Wednesday, October 27, 2010

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.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

WOW! What fun. I have always wanted to do something like this. I just have never taken the time. I'm impressed, my friend!

Brooke Snow said...

Lynette!

These are great! And I love your writing too :)

I think I like the river shots the very best for the storytelling opportunity. It seems to fit that type of opportunity the best because there is so much distance in the image. It also has a great horizon line and "vanishing point". Compositionally, I love how you have placed the horizon line at the upper third of the image. This allows space for the river to travel and gives a nice dynamic balance to the image. Oh yes and you can't beat those awesome dramatic clouds and reflection in the water. Nice work :)

As for depth of field here, its probably more noticeable on the large screen, but you should see more detail in the f/18 shot than any others.

Who Cares Group:
Cute daughter :) Watch for the slight cut-off of the foot (we talk about that next week). Love the lines of the railing in the background and how they help to direct your attention into your subject.

As for depth of field, not that dramatic of a difference unless you're specifically looking at the trees in the background. Who cares is great to use for general sharpness, same plane shots, and portrait headshots.

Singular Theme Group: Beautiful! I love that it was the "last rose of summer"! What a fun story!

Love hte composition here! Love the angle that you are shooting from and how it allows the keys to have a vanishing point as well. LOVE the reflection also. EXCELLENT composition.

Its hard for me to decide which shot I like better between the f22 or f5.6. Both have a very different look. Isn't it awesome to be able to try both and have both to choose from?!

Great work!

Nicole Norris said...

WooHoo!!! I have done that assignment! lol I am glad you are enjoying the class. I found it liberating to know how to use my camera. I love the "last rose of summer" pictures! I agree with Brooke I can't decided if I like the 5.6 aperture with the keys blurred or the f22 aperture so you see the reflection better. It looks great! I want to take the Photo Journalism class next.

Alice said...

Lynette, I'm one of your classmates...I love your last rose of summer photo. My favorite is at f5.6. I also love the Jordan River photos and the play of light through the clouds.

Heather said...

Great shots! I especially love the ones of the river and the rose. Such great composition! And I love the reflection of the rose in the piano. So beautiful!

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