Photo Favs

I love the creativity photography allows me to enjoy. A craving that every one of us needs to satisfy on an on going basis. It keeps the brain strong, the mind sane, personal growth healthy. At this point in my life.....I soak it up. I. Crave. It. Live. For. It. Each and every day. I look forward to coming home each evening anxious to find my next shot (okay....a bit repetitive lately maybe...but...life...well you know.)

I have some shots that I do on a regular basis....because they are fun, bring a different perspective. I'm always trying to find a different way to utilize the same process. Some of the shots I love to take:

Framing things
Shooting with a view through things....as the photo above. My garden of Susans as seen through the back of a patio chair.
Bokeh
Totally Candid portraits
Shooting from underneath. I do this a lot with floral pictures...in case you haven't noticed.
Shooting from behind....people, animals....walking away.

I'm always looking for ways of creating in the above formats. I know....there is so much more I could do....that I could learn. I'll get there. I'll expand. I promise.

From Behind the Door

Yes....this one did it.
I'm hooked.
Portrait photography is definitely an also needed for portfolio.
Au natural preferably.
I don't now I want to get into the 'studio' thing yet...although I realize if I want to make money on it some day....it is an area I probably really need to focus on.

I took around 200 pics of this 'soon to be mom'. I came up with close to 50 that I, myself, consider useable. (Yes...I am my worst critic.)

A main point that came out of this. A bit of self esteem. An urge to do more 'candid', sit back and relax type photography. But most importantly....a happy Mom to be....who, by the way, is now...really?....a mom!!!

Congrats Ms. S.

Passion...Put aside

I was leaving WalMart tonight after a quick run to find just the right head attire for the Kentucky Derby party I am attending this weekend (can't wait to share pics of hats with you) and as I stopped at the light before turning right, I looked left and a very inspiring sunset shouted at me. The problem? I had a rider in the car with me. I have this terrible need to not be a bother to others and therefore I let my passions go by the wayside in order to not disturb ....their goals for the day, the eve...the whenever.

I'm taking this photography class online right now. I took a trip up north with my beau to his property this past weekend and was so anxious and excited to possibly be able to utilize some of what I was learning to capture what I needed for a couple of the homework assignments. The weather, of course, was not too cooperative but we were able to venture out in the misty rain on Sunday to a river rapid area park for just a bit. We had two other couples with us...one of which was doing the driving...another a bit hung over from whatever he enjoyed the night before. I had my camera...opted to leave my wide angle in the truck as this was a place we visited last year but one I hadn't necessarily oo'd and aa'd over plus it was misting and I didn't have my photo vest on so I was worried about dropping a spare lense...plus...again...I didn't want to slow people down...be in their way....make people feel they had to wait for me..........and today...oh how I am disappointed that I didn't have my wide angle, that I didn't take more time to photograph what turned out to be an absolutely awesome rapid, waterfall area.

It is something I have to get over....the putting my passions aside for others...within reason of course.
It is something I have to start planning 'my time' for. Ever since we left there...I've been planning in my head time to go back...alone....just me and my 'looking glass' to capture what I didn't capture the first time.

And so...on a daily basis....I am greeted each morning on my way to work with a sunrise that I don't have time to stop and shoot and, therefore, I am learning to shoot while driving (something I don't recommend you 'try at home')....which is also....what I had to do tonight with the sunset that I really didn't capture at it's fullest because instead of pulling over and shooting it 'then'....I slowed down on the ramp to get on the highway since no one was behind me and took the shot...in haste....there.

.....which leaves me just to continue wishing....I could afford to leave my job to satisfy this much needed creative craving of mine.

(river rapid pics to come later as I need to use a couple for homework assignments and don't want to share them elsewhere until then.)

Photographer_NOT

....quite yet.

Needless to say...it was an experience. I learned....that I have a lot to learn.

It was totally worth the 12 hours that I put in to it on Saturday....helping a friend photographer at a wedding. An indoor wedding...on a cold, wintery spring day in the northern portion of the MidWest.

I sat and did a quick review of my photos last night and was totally disappointed in myself...but then I've always been my worst critic. Out of almost 600 pictures...I don't think I can say even 60 of them would be worth paying money for...but then I was to only take the candid shots. I learned that you don't do that with just a wide angle lens all night although I switched back and forth between it and my zoom. She was using her smaller lens and as it really was 'her' wedding to photograph, I didn't want to be in the way. I just couldn't seem to get the exposure right...combination of incorrect flash, incorrect lense and, of course, more so than not.....operator error. Live and Learn. I still had fun.

I'm flattered that she stated I saved her in a couple spots and made her feel better just knowing I was there to help. I did enjoy it. I do look forward to be the 'assistant' again but I'm definitely going to do a lot of learning before then. I believe I have a couple of months and the next one is outdoors. It's that indoor stuff I have to figure out.

I'll post some of the better ones to my flickr account for viewing only sometime in the near future....after she takes care of the business end of it all. I don't want to post anything until the newlyweds have seen the 'more professional' version of everything.

Simply.....Black and White

I remember when as a child we purchased our first color tv. The first show I saw on it was The Wizard of Oz. How absolutely fantastic and so fairy tale when Dorothy walked out of her house into the Land of Oz with so many vibrant colors. The world...came alive. From then and there ....it's been a whirl wind of constant changing technology.....color photographs, computers, cell phones, dvd players, plasma tvs, wireless connections, digital cameras and every day introduction of yet another model of some gadget or another. One of today's roads that goes on and on and on. It can be overwhelming and frustrating to try to keep up with it....mentally as well as financially.

So many days...in more ways than one...I wish for the simplicity of 'ions ago'. Possibly this is why I find I enjoy taking photos as much...if not even more so some days...in just....plain....old.....black....and white. It brings a peaceful serenity to my world that many days is so much needed and appreciated.