Best Technique – Rule of Thirds

Photo is more interesting because this rule of photography has been followed. Gives more of a sense of space and action to the photol

Best Technique – Fill the Frame

This is a fundamental of making your pictures look interesting.  The object is to have your photograph tell a story.

Choose the main reason you are taking the picture.  This is your subject.

Fill the frame with that subject.  This focuses the attention of the viewer.  It minimizes distractions from other items in the scene.  It provides a format by which detail of the subject is seen.

Practice makes perfect.  Choose a subject.  Fill the frame by changing the distance between yourself and the subject or by using a zoom.  Remember that if you are closer to the subject you will be able to choose a larger aperture and thus control depth of field.  We will discuss more about this later.

Here is Ginger.  Cute dog. Dearly beloved.  Notice she fills the frame.

 

Notice her now.  She is more in the background.  She competes with the package for our attention.  Detail is less apparent.  Lighting is not as attractive.

Next topic:  Rule of Thirds

 

Sarasota – we had such a great time in this area. We stayed at beautiful Longboat Key Resort.

The shorebirds were so friendly.   Here you see the game being played “I’ve got the fish”.

If you walked slowly, the birds would virtually ignore you.  There were many of these terns.

The first day was windy and these birds stood together and faced into the wind.  Flying was difficult because of the wind.

I am shooting in Aperture Priority mode and trying not to overexpose because of all the bright light.  The wave effect was phenomenal.  I still had to tone down the brightness in Lightroom.  I just have purchased version 4. 

Pansies.

These beauties I found at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. They keep us in color all winter long.
This is also a sign of the approaching spring.

Here is my Point and Shoot camera

This is a great little camera.  Easy to carry.  Just slip it into a pocket.  Easy to use.

Limited of course by light conditions and versatility of a DSLR.

I still carry one with me.  It is just so convenient.

Example of some of my early photography

It is OK.  It is one of my favorite subjects.  Pets are good subjects because they have no vanity.

This is Ginger.  God rest her sweet soul.  Truly she was man’s best friend.

Notice the effect of on camera flash.  Picture is a little blown out.  Indeed, this was not Ginger’s best side.

Here is the start of my journey

I always enjoyed taking pictures but 2 years ago I became interested in digital photography.  In fact, so much so that I registered for a class with Southern Institute of Photography at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

I then became aware that there is a difference between pictures and “photographs”.

To continue on my quest, I “needed” a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera.  Next decision, Nikon or Canon:  just like choosing Auburn or Alabama it is a decision once made, is irreversible.

No longer the owner of only a Canon Power Shot “Point and Shoot”, I now took the big financial step of purchasing a Nikon D90 body.  More on my thinking about that later.

Here is the beauty:

The basic vehicle for my quest

Hello world!

Here begins my blog about my efforts to become pixel proficient.

Follow me as I catalog my efforts to date and plan for the future.