opinion. Other photographers know that I often spend a lot of time planning out my shoots.

Read more →

What’s Really Important in a Photograph

When I’m making a photograph, whether it’s a photo I’ve planned out well in advance or it’s something I stumbled upon in the moment, I think about the following elements: Subject Light Composition Uniqueness Technical Quality The first 3 are what I call the big three. These are the most important factors and if you get these right you’ll have a terrific photo. The last two items, don’t mean anything by themselves, but can take your photo to the next level or bring it down a notch.

Read more →