Photography Basics Week 2.

Today rounds out the second week of my on-line photography class. Unfortunately this week was so overwhelmingly busy that I didn't have much time to dedicate to practice my fresh taught techniques. With five children always headed in different directions and needing different things all at the same time, there is rarely time to practice anything but patience...and some times not even that.

However, even in the midst of the absolute chaos we conquered this past week, I was able to complete 2/3 of my homework. I gave a bit of effort to the last third, but not a complete honest effort and for that reason I am going to wait until next week to submit my panning image. I want to give it an honest try and not rush through it just for the sake of turning something in for critique.

This week I most enjoyed shooting images of water features at the Dallas Arboretum using the implied motion technique...and my trusty tripod. I love the images and the peacefulness experienced while taking them!

Overall I struggled more with shutter speed than with aperture the previous week. There were many times I had a great shot set up, but could not execute because my shutter speed was set high and I couldn't adjust the aperture low enough, or vice versa. In fact, I took an incredible image of my husband tossing my one-year-old daughter in the air. It was the perfect shot...her looking straight at the camera, his hands lifted high against the very blue sky...perfect, perfect, perfect...BUT, my exposure was way off. We tried to recapture that moment for almost an hour with no luck, and finally I had to walk away because I got too frustrated.

I have learned so much over the past two weeks and I'm excited at the thought that this is still just the beginning...there is so much more out there to learn and experience in the world of MANUAL!!! I'm very much looking forward to what week three will bring and giving some special attention to panning over the next few days. Have a blessed week, dear friends.

"Frozen Action" Image

ISO: 125

Aperture: f/5.6

Shutter Speed: 1/800

While this image doesn't provide the greatest background or foreground, I was able to capture a special moment in time on my daughter's 11th birthday celebration with her friends. This image is a true depiction of the excitement and joy these girls were feeling at that moment in time. So sweet! And after all, not every image can be preplanned or prepped. Sometimes life just happens, opportunities present themselves, and those moments are important too!

"Implied Motion" Image

ISO: 200

Aperture: f/11

Shutter Speed: 1/6