“Sunshine is My Quest”

-Winston Churchill

We like to keep an eye on our clients’ social media accounts to stay up to date on what is going on in their lives. About a year ago, we noticed long time client and friend, Ed Shuler, was posting beautiful photographs on his Facebook page. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that he had taken all of these incredible shots himself! He has taken a more serious interest in photography for about 18 months now and the main thing he has learned is that, like much else in life, if you want to get good at something, you have to do it over and over again. He’s found that there are more interesting subjects around us than we think, we just have to learn to see them.

Bryce Canyon Sunrise

Ed’s father was interested in photography when he was growing up. His photography interest was mostly aimed at family and vacation pictures, but that interest is what sparked something in Ed. He got his first single lens reflex (SLR) camera in about 1971 when he was in the Air Force. Over the years, Ed has always had a serious but mid-grade camera type, and like his dad, used them mostly to record his children and their family vacations.

Zion Sunset

As Ed approached retirement, he became more interested in photography again. Technology has changed radically since he first got started and the advent of YouTube and all the instructional videos it contains changed how quickly one can be immersed in a subject. Ed’s son studied video journalism at Brooks Institute and coached him in his photographic interests. Between his son and several photographers on YouTube, Ed has learned a lot in a short amount of time.

Morro Rock Morning

There are many fields within photography, and Ed has gravitated primarily towards landscape and street/cityscape photography. He has tried portraits with a couple family members, but he thinks that needs some work. He has also attempted documenting some family gatherings with mixed results. “Such attempts at herding the cats that make up a family gathering have given me an appreciation for what a wedding photographer must put up with.”

Ship Rock Sunrise

When it comes to equipment, Ed is currently shooting with a Canon R6 Mark II and a Canon RP. These are both mirrorless digital cameras with interchangeable lenses. Unlike his first SLR, which was completely mechanical except for a rudimentary built-in light meter, both of those bodies have no moving parts other than the shutters. But the things they can do in terms of automatic focus, exposure accuracy, shooting speed, and dynamic range are amazing. He has a couple of zoom lenses that are used for general photography and landscapes, and one longer zoom for outdoor sports. He also has a couple of compact, prime lenses that he likes to use for street photography. Ed does not have a flash on his cameras because he has only been using available light for his photos, but he says if he ever gets serious about portraits, he will learn how to use a flash (especially off-camera flash). Finally, he has a sturdy tripod and a backpack made to carry camera equipment.

Harmony Headland Sunset

Thank you, Ed, for sharing your story and art with us! We hope you all enjoy Ed’s beautiful photographs as much as we have!