Yeah, I know. I’ve been absent from this blog and haven’t posted anything since March.

I’ve been busy as hell and am still trying to catch up.

With luck, I’ll have my act together by the beginning of May.

Maybe.

I work with aspiring photojournalists through the mentoring program of the National Press Photographer’s Association (NPPA) and enjoy working with a number of talented young people who could bring a lot to the profession.

But more and more, many of these young shooters question the wisdom of going into the business.

Last week, one of my mentorees — a bright student at Hollins University — announced she was switching her major and is no longer planning photography — and particularly photojournalism — as a career.

“I don’t see a future there,” she said.

There was a time when I would have tried to talk her out of such a decision. Not now. She’s right to question whether or not a career that combines photography and journalism. With newspapers laying off thousands of staff and many closing their doors for good, the profession that has been such a part of my life for the past four decades appears doomed. As the economy worsens, so does the outlook for those who make their living reporting the news.

If this were 40 years ago, I’d probably be thinking the same thing.

Full moon over Floyd County, July 2008.

I love taking photos of the moon and enjoy pulling it in close for detail. The photo above was shot with a Canon EOS-1Ds MKIII, a 21.7 megapixel DSLR, and a 400mm f/2.8 Canon telephoto lens.

Musicians practice before an appearance on stage at the Friday Night Jamboree in Floyd, Virginia. Photo taken in March 2007.

A reader who noted my list of equipment wanted to know why I didn’t list any flashes. I don’t use flash. Never. I’m a believer in natural light. I don’t like fill lighting or using supplemental lighting in a shot. I’d rather shoot with available light to try and preserve the visual that the eye sees.

Often, low light, shadow and backlighting provide a more dramatic lighting for a scene. The shot above uses two available and natural light sources: The light from the lamp on the table and the early evening light coming in the windows.

Setting sun over Christiansburg, Virginia.

I keep a Canon G9 digital camera in my car console and motorcycle saddlebags for those shots that pop up when you least expect it, like this setting sun near Christiansburg, Virginia. The Canon is a 12.1 megapixel point and shoot with a lot of pro features and is a popular “grab shot” camera for professional photographers.

A musician performing outside the Floyd County Store in Floyd, VA, during the Friday Night Jamboree, a gathering of bluegrass fans held every week.

…is to discuss photography: Techniques, equipment, photojournalism, issues, etc.  We hope to provide a forum for the discussion of photographic issues. Comments are welcome and encouraged. Thanks for visiting.

While trying to beat this latest bout with pneumonia, I haven’t had as much time as I’d like for photography. So I put together this Flash show of some of my favorite photos. Please enjoy.