A legendary photographer signed up for one of my workshops

In mid April Bob Krist signed up for one of my pop-up photography workshops out of Annapolis. I had to do a double take when I first saw his name come up in my email notifications. I thought to myself that there is no way that a photographer with a resumé like Bob's would sign up for one of my trips. Bob has had an incredible career traveling the world as a full time photographer and filmmaker - working for National Geographic Magazine around the same time that my dad was shooting there.

In leu of bringing his still photography gear on my workshop, Bob brought out a handful of video cameras. I had no expectation that he would document the day for me and create this incredible short film on the experience. Check out the video to see my group shooting the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, the crabbers and dolphins breaking the surface at Thomas Point Light.

Cuba in black & white

On my trip to Cuba in early April 2023 I brought along eight rolls of 35mm black and white film to play with. I dusted off one of my original Nikon SLR bodies that I shot with 20+ years ago when I first took an interest in photography. The results of shooting on film in a place where everything looks 50+ years old can be timeless - making you feel like you are stepping back in time. The grain in the film, the contrast and the softness gives these photographs a nostalgic feel that is hard to naturally attain with modern digital cameras.

Shooting on film while traveling is a lot different than shooting with digital. Transporting film through airports can be a challenge - each pass through an x-ray machine can potentially damage undeveloped film. Film has to be hand checked at security check points which adds to the stress of being at an airport. A standard roll of 35mm film is limited to 36 exposures - limiting the chances to get 'the shot'. The cost of film and development has nearly quadrupled in price from when I first started shooting in 2002 - so you want to make each exposure count. And the biggest difference between digital and film is the lack of instant gratification when shooting with film - it took me two weeks to get these rolls developed. Worth the wait!