Essay With Pictures

Over these past couple of weeks I have learned very much. The key phrase that I like especially is that "we don’t take photos, we make them". I always had an idea about how the camera worked but going in depth helped me to understand how the pictures I was taking were being captured. Lighting can be very important and although I didn’t get the low-light concept the first time, I plan to try again. I also like the different types of photographic styles. I played with black and white a little bit and also tried to capture people and portraits, but I never really thought of creating the picture. I just tried to capture things in their raw state for the most part without having to ask or move certain things around, but I did learn that it is alright especially when you are trying to get the best photo possible and as long as no rules are being broken. I also need to work on my focus. Getting that blurriness out of the picture can make a good shot an even better one. Sometimes when I am trying to concentrate my hand shakes and the shot gets messed up. This forces me to take the shot repeatedly until I get the best one. There could also be an adjustment that I need to make on the camera because I do have a Nikon and it should have some vibration resistance. I did find a photo shop tool for free via Google and it helped a little, but because it was free, it didn’t have the absolute best features. Getting the picture as clear as possible and then taking the steps to make it unique are key elements that I need to continue to work on. I learned a lot through the readings, lectures, and power points. Open discussion in class and especially the critiques and picking best photos added a competitive spirit. The D.I.E.T method has to be one of the easiest things I have ever had to remember and also is very helpful when it is time to do the actual critiquing. It helps in a way that no one’s feelings get hurt and the photographer can also speak if they choose. I would also like to capture more pictures dealing with emotion. I didn’t think I would be drawn to nature the way I was, but I found that to be the predominate photographic style on my flickr page. I like nature’s natural beauty and the colors it emanates so effortlessly. I am drawn to the fact that it is all around and can be seen by everyone yet people walk past the same flowers, birds, and trees and never think to acknowledge how much potential and beauty exists within the nature atmosphere alone. I would have liked to go to the beach and get some more shots and maybe I can in the near future. I liked other styles and I wanted to play more with abstract but I guess once we learn how to work with photo shop, I can get craftier. Here are some of nature photos that I enjoyed the most: