Photog Class -- Silhouettes

Summer is approaching, with lots of extra daylight to play with!  Take some time one warm evening to experiment with silhouettes.  They are fun and easy, and you generally do not need a tripod (or a fancy camera) to capture some great shots!

The play of light and darkness is called chiaroscuro, in case you were wondering.  :)

You'll need some brothers or sisters (or friends) to play with you, of course!  Remember, I use manual mode with my Ellie, so you'll have to experiment if you use a different setting with your camera.  First of all, I always like a low ISO (more on that in another post), so my images below are all with ISO set at 100.  I also used my 50mm portrait lens, which is nice and fast since it allows me to go as low as f1.4 if I need to.

Since I want a fast shutter speed, I set my f-stop to 2.2, resulting in a shutter speed of 1/2000 second.  To achieve the silhouette effect, I expose for the sun, not for my subjects.  See how the guys below are all in shadow?  With the shutter set at 1/2000 second, the sun and sky are properly exposed, but since the shutter speed is so fast, the guys end up being all dark.  This is the effect you're going for.

Now remember, it's more than just snapping a bunch of shots of people in silhouette.  I chose the below pose--with Jacob's arm around Thomas--because it portrays the friendship and camaraderie of two brothers.

f2.2, 1/2000 second

Same with the below shot.  Both of the guys have their hands in their pockets, but they're talking and joking around, and smiling at each other.  I feel a real sense of friendship and togetherness in this image.

f2.2, 1/2000 second

I love the silhouette of the hands together in a high five.

f2.2, 1/2000 second

The outline of their faces also reveals emotion--strength and a little bit of seriousness.

f2.2, 1/2000 second

For the last shot below, I bumped up the shutter speed a bit to achieve a darker image.  Plus, the guys were ready to be done with this particular photo session!

f2.2, 1/2500 second

If I had thought about sun flare, I could have changed the f-stop to shut it completely down (say, f22).  If I did that, I would have to adjust the shutter speed accordingly, to a much slower speed.  By doing that,  I would have gotten some very nice star-like rays off the sun.  I'll have to show you that in another post.  :)

Now, go grab your camera and some family friends, and have some fun!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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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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Photog Class -- Intro

When I bought Ellie, I had no idea how to use her.  I just knew I wanted as good a camera as my film camera, which was a Canon.  After much research, I chose the Canon 40D, saved for two years, and finally purchased this really cool camera, which I named Ellie, of course!  (Don't you name your camera?)

Ellie worked great on the fully automatic setting, and I started taking pictures--lots and lots of pictures--right away.  Full auto is very easy, and I got some great shots.  But after shooting through that spring and summer, I knew I was in over my head and figured I should learn what I could really do with my really cool camera.  I found a photography class at my alma mater, North Central College.  The price was right, the time was right, and Danny (then 16) signed up with me since he was constantly "borrowing" Ellie and using up the memory cards with all his snapping away.  I figured we could both learn together.

Our fearless teacher, Tim (who is awesome, by the way)

We found ourselves sitting in class with about nine other adults.  Poor Danny!  He did great, though, and brought some innovative, youthful ideas to the table when it came time to submit images for review each week.

I have to tell you--that first class was so daunting!  Tim told us that he expected us to know how to shoot in manual mode.  It turned out that this particular class was the third one in the series!  I gulped when he asked if we manually set the white balance before we shot.  I half-raised my hand and quavered, "What's white balance?"  (Boy, was I in trouble!)  But Tim was fantastic.  He launched into a discussion about white balance, what it was, how to set it, etc.  A photographer was born that day.  Well, let's say she was always taking pictures, but she suddenly learned that she needed to learn how to take pictures.

Since that class, I've taken a number of other classes, just finishing the most recent one last month.  I know from homeschooling that you learn best what you teach to others, and I've actually had several opportunities to teach basic photography to others.

The 4-H class to whom I presented my first photography class!

Since I also love to write, I plan to combine all this into several posts that will hopefully teach others in the virtual world.  I'm always learning, even if it's solidifying the basic stuff I should know by heart.  Every time I pick up my camera, it's a challenge to put into practice all the stuff I've learned over the years.  Some of it comes naturally, some comes smoothly having been incorporated into my style and routine, and other knowledge has to be implemented on a regular basis.

Even if these blog posts end up being me teaching myself, I don't mind.  Writing it all down helps me remember it better.


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Project 2012 -- April 8-14

Project 2012 -- Week 15

April 8 - April 14

How to Link Up With Us

1.  Click here to read the Project 2012 Guidelines, and to get the code to place in your blog.
2.  Fill out the little form below (insert the URL of your blog post, not the main URL of your blog).
3.  Please visit others' links and leave comments; you will receive visits and comments in return!

My Week 15 Photos

I used my camera in spurts last week, and got some good images.  It was a week of celebration!

I brought my camera to church, hoping to take a few photos.  I did manage to take a couple of the stained glass in the beautiful chapel we use for services.

[99] Stained glass message

For Resurrection Sunday, our family gathered together to celebrate that HE IS RISEN!  We enjoyed grilling, while also celebrating my dad who turned EIGHTY later in the week!!

[100] The Grillmaster

[101] Happy Birthday!!

[102] Eighty years!!

Then I set my camera aside for a busy week of preparations.  Friday was the culmination of all that prep work.  One of Friday's events was my photography presentation to our local 4-H Club.  I had several students thank me for coming, and tell me that I did a fantastic job.  I was thrilled to be able to share with them some of the things I've learned over the years about taking good photographs.  They were a great audience!

[103] Presentation to the 4-H group

Later on Friday, we had several people come over for Game Night--games, laughter, singing, laughter, talking, laughter, eating...  You get the idea.  My parents "happened to" stop by, and my dear friend Nan had brought cupcakes, other dessert, and ice cream to celebrate--once again--my dad's 80th birthday (which was actually that day, the 13th).  Below, my mom (with Nan) brought in the cupcakes while singing to my dad (that part of the house is really dark and I didn't have my flash--this was the best I could do!).

[104] Second celebration

Saturday was a day of recovery, and the Lord ordered our day as a day of rest, clearing our schedule of commitments so that we could recover from a hectic week.  Jacob was the only one who had to work--he went in for eight hours' work at a local police department for his college internship.

Later in the day, 7:30pm or so, clouds started rolling in.  I notice stuff like that, since I'm frequently at my kitchen window which faces southwest.  My camera happened to still be sitting on the counter, so I grabbed it and took a few shots.  The below clouds rolled through very quickly; within five minutes this particular formation was completely gone.

[105] Cloud waves

I hope you also had a great week, with great images and more importantly--great memories!!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Up Close

I love shooting close up.  My clients know this, and if you visit my website, you'll see this technique employed frequently.  When I look at photographs of other people, my focus tends to slide right to the faces and eyes--even when the eyes are closed!  I love the below photo.

My fascination with close-up photography also lends itself to food photography.  Since I have taken so many pictures of food over the years, I have decided to post some here to share.

bounty of my garden

jalapeños from my garden

same jalapeños, canned for the winter

more harvest bounty

the dinner hour

I'm glad I've already eaten!  Thanks for allowing me to share.  :)

...They all wait for You

To give them their food in due season.

Psalm 104:27 nasb

Living life.
Capturing life.

Christine

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