I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography from the University of Washington. Four years of critique sessions, darkroom fumes, conceptual frameworks, and endlessly fascinating discussions about whether photography as art.

And to be clear — I’m grateful for all of it. Those years shaped how I see, how I think, how I approach visual storytelling. They trained my eye, pushed me to ask why before how, and embedded in me a deep respect for photography as a medium of meaning, not just aesthetics.

But there’s one thing art school never taught me:

The practical aspects of being a working photographer.

Enter: The Strobist

That education came later — from a man I’ve never met, but to whom I owe more than I can possibly express.

David Hobby.

When I first stumbled onto his website, The Strobist, it felt like finding a flash (sorry) in a darkroom (double sorry). Suddenly, the mysteries of light — which had always felt expensive, exclusive, and arcane — were broken down into clear, approachable, generous lessons.

Not in theory. Not in art-speak. But in real-world practice, using tools I could afford, in situations I recognized. It was eye-opening. And it was empowering.

Real Lessons for Real Shoots

David didn’t just explain lighting ratios or softbox placement. He taught me how to think like a photographer who works on location. How to walk into a random space and build light from scratch. How to control it, shape it, modify it, see it. How to solve problems under pressure, with clients watching, using gear that fits in a backpack.

Everything I know about using small flashes effectively traces back to the Lighting 101 and 102 series on The Strobist.

I learned more in those blog posts than I did in years of school.

And the best part? It was all free. Freely shared. Freely given.

Gratitude from Afar

I’ve never met David Hobby. I don’t know if he’ll ever read this. But if by some strange turn of the internet he does — thank you.

Your generosity changed the course of my career. You took a confused art school graduate who knows every piece of work by Cindy Sherman and Nam Jun Paik but with no clue how to light a portrait and gave me the tools — and confidence — to build a real practice.

And more than that, you reminded me that knowledge is meant to be shared. That photography is a community, not a competition. That good teachers don’t just instruct — they ignite.

That’s why I’ve started this blog.  It’s time to share what my experience too.

Final Thoughts

I found out with sadness that the website is archived but good news is David is still active in photography and seems that nowadays he comes more often to my neck of the woods.  He’s conducting photography tours to Vietnam.  I’d love to attend on day.  And so should anyone who can find the time to.