Hello, friend,

photoscapes.com has been through quite the transformation—much like me—as I ease into the winding-down chapter of a wonderfully full career in photography and commercial art. The site first launched back in 2003 when I began sharing non-commercial images with the public. Before that, I was deep in the trenches of commercial photography, booked solid up to two years out—my self-imposed limit (and probably what preserved my sanity). Client work ruled the calendar, and personal projects were mostly filed under “someday.” It wasn’t always easy, but it was the life I chose, and I loved it. I kept clients happy, stayed thoroughly busy, and—if I’m being honest—barely had time to spend the money I was making. Not the worst problem to have.

Fast-forward to January 2023: as part of my well-planned retirement, I removed the shopping cart and image catalog from this site. No more selling prints. Instead, I’m turning this corner of the internet into something more meaningful—a place to share what I’ve learned along the way. No paywalls, no marketing fluff—just a collection of insights, inspiration, and hopefully a few golden nuggets worth bookmarking.

You won’t find a comment section here. That’s not because I’m anti-social (I swear!) but because I’d rather not spend my days deleting spam about miracle creams or suspicious links from “Bob.” If you do want to reach out, I welcome your message via the secure contact form. I’ll reply as soon as I can—just know I might be off somewhere shooting, traveling, testing gear, developing film, or living life with someone special (and maybe chasing down a creative spark or two). So, a little patience goes a long way!

With 40 years of experience as a commercial artist, photographer, and educator, I’ve gathered a pretty expansive library of knowledge. Over the years, I’ve written countless articles and lesson plans—from hands-on shooting techniques to the behind-the-scenes reality of running a studio business. Many of these are now being updated for public release on the articles page (at a deliberate, retirement-friendly pace). I also ran a two-year commercial photography program and was invited to design a statewide curriculum for the Florida Department of Education, based entirely on coursework I had developed, tested, and taught in my own classroom.

The 25 Images page holds a small, ever-changing group of favorite photographs. I still shoot film—mostly black-and-white 4×5 and 120—along with medium-format digital. I’m format-fluid. Both have their charm.

If you’re a camera nerd like me, you’re in good company. My digital gear shares space with a beloved lineup of medium- and large-format film cameras. My personal favorites? ALPA and Hasselblad—both film and digital. Medium format just fits like a glove.

In the studio, I keep a Sinar Norma and a “P” monorail for those slow, methodical sessions that go hand-in-hand with vintage brass lenses. In the field, I often bring along my Ebony 4×5, a Linhof, or the panoramic-loving Fotoman 6×17. I don’t shoot 35mm often, but I still have my first SLR—a Canon AE-1—and my second, a Nikon F3T, both standing by for their encore. And then there’s the Minolta CLE, small and charming, always whispering, “Shoot me more.” One day, I just might listen.

In many ways, I’ve come full circle—and I couldn’t be happier about it. Articles will keep growing, knowledge will keep flowing, and there will always be something new on the horizon (even if I’m cruising there at my own well-earned pace). Thanks for stopping by—I hope you’ll visit again.

Still chasing good light,
darr almeda