I’ve been taking photos since I was still in single digits. I’m still nowhere near knowing all there is to know about photography. One of the first things you develop (if you really want to) is the eye. Some people have it naturally, or “by accident”. Others (like me) have to work on it.
My mother is also someone who is starting to work on hers.
Everywhere I go I carry a camera with me. It depends on the type of place I’m going, as to which camera I bring along, but either way, all my cameras have the Manual Mode option.
Before I really began to delve into photography, I really had no idea how to use Manual Mode, so many of my photos were hit and miss. Once I learnt, I’ve never turned back. Sometimes, if I need to take the photo really quickly, I’ll put the camera on Auto, point and shoot. Here is why that isn’t always the best option…
Resumes are becoming like calling cards, and a decent photograph is almost mandatory. So, what makes a good resume photograph?
It’s pretty easy - here are the basics:
What makes a good photograph? This is a pretty broad question. You may be thinking that it also has a different answer for every person, and you’d be right. There must be some kind of criteria though, otherwise why do some photographs win prizes, and others not?
How much of a difference does the subject make? Can a tractor, like this one, really be photographed in a way that would make it a good photograph? I guess that depends on your preference. For some reason I love old farm buildings and equipment - especially if they have some colorful rust on them - but that’s just me.
Composition is a term bandied around quite a bit - and it is vital - but sometimes an image that breaks all the rules can be outstanding.
Now the New Year is here I’ve started to think about different photography projects I can look into this year. Normally my travels provide a wealth of choice in terms of subjects, but 2007 didn’t bring new destinations, so for 2008 I’m going to be proactive!
Sure, travel is fun and it’s not just about photography, but if you’re away somewhere, it makes your eye tune into different scenes, looking for something interest. Having been to the same destinations mulitple times, I venture to look at the same things with a new perspective, but it’s not quite as fun as seeing something for the first time.
So, before this year gets too far away from me, I’ve started to think about different projects I can look at…
I recently stayed at Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island, which is about 4 hours north of Brisbane, Australia.
The weather was pretty overcast for most of the time, so most of my photographs were pretty ordinary. The main reception of the resort was a large atrium style building, with lots of windows. This made it pretty difficult to photograph. Here’s how I chose to tackle this problem…
Photographing something so you see the movement is a great effect. I enjoy watching motor sports, and this is perfectly suited to the effect called ‘panning’!
Achieving this successfully however, has taken practice and I still get it wrong on a regular basis. Digital has made this process much easier…
Aperture and shutter speed. These are the yin and yang of photography. You can’t have one without the other.
They are concepts that can be a little confusing, so here is how I find it easier to understand them…
Have you ever taken a photo that you think is just wonderful and excitedly send it in to a photo competition, only to have it come back as unsuccessful, and have no idea what was so special about the winning photo?
This has happened to me a few times, but I’ve also had some successes. Much of the reasoning behind the judges decisions often seem pretty odd, but that’s how it goes.
Depth of field is one of those techniques which is fundamental to good photography. Here I’ll go through a demonstration on how to achieve two outcomes using aperture to achieve the desired depth of field, and a practical example to explain this concept.
