Ramblings

I have got to get some of this stuff down before I forget.. so hard to find the time.  For one thing, I got an off-camera flash unit for Christmas from my mother-in-law!  It is awesome and I wondered if I would ever be able to get one- they are pretty expensive..I don't think I have ever had a Christmas present that nearly cost $400! What a spoiled brat I am! :)  Funniest thing though- I am scared to try it! Can't believe it is Jan 15th and I still haven't put that thing on my camera!  I am intimidated I guess.  I need to read and learn how to use it.  Having the flash will allow me to bounce flash off a wall or ceiling instead of the straight at a face.  It can also be used in conjunction with other flash units as you set up a studio and use softboxes, etc to diffuse light.  Nikon has the Creative Lighting System- they all work together and communicate with the CPU of the lens to calculate distance and focal length, aperature, etc.  Very cool.  I hope I get brave soon and try it out.


I decided a few weeks ago? month ago? to try to find out the learning path of some other photographers.  There is one in particular that I have been noticing.  She is from GA and I met her parents years ago.  She has been taking photos of some of my close friends in GA.  I have been seeing these images on FB and they really stand out as nice work.  Additionally, she is the photographer of an upstarting online magazine.  So anyway, I thought I would ask her how she learned and grew.  I got connected with her via FB and mutual friends.  I ended up talking to her on the phone and discovered that she really didn't have a "path"-- she just taught herself and practices a lot.  Lots of trial and error.  Well, that tells me she has a lot of raw talent.  I was feeling a little discouraged because she is so young, and I thought she was newly married with a baby and also doing all this stuff, learning on her own, etc etc... then I realized, SHE IS REALLLY young! :) I was confusing her with her sister.  So-- she is young, and talented but also living at home with parents and can devote her time almost exclusively to photography.  It made me start thinking about how much time I actually do NOT spend on photography yet I am so frustrated at my slow progress.  Really, especially lately, I don't take pictures.  There are many facets to this learning journey- some parts are on the computer and in books and it's all necessary- but I also need to keep working on the photos.  Keep taking pictures and learning the mechanics.  Practice.   That makes me especially glad about the photo challenge I am going to do.

Another thing I did a couple of weeks ago was go to Barnes and Noble by myself for about 3 hours.  I got a coffee and about 6-7 books and holed up in the kids section.  I perused photography books about portraits, lighting, posing, etc and took notes in my photography notebook.  It was nice and I learned some things.
I learned about lens distortion.  I knew one day I would know more about buying lenses and possibly regret my choices so far! :) But, I did the best I could with the info that I have.  Anyway, that cool, low aperature lens my dad got me is great for many things.  I had wanted a 50mm but they were out of stock and about $100 more.  The sales person said I would be equally happy with a 35mm.  That's what I got but guess what? 35mm means a wider-angle lens and when used in portraits, can distort things in an unflattering way.  Like a big nose can look even bigger.  Big cheeks bigger. A longer lens (like an 85mm that is now on my wishlist) compressed things so is often more flattering for portraits.  Live and learn.  Again, there's science behind this..and math.  There's a formula for figuring so much of this out-- like what size sensor your camera has, times the focal length, divided by something else etc etc :) Someday I hope to know it- then you can see a problem and know what to do to fix it.  That is mastery.

At the bookstore, I used a gift card that I was given for taking pics of my sister's friend and son-- I got an awesome book on sale: Scott Kelby's Lightroom 5 book.  I like Scott Kelby, his writing, and his teaching style.  It's a huge, colorful book with all kinds of instruction about how to be better at using Lightroom.  I really wish I could dive in for about 12 hours straight! I just haven't had the time.  But, when I do, I am looking forward to trying a new technique with dual tones to improve an image I took over a year ago and I hope to make into another type of card.

Last for now- I still have to finish editing my niece's photos.  I want to be done with that! And a couple other photo sessions that need quick adjustments so I can be finished with lingering projects.

I am really thankful for the creative spark the photo challenge is giving me already.  I am anticipating a break down between my mind's eye and my capabilities :) but the challenge is the point and i am reminding myself to just have fun, not worry about the nitty gritty.  It's just practice and hopefully I will learn more and more and I practice each week.  I think I need a deadline for each week's challenge.  Whew, that's a scary thought. deadline.