The Mission
Legions of New Photographers
The ultimate objective of this site is to mint new legions of world-class photographers.
Photographic Fundamentals
This site is founded on the principle that 98% of what makes great photographs great is your expert application of good, old-fashioned photographic fundamentals. The remaining 2% of the credit goes to equipment and digital wizardry (computer geekery).
Simplification as a Means to Better Fundamentals
In support of this proven "fundamentals-first" strategy, this site vigorously pursues simplification as the quickest, easiest, least expensive, most effective means of learning and mastering photographic fundamentals. In short, this site aims to vastly simplify your photography.
This Site is for All Photographers
One of the truly great benefits of using simplicity and fundamentals to create great photographs is anyone can use these principles and flourish. Here's a brief list of those who will find reward in regularly reading this site.
- Youngsters on an allowance
- Students on a budget
- Moderately serious amateurs
- Totally serious amateurs
- The computer challenged
- Aspiring professionals
- Established professionals
Many Digital Cameras Considered
Equipment-wise, this site covers cameras, lenses, and accessories used by a professional photographer in real-life, honest-to-goodness professional applications. Surprisingly, though, this covers a huge range of cameras affordable to just about any budget. Here's a complete list of equipment categories covered.
- Sub $500 compact digital cameras
- High-end, fixed-lens digital cameras
- Entry level digital SLRs
- Low-end professional digital SLRs
- High-end professional digital SLRs
Photographs as Test Results
Here are the simple but effective testing procedures used by this site.
- Go out and use the latest equipment on professional assignments and applications.
- Keep, use, and recommend the equipment that brings home the highest number of saleable, publishable photographs.
Biography
Growing up in Palo Alto, California, Mark Hatasaka gained an early appreciation of nature by roaming the creeks, fields, hills, and estuaries surrounding San Francisco Bay. He began photographing this natural splendor at age 10, built his first darkroom at age 12, started a freelance photography/custom printing/graphic design business in high school, and published a newsletter for the computerized typesetting trade while attending U.C. Berkeley in the late 1970's.
While publishing the newsletter, Mark purchased one of the first microcomputers on the market, and this set in motion a career in computer engineering. Shortly after graduation, Mark founded an engineering consulting business which he successfully ran for more than 20 years. His high-tech clients ranged from fortune 100 giants to the smallest of start-ups. This diversity allowed him to work on some of the most technically advanced and challenging projects in Silicon Valley.
Ever the photographer, in August 1999, Mark purchased his first digicam, a Nikon Coolpix 950. This was quickly followed with a Nikon D1 digital SLR in February 2000. Since that time, Mark's original love of nature, photography, writing, and publishing has gone full circle, merged with his extensive computer expertise, and produced a unique career path encompassing both art and technology.
In 2003, Mark authored his first book, Digital Nature Photography, followed by Mark Hatasaka's Digital Landscape Photography in 2004. The books have rapidly gained wide acclaim both for their innovative, effective instruction and spectacularly inspirational photography.
In 2005, Mark added the title "Instructor" to his resume—teaching classes on digital nature photography, digital darkroom techniques, and self-publishing at local community colleges.