Suzanne is a professional freelance photographer, workshop instructor, and writer, whose work regularly appears in Arizona Highways Magazine, as well as numerous national publications. Her images have been published by National Geographic, Outdoor P...
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Suzanne is a professional freelance photographer, workshop instructor, and writer, whose work regularly appears in Arizona Highways Magazine, as well as numerous national publications. Her images have been published by National Geographic, Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photographer and calendars and digital media for the Arizona Office of Tourism, Nature Conservancy, and Global Action Team and Smith SouthWestern. Her work is displayed in many corporate and private collections around the world. An Adobe Certified Expert in Lightroom and Photoshop, Suzanne offers group and private classes for photographers seeking to get the best out of their images and to streamline their workflow and digital asset management systems. She teaches Landscape Photography and Digital Post Processing for Arizona Highways Photo Workshops as well as private small group and individual workshops. Suzanne was born and raised amidst the green rolling hills of the English countryside but is now completely at home surrounded by the arid desert and swirling sandstone of the Southwest. She finds Arizona a land of intense beauty and preposterous contradiction. Her photographs capture the diversity of waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, autumn leaves and desert sands, from the magnitude of the immense landscape to the smallest, most discreet of details. “The desert can be unforgiving of even the smallest errors, treating the unprepared harshly. But, for the few with passion, those who are willing to begin their trek at the end of the road, the secret world of the Southwest is revealed.” Suzanne loves to challenge the ruggedness of the land, the great distances to be traveled, and intense weather conditions to capture images of Arizona and the Southwest that expose its many treasures and extremes. Her images reflect her keen sense of curiosity, patience and the ability to see the world and its magic places in new and creative ways.
My story of how I became a full time landscape photographer, workshop teacher and instructor is probably very similar to others who have chosen this crazy path. As a single Mom for the majority of my life, and raising 2 boys I...
Read moreI use and teach hyperlocal focusing in the Landscape Photography workshops and this methods works for most cases. Finding the closest point that your camera can focus while still maintaining acceptably sharp focus to infinity. The only time I will resort to focus stacking is with macro (obviously) or if my closest object is closer than my lens capabilities. I have charts and apps and all sorts of methods for determining hyperlocal point but I usually just find the closest object and double that distance. The optimal focus point is always much closer than you would think.
Things in the far background of a landscape image should, in my opinion not be a tack sharp as the foreground. Acceptably sharp focus is not on acceptable but more natural and pleasing.
Of course the current apps and charts need a lot of updating with new cameras and sensors that’s why I have created by own. Still use the same mathematical formula but correct the COC (circle of confusion) for current cameras.
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“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow know what you truly want to become.” – Steve Jobs
This quote from Steve Jobs, as well as the support of family, friends, and loyal followers from many years are what inspired me to create this new website that is dedicated to photography. There are a lot of websites featuring photography. Many are good; in fact, many have been created and run by friends of mine. That is probably what I like most about photography. You make a lot of friends with whom, more than anything else, you share a passion and love for photography in many ways.
photoPXL was created around a dinner table with friends. This site will be about the community of photography, a place where young and old alike can share their stories, learn about the art and craft of photography, and gain an understanding of what it takes to Enhance Your Vision.
photoPXL will publish articles about photography and look at the many types of cameras we use to take photos, ranging from smartphones to medium format systems. We’ll explore the many options for processing your images and focus on the art of printing. I’ve always felt the process of making a photograph wasn’t complete until I could hold it in my hands. Color profiles, papers and types of printers will be reviewed, plus so much more.
One of the most exciting features of the new site will be building a community using photographer profile pages. This will be a place where you can share your images with other readers and see what others are doing with theirs. There will also be a forum where you can ask questions and share your knowledge, further developing the sense of community.
We will not only feature articles, reviews and opinions, but will also have a YouTube channel with numerous training and technique videos.
On the main site, look for more visits with some very well-known photographers where we’ll share their vision in our series “Shooting with the Masters.” There will be exclusive, behind the scenes segments where we’ll bring you things you haven’t seen before.
Photography for me has always been personal. I can be really serious sometimes, working to catch a certain image, but no matter what I never forget to have fun. I want this site to mean the same thing for you and be a place where you can come and experience many photography-related topics and have fun while doing so.
All in all, you’ll be Enhancing Your Vision.
Please sign up today. We will not only notify you when we launch photoPXL.com but will also keep you posted on the progress we are making on creating this site.
Joining me in this adventure is long-time friend and videographer Chris Sanderson. Chris’s insight, creativity, skill and passion have been invaluable in propelling me forward on this journey. Debra, my wife, will be sharing her unique vision and artistic view as well as handling workshops and so much more. Michael Durr is one of the more creative and fun videographers I have ever met. We are fortunate to have him as part of the team. Plus, we will have many articles from a wide range of well-known and maybe not so well-known photographers. There is so much talent out there.
We are working hard to not only create content but also to build a robust site that can be expanded upon over time. Something dynamic, and evolving.
I truly hope you will join us in creating this new community. We look forward to your collaboration, contributions and guidance along the way.
Kevin Raber
[email protected]
Owner, CEO, Publisher
