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Hey everyone, If you’ve been following along with my posts over the last several months, you know how much this blog has meant to me. Whether we were chatting about photography tips in Beyond the Frame, diving into the lives of biblical figures in Saints and Sinners, talking about writing drafts in Words from the Heart, or sharing the deep bonds of the barn and trail in The Halter and the Heart and The Rural Dog—this space has been an absolute joy to create. But as the saying

Welcome back to "Beyond the Frame"! We’ve talked about chasing the magical golden hour light and capturing the unique personalities of our pets. Today, we are taking a step back to look at photography in its purest, most classic form: Black and White. In a world saturated with vibrant, high-definition color, choosing to strip away the color from your photos might seem backward. But black and white photography isn't just about applying a vintage filter; it's a powerful tool th

Welcome back, photographers! We’ve talked about storytelling and capturing pet personalities (shoutout to Cocoa and Harley!). Today, we’re talking about the one thing that can turn a "good" photo into a "breathtaking" one: Light. In the photography world, there is a legendary time of day called The Golden Hour. If you’ve ever seen a photo where the colors are warm, the shadows are soft, and everything seems to glow, it was probably taken during this window. What is the Golden

Welcome back to "Beyond the Frame"! We’ve talked about storytelling and the art of the candid shot, but today we’re focusing on the subjects that probably take up 90% of your camera roll: your pets. Whether it’s a high-energy Lab like my Coco, a soulful Shih Tzu like Harley, or a loyal Klee Kai like my late girl Sky, every pet has a "vibe." Taking a great pet photo isn't just about getting them to look at the camera; it’s about capturing the essence of who they are. Here are

Welcome back to "Beyond the Frame"! Last time, we talked about the art of the candid shot and how to become an invisible observer. Today, we’re taking that a step further. How do you take a single, still image and make it tell a whole story? As photographers, we aren't just taking "pictures"—we are visual narrators. A great photo should make the viewer ask questions: What happened right before this? What’s about to happen next? Here are three ways to bake a narrative into you

Welcome back to the blog, fellow shutterbugs! We’ve all seen perfectly posed portraits—the beautiful lighting, the deliberate smile, the perfect angle. But there is a raw, captivating power in a photograph that captures a moment so true, so fleeting, that the subject didn't even know it was happening. That, my friends, is the magic of the Candid Shot . A candid photograph is an image of life unfiltered. It’s the genuine laugh, the intense gaze of concentration, the quiet mome

Welcome back! This month I want to look at a set of photos I took of my dog Harley this past week. I spent about fifteen minutes taking these photos, using a Canon camera, and it was about 2 P.M, the sun just starting to go down. When I take pictures of dogs I bring one extra thing with me. Treats. Getting a dog to sit nicely and look at the camera will be close to impossible without either a treat or a toy. For the photos below I used some simple beef treats that Harley lo

Welcome to Beyond the Frame! Here, I'll be sharing some of my favorite photos, going over the tips and tricks I used to capture them, and...