The assignment was to really spend time on one subject and photograph that subject from a varieties of different angles, perspective, etc. The first time I read the lesson, I interpreted "subject" in a broad sense. I decided that I would go to the local arboretum and photograph nature. While there was little floral vegetation, there were some variety of plant life and tranquil spots by the water. I took 242 pictures, of which I am willing to share three. Not great odds, but I did learn quite a bit about light and how the angle of the sun in relation to the subject can dramatically alter the mood of the picture. I learned to use my exposure compensation to help overcome my ineptitude of proper manual settings.
This is actually one of the first photos I took. I liked the way the sun provided the warm glow to these cat's tails. I had hoped to have the rocks a bit less in focus, so that the cat's tails would truly stand out, but my camera lens did not stop down far enough.
I experimented for quite some time with this subject, and in a couple of pictures I focused on just one of the stalks, but I thought this group of three made for a more cohesive shot.
This picture allowed me to play with depth of field a bit more. As I study it, however, I wish there was more of a contrast between the subject and the background. Oh well, I am definitely still learning.
After spending quite some time trying to take a picture of the rope bridge (to no avail) I looked behind me and noticed these benches next to the water. I thought it might be fun to take a picture of this spot in the middle of winter - and then return in six months and see how the tree has filled out and the grass has greened up.
While I don't think this is a spectacular photo (and I am sure many of you with far better composition techniques could give me a few pointers), I do like the idea that it could inspire a story. Who might walk into this setting and sit down by the water? A romantic couple? A lonely teen? A young mother with her newborn?
After this shoot I came home and read some of the message boards for the class. Apparently same subject meant, literally, the same subject. If I wanted to photograph flowers, then the same flower from a variety of perspectives, angles, etc. Of course, this makes more sense: if I am truly going to develop my eye for the beauty around me, I need to slow down and really see the beauty up close, far away, underneath, overhead, etc.
Occasionally Jude has to show Feeny who's boss. |
In hindsight, this was not a great subject choice. Yes, they inspire me and bring me great joy. Yes, they are my most photographed subject by a margin of about 3:1 --- but to try for a variety of angles and perspectives is impossible. If I tried to sit on the ground, they were on top of me. If I tried to crouch in their face, they would attempt to lick the lens. It was definitely a humorous shoot, but not terribly productive for this assignment.
I did however find a couple of photos that are worth sharing....and again, I did learn a valuable lesson even if it wasn't the focus of this particular assignment. I learned that when photographing nature, I like to use Aperture Priority, as I prefer the control over depth of field. But when shooting dogs, particularly six month old puppies, Shutter Priority is the way to go. I set the shutter speed at 1/250 and the ISO to 200 (it was partially shaded), and I let the camera adjust the aperture accordingly.
So, I am wondering if perhaps I should try this assignment one more time. I am thinking of perhaps trying to photograph my nook - filled with shelves of books (my next favorite pastime to my dogs). Or perhaps I could photograph my car (now that would provide all kinds of angles for different perspectives) - or maybe my morning cup of coffee? I don't know....apparently developing my creative eye is going to take a bit longer than most.