Donald W. Meyers

Getting a second chance at shooting Martin Luther King Jr. speech site About two years ago, I told you about my experience trying to get a photo of the spot where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream Speech." When I was at the Lincoln Memorial, I was relying on the kindness of strangers who used their cellphone flashlights to try to bring up the text. It was only on the subway ride back to my hotel that I was kicking myself for not using my speedlight as an off-camera flash to get a clearer image of the engraving.

Getting a second chance at shooting Martin Luther King Jr. speech site

About two years ago, I told you about my experience trying to get a photo of the spot where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream Speech." When I was at the Lincoln Memorial, I was relying on the kindness…

Viewing tube throws (good) shade on camera’s back screen One of the benefits of a digital camera is the screen on the back of the camera that lets you see the photo right after you shot it. It's a great way to ensure your composition, color balance and focus are sharp and, if you're displaying a histogram, that your exposure is correct. (Basing the exposure solely on what the image is like is not the best idea, as the screen's brightness is usually set to be more visible, not to accurately reflect the picture's exposure.) In some digital cameras, the back screen also does double duty as your viewfinder, especially if you are shooting video.

Viewing tube throws (good) shade on camera’s back screen

One of the benefits of a digital camera is the screen on the back of the camera that lets you see the photo right after you shot it. It's a great way to ensure your composition, color balance and focus are sharp and, if you're displaying a…

If you can’t find a quiet place for voiceover, make it yourself I recently shot a video for my day job, a companion piece to a column I wrote about "Northern Exposure" shooting locations in Washington State. This video was going to require a voice-over as the different locations were highlighted, so I decided to use a room at our office that had been set up for podcasting. Unfortunately, I found the room had too much echo, despite some foam acoustic panels attached to the walls. Have a listen: The problem was there were still hard surfaces in the room, both walls and framed photos, that sound was bouncing off.

If you can’t find a quiet place for voiceover, make it yourself

I recently shot a video for my day job, a companion piece to a column I wrote about "Northern Exposure" shooting locations in Washington State. This video was going to require a voice-over as the different locations were highlighted,…

(no title) Better faster cheaper more

Early bird ends Sept. 15! Join SPJ at #MediaFest25, Oct. 15–18 (D.C.) for training, networking & inspiration. Register:
mediafest25.com @spj-posts.bsky.social @collegemedia.bsky.social

Use physics, plastic bowl to pick up distant sounds in your video When you're shooting video, audio is critical. As I've pointed out before, people will tolerate if your color temperature is a couple hundred degrees off, your focus isn't exactly tack sharp or if you commit the cardinal sin of shooting vertical video. But if your audio is not good, viewers will drop you in less than a heartbeat. I've discussed some ways to improve your audio, from using digital recorders to hands-free phone handsets to cheap lav mics that can be plugged into recorders or cameras. Photography Online, a Scottish photography channel on Youtube, offered a suggestion on how to pick up sound from a distance by using a do-it-yourself parabolic microphone.

Use physics, plastic bowl to pick up distant sounds in your video

When you're shooting video, audio is critical. As I've pointed out before, people will tolerate if your color temperature is a couple hundred degrees off, your focus isn't exactly tack sharp or if you commit the cardinal sin of…

‘Marshall Reflector’ demonstrates versatility of foamcore reflectors It’s been fairly well established that a sheet of foamcore, which you can pick up at any big box or dollar store — especially on back-to-school sales — is a great improvised refle…

macgyverphotography.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/m...

Small balls improve safety around umbrella reflectors, diffusers One of the first recommended light modifiers if you are buying your own is the umbrella. Some of you might remember them from school picture day, the umbrella with a light or flash pointed into it. The idea is that by bouncing off the umbrella's interior, or shining through its fabric, the light is softened through enlargement, which makes for pleasing portraits.

Small balls improve safety around umbrella reflectors, diffusers

One of the first recommended light modifiers if you are buying your own is the umbrella. Some of you might remember them from school picture day, the umbrella with a light or flash pointed into it. The idea is that by bouncing off…

To all pros (and retirees) in the journalism, film, television, theater, entertainment and arts: Join the challenge to post a photo of yourself in your job. Just a picture or gallery, no description. The goal is to flood social media with our profession. Copy the text and post an image on your page.

Another use for gaffer’s tape: Tightening up lens hood’s grip on lens If you remember, I was having a problem with a lens hood falling off a while back. At the time, I used a lens cap keeper to hold on to the hood. It worked fine, but I noticed the lens hood was still coming off, and sometimes the drop was enough to pull away from the Velcro fasteners. I realized I needed something that would tighten the lens hood's grip on the front of the lens.

Another use for gaffer’s tape: Tightening up lens hood’s grip on lens

If you remember, I was having a problem with a lens hood falling off a while back. At the time, I used a lens cap keeper to hold on to the hood. It worked fine, but I noticed the lens hood was still coming off, and sometimes the…

Is it the fourth? #iykyk

AI Image editing safer than playing with fire It seems appropriate to be writing a post about the dangers of playing with fire in photography near the Fourth of July. There is a new trend in photography that involves using actual fire in photos. Most of these photos are of high-school and younger athletes, holding balls, bats, pompoms or just their hands with fire. Unfortunately, these photographers, a lot of whom hang out on a Facebook group, are not using a visual effect to achieve this look.

AI Image editing safer than playing with fire

It seems appropriate to be writing a post about the dangers of playing with fire in photography near the Fourth of July. There is a new trend in photography that involves using actual fire in photos. Most of these photos are of high-school and younger…

Using artificial intelligence to restore faces in old photos I've talked about Picsi.ai before, which makes swapping faces easy, either through a Discord server or its web interface. Its most common use is to swap one person's face for another. But how about swapping a person's face with their own face? It sounds crazy, but if you're trying to restore photos, it's one way to make life easier for you.

Using artificial intelligence to restore faces in old photos

I've talked about Picsi.ai before, which makes swapping faces easy, either through a Discord server or its web interface. Its most common use is to swap one person's face for another. But how about swapping a person's face with their own…

Light painting makes night photography truly shine With weather warming up, it's a great time to go out and do some light painting. Light painting is when you selectively apply light to a subject during a long exposure to enhance the lighting on it. You can also use it to make light trails in a night scene, but it really shines when you create dramatic lighting for a subject at night.

Light painting makes night photography truly shine

With weather warming up, it's a great time to go out and do some light painting. Light painting is when you selectively apply light to a subject during a long exposure to enhance the lighting on it. You can also use it to make light trails in a…

Digitize old slides with cellphone,PVC pipe One way to preserve old photos is to digitize them, which allows for better archiving and restoration. Making digital copies of old photos is fairly straightforward, either with a flatbed scanner or with a camera on some form of a copy stand. Slides are a bit more challenging, though, as they are designed to be viewed as a projection. I remember trying to copy some old slides by projecting them, but learned there were some problems with image quality.

Digitize old slides with cellphone,PVC pipe

One way to preserve old photos is to digitize them, which allows for better archiving and restoration. Making digital copies of old photos is fairly straightforward, either with a flatbed scanner or with a camera on some form of a copy stand. Slides are…

digiKam offers free alternative to Lightroom with a few extras

If you're looking for an alternative to Adobe's shakedown subscription model for Lightroom Classic, there's another option worth considering. Like Darktable, digiKam is a free photo editor/digital asset manager in a format familiar to…

Google’s AI offers way to virtually learn lighting techniques If you are looking at learning how to light a scene, Google offers a way to do it without having to haul out any gear. Part of Google's Arts and Culture program, "Learning Light" gives you a chance to create lighting setups on a virtual stage, getting a chance to experiment with different angles, intensities and gels. You can either use AI prompts to set up the light or you can manually adjust up to six lights to achieve effects using a mannequin and props on a virtual set with different backdrops. While it's not as sophisticated as some of the commercial lighting diagram software, it will help you experiment and learn principles in a virtual setting.

Google’s AI offers way to virtually learn lighting techniques

If you are looking at learning how to light a scene, Google offers a way to do it without having to haul out any gear. Part of Google's Arts and Culture program, "Learning Light" gives you a chance to create lighting setups on a virtual…

DIY lens skirt keeps reflections out of pictures I've talked about the challenge of reflections in pictures before, and some of the ways to eliminate them. While perusing Fstoppers, I found a suggestion for a DIY version of the Lens Skirt, a black cloth that attaches to the glass you are trying to shoot through with a hole for your camera lens. The commercial version costs roughly $50…

DIY lens skirt keeps reflections out of pictures

I've talked about the challenge of reflections in pictures before, and some of the ways to eliminate them. While perusing Fstoppers, I found a suggestion for a DIY version of the Lens Skirt, a black cloth that attaches to the glass you are trying to…

Omni-Bounce alternative latest addition to Photo Bowl collection A few months ago, I showed how you could use a set of dollar-store bowls to replicate a Gary Fong Photo Sphere. After reading David Hobby's Strobist blog, I decided it was time to add another modifier to what I have dubbed the Photo Bowl collection. This one uses the smallest of the three bowls in the set from the local dollar store.

Omni-Bounce alternative latest addition to Photo Bowl collection

A few months ago, I showed how you could use a set of dollar-store bowls to replicate a Gary Fong Photo Sphere. After reading David Hobby's Strobist blog, I decided it was time to add another modifier to what I have dubbed the Photo…

Is do-it-yourself photography still a thing? About 15 years ago, I stumbled upon a website that was all about do-it-yourself photography gear and techniques. There were articles about how to make a variety of studio gear from scratch, such as PVC pipes, kitchen bowls and cardboard boxes. One person even made a ring flash modifier from a fried-chicken bucket. And that was not the only source of DIY inspiration.

Is do-it-yourself photography still a thing?

About 15 years ago, I stumbled upon a website that was all about do-it-yourself photography gear and techniques. There were articles about how to make a variety of studio gear from scratch, such as PVC pipes, kitchen bowls and cardboard boxes. One…

How to get extreme close-ups with the camera you have

I've always said that photography can show you things that you can't see, as well as record the things that you can see. One of those ways is macrophotography, where you can go in for extreme close-ups of various objects. This allows you see…

This is Winston Churchill visiting the White House during World War II.

Funny how he isn’t wearing a suit either. Almost like he was a wartime leader defending his country from being slaughtered and wiped out by an authoritarian aggressor.

A softbox that is truly a box I've written about DIY softboxes before, but I think I found an even better design. While looking around on PetaPixel, I found an article by Illya Ovchar about how to make a softbox out of two cardboard boxes. Unlike the softbox I made with pieces cut from mailing box, this one seems to have more structural integrity. The secret with this one is that one box serves as the shell, while the second box is cut up to make the reflector surface inside.

A softbox that is truly a box

I've written about DIY softboxes before, but I think I found an even better design. While looking around on PetaPixel, I found an article by Illya Ovchar about how to make a softbox out of two cardboard boxes. Unlike the softbox I made with pieces cut from mailing…

Column: Keep America's memory alive for your grandchildren I received a jarring note from a longtime reader of the Yakima Herald-Republic the other day.

"While it’s still fresh in our minds, let’s remember how democracy — with its checks and balances, and its commitment to justice, equality and humanitarianism — used to work. Go ahead and write it down for your grandkids." Commentary from @jumpoffjoecreek.bsky.social at the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Gulf of The Associated Press Check out my custom Gulf of The Associated Press map created with MapQuest!

Too good not to share.
gulfof.mapquest.com?name=The+Ass...

Dr. Frankenstein doesn't get to complain about how his monster's terrorizing villagers.

Secure gear, rig flashes with bungee balls While reading David Hobby's excellent Strobist website, I came across a way to secure a speedlight in place if you don't have a stand or a clamp. Hobby, who got this idea from a colleague at The Baltimore Sun when he was a photojournalist, recommends using bungee ball ties. David Hobby/Strobist.blogspot.com These ties are typically used to secure tarps in place.

Secure gear, rig flashes with bungee balls

While reading David Hobby's excellent Strobist website, I came across a way to secure a speedlight in place if you don't have a stand or a clamp. Hobby, who got this idea from a colleague at The Baltimore Sun when he was a photojournalist, recommends…

African Village nurtured Black culture in the Yakima Valley in the 1970s Their vision was a place where Black youths could learn about African culture and people could gather and celebrate traditions.

"They made sure that all of us felt included," said Eric Lee. "We learned about who we were. ... We learned things about ourselves that weren't taught in the public schools at that time." Story by Tammy Ayer of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Proposed NIH funding cuts leave WA research institutions fearing "fiscal chaos." Coverage from @hannahfurfaro.bsky.social and @etakahama.bsky.social of The Seattle Times.

Groups demand U.S. attorney for D.C. respect First Amendment Threats to investigate DOGE critics violate the Constitution

Society of Professional Journalists, other free-speech activists ask U.S. Attorney in D.C. to uphold First Amendment in investigations related to Musk's government efficiency department. freedom.press/issues/group...