Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Mitchell Miller. I’m a 43 year old Otolaryngologist (ENT) in Clearwater, Florida. I’ve been married for 20 years and have three wonderful children. We moved to Florida 15 years ago from Albany, New York after completing my training.

What is your background/training in photography?

I spent most of my high school senior year in the darkroom as the photography editor for my yearbook. This was where I learned to develop and print B&W photos. Photography went on the back burner during college, but during medical school I began taking intraoperative photos to document interesting cases for publication. Most of these are too graphic to post here. Like many, my interest in traditional photography was rekindled with the birth of my first child 13 years ago.

How long has photography been a passion for you? When, where and how did it start?

I can recall as a child watching my father take photos with his Nikon FE. I wondered what was taking him so long to take each photo! I learned how to use that camera in high school through trial and error.

What equipment is in your camera bag? What piece of equipment will be added to the collection next?

I shoot with a Nikon D2Xs. I have a backup D200 which gets very little use. My glass collection is too large to list. 90% of my photos are taken with the Nikkor 28-70mm, f2.8 zoom, Nikkor 85mm, f1.4, Nikkor 70-200mm, f2.8 zoom or the Nikkor 300mm, f2.8VR. I also have a Gitzo tripod with a RRS BH55LR head which I love. My next piece of equipment will be a Nikon D3X if it ever gets released. I’m looking for a full frame camera for my portraiture.

What are your favorite places/subjects to photograph? Why?

My children are my favorite subjects. Capturing them during their many moods and activities keeps me on the go and artistically challenged. Living in the Tampa Bay area gives me some great outdoor opportunities. I’ve been inspired, lately, to try my hand at bird photography. This new challenge has really improved my focus skills for my sport photography.

Who are your biggest photographic influences? Why? What about their work influences your work?

My biggest influence is Kevyn Major Howard. He is a photographer in LA who specializes in natural light portraits for headshots. His photos are taken in his garage with only a reflector used to direct the light. The simplicity and elegance of his garage portraits has been inspirational. I have tried to emulate his simple technique, and I have taught several other photographers about garage lighting.

How long have you been Smug with your photographs? What features do you most enjoy with your SmugMug account?

I have been using SmugMug for over 3 years. The site allowed me to easily create a customized web site for my photographs with a very professional look and interface. I really enjoy being able to share my photos with family and friends with the SmugMug format. I have also had some nice sales from sporting events just by directing people to my site. It is also a great comfort to me to have my photos stored off site.

If you had do sum up in 50 words or less the impact SmugMug has made on your photography/photography business, those 50 words would be...

SmugMug and my association with Dgrin has elevated the caliber of my photography by constantly pushing me to think outside my comfort zone. I can still remember the growth of my photographic skills from those early Dgrin challenges in 2004.

If you had to give one piece of advice to those wanting to pursue photography, what would you tell them?

The best advice I could give is to take lots of photos. Don’t just indiscriminately fire away, but take notice of what your camera tells you (histogram, highlights, etc…), make adjustments, and then repeat. This on the job learning will make you think about what you are doing and force you understand the mechanics of your equipment. Ultimately, it will become second nature and will allow you to become more creative with more confidence.