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JTBPhotography JournalField notes for working photographers
DeskPhotography Basics

Photography Basics

Exposure, composition, focus and the decisions that make a frame hold together.

A photographer checking a hand-held light meter beside a camera on a wooden studio table

3 guides in this desk

Start with a useful frame.

A photographer adjusting aperture on a camera while a soft-lit still life waits on the table

Photography Basics · August 21, 2026 · 7 min read

The Exposure Triangle in Practice

A working way to decide which exposure control deserves the compromise in front of you.

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A photographer checking a bright winter portrait on a camera in soft snowy daylight with the rear screen turned away

Photography Basics · August 17, 2026 · 6 min read

Metering Skin, Snow and Bright Scenes

Why a camera can make bright subjects look dull, and how to read the scene before correcting it.

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A contact sheet showing one street photograph reviewed in wide, square and vertical crops

Photography Basics · August 12, 2026 · 5 min read

Composition That Survives a Crop

Build photographs with a clear anchor and enough breathing room for real-world delivery formats.

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