It's all about perspective...

I saw an interesting tv program today that gave some great advice on how to improve your photographs with creativity.  I thought I'd pass on the info.  Photographer Justin Hackworth discussed three exercises that will help improve the quality of your photographs by changing your perspective.

#1.  The Alphabet Exercise:  Have you seen the displays that spell out words like "family" or "love," etc., by using a photograph that resembles each letter?  This is just like that.  In this exercise you should look for the letters of the alphabet in the everyday objects around you.  For example, the tines of a fork turned sideways resembles the letter 'E'.  Looking for 'hidden letters' in everyday items will help you see things in a different way and will change the way you look at the subjects you photograph.

#2.  The Unmade Bed Exercise:  This sounds weird, but is one of the assignments famed photographer Dorthea Lange gave to her students years ago.  Take a picture of your unmade bed, then notice how the light (preferably natural light) falls across the object to define shapes, lines and accentuates textures.  Notice how the light changes at different times of the day.  Understanding how light falls on an object and emphasizes line, shape and texture will help you recognize 'good' light when you are photographing.  Utilizing good lighting when you are out photographing will improve the quality of your photos.  The inverse of that is true:  poor lighting will ruin a great shot.


#3.  The One Shot Exercise:  Force yourself to pause, and slow down before taking a photo to really think about what you are doing.  Instead of taking 20 or 200 frames, which you can with a digital camera, only allow yourself one shot.  By doing this, you'll be forced to pay attention and really focus on your subject matter.  Be deliberate when you take a photo.

Over all, he emphasized that good photography takes time, dedication and repetition.  By doing these exercises your perspective hopefully will have changed and you will begin to see the world in a new way.  Because in creating art, it's not what you see, but rather how you see that makes it great.

I'm in Heaven...

Spring has finally decided to make it's appearance here in the Icebox.

I wish I could post scratch-n-sniff pictures, because Black Cherry blossoms are what Heaven is going to smell like.  I am just sure of it!  If you've never smelled Black Cherry blossoms, come take a whiff at my house in the next few days and I'm sure you'll agree with me on the Heavenly aroma.

I'm also in Heaven because Mr. Two Cents and I decided to just go ahead and invest in a great DSLR camera.  That's right, we returned the new camera after we found that it didn't have manual controls.  We found a great DSLR for a great price and spent our unborn baby's inheritance on it.  But, we'll have great photos of the little one and her big sister, so it's all good. This is our third camera in about two weeks...  The third one's the charm, right?  It certainly is for us. 

Now, if those darn lilacs would just start a'bloomin' it would be like a party in Heaven!

Camera Brand Loyalty

Dear Brand X Cameras, 

I have always loved taking pictures and yours has been my favorite brand of camera since I received my very first one, the "Cameo," as a teenager.  I loved that camera and used it all the way through high school.  When it's film 'door' (?) needed to be taped shut in order to not over-expose the film, it was time for a new one.  

My second camera was also from your Brand X, but I don't remember the style name.  Digital cameras were new to the market and very expensive, so this one was still a film camera.  I  loved it, too.  I had this one through college, while dating my husband, Mr. Two Cents, and during the early part of our marriage.  

The first Christmas Mr. Two Cents and I were married, he surprised me with a Brand X digital camera.  He picked it out, without even knowing my preference for Brand X.  This style was called an "EZ Share."  Since it was a digital camera, I was able to take my pathological photo taking to a higher level.  I loved this camera.  It pretty much went with me everywhere, and gave me dreams of someday becoming a professional photographer.  I recommended it to everyone.  My in-laws even bought two!  One as a gift for Grandma, and one for themselves as a small camera they could haul around more easily than their huge DSLR.

For our 5th anniversary this year, Mr. Two Cents and I decided to upgrade to a new camera.  We had often talked about upgrading to a DSLR ourselves, but money always stood in the way.  The "EZ Share," while not being a DSLR, had pretty much all the same features, without having interchangeable lenses, and was hundreds of dollars less expensive.  Since we loved the first "EZ Share" so much, we decided to just upgrade to the newer model of the "EZ Share."  

And this is where my love and admiration for Brand X Cameras has come to an end...

Now, I'm not sure if we just happened to get a lemon, but this camera was nothing like what we expected after such a good experience with our first "EZ Share."  I was frustrated every time I tried to take pictures.  I was missing all the good shots, because the camera always hesitated by "processing" whenever I hit the shutter button.  I would press it halfway to focus, then all the way to take the shot, and it would still hesitate and "process."  It was so annoying!  

A lot of my shots had these horrible purple lines through them, ruining what would have been a good photo.  At first I thought I must have jiggled or something, but it continued to happen even when I was very careful to stay still.  I was so frustrated, that I had stopped trying to learn how to use the manual settings (the lines appeared less when it was set to auto).  The saddest part was that I had stopped trying to take photos, because I always missed the shots I wanted anyway.  After much trial and error, we determined that it had a faulty light sensor, and possibly a faulty processor.  

This past weekend, Mr. Two Cents graduated from college.  Out of all the photos I took, only a small handful turned out, even with the camera set on auto.  And even then, I am not very happy with those that turned out.  That was the last straw for me.  I was done with this camera.  It was still under warranty, so I could exchange it for another, but I didn't want to take that chance that the same problems would start happening again.  I was once an extremely loyal customer, but this one experience has changed that.  I am not sure if I would ever trust a Brand X Camera again.

Mr. Two Cents told me I could get a DSLR if I really wanted one, even though we really can't afford it right now.  While I think that I would like one someday, I just want a camera that works to take pictures of our family.  I'm not attempting to go professional (at least not for now), so we don't need an expensive camera that I don't know how to fully use just for shots of licking popsicles on the lawn, or looking at animals at the zoo.  

We found a camera that fits that bill.  It is not a Brand X.  It has all the same features of the new model "EZ Share," and hopefully none of the "EZ Share's" problems.  

Sincerely,

A once loyal, now disgruntled customer

Are any of you readers loyal to one brand of camera?  What do you like about that particular brand? 

Candid Cameras...

Recently, I received a comment asking how I shoot candid photos.  They are my favorite type of photos to shoot.  Well, and landscapes too. 

***Disclaimer:  I am not a professional photographer, my background is in art.  These are just a few basic things I think about when I am composing a photo.  (or painting...)***

Take a lot of photos.  I think the key to taking a good candid shot is to simply take a ton of photos!  With a digital camera you are only limited by the life of your battery and space on your memory card.  Out of fifty shots, then one or two are bound to turn out good, right?  If I'm lucky and the stars all align for me, then maybe five or six will.  One thing I've learned is that the more pictures I take, the better I am becoming at taking them.

Don't be afraid to take a lot of photos.  Another obstacle for taking a good candid shot is in capturing that 'slice of life' feeling.  I don't like 'posed' shots.  They feel too formal and stiff to me.  I've found that if you only have your camera out for a few minutes, people get all nervous about having their picture taken and turn away or they fake a smile, and the candid 'slice of life' moment is ruined.  But, if you have your camera out for an hour or so, and are constantly taking pictures, then people begin to relax and you can get those natural smiles photographed.  So, again, take a lot of photos!  It also helps to have a good zoom...

Move around and try different angles.  I always try to move around and vary my point of view as I'm taking photos.  That is one way to find a great angle.  I find that sometimes, shooting from another side is all that is needed to make the composition more interesting.  When I'm photographing my little girl, I'll sit or lay on the floor to get down to her level.  However, sometimes it's fun to stand on chair to get a 'view from the top' as she plays with her toys.   Again, I just take a ton of photos, varying the angles and hoping that one turns out.

Fill the frame with your subject.  I like to zoom in close and fill the entire frame with my subject.  A lot of unnecessary background can be eliminated this way, and your subject gets star treatment.  A wise instructor advised my fellow art students and I to never be afraid of zooming in on your subject matter.  It worked for Georgia O'Keeffe.  (although she was a painter...)   

Take the time to think about your composition.  Due to my art school training, I don't even think about compositional elements anymore when I'm taking a photo.  It just starts to come naturally the more you study it.  A good rule is to think in terms of thirds.  Most digital cameras have a grid you can turn on in the viewfinder.  (Or you can just do it in your head).  The grid will divide the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically, creating nine rectangles.  Most people focus their camera on the middle rectangle, the very center of the frame.  And while they might take a beautiful image, it will most likely be pretty boring.  If you shift the focus off-center to one of the grid lines, that creates some drama and interest.  I like to set my focus on the spot where two grid lines cross.  This rule works really well for shooting landscapes.

Get the Lighting right.  Nothing ruins a good photo of Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty like their eyes squinting in the bright sunlight.  Try to avoid taking photos in full sun.  The harsh light makes for harsh photos.  An overcast day is best for taking daytime outdoor photos.   If possible, try to plan outdoor photo shoots for 'the golden hours' of just after sunrise and just before sunset.  Those are the only times of day when you'll have the the most glorious golden light to work with.  When you're indoors, use the indirect light coming in from a window to light your subject.

And so...  to sum it all up...  don't be afraid to take a lot of photos.  The more you take, the more you'll improve!  Happy Picture Taking!

Any other subjects you'd like to discuss?

Crickets Chirping...

That's all I hear whenever I post here.

I was hoping that this blog would become more interactive, with comments and discussions.  However, it seems I am the only one interested.  That needs to change.

So, since no one else threw any topics into the mix...  I will.
Photography.
Discuss...

People who know me in real life, know that I am super crazy when it comes to taking photos.  I love them!  I love to look back at them and see all the fun things I've done with my wonderful friends and family.  I am of the opinion that if it isn't documented by a photograph, then the event didn't happen!  I need to get better about printing them off to put into photo books, because then I wouldn't have to sit at a computer to do my reminiscing.

Now, while I have a good eye and can take a good photo (if I do say so myself), I am always looking for tips on how to improve my shot to make them great photos.  I want to learn how to take the camera off auto and figure out those manual settings.  I have purchased a library's worth of photography instruction manuals, and it always makes me so frustrated that they start out with a chapter on "basics".  And by basic, I mean BASIC.  They always include a photo of a labeled digital camera, pointing out that this is in fact, a digital camera.  Then they point out the shutter release button, the viewfinder screen, and power button.  These are advanced photography books that treat their readers as if they are either stupid, or have never laid eyes on a camera before.  

However, I have finally found a book that actually gives great tips, like how to hold the camera in a way that will keep it steady (without a tripod) and will avoid muscle fatigue.

LIFE Guide to Digital Photography: Everything You Need to Shoot Like the Pros

by:  Joe McNally

If you are interested in photography, I recommend this book.  The author, Joe McNally discusses his career as a photographer for Life magazine, and includes a lot of advice and tips he learned along the way.   He also has a great explanation for f-stops and apertures.

So, now the interactive part...

Do any of you have a favorite photography book that has helped them improve their skills?  

What are your favorite things to photograph?  

Do you prefer posed shots or candids?

Discuss...  (please...)

p.s.  I am still posting regularly to my Super Secret Blog, the life and times of the Two Cents Family.  If you would like an invite, send me a comment with your email address in it.