Photo Class Week 2-"Shutter Speed"

I hope everyone had a great week and a very Happy Halloween.  Today was a beautiful day here in South Jordan, UT so with camera in hand I was excited to do my assignments for this weeks class.   I especially loved this lesson.  We learned about shutter speed and how to photograph action.  For those of you that know me you all know that at least 85% of the photos I take are action due to the fact all my kids have been involved in sports and sports=action.  After this week I really wish I could rewind time and re-shoot all those swimming, football and baseball photos.  OHHH well, really nothing to lose sleep over-right!!!

ASSIGNMENT ONE:  Our first assignment was to take a "Frozen Action" photo with the shutter speed around 1/1000.  Here we have Lauren jumping on the trampoline.  She loves it when I take photos of her jumping and doing all the fancy tricks she knows how to do on the trampoline.  Usually my tramp photos are blurry, but today I was able to get crystal clear photos (thanks Brooke).  I took several and decided to post this one.

f/4 

1/1000

ISO 400

Well one thing I did this week after learning about action from Brooke was sit at the computer and go through many of  the action photos I have taken the last couple of years(yes there are millions).  I could see what I did wrong with each photos as I reviewed the aperture, shutter speed and ISO readings of each photo.  I was totally having a "light bulb went on moment" as I reviewed some photos.  However, I am proud to say  there was a few by sure luck that I had done correctly so I want to quickly share them with you.

Taken last spring.  You may want to click on the photo to enlarge, but I was able to capture Brandon batting and was able to cature Brandon, the bat and  the baseball in the photo.

f/2.5

1/800

ISO 100

Taken this summer.  Lauren playing in the sprinklers.  Loved how I was able to capture her flipping her hair as she came up out of the sprinklers. 

f/3.2

1/1000

ISO 100

ASSIGNMENT TWO:  Next assignment was to photograph something that "Implies Motion"  Here I had Brandon, Lauren and the dogs run towards me.  I set the shutter speed at 1/125, metered the camera and took  the photo.  I think the photo is a little washed out.  I forgot to adjust my ISO speed.  Brooke taking the ISO to 100 probably would have been a much better photo right? 

f/7.1

1/125

ISO 400

Same thing here.  I like the motion is shows other than I almost cut her head off.  So once again forgot all about lowering the ISO. 

f/7.1

1/250

ISO 400

This photo was one I took back in February of my daughter at the state swim meet finals.  I was very proud of this photo.  Trust me it's front and center in her scrapbook.  Brooke here I did have to really increase the ISO because the meet was inside and very dark.

f/2

1/250

ISO 800

ASSIGNMENT THREE:  Our last assignment for the week was to take a "Panning" shot.  WOW I need tons of practice here.  The photo shows our beagle "Shilo" running after a bone and a very high speed.  So how could I have made the dog a little more in focus and still blur the background.  The photo was taken at almost dusk like you suggested.

f/13

1/60

ISO 400

Thanks everyone for stopping by.  I am going to practice more this week on shutter speed and photographing action so beware.

Photo Class Week 1-"Aperture"

WOW hello everyone.  I am so embarrassed that it's been so long since I have blogged.  Once my two oldest girls left for college things have been super busy.   Anyway I am trying to get all my ducks in a row, but every time I turn around there are more ducks.

So one of my goals for a really long time is to take some photo classes and really learn more about photography since I love it so much.  So this fall I took a class at the last Scrapbook USA Expo. It was great since this is the first time in many years I choose not to be a vendor it gave me some time for myself.  The photo class was only two hours, but I learned so much.   The instructor walked around and showed each of how to use our own camera's.  It was a whirlwind class but so good.  So I wanted to build on that class and my awesome friend Nicole hooked me up with Brooke Snow. 

Brooke is a professional photographer who offers on-line photo classes.  Check out her website at http://www.brookesnow.com/   I am so excited to lean so much from Brooke.   I love how she explains things in great deal and in terms that us "photo for dummies" can understand.  I will be posting my homework for the next 6 weeks here so hopefully I will get better.  If not then there is just no hope for me. 

Our first week she taught us about aperture and metering.  After studying the tutorials I was off to do my homework assignment.  I usually shoot with a different lens but of course my college daughter borrowed it so it was good for me to use another lens for this assignment.

Assignment 1:  We were to find a "Storytelling Opportunity"  Something that has a beginning, middle and end.  HUMM this was the hardest part of the assignment.  What should I photograph?  After driving around town looking for something that would tell a story I finally drove to the Jordan River, parked my car and took a little hike.  I came upon this bridge.  I think bridges are fun and the anticipation of what is on the other side of the bridge always arouses curiosity.

Storytelling Aperture-Bridge

 This was shot with an aperture of F16

 This was shot with a "who cares" aperture of F8

and this was shot with a "singular aperture" of 5.6

I was finished with assignment 1 and was about ready to turn around and leave but first decided to really see what was on the other side of the bridge.

Well as I crossed the bridge the Jordan River was very calm and beautiful.  I felt such a feeling of serenity so I decided to repeat assignment 1 and photograph the river.  I love to photograph water in general, but especially a river or stream.  I love the look of the river where it disappears at the top of the photo.  Whatever that is called I am sure Brooke will tell us.

Storytelling Aperture-River

 "storytelling aperture" of 18

 "who cares aperture" of F8

"singular aperture" of 5.6

Assignment 2:  We were to shoot a "Who Cares Opportunity"  The subject was to be on the same plane.  I don't think I chose a very good background so it was hard to capture what I was trying to do not to mention my subject kept telling me that "I have my own homework to do MOM"

Who Cares Aperture

 "who cares aperture" F8

 "storytelling aperture" of F22

"singular aperture" of 5.6

Assignment 3:  Now we were to find a "Singular Theme Opportunity"  So  I decided to walk around my yard and find something I could photograph.  I walked around one of my rose bushes in  my front yard.  This dang rose bush I had been swearing at all summer because it just would not bloom.  The more I fertilized, watered and pampered the more stubborn it was.  However, just today for some reason it had one long steam beautiful rose at the very top of the bush.  It was a little miracle and blessing just for me.  The rose smells so amazing so I picked the rose and called it my "Last Rose of Summer"  no joke because the next day I woke up to that rose bush was covered with snow.  So for right now I am really enjoying my "Last Rose of Summer" 

Single Theme Aperture

 Here I shot the rose at a "Singular Aperture of F5.6"

 "Storytelling Aperture of F22"

shot at a "Who Cares Aperture of F8"

Well that is all for this week.  Can't wait to see what I learn in lesson two.  Have a great day.