Should you trust the expert?

          This is the first question you should ask yourself when learning new things.  It is important that your sources are trustworthy and that you trust them too.  I understand that some people may not be familiar with my sources and my question their validity on my subject.  The purpose of this blog entry is to lay all your fears, about the validity of my sources, to rest.  Enjoy!

           As stated in my earlier blog entries, I am a huge admirer of Ansel Adams and his work.   To prove that he is a valid and trustworthy source, I would like to list his accomplishments and display a few of my favorite works of his.

            Ansel Adams received a Doctor of Arts degree from both Harvard and Yale universities.  After many years of close work with the Sierra Club he was awarded the John Muir award in 1963.  In 1966, Ansel Adams was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  The Department of Interior awarded him the Conservation service award in 1968.  In 1980, he won the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  In 1985, the Minarets Wilderness in the Inyo National Forest was renamed the Ansel Adams Wilderness.  In 2007, he was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

            Ansel Adams also has awards in his honor, like the Sierra Club’s Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography and the Ansel Adams Award for Conservation established by the Wilderness Society.

            He is also the author of many books:

·        Making a Photograph.

·        Camera and Lens: The Creative Approach.

·        The Print: Contact Printing and Enlarging.

·        Natural Light Photography.

·        Artificial Light Photography.

Here are just a few examples of his amazing work.

  

               http://dtrainsnapshots.blogspot.com/2010/12/ansel-adams-photo.html

           

 http://www.all-art.org/20ct_photo/Adams1.htm

 

 http://www.art-wallpaper.org/artist/ansel-adams/index.htm

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01604/Ansel-Adams_-londo_1604537i.jpg

I have also chosen the National Geographic Guide to Photography.  For over one hundred and twenty four years the National Geographic Society has been inspiring beginner photographers like me with their jaw dropping images and scenes. The guide is a combination of advice and tips from their award winning photographers and has been put together and worded in a way that ANYONE could understand it.  The guide is easy to maneuver through and give many examples and links to the photographers themselves.    

Woman in Raft

Photograph by Randy Olson, National Geographic

A woman floats in a raft on Kuril Lake in Kurilskoye Lake Preserve in Kamchatka, Russia.
Embrace Negative Space
Empty space does not mean wasted space. Think of the empty space as an object, and lend the same consideration to its placement as you would other elements in the frame. In this case, negative space and framing work in tandem to reinforce the tranquil and dreamy mood.
Get more tips from Breaking the Rules »
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/best-photo-tips-2011/#/boat-russia-rules_37470_600x450.jpg

     Now everyone should sleep soundly tonight knowing that Cynthia Childress sure does have some valid and trustworthy sources.  I hope you have enjoyed this blog!  Keep posted for more to come!

Getting some expert advice!

            In my last blog I covered the four main areas I plan to learn about and improve on; capturing the moment, finding my focal point, using the available lighting and techniques and formatting.  I have chosen three main resources to help me along.  These resources are: the Autobiography of Ansel Adams, the National Geographic E- Guide to Photography, and the Nikon L120 Users Manual.  Below, I would like to explain why I chose them.

Ansel Adams

An Autobiography

 

http://www.digital-fotografie.us/2011/06/30/ansel-adams-an-autobiography/

I chose this book because he is my favorite photographer.  The way he describes the beauty of his subjects shows his passion and his ability to use and manipulate light shows his genius and his extreme talent.  His close work with the Sierra Club is also something I admire in him.

The National Geographic E- Guide to Photography

 www.workspresso.wordpress.com

            I chose this guide because since childhood I have been mesmerized by their photographs and films.  The photographer’s ability to get right in where the action is and their ability to catch the split second shot I find amazing.  Each photographer has their own strengths and abilities and I enjoy how this guide gives so many different perspectives.

The Nikon Coolpix L120 Users Guide

www.manualowl.com 

I chose this guide for very obvious reasons.  Even though I have owned this camera for almost 9 months now, I still have yet to finish the guide.  I have a hard time learning just reading, I am more of a, learn by doing kind of girl.  I have been concentrating on learning about landscape photography.  I am going on a tiny road tip through Southern Indiana this weekend and I can’t wait to use my new knowledge to capture some great landscape shots!

   

Getting a bit more organized….outline time!!

            I have chosen four main areas to study and improve on.  With the help from my resources I have put together an outline of these areas and how I intend to improve upon them. 

 

Capturing the Moment

∙ Learn to trust my instinct.

∙ Move away from distracting backgrounds or people.

∙ Try to disappear during intimate moments so not to interfere.

∙ Learn to wait and be patient, this is hard for me.

Focal Points

∙ Go lower to the ground where the action is.

∙ Go higher to capture a larger area, even if it’s just a step stool.

∙ Choose a background with out a lot of highlights.

∙ Ask myself,”what am I taking a picture of?”.

Lighting

∙ Find the light, then the shot.

∙ Manipulate the light if possible.

∙ Use a fast lens and try not to zoom.

∙ Calm down!  Shake = Blur.

Formatting and Technique

∙ Finish learning the setting and features of my camera.

∙ Face my subject and rotate with my shoulders.

∙ Practice, “Hail Mary”, shots.  Hold the camera over my head and pray.  These can be fun!

∙ Use a puddle of water for reflection shots.  This sounds fun!

                                                                    "Hail Mary"

                                                        Getting "intimate" with my shot!

                                                       Getting low to the ground.

Question? Hmmmm........

Hello and welcome back to my blog!  I have done a lot of brainstorming since my last post and I have come up with s series of questions. my hope is that they will help me better understand the technical aspects of photography. Understanding what it is I need to learn and where I struggle in each question will in turn also help me to capture and convey exactly what I want from each of my shots.  If am serious about bettering myself as a photographer I need to be able to think, see, and question things like a photographer.

How do you capture the moment?  I have a particularly hard time capturing moments when my subject is in action.  I can take pictures all day long of briges and old barns.  They’re not going anywhere and don’t plan to anytime soon!  My three year old and pets, for example are another story.

What is the visual focal point of my shot?  I really enjoy photographing cemeteries but I find that my shots seem to have too many focal points.  I tend only to photograph small family or church cemeteries with only a few dozen graves, but even in these smaller amounts I usually end up with a shot that I am unhappy with.

Do I have enough light?  Light has always been my friend and my foe.  I despise using a flash!  Unfortunately, many of my pictures are in lowlight areas.  My favorite time to take pictures is at dusk and dawn  You only have a limited amount of time though to get your shots.  I love photographing the Ohio River at dusk.  The sun sets behind the knobs and is just beautiful.  I waste a lot of my time fighting with the camera over what is sufficient light!  I need to learn how to better utilize my light and time.

What formats could I try to improve the quality of my shot?  My camera has so many setting I get lost in them!  I’ve been playing with the “sports continuous” feature of my camera.  I have taken over 300 shots in this mode and I still have trouble figuring out if the feature is on or off.  I have a nice camera.  It’s not the greatest and I don’t have National Geographic blowing up my phone trying to get me to go on safari with them but is has give me many shots that I am proud of.  I know that if I really got to know my camera on a much deeper level I could get the shot I see in front of me and in my mind.

     I hope you have enjoyed this blog and my not so great pictures!  I like to keep some of my less than perfect ones so I can see where I need improvement.  I welcome you questions and comments! 

Blog 1 Focusing on my interest in photography!

     Hello and welcome to my blog!  This blog is intended to document my growth as a photographer and blogger in the process! In this first entry I would like you to get to know me a bit as a photographer and how my early influences, love of my subjects and personal and technical limitations have all helped to shape who I am as a photographer.  I hope you enjoy my blog!

     My fascination with photography began at a young age thumbing through the pictures in my father’s National Geographic magazines.  It was exciting to travel to these exotic places and see the people who lived there, before I could even read.  During my studies of the Great Depression in junior high I was introduced to the works of Dorothea Lange.  Her ability to capture the moment and her use of available lighting has always impressed and inspired me.  In the spring of 1999, I was introduced to the works of Ansel Adams.  I went to see one of his shows at the J.B Speed Museum and was completely blown away.  These beautiful black and white pictures of nature, pure and simple resonated with me.

       When I find time to, I especially like to take pictures of dilapidated homes and barns, train tracks and trestles, old bridges and the occasional covered bridge, small cemeteries, anything nature, churches, and my beautiful daughter Lilly.  One of my favorite pastimes is to take Indiana State Road 11 from New Albany to Maukport.  It runs along the river and offers many opportunities for me to capture what I love.  The journey does not end there though.  After years of traveling this road with my significant other we stumbled across a small town which immediately stole my heart.  In 2010, the U.S census bureau counted the population of New Amsterdam Indiana as only being 1, this is my kind of town  http://www.wdrb.com/story/12140830/bernsons-corner-the-power-of-one.  This town offers everything from old farms, barns and orchards to churches and forgotten cemeteries.  Most of all it offers miles and miles of peace and quiet, something that is hard for me to find here in the city of Louisville. 

       As much as I love photography, having never taken a photography class has hindered my abilities in some areas.  I would like to be able to work more adequately with the light I have available, I hate using a flash or artificial light.  Choosing the best angle for close up shots is another area I have trouble with.  Many times my camera will focus on an area that is not what I desire and I end up with close up of something that is unrecognizable.  Lastly, we come to my 3^rd and toughest challenge, the action shot.  The subject of most of my action shots are of my precious daughter. Three year olds are ALWAYS in action, unless of course they are asleep.  I have gotten some beautiful shots of Lilly sleeping but most shots of her end up being deleted because no one wants a picture of a blur!    

       I intend to tackle these obstacles by finally watching the instructional video that came with my new camera, researching these areas that need improvement and questioning a friend of mine who runs her own successful photography business.  I know I will have difficulty due to the limitations of my camera but I look forward to finding ways around these situations. 

       I can see where the potential to reach millions of people is here in this blog so I will try hard not to disappoint!  I really am looking forward to growing as a photographer and blogger.  If you have any questions for me please feel free to ask.  The following are a few of my favorite photographs.  

Frost in my backyard  Fall 2011

Waterfall Doe Run Inn Spring 2011

Abandoned home Indiana State Road 11 Early Spring 2011

Covered Bridge Central Indiana June 2011

Lilly age 3

Lilly at the Louisville Zoo Summer 2011

Otter Creek Park June 2011

 Field in Southern Indiana Early Spring 2011

Significant other AKA Jeremy June 2011

Reflection off chuch window.  Mammoth Cave State Park Fall 2011