Getting down and dirty... (Article)

This article came up on my Facebook feed, and had to share. Do you ever see an image in your head, and just know that it will require you to lie on a dirty ground to get it? I laugh as I remember the countless times this has happened to me. I don't mind getting dirty, whether it be lying on the ground or climbing muddy stone to get that image I want... and it is always amusing to see people's reactions when I do...

The funniest reaction I ever got was from a friend's husband. My friend had just gotten married, and asked me to take some photos of her and her husband. We went up to the rooftop patio, and the night sky was amazing... I took a few photos of them just enjoying the night, and then I just had to capture an image with the moon in the background. The only way I could accomplish this was to lay on the ground and shoot up... My friend's new husband, who was having a little bit of trouble following the conversation with my friend (English was his recently learned 4th language), saw me go to lie on the ground and freaked out... "What are you doing? Don't lie on the ground..."... I told him it was ok and that I was trying to take a picture with the moon in it... he was still bewildered.... I showed him the picture, and he like it but he still thought I was strange to do that for a picture.

I have yet to wade into a river or lake to take a picture... but there is one shot on my running route that tempts me to do just that... Maybe soon...

In the mean time, enjoy this article and photos of one Yorkshire photographer who will do what it takes to get that perfect shot for his clients.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/a-yorkshire-photographer-has-revealed-the-secrets-to-taking-the-the-perfect-wedding-photos-a6692196.html

Chocolate cupcake with chai infused whipped cream

Life's been busy, so I haven't had time to do much photography, whether editing photos (I have tons to edit!) or taking new ones. A couple days ago I decided to bake for my neighbours, and experiment with flavours, so I dusted off my camera too.  

I am still using my Canon Power Shot Pro1, and this picture is only somewhat better than the one I took on my phone... Technology has definitely developed in leaps and bounds since the Pro1 was released. 

The purpose of this photo was to test different methods of diffusing light, without the use of a lightbox.  In this shot I just put some paper towel over the LED lights I was using. It did an amazing job, but I still want to tweak my set up, as I'm not thrilled with some of the glare on the plate. 

And, if you are wondering... These cupcakes turned out amazing!

Trying to fix the post below...

Hmmm... I'm no coding whiz, so, the post below in a little messed up. I'm not quite sure how to fix it, so it will take me some time to figure it out. Sorry if you can't read that post or the previous one properly.  I think if you load the posts individually, you can read each of them better.

UPDATE (2/11/2015): Found the picture on Jonathan Scott's FB Fan Page, so now the post is as I originally intended.

Sometimes a photo just makes you smile....

Courtesy of Jonathan Scott's Facebook Fan Page

Sometimes you just happen upon a picture that totally makes you smile, and for me this was just one such photo.

I was looking for a picture I had seen of these gentlemen for different post, and stumbled upon this photo, and it just put a HUGE smile on my face. This image just has the right combination of elements to make it so... sort of like a perfect storm of elements.

After living in rainy BC for a couple of years, I became somewhat of a pluviophile. I'm not kidding; I actually love the rain, especially as pictured here. I know a lot of people dislike the rain, for various reasons, but I find a beauty in it. In spring, I love seeing the rain waking the world up from it's winter slumber; and in the fall, it has a sullen beauty, as it rids the world of the remnants of summer, as it prepares to hibernate. But the BEST kind of rain is when it's COMPLETELY sunny!  That is what we have in this picture. So, personally, this image speaks to me....

Even if you can't empathize with my love of rain, there is also the the juxtaposition of a sunny day and a rainy day that is completely harmonious in the image.  I love things that are a little unexpected -- it makes for a great story. Think about it, when you think sunny day, you probably don't think it was raining, and reverse is also true.

I have to admit, though, in the context of this photo, it's not the surprise element that works, but more the harmony. The subjects of this is image are the twins who (from what I can tell from social media) compliment each other very well, just as the rain and the sunshine in the image.

What perfects the image as a whole, is the softness of the image and the photographer's choice of black and white.  Because the image is not pin sharp (at least as it is pictured here), it has ethereal feel. I think this is further highlighted by the fact that the image is in black and white. This image is perfect in black and white. I don't know if the photographer shot it that way or did that in post; I love the choice. I feel that if the image was in colour, it would actually take away from the story.... the image would just not be the same.

So, yes, I know this is probably a publicity shot of some sort, but that doesn't mean it can't have a wonderful story.  What do you think? Does this image not put a smile on your face?

It's not important for the post, but these men are "The Property Brothers". From what I gather, they are total ergophiles (workaholics!), and do some really great work. If you want to know more about them, just do a search for them... they are easy to find!

Adventures of "The Legographer"

(c) Andrew Whyte

I can't remember how I got to this article, but I'm so glad that I found it!

This is a very clever way to keep yourself engaged with the world around you, and keep pushing yourself to see things from a different perspective with simple tools -- all important for a photographer to keep their skills sharp.

I love that this was a 365 project of a UK-based photographer, Andrew Whyte, who used his iPhone for the whole series.  He seems to have only used apps for lighting, which would let him separate focus from exposure, which makes sense. The effects are amazing.

I think it's funny that during that year, he never left home without out his pocket-sized companion, Legographer.

Andrew's work on this miniseries here: The Legographer.

Next time I take on a 365, I want to do something similar... not necessarily a Legographer, but something that will shift my perspective on the world... and keep me rethinking, re-engaging the normal everyday things.

Article: 50 Brides Reveal What Their Photographers Could Have Done Better

I read this article with much amusement. I understand that brides want their day to be captured perfectly (in the way they think it should be shot), but sometimes they don't share or understand the vision the photographer has. I recall, a few years back, a friend was showing me her wedding photo album, which was really well done. As we were flipping through the pages, she stopped on one particular page to complain about a particular black and white image the photographer chose to use instead of the same in colour. I recall looking at the page in its totality and thought the photographer made the right choice, BUT my friend wasn't happy with the choice. At the end of the day, it was a beautiful product, but my friend was not happy.

A couple years later, I was watching a course on CreativeLive, and remember the instructor mentioning that sometimes the client (and she was talking about brides), will have a particular image in mind that they want and it isn't necessarily aligned with what the photographer would suggest. The instructor reminded those of us watching that in the end, it may be in your best interest to let go of your creative vision, to keep the client happy.

Both of these things came to mind when reading this article... Photography, particularly wedding photography, is really about managing a personal relationship. Yes, a bride has come to you because they like your work, but they think that you can capture the magic of the day. For me personally, the only way to do that is to have a great relationship with the subject of my photos... I tell them what I want to do/have in mind, and ask for their suggestions, and hopefully everyone is happy with the final product.

What Brides wish their photographer did differently

Article: 5 Lies Your Camera Likes to Tell

I learned about these lies the hard way... There were many pictures I took in Morocco last year that I was not happy with because, quite honestly, I was still learning my brother's camera!

It is great to remember this any time you pick up a camera.... An instructor once told me, "remember that you are the one with a thinking brain and a feeling heart, don't let you camera tell you it knows better than you....trust yourself."

This is a great reminder of just that!

http://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/2013/09/5-lies-your-camera-likes-to-tell/

Article: 10 Common Mistakes if Newbie Photographers

I love editing my photos... I love the opportunity to take a step back and look at my images, reminisce about what I was feeling when I took each shot, and then refining them to the image I had envisioned, but didn't quite capture. It's time consuming, but also de-stressing.

I'm still learning to edit and tweak my photos, and found this article helpful.

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-common-mistakes-made-by-new-photographers/

Article: 3 Tips to Take Better Landscape Photos

I constantly do this to myself... I envision the perfect photo I want to take, and then get really let down when the perfect conditions don't present themselves to get that shot.  More often than not this happens when I'm trying to capture a particular landscape, and often times it's somewhere I'm not going to get a second chance.

The author of this article has some great suggestions, including borrowing techniques from other areas of photography to capture the landscape image you want.  I will have to try to keep this in mind the next time I'm only shooting.


http://digital-photography-school.com/3-tips-take-better-landscape-photos-regardless-weather/

Haven't posted photos in a while

It's been a busy time for me, and I have not had a chance to edit or post any photos I have taken over the past 5 months. I'm hoping to find some time to do just that in the next couple weeks... Until then, I will continue to post articles, that I find interesting/useful for beginners/amateurs like me!

Article: Top 15 Photography Clichés Everyone Hates

I was thoroughly amused reading this article - Top 15 Photography Clichés Everyone Hates.

Like with every article I have posted, there are points with which I agree, but others I don't.  The only photo cliché that they mention that I really NEVER understood is the white vignetting... I still don't know when this is ever a good idea. This "finish" was very popular in Morocco.  All the photo studios I saw there had their works with this white vignetting proudly displayed for all to see; honestly, it made me cringe every time I saw it!

Having said that, I feel like some the things mentioned in this article of these are artistic choices of the photographer, and really if it speaks to their art/vision, then by all means they should continue to do these things.