Hello, my friend!

We're officially in that strange season where the big color is gone, the holidays are coming fast, and it can feel tempting to shelve the camera until next year. I get that feeling every December. It's easy to assume the best moments are over, but some of my favorite photographs come from these quiet transition days when the light sits low, and the winter air sharpens.

I hope you find some useful information in this edition of The Morning Blaze and as always thanks so much for reading & sharing. Have a great weekend! - Mark D.

📺 MY NEW VIDEOS

The Ugly Side of Landscape Photography

Some days in landscape photography test you more than others, this was definitely one of those days. I returned to a spot I’ve photographed before, expecting the usual rhythm of scouting and settling into a composition, but nothing felt right from the start. The light was tricky, the conditions were unpredictable, and every scene I tried to build just seemed to fall apart. In today’s on location video I walk you through the entire experience and share the decisions I made, what I struggled with, and the moment I packed it in. Tough days like this are a big part of the process and they always teach you something.

AI is NOT The Enemy of Photography - The Real Threat Is

When most photographers worry about the rise of AI they tend to overlook the much bigger issue that has been limiting our images since the beginning of photography. We live in a world full of depth and dimension yet every time we take a photograph that entire three dimensional experience collapses into a flat two dimensional frame. This natural flatness has a bigger impact on your images than most people realize and it is the real obstacle that prevents photographs from feeling powerful immersive and alive. In this video, I break down why this happens and how understanding exposure is the key to bringing depth back into your photos. You will see how light shapes form, how contrast builds separation, and how simple exposure decisions can transform a flat scene into one that feels rich and dimensional.

🚀 2026 PATAGONIA FALL TOUR

I'm excited to announce a return tour to incredible Patagonia next year! If you're looking for the ultimate fall adventure, be sure to check out all the details of this unforgettable photography workshop here 👉 https://geni.us/patagonia26​

🔓 VAULT FAVORITES

Photo Editing Was Hard Until I Learned This!

The thought of editing my photos used to be something that caused me a great deal of anxiety and something I found quite intimidating. Just the shear number of tools available and decisions that had to be made was enough to turn me off from the entire process. But, there was one moment in particular, a light bulb moment, that made everything click for me.

📖 GOOD READS How Shooting Less Can Improve Your Photography I want to share an insightful experience that completely transformed the way I approach photography. As you know, overall improvement is always at the forefront of my mind, and this particular experiment truly pushed the boundaries of the way I approach my photography. So, throughout 2023 I found myself slipping into a nasty habit that crept into my workflow. You see, despite years of improving my skills, I noticed a troubling trend – an increase in the volume of photos I was taking, coupled with a decline in so called 'keeper' images. Determined to turn the tide, and always being up for a challenge - I embarked on a 30-day challenge to resolve this problem. In this article, I’ll break down my experiment into four key stages: the problem, the cause, the solution, and of course, the results that left me pleasantly astonished. The Problem As we improve as photographers, it's natural to refine our craft and become more selective with our shots. However, I found myself trapped in a cycle of over-shooting, drowning in a sea of mediocre images. Despite my best efforts, the quality of my portfolio remained stagnant, overshadowed by the sheer quantity of forgettable captures which ultimately let to a nightmarish amount of culling once I returned home from a trip. >> Read More​