The Western Negev’s Ruchama Forest has become one of my “go to” spots for magical Israel wildflower photographs over the past several years. The prolific, red “kalanit” (anemone) is predictably spectacular and the star of the Jewish National Fund’s aptly named Scarlet South festival held each February. An outing to view Israel wildflowers has …
ec·o·log·i·cal adjective Relating to or concerned with the relation of living organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. cri·sis plural noun: crises A condition of instability or danger leading to a decisive change, especially one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome. In the winter of 2020, I was privileged to be …
There is a light-hearted argument among the main service providers at Israel life-cycle celebrations as to who is most important to the party’s success. Caterers will tell you unequivocally that guests always remember the food. Musicians claim that the celebratory mood is entirely in their skilled hands and voices. Photographers boast to our …
Israel event photography: 7 tips to find your ideal photographer Read More »
“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.” – Anne Frank. Long ago, in a technology far, far away, I once had a roll of film that performed a miracle. The film was supposed to give 36 photos, but when the counter on my camera hit 36, it …
Chanukah photos reveal the camera’s miracle power Read More »
When preparing to photograph an event in Israel, I often don’t have much choice about the location of the photo session. Additionally, Israel event photography is fraught with challenges created by Jewish laws and customs that directly conflict with the photographer’s ability to succeed. The best example of this is that many religiously-observant couples will …
Taking the blinders off Israel event photography Read More »
Longtime readers of this blog will be familiar with my approach to creating photographs of Israel, which synthesizes technique with keen and mindful vision. Seeing is the most important skill to develop and the main ingredient in making satisfying images. In a previous essay, I noted four other keys to success when hunting for new …
“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” – Camille Pissarro A student in my Digital Photography Made Simple course asked a most intelligent but difficult question during a recent Jerusalem workshop: How do I continue to be creative with subjects or locations I’ve photographed many …
There’s a powerful lesson in being able to take photographs of Jerusalem – or anywhere for that matter – in locations I can return to over and over again. Over-familiarity with a subject makes it easy to dismiss something as unaesthetic or not worth the bother to photograph. Often, we don’t see it at …
What a joy it is to make photographs of Jerusalem Read More »
There is a battle raging today and we are all engaged in a fight for our lives. Granted, there is no imminent danger of physical harm, but rather technology is threatening to hijack our most precious moments if not steal our consciousness entirely. Think this sounds a bit dramatic? Look around. How often do …
I cannot recall a single occasion when I got out of bed before sunrise to make photograph almond trees in Israel when I regretted my decision. The early morning hours are full of magic, fleeting wonders of light and weather and climate that are missed when you linger between the sheets. This photograph of …
