I have been thinking about starting to post YouTube videos for quite some time. Each time I would think about going out and starting to shoot an episode, I would come up with some excuse. I decided to just shoot a video and post it. Good or bad. Just do it. This video is only a few seconds long. I have to get the film back and add quite a bit more, but posting this clip put me in a no going back position.
I was driving home from another shoot I had just completed, and I caught a glimpse of an abandoned boat off the freeway in an industrial warehouse area. I almost did a double-take. Did I really just see a boat in a gravel filled yard off the freeway? When I got home, I pulled up Google Maps and tried to remember exactly where I saw it. I was able to determine its approximate location and decided to attempt to find and shoot it the next day after work. That next day, sure enough, I was able to find it with no problem. It was a pretty sketchy area and probably not a good place to stop, let alone take my time to properly frame and expose a shot. I parked around the corner, stuck my Sekonic meter out the window, positioned it the same direction in relation to the light as the boat was and took an EV reading. The light measured 13.5 EV. I used an app to convert that number to a fast enough shutter to hand-hold, and an aperture narrow enough to get some decent depth of field. I set my camera to 200th/f11/250 ISO. I hopped out of the car, walked for a bit to get to the chain-link fence where the boat was, flipped out the screen, pointed it down a bit, and with the camera up over my head, snapped a few frames. It was very bright outside, so I wasn’t able to see the screen very well, but it appeared that I had at least one shot that was level and well composed. I jumped back in my car, and got back on the freeway. On the way home, I found myself humming the theme song to the TV show I watched as a kid, “Gilligan’s Island”.
Abandoned boat in an industrial warehouse area
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Abandoned Boat |
| Image Description | Abandoned boat in an industrial warehouse area. |
| Keywords | boat, graffiti, gravel, industrial, la mirada, speed boat, warehouse |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM |
| Focal Length | 39.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/200 second |
| Aperture Value | 11.00 |
| ISO | 250 |
| Date/Time Original | Thursday July 27, 2023 04:25pm |
| City | La Mirada |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Gateway Center |
| GPS Altitude | 10 meters (32.8 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.8797903116528 |
| GPS Longitude | -118.022517240044 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
I use google street view to scout areas for potential images. The day I took this shot, I was eating lunch while driving down the road – on street view – in Norwalk. I caught an interesting building and sign as I was driving by. So, I stopped and rotated the view and framed it up. Looked like a nice shot. It is not often you see a fortune teller. I decided to drive that way after work and take the shot. Upon arrival, I parked and walked up to the front of the property and spot metered the left side of the building. The reason why I measured it ahead of time is that I would not have time to look at a histogram, and fiddle with my camera while standing in the middle of the street. I got my EV number and then converted that number to my camera with a shutter speed fast enough to hand hold while standing on an island in the middle of the street. I then jogged to the island in the middle of the street and quickly composed and took this shot. I did need to snap the shot between cars driving by. The resulting photo was what I had previsualized, and the exposure was spot-on. I did not manipulate anything other than standard minor adjustments. The lines were all straight because I chose a good focal length and took care when shooting. The lighting was not the best. The building is north facing, so unless I was shooting at dawn, the light would be just as bad all day long. The shadow from the tree on the right was best in the late afternoon.
Psychic readings and fortune teller house in a business district
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Psychic Readings and Fortune Teller |
| Image Description | Psychic readings and fortune teller house in a business district |
| Keywords | fortune teller, house, medium, norwalk, psychic, psychic readings |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM |
| Focal Length | 45.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/200 second |
| Aperture Value | 11.00 |
| ISO | 640 |
| Date/Time Original | Wednesday July 26, 2023 04:08pm |
| City | Norwalk |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Northwest Norwalk |
| GPS Altitude | 20 meters (65.6 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.9020378616531 |
| GPS Longitude | -118.08718018 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
I took this shot just after sunrise. It was a few hours later after I arrived home and was unpacking my gear when I looked at the bellows on my Toyo field camera. I noticed that they looked worn on the edges. I had tested the camera a few weeks ago in direct sunlight and there were no light leaks. For some reason, that morning I decided to check the bellows with my flashlight. I turned on the light and passed it through the inside of the bellows while pointing it at myself. To my surprise, I could clearly see the light coming through the bellows in many worn edges of the folds. Over the next few days I researched where I could get my bellows replaced. For a short time I contemplated buying another camera, but with the age of most used Toyo field cameras on the market, it was likely that I would still be in the same boat with respect to worn out bellows. I could not really find a place that would replace the bellows. There were many places where I could buy new bellows, but I would have to replace them myself. I did two things. One, I bought replacement bellows from an overseas website. Two, I bought a backup camera. The backup camera – Toyo monorail 45G for a couple hundred dollars on eBay – that funny enough had bellows that were in worse condition than my field camera. The description said it was in mint condition etc. Two weeks later my replacement bellows arrived. After a couple more weeks of trying to learn how to replace them myself, and after several hours of sweat and tears, I was able to successfully repair my own camera. Now it was good as new, and would probably last another twenty years or so. I also replaced the bellows on my backup camera. Now, I have two good-as-new 4×5’s that will probably outlast me.
I took this just after sunrise at Harveston Lake in Temecula. The film gave the scene a very pastel look.
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Harveston Lake |
| Image Description | I took this just after sunrise at Harveston Lake in Temecula. The film gave the scene a very pastel look. |
| Keywords | 6x12, 6x12 film, film scan, harveston lake, kodak ektar 100, morning, sunrise, temecula |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Toyo-Field |
| Camera Model Name | Toyo-Field 45A |
| Lens Model | Schneider 90mm f/5.6 Super-Angulon XL |
| Focal Length | 90.00mm |
| Focal Length In 35mm Format | 29.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/30 second |
| Aperture Value | 8.00 |
| ISO | 100 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday February 05, 2023 07:31am |
| City | Temecula |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Harveston |
| GPS Altitude | 330 meters (1082.7 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.5374490166833 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.157157900042 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
7-Eleven is one of my favorite stores. They always have polite clerks, and they hardly ever charge me for ice in my own cup. This is important because with a long commute, sipping an ice filled cup is relaxing and helps quench my thirst. Sometimes I buy their pizza. I prefer freshly made pizza. Somehow they can cook a brand new pizza in about a minute and a half. It comes out a bit spongy, but I like it that way. Many times the pizza is already made, and has been sitting in the case for awhile. Sitting in the hot display case for many hours dries it out and burns it. I don’t like burned pizza, but between you and me, I will still eat it. 7-Eleven is a great place to stop if you spend many hours on the road like I do. Thanks 7-Eleven.
Early morning at 7-Eleven in Murrieta
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | 7-Eleven Murrieta |
| Image Description | Early morning at 7-Eleven in Murrieta |
| Keywords | 6x12, 7-Eleven, convenience store, gas prices, gas pump, gas station, morning, murrieta, store |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM |
| Focal Length | 24.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1.60 seconds |
| Aperture Value | 14.00 |
| ISO | 100 |
| Date/Time Original | Tuesday July 25, 2023 04:18am |
| City | Murrieta |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 370 meters (1213.9 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.5748356683417 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.177267813319 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
I love to shoot 4×5. I wish I had more time to go out and shoot more. The process of selecting a scene, setting up the camera, composing, and exposure is therapeutic and rewarding. I prefer to shoot negative film vs positive film. The manual inversion and the ability to control and create the final image is far more fulfilling.
This is Santa Fe Caboose 999076 at the Southern California Railway Museum. Built by ACF in 1931
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Santa Fe Caboose 999076 Southern California Railway Museum |
| Image Description | This is Santa Fe Caboose 999076 at the Southern California Railway Museum. Built by ACF in 1931. |
| Keywords | 4x5 film, Southern California Railway Museum, caboose, caboose 999076, film scan, kodak ektar 100, museum, orange empire railway museum, perris, santa fe, train, train tracks |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Toyo-Field |
| Camera Model Name | Toyo-Field 45A |
| Lens Model | Schneider 90mm f/5.6 Super-Angulon XL |
| Focal Length | 90.00mm |
| Focal Length In 35mm Format | 27.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/15 second |
| Aperture Value | 25.00 |
| ISO | 100 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday June 04, 2023 10:53am |
| City | Perris |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 430 meters (1410.8 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.7591005333333 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.230193566753 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
Believe it or not, I took this shot on a crowded beach. I was able to frame the fisherman with nothing else in the frame. I like these types of shots. Shots that could be captioned with almost anything. Shots that tell many stories. Shots that are fishing for answers.
A Lone fisherman reels in his line at Torrey Pines State Beach
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Fisherman Torrey Pines State Beach |
| Image Description | A Lone fisherman reels in his line at Torrey Pines State Beach |
| Keywords | beach, black and white, fisherman, fishing, fishing pole, ocean, overcast, torrey pines state beach, waves |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM |
| Focal Length | 80.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/1000 second |
| Aperture Value | 5.60 |
| ISO | 400 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday July 02, 2023 09:46am |
| City | Del Mar |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 3.551099972 meters (11.7 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 32.9398638117278 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.262344660011 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
I think I was drawn to this shot because of both the high contrast and the technical details. As I have always said, black and white shots need both strong blacks and whites to work well. Get out and shoot. You don’t need to travel to a national park. Just get out and shoot what you see.
New car transport truck parked in front of a car dealership
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | New Car Transport |
| Image Description | New car transport truck parked in front of a car dealership |
| Keywords | black and white, kia, new car, trailer, transport truck, truck |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM |
| Focal Length | 58.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/200 second |
| Aperture Value | 6.30 |
| ISO | 160 |
| Date/Time Original | Thursday July 13, 2023 06:26am |
| City | Cerritos |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Little India |
| GPS Altitude | 10 meters (32.8 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.8603077333333 |
| GPS Longitude | -118.099480733356 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
I waited for the brief moment when the fisherman stepped away from his pole to take this shot. The shot with just the pole can tell more stories in my mind than if the fisherman was in the shot. There are probably about a hundred captions that one could come up with for this shot. While the shot seems boring, to me these types of shots are fun.
An unattended fishing pole with a line in the ocean at Torrey Pines State Beach
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Fishing Pole Torrey Pines |
| Image Description | An unattended fishing pole with a line in the ocean at Torrey Pines State Beach |
| Keywords | beach, black and white, fishing, fishing pole, ocean, overcast, torrey pines state beach, waves |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM |
| Focal Length | 74.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/500 second |
| Aperture Value | 5.60 |
| ISO | 400 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday July 02, 2023 09:24am |
| City | Del Mar |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 3.521 meters (11.6 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 32.9429834617 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.263157290044 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
This was taken in Old Town Murrieta. I like to shoot black and white in the middle of the day when there are deep shadows and highlights. This lighting combination makes for crisp clean contrast.
Vista Donuts in Old Town Murrieta
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Vista Donuts |
| Image Description | Vista Donuts in Old Town Murrieta |
| Keywords | black and white, donut, donut shop, donuts, historic downtown murrieta, murrieta, old town murrieta, vista donuts |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM |
| Focal Length | 50.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/200 second |
| Aperture Value | 8.00 |
| ISO | 100 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday June 25, 2023 12:09pm |
| City | Murrieta |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 330 meters (1082.7 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.5538258949917 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.214278954994 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
I don’t know when moonlighting became a side hustle. I guess many phrases evolve into new ways to say the same thing. Each generation feels the need to add a fresh new spin on old phrases. All the locals that take the time to set up their booths and spend the day selling their wares to the public deserve the rewards of their side hustle. If I am going to spend the extra money on something homemade I prefer to give it to them. I wish them the best.
Flowers for sale at the Old Town Temecula Farmers Market
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Flowers Old Town Temecula Farmers Market |
| Image Description | Flowers for sale at the Old Town Temecula Farmers Market. |
| Keywords | Old Town Temecula Farmers Market, Temecula Farmers Market, farmers market, flowers, old town temecula, temecula |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | EF50mm f/1.2L USM |
| Focal Length | 50.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/320 second |
| Aperture Value | 4.00 |
| ISO | 400 |
| Date/Time Original | Saturday August 05, 2023 08:21am |
| City | Temecula |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 306.4619003 meters (1005.5 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.4958561500472 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.151269666667 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
Kodak Gold 200 is not my favorite. I have shot it on both 35mm and 120. For me, 35mm is unusable, and 120 is barely usable. For films, I prefer sharp true-to-life films. I realize that many folks are ok with the grain, but for me, not really my thing. It does however get the job done in 120. Barely. I hate that orange cone in this shot. Just thought I would point that out in case you missed it.
The Bank of Mexican Food Old Town Temecula
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | The Bank of Mexican Food Old Town Temecula |
| Image Description | One of the old buildings in Old Town Temecula. The Bank of Mexican Food. |
| Keywords | 6x6 film, film scan, kodak gold 200, old town temecula, restaurant, temecula |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Hasselblad |
| Camera Model Name | Hasselblad 500C/M |
| Lens Model | Carl Zeiss 80mm Planar T* f/2.8 CB |
| Focal Length | 80.00mm |
| Focal Length In 35mm Format | 52.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/500 second |
| Aperture Value | 8.00 |
| ISO | 200 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday December 18, 2022 01:00pm |
| City | Temecula |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 300 meters (984.3 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.4933556333194 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.148993699886 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
In general, I have no rules or limitations to my photography. I am not a purist. I get that the image will have a certain character if I were to use black & white film. My issue is that it is so much easier just to shoot on color film and convert in post. There are so many more advantages. Chief among them is the ability to control the color tones in the final image. For example, I could just increase the blues vs having to use a red filter in the field. I can tweak all the colors and contrast to get just what I want. It is my photo and my vision anyway, so I am good with it. Part of me does scream, “You are cheating!”. I just don’t listen to that part.
Shot on 4x5 film. One of my favorite locomotives at the railway museum. The Southern Pacific 3100 built by GE in 1963. This was converted in post to black and white from color negative film.
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Southern Pacific 3100 Southern California Railway Museum |
| Image Description | Shot on 4x5 film. One of my favorite locomotives at the railway museum. The Southern Pacific 3100 built by GE in 1963. This was converted in post to black and white from color negative film. |
| Keywords | 4x5, 4x5 film, Southern California Railway Museum, black and white, engine, film scan, kodak ektar 100, locomotive, museum, orange empire railway museum, perris, railroad, southern pacific, southern pacific 3100, train, train tracks |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Toyo-Field |
| Camera Model Name | Toyo-Field 45A |
| Lens Model | Schneider 150mm f/5.6 Apo-Symmar |
| Focal Length | 150.00mm |
| Focal Length In 35mm Format | 45.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/30 second |
| Aperture Value | 22.00 |
| ISO | 100 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday May 07, 2023 12:50pm |
| City | Perris |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 430 meters (1410.8 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.7590510500444 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.230561499975 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
I spent some time in Old Town Murrieta the other day. I set my camera to see only in monochrome. I do this to simplify my metering and to see in black and white. It helps me hit the tones I am looking for to be able to produce crisp black and white images with good contrast. I think that black and white shots look best when there are clear blacks and strong whites.
Old Town Murrieta House
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Old Town Murrieta House |
| Image Description | Looks to be a private residence in Old Town Murrieta |
| Keywords | black and white, historic downtown murrieta, house, murrieta, old town murrieta |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM |
| Focal Length | 38.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/200 second |
| Aperture Value | 8.00 |
| ISO | 100 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday June 25, 2023 12:04pm |
| City | Murrieta |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 330 meters (1082.7 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.5531774566917 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.213827419997 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
I was near the Naples canals in Long Beach recently, and decided to walk around and snap some photos. The cloud cover dampened my motivation at first, but the images turned out better than expected—and the experience reminded me just how special this little corner of Southern California really is.
The Naples canals in Long Beach are one of those places many locals drive past without ever truly exploring on foot. Tucked into the Naples Island neighborhood in eastern Long Beach, the canals are a network of scenic waterways. They wind between custom homes, manicured lawns, and private docks loaded with sailboats and kayaks. It feels like a quieter, more intimate Venice—without the crowds.
Walking the paths that line the canals, you get a genuine sense of community. Residents wave from their patios. Dogs are welcome in the area and can be seen exploring the paved sidewalks and bridges around the canals. On the overcast morning of my visit, it held a moody silver sheen. In hindsight, this gave the photos a calm and timeless quality I hadn't anticipated. Sometimes flat light is the right light.
Developed in the early 1900s as part of a real estate project meant to bring the charm of Naples, Italy, to Southern California, the Naples canals in Long Beach form a unique neighborhood set on a man-made island surrounded by Alamitos Bay. Looping through the island like quiet streets of water, the three main canals—Naples Canal, Rivo Alto Canal, and Grand Canal—invite exploration. Many homes date back decades, each carrying a distinct architectural character. Whether Spanish Colonial Revival or mid-century modern, every stretch of the walk offers something new to see.
As the morning wore on, the cloud cover began to break. When I completed my loop around the island and returned to my car, patches of blue opened up overhead. Seeing that, I felt invited to keep exploring. From Naples, I drove west along the Long Beach waterfront with my windows down and savored the ocean breeze. A city that knows how to live close to the water gave off a casual energy. Relaxed and beautiful, the beach areas near Belmont Shore and Bluff Park drew families, cyclists, and joggers, all sharing the same sun-warmed stretch of coast.
If you’ve never visited the Naples canals in Long Beach, it’s worth putting on your list. According to MapQuest, visitors can explore the Naples Canals by strolling along the public walkway or choosing to travel by boat, kayak, or paddleboard. Bring a camera, even if the sky looks questionable. The canals photograph beautifully under almost any conditions.
Long Beach tends to live in the shadow of its flashier neighbors—Los Angeles to the north and Laguna Beach to the south. Spots like the Naples canals are a reminder that it holds its own quiet magic. Sometimes the best discoveries are the ones hiding in plain sight.
Naples Canals Long Beach
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Naples Canals Long Beach |
| Image Description | Naples Canals Long Beach |
| Keywords | alamitos bay, boat, canal, long beach, naples, naples canals |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM |
| Focal Length | 24.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/400 second |
| Aperture Value | 8.00 |
| ISO | 100 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday June 18, 2023 01:35pm |
| City | Long Beach |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Naples |
| GPS Altitude | 6.67289997 meters (21.9 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.7555386666667 |
| GPS Longitude | -118.123421649997 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
Black and white photography is quite simple. All you need is black, and white. Correct? No, it is not that simple, it is not often in everyday life that you come across scenes that have absolute white, and absolute black in the same scene. This photo is a shot of my dog looking out the window. I knew that this would be perfect for black and white. I think it works pretty well. Just keep in mind as you shoot with either black and white film, or with black and white in mind that they call it black and white not gray and grayer.
Dog In The Window
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Dog In The Window |
| Image Description | A small dog looks out a window. |
| Keywords | black and white, dog, silhouette, window |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | EF50mm f/1.2L USM |
| Focal Length | 50.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/800 second |
| Aperture Value | 4.00 |
| ISO | 800 |
| Date/Time Original | Saturday August 05, 2023 06:24pm |
SmugMug Meta Keywords: A Great Service With SEO Limitations
I've been a photographer for years, and like many of us, I started my online portfolio journey with SmugMug. It's a polished, reliable platform with beautiful gallery templates, solid storage, and a passionate community behind it. If you're looking for a hassle-free way to showcase your work, SmugMug genuinely delivers. But there's one area where I kept running into a wall — SEO, and specifically, meta keywords and per-page search optimization.
SmugMug Is Good. Really.
Let me be clear: I'm not here to bash SmugMug. The platform does a lot of things right. Upload quality is excellent, the interface is clean, and your photos are protected behind a reputable CDN. Customer support is responsive, and the pricing is reasonable for what you get. For photographers who want to focus entirely on shooting rather than web development, SmugMug is a smart choice.
But the moment I started thinking about search engine visibility — really digging into how each gallery page, each photo collection, each category was being indexed — I realized SmugMug wasn't built with granular SEO control in mind.
The Meta Keywords Problem
Here's the issue I kept bumping into: SmugMug gives you limited ability to customize meta tags on a per-page basis. Meta keywords, meta descriptions, and page-level title tags are either pulled automatically from your gallery names and captions or handled globally across your site. If you're running a photography business and want a specific gallery — say, "Autumn Engagement Session in Riverside" — to rank for targeted long-tail keywords, you'll quickly discover the platform doesn't give you the surgical control you need.
I found myself fighting the system. I'd optimize my captions, stuff keywords into gallery descriptions, and cross my fingers. Sometimes it worked. Often it didn't. The underlying architecture just wasn't designed for the kind of per-page SEO customization that modern search visibility demands.
If You Want Real Control, Build Your Own
This frustration is exactly what pushed me to build my own photography website from scratch. Yes, it took more time. Yes, there was a learning curve. But the payoff has been worth every hour.
When you own your own site, you control everything — the title tag on every single page, unique meta descriptions, structured data markup, canonical URLs, image alt text strategies, and yes, meta keywords for whatever they're still worth. I can create a landing page for every niche I shoot in and optimize it independently without fighting platform restrictions.
My organic search traffic climbed noticeably within a few months of switching. More importantly, I stopped feeling like a tenant working around a landlord's rules.
The Bottom Line
SmugMug is a genuinely good service, and for many photographers, it's the right answer. But if SEO is a priority for your photography business — if you want each page to work hard for you in search results — you'll eventually hit its ceiling. Building my own site gave me the freedom that SmugMug couldn't offer. For me, that made all the difference.
I still use SmugMug
What I built was a web system where I control SEO, but I then direct the user to SmugMug. In addition, I publish to this blog with links to my SmugMug. Problem solved. I still love SmugMug. They are a great site that does exactly what it was built to do.
I met Leonard Knight several times a few years before his death in 2014. He allowed me to shoot a few portraits of him. He struck me as a generous and caring individual. All he wanted to do was show me his mountain and let me know that Jesus loved me. If you have never been to Salvation Mountain, then I encourage you to visit. It is amazing what this man built. I don’t know what kind of condition it is in today. Hopefully someone is keeping it in good shape.
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Leonard Knight Salvation Mountain |
| Keywords | Leonard Knight, niland, salton sea, salvation mountain, slab city |
| Copyright | ©ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Lens Model | EF50mm f/1.4 USM |
| Focal Length | 50.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/1600 second |
| Aperture Value | 4.00 |
| ISO | 100 |
| Date/Time Original | Wednesday December 30, 2009 02:08pm |
| City | Calipatria |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Salvation Mountain |
| GPS Altitude | 2 meters (6.6 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.25422 |
| GPS Longitude | -115.47336 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
This is looking northwest down Washington in Old Town Murrieta. I was on my way up to the Santa Rosa Plateau, and drove across Washington street. I saw the Highway 395 marking on the street and thought it would be interesting to take a photo looking right down the middle of the road.
Looking northwest down Washington in Old Town Murrieta
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Washington Avenue Murrieta |
| Image Description | Looking northwest down Washington Avenue in Murrieta. Note the historic US 395 sign painted on the street. |
| Keywords | historic downtown murrieta, historic us 395, murrieta, old town murrieta, street, trees, washington avenue |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Canon |
| Camera Model Name | Canon EOS R |
| Lens Model | RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM |
| Focal Length | 24.00mm |
| Shutter Speed Value | 1/160 second |
| Aperture Value | 14.00 |
| ISO | 250 |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday July 09, 2023 10:54am |
| City | Murrieta |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| GPS Altitude | 330 meters (1082.7 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 33.5510723333333 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.211383433353 |
| Map | Google Map Link |
