Is it the camera or the Photographer?

I went strawberry picking with some friends this Saturday (5.26.12) I knew I would be focusing more on strawberries than taking pictures so I decided to borrow my Mom's little point and shoot.  It was compact and easy to carry. Plus all I had to do was point and shoot!  Well I am used to all the bells and whistle of my camera. Macro, selective color, and manual settings.  I started to get a liiiiiitle frustrated.  I thought gee, this thing doesn't do anything.  Then I had to ask my self are all my shots the benefit of my camera or the benefit of my skills?  Does the camera take good shots or do I?  I took a few more shots and then got down to the business of picking strawberries.  Two days later I am looking at the shots I took. Clear, good composition and nice framing.  No tricks just a really nice shot.  I decided I needed to go "low-tech" more often, I mean I learned to shoot with a manual 35mm camera.  I didn't get to see the shots until I developed the film and often times I couldn't go back recreate shots that didn't come out the way I wanted.  So whats the difference now?  I decided the answer to my question was simple..its the Photographer AND the camera.  But the photog has to use the tools and not let the tools use them.  (f5.6)

Its a bird...its a plane...its uh crane?!

I supposed these two paper birds can symbolize my focus, drive and initiative.  This is the first time in my life I have ever folded origami.  I have done fancy napkin folds, paper games and airplanes but this was the most challenging.  I tried reading the instructions...except there were no words.  Then I tried an online tutorial, again no words.  Finally I went to Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSijU52XJ7w I made 8 but only 7 survived my attempt.  There was a time I would have just said skip it and go out buy some pre-made ones. But I buckled down and focused on doing my best.  So focus in fact that I kept making them.  It went from frustrating to fun.  Next time maybe I will try a frog.  (f4.0, I darkened the shadows and added some glow to soften the edges)

...my egg-spectations

As I mentioned in my previous post I am turning over a new leaf and staging shots instead of my usual happy accidents.  I have been planning this one for a week.  I had my Mother save all her egg shells (since she eats more eggs than I do and more often) so that I could try out one of the items on my list.  No fancy locale, this was shot in natural light.  I used two pieces of poster board (one black, one white) and set up shop in front of my Mother's living room window on the floor.  (I will be adding some of the shots to my site to sell.)  I must say I had a lot of fun setting up the eggs and just dropping them and shooting them however they landed.  It wasn't any easier than my travel shoots because I had to chase the light. This first experiment totally met my expectations maybe even exceeded them. I ended up with quite a few workable shots.  (f2.6 shot with the lighting set to tungsten for the blue-ish tinge. I also added a little HDR effect so that the dimples in the shells could be more defined.)

A New Direction

I am once again 3 weeks (or soon to be) behind in post.  When I joined this group I assumed (yup I said it) that it would be easy for me to post weekly.  I take or took as it were photos daily, hourly even.  But my shoots depended on my destination. If I was going somewhere and I happen to come across something worth shooting I would. Or I chose a destination based on a desire to shoot there.  Well I have not been anywhere in months. At least not anywhere I was interested in shooting.  My "style"has always been spur of the moment or spontaneous shooting. My camera was (and still is in some form usually these days its in the form of my cellphone) a part of me; an extension my hand or my minds eye. I guess since I haven't been anywhere interesting lately I have started to feel as though that particular appendage has fallen asleep.  Well its time to wake it up, get the pins and needles going. I have decided to take a new approach...staged shots.  I made a shooting list of subjects, styles and items I would like to shoot.  And now that I think about it, that's the reason I joined this group.  I wanted to learn and try new things and experiment.  I wanted to grow as a photographer. I have hit my personal reset button...I am headed in a new direction.

The signs of Spring

Every proud lawn owners nemesis and yet we as photogs find them to be beautiful subjects.  I wanted to pick this bunch to take home with me in order to shot them in as many ways as I could come up with.  That would have meant climbing a fence, fighting the bugs, finding something to put them in and keep them from blowing away.  Well as you can see by this solitary shot I did not accomplish any of those objectives because climbing a fence wasn't happening and bugs and I soooo do not get along.  Instead I shot through the fence (fighting the wind) and left these little trouble makers where they could do no harm. I shot this in color but decided the black and white showed the motion with out appearing blurry.  I deepened the shadows to highlight the fuzzy white dandelions.
(f5.0 b/w)

Nostalgic

Today (4/21/12) I spent an awesome time wandering around Historic Ellicott City with my Mom.  The antique shops and old buildings were so fascinating. Considering the amount of flooding they suffered last year its amazing that they are up and running as if nothing ever happened. As I looked at this photo I thought about the fact that these buildings have survived much more for a very long time.  The town was established in 1772.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellicott_City,_Maryland  When I look at this gate I think of craftsmanship and the fact that people built things to withstand time. The facades haven't changed but the insides house stores specializing in "vintage" and antique items.  The old servicing the new that is selling the old....hmm, interesting.
(f 5.0 and an Orton-ish finish)

Sooo that's what all the hype is about...

So now that Instagram is available for Android I finally get to see what all the fuss is about.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The filters offer some pretty cool effects, cool instant posting.  Not exactly exciting but still interesting.  I took this shot while waiting at the crosswalk on my way to Starbucks one morning.  I just happened to look down and see these perfect little drops on the leaf.  Captured it using my cellphone and wished I'd had my cellphone lenses. Am I knocking Instagram?  Naaah, but for all the waiting its not that exciting.