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It started on a rainy day, literally coming down sideways, a great day to get some shots here in Yokosuka, Japan or so it seemed…  I had recently purchased a great waterproof hat, waterproof jacket, waterproof pants, and waterproof shoes, almost all of it on sale and in anticipation for a day just like this. was prepared, again… so it seemed. Within an hour of my rain day outing, water was running down the inside of my glasses and down my neck from the inside the hat, my body was soaked to the core and my feet were wet and freezing.  All my clothing had failed and even my weather sealed Canon 6D Mkii’s buttons suddenly stopped working.

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In January of 2016 I took a dip in the stock photography pond at the suggestion of a friend who thought I could do well.  I honestly didn’t know much about stock before she mentioned it and now, almost three years later, business is booming.  So much so that I can hardly keep track of where my photos are used!

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Well, today was spent mostly on buses with a tour, other than my wife not being able to go because of work, it was pretty awesome. First up was the Yudaki Waterfall (below) and second was the 320 foot Kegon Falls (above). Lastly, we ended up at the Toshogu Shrine dating back to the 17th […]

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I entered photos in a series Gurushots competitions called “Your Best Shot” in the spring and summer of 2019.  The result was “Your Best Photo – The Second Challenge” and this photo was selected by Dodho Magazine for their Top 100 of 300,000 photos submitted.

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Wisky was the nickname of the USS Wisconsin (BB-64), a WWII era battleship that, like her three mighty sister ships, America couldn’t seem to do without.  She was originally commissioned in 1944 near the end of the Second World War but would be recommissioned two more times and decommissioned a total of three times!

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This week we had a family trip to our local Tōkyō Dizunīrando and as someone who has been to Disneyland or Disneyworld no less than a half-dozen times or so, I’d honestly love to go somewhere else sometimes.  The first couple of visits were cool, but the ever-increasing ticket prices, paying top dollar for cafeteria food, and long lines, seemed to wear me down.

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When I started shooting stock photography a few years ago, I would set out with a goal to shoot one subject only and had blinders on the to rest of what was around me.  My whole approach is different now, keeping in mind that these flag photos may be the real money makers.

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What I didn’t realize was how tall of an order it really was to shoot a subject so famous, and so well documented, like Mount Rushmore in a new way.  I came up with this bright idea to shoot it at night, which in theory seemed easy but the execution would prove problematic.

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I was trying to capture this semi-historic house, or part of it, in a different way that could also show it’s place relative to the Hotel Del Coronado which by the way is the real gem.  I’m not sure what the connection of this house to the Hotel Del Coronado could possibly be beyond…

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Back in 2012, I began looking for another way to connect my camera to camera straps, wrist straps, and tripods.  The problem was this, if there was a strap to keep the camera safe from accidental dropping, it almost always interfered with the tripod plate. That’s when I discovered peak design gear, it to appeared to solve all this.  If it worked as advertised, it would mean no more fumbling around with equipment and no more straps that didn’t work with other products.

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Last year, realizing it was just plain foolish not having a back-up camera, I began researching a second camera. It needed to be smaller, take decent quality photos, and not break the bank. Looking at just about anything smaller in size, all name brands, the search narrowed after a few days.  While considering other Canon cameras, there was also Fuji, Sony, Minolta, Lumix, and a host of others to review.  Then, one camera began appearing more and more…

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While living in Europe, I purchased a very nice Sony DSC-TX20 pocket camera for the nights I didn’t want to carry my camera bag going out to dinner. I worked out well, it took great photos and had an excellent wide angle view. However, I didn’t own an iPhone then.

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If you want a jolt of reality just go to Smugmug or 500px, search a subject you’ve shot and think you understand, then get ready to be humbled! If you really want to be brought down a few rungs on the ego ladder, search for your camera model and see the photography that has been shot with your camera. This will leave you wondering how they can get these incredible images, but you can’t.

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Bill Chizek is a retired Navy Musician, now amateur photographer from El Paso, TX and San Diego, CA. His photography journey began in 1981. He takes photos of anything that catches his eye; aircraft, cars, architecture, and anything historical along the way. We have conducted an interview with Bill.