A Little Help from Our Friends
This post will deviate from my norm of focusing on my work because it is an assignment for COMM 1030: Introduction to Social Media.
The assignment is to create a list blog with at least four points and at least one external link per point.
To complete the requirements of the assignment and remain true to my personal style guide, in this post, I present four sites that teach beginning photography concepts along with personal commentary and photos.
JPEG or RAW
Christina Greve provides a good overview of the differences between the two files and why you should use one over the other.
Like her, I didn’t know what RAW was when I first bought my DSLR.
Neither did I know why I should use it or how to set my camera to save files in that format.
Of course, when I first picked it up, I shot everything in automatic mode, too. Now, I rarely take it out of manual.
I was afraid of messing around too much for fear of messing up my camera somehow.
- Follow your instruction manual. Your camera will be just fine.
- Shooting in RAW doesn’t change my user experience when in the field. It only changes what I can do on the back end—when editing in post.
- I have become comfortable in making photographic mistakes. With a digital camera, there’s not even the expense of film or developing fees to consider. It’s ok to play with your settings.
- I find that I learn more with (unintentional) mistakes. Or, I remember the why better.
In short, change your settings on your camera to what makes the most sense for your photographic journey.
Sunny Flowers
In the photo on the left, the sun is too bright and distracting.
In the photo on the right, I changed my angle and got a better shot.
Aperture
I found a t-shirt with a helpful graphic for remembering a good place to start when setting your aperture in relation to the ambient lighting conditions.
I use these suggestions as a starting point.
Sometimes, I must remind myself that I am in control of my process and that if I don’t like the outcome, I can change any aspect to better suit my vision.
Tree lights
In the photo on the left, I focused on the trees in the background, leaving a blurry mess in the foreground.
In the photo on the right, I focused on the lights, leaving the background out of focus, a much more interesting photo.
Exposure Trifecta
I like posters that explain how one aspect of the exposure trifecta affects the other two.
As you learn your camera and how you like your photos to look, these tools serve as a learning aid.
As you start getting into a rhythm of doing things a certain way, these tools help remind you to break out of your own mold occasionally to explore the possibilities.
Sometimes, taking a good photo or a great photo can be a small adjustment of one of these aspects.
The Post
In the photo on the left, I shot at 1/400 sec; f/16; ISO 1600
In the photo on the right, I shot at 1/160 sec; f/16; ISO 1600
Composition
Whenever I read a photography book, talk to a photographer, or take a photography class, the subject of composition is inevitably raised.
I always wonder how to compose. What, exactly, do I do to compose a great (or even good) shot?
And, really, as frustrating as it is, the answer is to take more shots.
However, Francesca Baccini created a beautiful guide to help you think about the basic rules of composition.
The most important reason to learn the rules is to learn when you can bend or break them.
Main Street, Mesa
The picture on the left shows the street, the railway, and some buildings.
This was part of my trying to show leading lines in an assignment for ART 1050
I was captivated by the silhouette of the person in the photo on the right.
If I was a braver person, I would have asked them for permission to capture this aesthetic better.
Have fun
The most important thing about photography is that you have fun doing it.
It doesn’t make sense to invest a lot of time and money in an activity unless you love doing it.
I hope this blog inspires you to take more shots and learn to love it.
I’ll see you out there.
Meditation