In a world of so many great photographers and writers, I am venturing into some unknown territories, leaving comfort zones, finally very willing to practice the art of seeing. By maintaining the practice of posting daily photos, I hope to continue learning about the possibilities that I trust are out there for the taking.
The following is an excerpt from Scott Kelby’s Wednesday Guest Blogger featuring David J. Nightingale (aka Chromasa)!
“In early 2004, when I’d been blogging for a little over six months, and posting a handful of images each month, I came across Sam Javanrouh’s blog: Daily Dose of Imagery. One of the things that impressed me the most about Sam’s blog, other than the consistently high quality of his work, was that he was posting a new image each day, and I can clearly remember thinking two things. First, what a great idea, and second, it can’t be that hard to post 365 shots a year, can it? Well, for the remainder of 2004, 2005, and most of 2006, I attempted to do the same, and discovered that it was harder than I could possibly have imagined.
Now, if I’d had nothing else to do – like eating, sleeping, working as a full-time lecturer in a UK university, helping to bring up my young family, and everything else that goes along with being a human being – it would have been a piece of cake… Surely almost anyone can take one reasonable shot every 24 hours? But, in and amongst everything else, there were many days when I really didn’t have anything even halfway decent to blog, nor any time to shoot any new material. On those days I would sit at my computer and decide which was the least useless shot from a fairly bad bunch, drag it into Photoshop, and attempt to turn it into something more interesting.”
Because I haven’t gone out to shoot in the last two days, I didn’t have a photo for my blog. I went looking at my old photos for a photo I could maybe clean up and post. I found NOTHING I liked even remotely. None of the zillions of photos I have is worth saving. I even took a peek at some of last year’s photo class and workshop photos. Nada. I can’t even stand to look at my stuff.
This is a wakeup call. I need to pick up my camera and stop reading about photography and start shooting. I also need to start shooting in the EARLY morning light (which means I need to get up earlier than I’ve wanted to get up.)
Well, today, after 10am when the light isn’t so great outside, I picked up my camera fitted with the 50mm 1.8 lens. I got my diffuser out of the closet, stood by a window in the dining room that had some good light coming in through the glass doors, and shot half of my face. Why half of my face? Because my second photo assignment is “Halves”.
Here is the photo I shot.
I just need to be patient with myself, stop comparing my photos to the great photographers’ work, and just schedule in time with my camera.
While reading David duChemin’s new photography book titled, “Within the Frame”, I came across this sentence on page 156, “One of the most helpful parts of my process is an AAR, or After-Action Review. It consists of spending time at the end of the day, usually while looking at the day’s selects, and asking myself what went well, what did not go well, and what I shot today that I could shoot better tomorrow……………………Don’t let the knowledge you gained on today’s shoot go to waste if you can redeem it tomorrow for the images you really wanted.”
Interesting, this concept of AAR can be applied to life too. I even gave someone feedback who was asking for help to do the same thing by looking at the top of p. 86 in the B. B. “When evening comes……………”
I should listen to my own advice.
This quote below was also in David’s Wednesday Guest Blogger post on Scott Kelby’s blog.
“For me, though he was a psychologist rather than a photographer, Jean Piaget summed this up quite nicely when he said “What we see changes what we know. What we know changes what we see”.
It’s the season, we have crickets galore and the Black Widows know it. Where they are crickets there are Black Widows.
Three days in a row now I have shot photos of Black Widows. The first night I shot a photo was when I pulled in the my garage after the Baby Meeting last Tuesday night and saw a huge BW in it’s web just outside the garage. Then Our local newspaper, the Desert Sun, came out with a front section photo and article on Black Widows the day after I shot my first Black Widow. My competitive juices started flowing and now I am trying to see what kind of interesting shots I can capture of these Black Widows. The spiders aren’t quite so skittish anymore. I guess they’re getting used to me.
We have another two Black Widows living near the front gate too. They’ve been living there for a couple of years now. They live inside the drainage pipe that runs down the side of the condo during the heat of the day.
Photo taken with a Canon 40D, 100mm 2.8 macro lens, hand held in early morning shade.
This morning Ray went out the back door again (to fill the bird bath with water (water evaporates daily in these 114 degree days). He came back in letting me know my spider was back and moving about in his web. I thought this can’t be the same spider. The spider I saw yesterday was barely moving as it lay in a ball on the concrete. But Ray thinks it is the same spider. It was in the exact same area but I don’t know if they are one and the same.
Photo taken with my small Canon Powershot A650, zoomed in only a tiny bit, set to manual macro, and shot in early morning shade.
The sunset tonight got me out the door with my camera. But this was the shot I took.
I decreased the clarity slider in Adobe Lightroom 2 to create more motion with the water from the sprinklers.
Canon 70 – 200 at 200. 8pm on a tripod with self timer.
I had trouble with dust, spots, scratches showing up on the glass of this blue vase I shot. I actually like the composition and color of the photo. I don’t know how people shoot closeups without seeing all the dirt, scratches, smudges etc. (If you click on the photo to enlarge it you’ll see what I’m talking about.)
I used a 100mm macro which just magnified all these flaws. I also had trouble getting the vase in focus while having the back ground pillow fabric out of focus. I wanted to get in close to my subject so using the 50mm lens was out of the question as the closest I can shoot with it is 1.5 feet.
I won’t be submitting this photo for the blue lesson. It will go the way of the other 50 shots I took today……into the trash. I didn’t get a photo I like, however I did get to learn more about what I don’t want to do, what doesn’t work.
So, like posting my high golf scores, I’ll be posting my photo rejects. And, the keepers of course.
Practice, practice, practice seems to be the mantra in all areas of my life these days.
I recently splurged and bought an expensive Canon lens….the Canon 70-200mm 2.8 L series lens. It’s soooooo heavy. Two days ago I took this lens outside my backdoor and shot some of the shots below, hand holding this almost 4 pound lens (fitted with a Really Right Stuff L84 tripod bracket for collared lens attached.)
All of the photos came out “soft” – not in crisp focus. Bummer. I intended to post the photos anyway, but couldn’t. I was embarrassed. Here I spent all this money and couldn’t even shoot a decent in-focus hand held shot in good light.
After a little thought, I decided, I am going to post these photos for the reasons listed:
- First reason – so hopefully, some day I’ll look back and say, “Wow, have you improved Linda.”
- Second reason- to help keep me accountable to practicing. I don’t like looking bad in front of people, so I’ll be posting practice photos to keep me on track with this out-there-for-all-to-see stated commitment.
- Third reason – I need to get over expecting to get better without putting in the time and effort. I posted a great blog entry in Facebook today by a woman blogger I so identify with. Her blog was titled: “Work First, Tools later.” My pattern is to buy the gear and believe by having the gear, I’ll get better. Silly, I know.
- Fourth reason – To be an example to my ladies that I only ask of them, what I ask of myself.
Yesterday, after a frustrating round of golf, with many good shots, but lots of triples and a quadruple or two, I mentioned to Ray that maybe I should start posting my golf scores in this blog. “Why, he asked?” And before I answered, he said, “Yeah, you should.” He knows I try much harder and do better when I am accountable to people. Sooooo, I shot a 99 yesterday. Ouch!. More golf scores to follow in this blog as I play.
Shot outside our back door with the large Canon 70 – 200 lens. I tried moving closer but I could tell the bird’s comfort level was decreasing with my approaching presence.
Canon 70 – 200 lens
Shot with my small Canon Powershot A650. Looked a lot better when I was actually seeing the reflection as we left the green.
I suspected I wasn’t feeling all too hot on Sunday. Today I know I’m sick with a cold or flu. Never got out of my jammies.
Sunday I shot photos with a 100mm macro lens and all shots were taken on a tripod. I kept shooting away. I knew I wasn’t liking what I was getting. I hiked up the trail and found the little shade there was and set up. The only other time I used this lens I was on the ground with the camera. I could see better whether what I wanted was in focus or not and I was comfortable. Sunday, the rocky terrain had me standing, set up low and I just never got comfortable. Of all the photos I took, there were only a few that were in focus enough to keep just for this post.
What I learned this day:
-Go earlier before the wind picks up. Shooting macro with even the slightest breeze is almost impossible.
-Don’t start shooting until I find something pleasing. Just take the time and keep looking for color, patterns, texture, etc.
-Don’t go to a popular trail area. I had to be concerned about someone walking by and my being in their way or kicking over my tripod.
-I don’t know much about macro photography.
-Setting the aperture to 32 isn’t enough for macro photography unless the flower is on the same plane. Depth of field is only very limited.
-Basically know what I like about what I’m attempting to shoot and shoot for that.
While at the Zoo last week, I asked Stacy and Sandi to give me their best fish impressions in case I couldn’t come up with 3 fish photos from my next assignment.
What do you think?
Thanks you two.
We spent last night at the Marriott in Woodland Hills. Over coffee in the room this morning I took out my camera and focused on Ray reading the newspaper. I snapped away and showed Ray the photos I’d taken asking him which photos he liked. “Don’t put any photos of me on your blog.” Well, if you would smile and look up at me, you’d like how you look in the photos better. He says, “You can’t even see my eyes behind the glasses.” I say you’re right. Take your glasses off.
He did take his glasses off….partially. Much better photo Ray. Thanks!
Ray went to hit golf balls and I went for a walk outside the Marriott for an hour this morning. I used my fanny pack camera hoping to get a shot or two for the blog daily photo. First time I took my camera out to shoot a reflection in a tall building, a guard whistled at me. He then yelled out, No photos. That put a crimp in freedom. Further down the block I found some running water and that’s what I focused on shooting. Nothing I shot looked like anything. The two photos below were the best of the lot.
I was out shooting around 4:17pm today and Mt. San Jacinto blocked much of the only light left. I didn’t particularly like this series of wind turbine shots so I played with black and white. (My son put that thought in my head. Thanks Lane.)
I was playing with filters here.
L > R Taye and Linda
Taye and I had a blast at Balboa Lake last week. I’m sure everyone thought we were somewhat retarded in our childlike exuberance. We didn’t care.
Next photo session will be at the zoo, February 3rd before the Baby Meeting.
All are welcome.