The camera that's with you may, in some ways, be the best one. It may not be the most advanced or have the most features but, when push comes to shove, it's the one that gets the shot. My iPhone gets some of the best shots. They are the wonderful, ordinary moments of daily life. They happen quickly and often when my big camera is out of reach. What I enjoy most about my iPhone is that I don't labor over images like I might with my regular camera. You just accept that they'll be a little imperfect, quick, grainy...You grab and go and move on to the next.
So, my advice to you is this...Learn your mobile camera. Enjoy the roughness and download the crazy apps for it. Get creative and snap away. Grab the moments while you can.
Play with apps like Toy Camera, Best Camera, Hipstamatic, Diptic, Sepia Camera, Incredibooth and TiltShiftGen.
(Above images taken using the Hipstamtic app)
Here are a few other favorites from the last few months. I hope that you will share yours with us!
The white palace that we called home this past summer in San Francisco
"I'd like to rest
my weary head tonight
on a bed
of California stars"
adventures
unexpected vistas
important messages
interesting juxtapositions
and the simple things, like tonight's sunset.
Have any apps that you love? Please leave links to your images and
suggestions for apps, sites, Flickr groups, etc. in the comments section
below. I'd love it if you would contribute your mobile images to our Monday Lesson Flickr pool!
Thanks for reading and sharing!
So, my advice to you is this...Learn your mobile camera. Enjoy the roughness and download the crazy apps for it. Get creative and snap away. Grab the moments while you can.
Play with apps like Toy Camera, Best Camera, Hipstamatic, Diptic, Sepia Camera, Incredibooth and TiltShiftGen.
(Above images taken using the Hipstamtic app)Here are a few other favorites from the last few months. I hope that you will share yours with us!
The white palace that we called home this past summer in San Francisco
"I'd like to restmy weary head tonight
on a bed
of California stars"
adventuresunexpected vistasimportant messagesinteresting juxtapositionsand the simple things, like tonight's sunset.Have any apps that you love? Please leave links to your images and
suggestions for apps, sites, Flickr groups, etc. in the comments section
below. I'd love it if you would contribute your mobile images to our Monday Lesson Flickr pool!Thanks for reading and sharing!
Claudia Z. Eubanks says:
nothing simple about that sunset. Nature never ceases to astound me. Thanks for sharing!
(12.06.10 @ 11:54 PM)
I have talked a lot in my recent posts about experimentation, practice and inspiration. Without a doubt, the technical part of photography is vital. If your technique is lacking, it can compromise your vision. A great image can be made mediocre if the technique is way off. That being said, technique alone is sterile and not very interesting. As you practice and experiment, you have to give both aspects of your craft their fair share of attention.
The very good news is that, as you practice your creative skills, your technical skills are getting practice as well. Every time you fiddle with your controls (or try a new mode, f-stop, shutter speed, etc.) you become more connected to your gear and you get one step further ahead in your technical journey as well. So, the more you shoot, the better you will become. That is for certain.
This week I want to challenge you with an assignment. I want you to walk somewhere with your camera. Here in Houston we have a cold snap coming in and a holiday weekend coming up so you have no excuses not to get out and do some shooting. I want you to walk slowly and try and see past the surface of the things in front of you. How can you see them in a new way? Can you use a new angle or incorporate shallow depth of field in a way that changes the way things look?
How can you capture the color differently than you may have before? Can you find texture? As you walk, try and find ordinary objects and see them differently with your camera. Allow your camera to do what it does best - help you focus in and see the things around you in an entirely different way.
Anywhere you go will work. You can walk through your neighborhood. You could even spend an hour in your backyard. Go walk through downtown Houston. Walk up and down 19th street in the Heights. Go to the Arboretum or the zoo. Give your camera a break from it's regular duties of kids, family and holiday parties. Give yourself a break from that too!
Shrink your scope and look closely at the things around you. Grab only a piece of them and abstract them. Look up, down and sideways. Be slow and mindful and explore different angles, play with your controls and (no pun intended) focus.
(All of these shots were taken in downtown Houston)
Please share your work with us! Include links to your blogs, Flickr streams, etc. in the comments section below or add them to our Monday Lesson Flickr group. Don't be shy!
Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving week and weekend. I am thankful for all of you that read my blog, contribute, email me and so on. Thanks for making it fun!
The very good news is that, as you practice your creative skills, your technical skills are getting practice as well. Every time you fiddle with your controls (or try a new mode, f-stop, shutter speed, etc.) you become more connected to your gear and you get one step further ahead in your technical journey as well. So, the more you shoot, the better you will become. That is for certain.
This week I want to challenge you with an assignment. I want you to walk somewhere with your camera. Here in Houston we have a cold snap coming in and a holiday weekend coming up so you have no excuses not to get out and do some shooting. I want you to walk slowly and try and see past the surface of the things in front of you. How can you see them in a new way? Can you use a new angle or incorporate shallow depth of field in a way that changes the way things look?
How can you capture the color differently than you may have before? Can you find texture? As you walk, try and find ordinary objects and see them differently with your camera. Allow your camera to do what it does best - help you focus in and see the things around you in an entirely different way.Anywhere you go will work. You can walk through your neighborhood. You could even spend an hour in your backyard. Go walk through downtown Houston. Walk up and down 19th street in the Heights. Go to the Arboretum or the zoo. Give your camera a break from it's regular duties of kids, family and holiday parties. Give yourself a break from that too!Shrink your scope and look closely at the things around you. Grab only a piece of them and abstract them. Look up, down and sideways. Be slow and mindful and explore different angles, play with your controls and (no pun intended) focus.(All of these shots were taken in downtown Houston)
Please share your work with us! Include links to your blogs, Flickr streams, etc. in the comments section below or add them to our Monday Lesson Flickr group. Don't be shy!
Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving week and weekend. I am thankful for all of you that read my blog, contribute, email me and so on. Thanks for making it fun!
One of the best ways to practice your camera skills is with little assignments. So, today, I have one for you. I teach a photography class to a group of teenagers on Wednesday afternoons through Hope Stone. A few weeks ago, I gave them a scavenger hunt assignment. It's a list of things that you have to go find with your camera. The idea is to challenge yourself and find the most creative way to represent each item.
1. Your reflection (I collect images like this of myself)
2. Repeating circles, like Joseph's here
3. Repeating squares, like Aaron's here
4. A leading line: lines in the composition lead you to the subject
5. A natural frame: use the shapes and lines in the scene to create a frame around your subject. Think about doorways, windows, openings between two trees, and so on
6. Less is more. There is an entire group on Flickr devoted to this style of image
7. Something off center (anything, just not in the center of the frame)
8. Frozen action / motion
9. Blurred motion
10. Drama. I love this one because you can do anything and it's all up to you to get creative with a little story in your image
11. Peace
12. Shallow depth of field, (your background or foreground is blurry but your subject is in focus) maybe something like this
13. Interesting architecture, like this
14. Shoot up, like this
15. Shoot down
16. A close up, like this
17. An image with a story
Now it's your turn! Hunt away and please share your images with us! You can add them to my student Flickr group here, add them to the Monday Lesson Flickr group or just leave links in the comments section below to your blogs, etc. When you share with all of us, you inspire us.
1. Your reflection (I collect images like this of myself)
2. Repeating circles, like Joseph's here
3. Repeating squares, like Aaron's here
4. A leading line: lines in the composition lead you to the subject
5. A natural frame: use the shapes and lines in the scene to create a frame around your subject. Think about doorways, windows, openings between two trees, and so on6. Less is more. There is an entire group on Flickr devoted to this style of image
7. Something off center (anything, just not in the center of the frame)
8. Frozen action / motion9. Blurred motion
10. Drama. I love this one because you can do anything and it's all up to you to get creative with a little story in your image11. Peace
12. Shallow depth of field, (your background or foreground is blurry but your subject is in focus) maybe something like this
13. Interesting architecture, like this
14. Shoot up, like this
15. Shoot down
16. A close up, like this
17. An image with a story
Now it's your turn! Hunt away and please share your images with us! You can add them to my student Flickr group here, add them to the Monday Lesson Flickr group or just leave links in the comments section below to your blogs, etc. When you share with all of us, you inspire us.
Beth Crocker says:
Hi Farrah. I have to say that I adore your shot of your son in the pool! Just brilliant! These are all fun, but that's my fav. Thanks for sharing again!
http://www.thewayiseeitthroughmylens.blogspot.com
(11.18.10 @ 11:47 PM)
Very few people just pick up a camera and immediately start taking amazing pictures. I don't think I have ever come across anyone like that - not even in the art history books. Becoming a better photographer is a practice. Looking through the lens slowly changes the way that you see. It doesn't just change the way you see images, it really changes the way that you see the world. Dorthea Lange said it perfectly, "The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera".
Learning to be a better photographer is a combination of training your eye to see in a new way and learning the technical controls of your camera. The technical part is the easiest. It's a matter of memorizing numbers, learning technique and repeating it often enough that it becomes second nature. While I say it's the easy part, that doesn't mean it's quick or really that easy. I still struggle with certain technical aspects of the craft. I say easiest because anyone can learn the technical part so long as you give it time and study. The more difficult part is learning to see. The good news is that learning to see is the most fun and rewarding part.
While you slowly absorb the f-stop and shutter speed numbers and memorize which number produces what result, I suggest you find little projects for yourself that challenge your eye. I tell all of my students that you need to start with subjects that allow you time to think. You need to carve out quiet time to wander around with your camera, try the various controls and shoot scenes from all different angles. You have to have time to focus (no pun intended) and make room for your creative self to unfold. One of my favorite times to shoot is when I travel. I love being in a new place with time to walk around by myself with a camera. The combination of unfamiliar surroundings and alone time really stimulates my creativity.
So, with this mind, I want you to assign yourself a project. It can be anything. If you're a professional photographer, try something you don't normally shoot. If you're a new shooter, grab anything. How about starting a photo collection? One of my personal photographic collections is my set of self portraits. I collect images of myself in reflection. I love how it puts me in the image but I still get to take it. I also love how it feels kind of like a graffiti scrawl, "Farrah was here".
Or maybe you could try the 365 day project? Take one photo every day for a year.
Photograph waterdrops
Or photograph yourself standing on a bench every Monday
Collect silhouettes
Shoot the pavement
Shoot like a minimalist
Photograph only in black and white
Grab a photo history book like this one and get inspired by masters of street photography like Walker Evans, Eugene Atget and Robert Frank. Robert Frank's book, The Americans, is one of my personal favorites.
I could go on and on. The point is, shoot anything. Find something that moves you and chase it. Learn to see it. I hope you'll also share it with us. Leave links to your blogs and Flickr streams on Friday when I post my favorite shot from the week. Join our Monday Lesson group on Flickr. Have you taken a class with me? Join the Snap Click Shoot group on Flickr. Come be inspired by my wednesday afternoon class of teenagers and their photo explorations.
One last thing, be gentle on yourself as you practice. Don't be shy either. Share your work and connect with others who are out there shooting. Feedback is good and looking at images helps you grow too. Just remember, nothing worthwhile comes easily.
Learning to be a better photographer is a combination of training your eye to see in a new way and learning the technical controls of your camera. The technical part is the easiest. It's a matter of memorizing numbers, learning technique and repeating it often enough that it becomes second nature. While I say it's the easy part, that doesn't mean it's quick or really that easy. I still struggle with certain technical aspects of the craft. I say easiest because anyone can learn the technical part so long as you give it time and study. The more difficult part is learning to see. The good news is that learning to see is the most fun and rewarding part.
While you slowly absorb the f-stop and shutter speed numbers and memorize which number produces what result, I suggest you find little projects for yourself that challenge your eye. I tell all of my students that you need to start with subjects that allow you time to think. You need to carve out quiet time to wander around with your camera, try the various controls and shoot scenes from all different angles. You have to have time to focus (no pun intended) and make room for your creative self to unfold. One of my favorite times to shoot is when I travel. I love being in a new place with time to walk around by myself with a camera. The combination of unfamiliar surroundings and alone time really stimulates my creativity.
So, with this mind, I want you to assign yourself a project. It can be anything. If you're a professional photographer, try something you don't normally shoot. If you're a new shooter, grab anything. How about starting a photo collection? One of my personal photographic collections is my set of self portraits. I collect images of myself in reflection. I love how it puts me in the image but I still get to take it. I also love how it feels kind of like a graffiti scrawl, "Farrah was here".
Or maybe you could try the 365 day project? Take one photo every day for a year.
Photograph waterdrops
Or photograph yourself standing on a bench every Monday
Collect silhouettes
Shoot the pavement
Shoot like a minimalist
Photograph only in black and white
Grab a photo history book like this one and get inspired by masters of street photography like Walker Evans, Eugene Atget and Robert Frank. Robert Frank's book, The Americans, is one of my personal favorites.
I could go on and on. The point is, shoot anything. Find something that moves you and chase it. Learn to see it. I hope you'll also share it with us. Leave links to your blogs and Flickr streams on Friday when I post my favorite shot from the week. Join our Monday Lesson group on Flickr. Have you taken a class with me? Join the Snap Click Shoot group on Flickr. Come be inspired by my wednesday afternoon class of teenagers and their photo explorations.
One last thing, be gentle on yourself as you practice. Don't be shy either. Share your work and connect with others who are out there shooting. Feedback is good and looking at images helps you grow too. Just remember, nothing worthwhile comes easily.
Whenever I teach shutter speed / motion control in my classes, people ask me why or when would you want your image to be blurry? It makes sense, most of us are trying to take pictures that are in focus and sharp. There are times, though, that motion blur can be amazing in a photograph. This past weekend while in Marfa, Tx. I shot this image of a train going by. A handful of people have asked me how I got the tree and the railroad guard arm in focus but the train is out of focus and streaked.
Motion is controlled by the shutter speed. The trick to having some items in focus (the things that are NOT moving usually) and other objects blurred (the moving objects) is finding a shutter speed that is slower than the moving object but fast enough for the still ones. Say that to yourself a few times until it is clear. Always remember, to FREEZE motion, you need a shutter speed that is at least a little bit faster than the motion that you are photographing. To BLUR motion, you need a shutter speed that is slower than the motion that you are photographing.
In the case of this image, the train was going by really fast. I used a shutter speed of 1/15 of a second. I stood as still as possible because 1/15th is slow. If you were to zoom in on the image you will see that even the parts that are not blurred are not as sharp as they would be if I were shooting a faster shutter speed. If I had used a tripod, then the trees and road would be perfectly sharp. I shot about 5 versions of this shot at different shutter speeds trying to find the one with the most blurring of the train without completely blurring the still objects.
Here are some links that you might enjoy- inspiration online! Enjoy!
Great examples of motion blur photography
Long exposure group on Flickr
Motion group on Flickr
More on Flickr
Phillip Colla gallery
Here is some inspiration on the other end of the spectrum- stopping movement
Lois Greenfield's dance photography
Here is a recent example of frozen motion (also from my Marfa trip). It was raining and the water was pouring off of the roof's edge.
Now it's time for YOU to try it out! Play with your shutter speed priority setting on your DSLR (or shoot in manual if you are comfortable with that). On a Nikon, shutter speed priority is the S on your mode dial and for Canon users, you will use the Av setting. Please share your experiments with us by posting links to your images in the comments section below or adding them to or Monday Lesson Flickr group.
Some ideas for motion blur experimentation are:
fountains (make the water blur but keep the fountain sharp and in focus)
kids running and jumping
cars going down the road
skirts twirling
flag blowing in the wind
waterfalls
Have fun, experiment and let us see what you end up with! Happy Monday!
PS- don't forget about the upcoming Museum District photowalk and the new DSLR workshops in December and January! The photowalk is a perfect place to practice this sort of thing. We will be doing a little exercise specifically with motion blur. Check out the schedule here!
PS- don't forget about the upcoming Museum District photowalk and the new DSLR workshops in December and January! The photowalk is a perfect place to practice this sort of thing. We will be doing a little exercise specifically with motion blur. Check out the schedule here!
Claudia Z. Eubanks says:
I just happened to shoot a recently engaged couple and I subjected them to many takes of them standing in front of a moving carousel. Here is the link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/czeubanks/5034968821/in/pool-812024@N23/
(09.29.10 @ 12:52 AM)