For 31 days I worked with the manual settings of my camera. Using a tripod in the same place every day, between 9:00 and 10:00 AM, I took a picture. Then, I took a picture of the same tree limb in a different area of the yard. It was in this period that I worked with light and my camera settings to determine the impact of one setting on another.
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It’s a Blog Hop so Linky Link below or comment and I will be around to visit this evening. Happy Hump day everyone!
In an effort to keep busy, continue learning, and challenge myself I decided to dedicate several months to learning my camera. I signed up for a Coursera specialization and worked to learn various aspects of photography and manual mode. By the end, I was confident shooting in manual, although not always successful. It was worth the time and effort to improve the shots I take and develop a fun, although expensive, hobby. (Donations for new lenses will always be graciously accepted!) Nature is my preferred subject. I was also able to practice with our kids, as well as their friends. Completing this specialization and receiving constructive feedback and encouragement from my peers is both validating and extremely satisfying. There were elements that challenged me tremendously. (I’ll be honest, it’s mostly the math of it. Math makes me want to cry.) Other elements will help me in my instructional design and development. More importantly, I accomplished something I set out to do and developed a new hobby. Below is my Capstone Statement for Canon of Nature and Me and the images I submitted. A canon is a statement, collection, or criterion of related works. It is also my brand of camera, so a little play on words.
It would be easy to shrink within and give in to the frustration of 2020. Nature has been my inspiration to stay positive and stay healthy. It has been my retreat. My photography inspires me to explore new areas, as well as explore the same areas through a different lens…sometimes literally. Colors change throughout the year. Light reflects differently each day, and at different times of the day. The view changes and the camera keeps me from taking it for granted. In this series, I am exploring the world around me. What is growing in my own backyard, my neighborhood, my favorite parks, and nature preserves? Getting outdoors keeps me motivated and I seek to capture that motivation with my lens and share it with you the viewer.
I started taking pictures regularly a few years ago. My philosophy was point, shoot, and hope for the best. My strategy was volume. Thousands of pictures for a small number of useable images. This learning series and Capstone Project has encouraged me to adjust settings, eventually shoot in mostly manual, and delve into editing RAW images. I have successfully become intentional about framing, exposure, and seeking to capture inspired moments instead of seeing something cool and hoping for the best as I take shot after shot.
As cities grow our neighborhoods expand. New building projects are implemented for houses, apartments, storage facilities, another gas station or car wash on the corner. Finding a relaxing natural space can be difficult in larger cities. Greenways offer an escape to nature. Nature preserves offer some protection to nature and the environment. As with our changing cityscapes, natural landscapes change as well. I seek to document the natural places I enjoy, frame the landscape, and capture the inspiring moments for both historical documentation and change over time.
