Photog Class -- The Subject

I recently put together a simple presentation for our local 4-H class, and I'm going to share much of that here on my blog.  As I share things I've learned, I'll post the links in the tab above marked Photog Class.  Feel free to click and go to that page, and read, at your own pace, about what I've learned about digital photography.

The first thing I'd like to share is The Big Three, or, three key elements to taking a better photo.  These can be very simple, but can also become more complicated the more we plumb their depths.  I'll try to keep things simple and straightforward.  Here they are:

1. The Subject
2. The Composition
3. The Light

I think all three are essential to a great photo--what you're shooting, how you shoot it, and how you're lighting the shot.  For now, I'm focusing on #1:  The Subject.

This is not complicated.  Your subject is what you're shooting.  What are you aiming your viewfinder at?  A person?  An animal?  A scene?  A thing?

Miss M

Sunny

Downtown Naperville

Daisy

All of the above are subjects, whether a person, an animal, a scene, or an individual thing.  Let me share a few words of encouragement regarding the subject you choose:

Choose a subject you're interested in.  I know this sounds elementary, but really.  In this age of digital photography, we tend to shoot everything.  Sometimes it's almost compulsive:  Just aim the camera and shoot.  There's no expense involved, unless you use throw-away batteries.  :)

To answer your question, yes, I am interested in the above trailer tire.  My brother's trailer has been sitting in our back yard for several years now, and every time I wander around with my camera, I have this desire to take this picture.  I'm not sure if it's because of the rust, or the contrast between the white/rust and the green, or what.  You won't see this picture in any of my family photo albums, but I seem to have a yearly picture of this old tire.  There is an interest on my part.  So I take the picture.  And I like the picture.  :)

The thing is, if you are interested in the subject, your interest will automatically create a better photo.  Even if it's blurry, a photo can be meaningful to you if it is something you have an interest in.  Remember, unless you're a professional photographer, you're not trying to create a photo to sell to someone else; you're creating a photo for you.  These are your keepsakes, your treasures, your memories.  Whether you save them just for yourself, or share them on Facebook or with family, they are ultimately for you.  Snap away, if you're interested.  But, please--go through all those photos and save only the ones that are meaningful.  Delete the rest.  :)

Now go ahead and shoot the things you love!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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