Week 5 – Catch-up and try again! (Shutter speed, composition and panning were my choices!)

So some of these were taken last week when I was trying some things other than focusing on natural light – and then I took a few of these this week (so you could see Scout – hehe).

(BTW: Sarah – did you get my email re: metering?  I don’t have facebook so I sent you an email instead!)

For this first photo, I used my nephews to play with shutter speed.  I guess it’s got some side-ish back lighting.  And the pool’s a natural reflector.  But really, I was just seeing if I could catch them mid-jump!

Shutter Speed:  1/2000

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 400

For this next one, I wanted to play with composition.  So at my nephew’s T-ball game, I used the fence for framing! And I guess shapes too!  (T-ball with 5 year olds is hilariously adorable, by the way.  And Owen was so serious about it!  He even slid into home later in the game.)

Shutter Speed:  1/1600

Aperture f/7.1

ISO: 400

This one ended up being an artistic choice that I think turned out SO cool.  I really love it and it just came from playing with what I was focusing on.

Shutter Speed: 1/1600

Aperture: f/7.1

ISO:  400

And I wanted to try panning one more time!  This time it was harder because I was at the dog run with Scout and I couldn’t make her run where I wanted her to – so I just had to wait for her to cross my path.  🙂

Shutter Speed: 1/20

Aperture: f/14.0

ISO: 800

In this one, Scout came out a littler blurrier – but I love the lines in the background and the shape she’s making.

Shutter Speed: 1/10

Aperture: 1/25.0

ISO: 800

Ok, ok, just a couple more I want to share for fun –

(See?  This class is so great!  I have too many pictures that I’m proud of now!)

My sister peeling crawfish:

Shutter Speed: 1/500

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 400

One more of Owen jumping (I like that this is side lit – but on his back!) –

Shutter Speed: 1/1000

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 400

Brooke and Sarah – thank you so much for everything.  This class has been so great and I feel so much more confident about shooting in manual!  I will most definitely be recommending this class to anyone who will listen!

Charley and Scout say thanks too!  But they’re exhausted from me making them pose so much.  🙂

(Shutter Speed: 1/15, Aperture: f/8.0, ISO: 1600)

Week Four – Natural Light

Y’all are in luck this week!  I was on vacation in Austin so you get to see a really different part of my life!  Parents, siblings, nephews – a baby shower, a crawfish boil, and the beautiful Hill Country in Texas.  Yay for no park or dog pictures this time!

Front light:

I wanted to spice it up so I didn’t go for a front on face shot.  My subjects (Dad and Step-mom – please excuse Dad’s bald spot) were looking out on Lake Travis and the rolling hills of Spicewood, TX.

Frankly, I have no idea why my stats are so weird, I think it’s because I wanted them to be super clear and I didn’t think about the background.  I wish I had chosen a higher aperture.  But I still like the photo.

Shutter Speed: 1/3200

Aperture: f/4.5

ISO: 400

 

Side Light:

It’s a little shadowy…but I just loved this picture of my nephew, Parker.  He’s a sweetheart.  And I just loved this awkward face he’s making.

Shutter Speed: 1/2500

Aperture:  f/5.0

ISO: 400

Back Light:

This is Dad – at my sister’s Crawfish Boil – hanging out in the “Men’s Club” aka near the boiler.  Yes, the men take care of the cooking at this event.  I’m not going near those crawfish.  The light wasn’t too strong because this was around sunset, but the sun was behind him.  Also – it was his birthday!  Happy Birthday Dad!  (Cinco de Mayo!)

Shutter Speed: 1/125

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 400

 

Natural Reflector:

Get ready to be a little grossed out if you don’t like creepy-crawlies.  These are the crawfish – pre-boil!  They are alive and kickin’!  And about to be thrown in a boiling pot of water.   (Look for a couple towards the left of the photo where you can really see their eyes…eww!)  But the white pot they are in made for a good natural reflector, I think.

Shutter Speed: 1/100

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 400

 

Silhouette:

Ok, so it’s pretty dark, but I just love how long those lines of the sun are!  Next time I can play with it a little more, or have a different subject besides leaves of trees.  But I think this is pretty cool.  I took it on a walk mid-morning near my parent’s house.  

Shutter Speed:  1/3200

Aperture: f/25.0

ISO: 400

(Question:  It was right to have my aperture up so high, right?  Since I was pointing right at the sun, it was letting in less light…I think?)

 

Also  – I took a few pictures during a baby shower for my sister, that I think are an example of back light?  I really wanted to try a few inside…I hope these worked out ok.

Jessica and Tori:

Shutter Speed: 1/30, Aperture: f/5.0, ISO: 800)

My sister (Momma to baby #3 that is on the way!  My first niece!)

(Shutter Speed: 1/160, Aperture: f/5.0, ISO: 800)

 

So I had more subjects this week to work with, which was good!  I could use some more practice with the natural light….I think I’ll play with it some more during catch up week!

 

Week Three – Composition

Apparently I had Photographer’s Block this week.  I was getting so flustered about composition.  Partly because I was unable to convince someone to come be my subject – so it left me just scoping out objects or strangers to snap instead of being able to work with someone for a “perfect” photo.

But, I think I came up with some good examples of the elements of composition – and I tried to play with the rule of thirds too!

Lines-

Shutter Speed:  1/80

Aperture:  f/11

ISO:  400

Contrast/Lighting –

(with my only willing subject….thank you Scout.  I actually wanted this one to be more of a “simplicity” shot – I tried to go to a lower aperture but because of the light, it would be way over exposed. The background is actually pretty active, I think – with the wall and the trees and the sky and all that – so I scratched that and just played with the exposure.)

Shutter Speed:  1/100

Aperture:  f/11

ISO:  400

Color and Pattern:

The red on green – and then I thought the leaves sort of made a fun pattern in the back.

Shutter Speed:  1/200

Aperture:  f/5.6

ISO:  400

I was playing with framing too with a little tunnel in the park, but most of the pictures ended up having distractions in them because I couldn’t control who was walking through.  But I did enjoy playing with that idea as well.

Final thought for this week:  I am still having trouble with metering off of stuff.  I try my hand, I try the asphalt and then when I move to take the picture I want, it still turns out badly.  It led to some frustrating moments and some not as awesome pictures.  Maybe it’s just a practice makes perfect thing?  I don’t know.  But it’s bugging me!

Week Two – Shutter Speed!

So here we are at week two – shutter speed.  I really liked the idea of this unit – playing around with motion.  Turns out it’s a little harder than it looks!

My other dog, Scout, became the subject in these photos.  I realized after I took the “Freezing Motion” shot, I probably could’ve picked a more exciting background, but I was concentrating so hard on catching her that this out of the way field seemed like the best option.  (She is on her leash too – don’t worry!)

Here is Freezing Motion:

Shutter Speed:  1/1600

Aperture:  f/4.5

ISO:  400

For “Implying Motion”, Scout again became my subject, but I wanted to have a more creative background so you could see the “stillness” behind her.

Shutter Speed:  1/50

Aperture:  f/13.0

ISO:  400

Now, I REALLY wanted to use this shot for my implying motion example, but it came out a little over-exposed – so I was a little ashamed of all the yellow/green.  But isn’t it fun??  (1/60, f/9.0, 400)

Oooooh, panning.  Yes, Brooke, you’re right.  This is tricky.  Luckily I had a beautiful Saturday morning with LOTS of people out to try it…bicycles, scooters, cars…well, I tried and I tried.  Finally I got this shot – which, I’m really not sure if this is even a good example of panning?  But I thought it was super cool anyway.  Plus it just says “NYC” to me.  Which makes me smile.

Shutter Speed:  1/60

Aperture:  f/16.0

ISO:  400

Photography Class – Week One

Here we go!

This is my blog for my photography class.  I’m ready and rarin’ to go!  Ok I’m nervous.  But I’m still ready.

 

Let’s do this.