Saturday, February 14, 2015

Pursuing My Passions - Photography

This is part two  in a four part blog series about my passions and how I'm pursuing them this year.  I'm doing this as much to get it all organized and straight in my own mind as to share with you what I've been up to lately and why I've been so absent from blogging. So here goes...

It is no secret among my blog friends that I love to dabble in photography. I'm no expert and still struggle with the technical aspects of my camera (aperture, exposure, f-stops, lighting, all befuddle me) but I totally get composition and I love to play with flowers and still life photography.

So, Cheri, what are you doing this year to pursue your love of photography?
I'm taking "Be Still 52" with Kim Klassen. This year-long weekly class is $72.  And each week has a surprising amount of material! In fact, I'm already behind, but determined to keep up with this one.

 photo with basic edits for color, contrast and clarity

 added a Kim Klassen texture... just for fun

 Again, original photo with minor edits (an old Christmas centerpiece that I allowed to dry on the table)

 Filters added to try to recreate Kim's "dreamy" look.  Which do you like better?  Personally, I'm a fan of sharp focus....

 Original photo, straight out of camera. I was playing with lighting from the window, diffused with the paisley drape.

Added filters to increase the light effect and to try again to capture that "dreamy" look.  Did I succeed?

So I'm playing with Be Still and should I find any free time, I have at least a half dozen photography classes that I've signed up for in the past but never finished. Because the technical stuff intimidates me. But maybe this is the year I figure it out. Maybe.

So that's how I'll be pursuing my passion for photography in 2015. How are you working to improve your photography skills?

8 comments:

Barbara Eads said...

I know nothing about photography, but I know what I like. Your pictures are gorgeous! You must be doing something right!

Maria Ontiveros said...

As you know, I"m in the class, too. I am also a fan of the sharper focus, with natural blur coming from the depth of field rather than a dreamy filter. But that is so much a question of choice and style because your dreamy photograph is gorgeous!
I actually prefer you filtered light photo to the brightened one. The lesson on side light and the idea that shadows/darkness are a good thing is a hard thing for me to appreciate. But I"m getting there. I might do another shoot with that idea in mind this weekend.

scrappyjacky said...

I love that last 'dreamy' one.

MonicaB said...

Beautiful photos. I'm not a big fan of filters. They have there place but I think they can be over used too much. I love using DofF and sharp lines in photography. I don't have any official plans with my photography but I'm always trying to learn more. I did get an external flash for my camera and need to learn how to use that, so I guess I do have a plan.

Melissa said...

I'm a fan of the sharp focus, too, but you've done a great job getting the dreamy look. I want to do more with my camera, too, and work through the Mastering Manual Mode class that I barely looked at. I also want to do more still life photography, just for FUN!

Karen said...

Lovely! I signed up for this class last May and have done NOTHING with it! Every time you or Rinda posts I realize how much I missed. I'm hoping I can at least get to the lessons, if not execute them, while I'm traveling in March.

Miriam said...

I'm also in this class, I bought it last year and never got passed week three, but I'm trying again this year...
I try to learn about one aspect of photography and practice just that one thing until I think I understand it, then try another thing. I learn from my mistakes, seeing a photo I don't like or hasn't turned out the way I planned, finding out why and then more practice. I find Kim Klassen to be a good teacher and if you like her style she is so generous with her skills.

Missus Wookie said...

I like the texture and filters you've used - especially that last shot. I thought hard about what to improve this year and finally decided not to push it - I'll try to pick my real camera up at least once a month and that's it... for now at least :)