how to take perfect selfies in three easy steps
I often get asked the question; how do I take a great selfie? Not a selfie taker, I had to consult with two wonderful ladies from the farm. Their advice can be summed up in the three simple steps that follow.
Step One: Make a funny face.
Step Two: Snap picture.
Step Three: Laugh.
Give it a try and let me know how your selfies turned out.
panning: try, try, and try again
Panning is otherwise known as the biggest test to my patience. I am not practiced at it and as a result, I am not good at it.
On a recent trip to Florida, I had the opportunity to photograph an amazing bird rookery. I thought the location and subject would be the perfect opportunity for me to practice panning. Truth be told, it was good practice. However the two hairs left on my bald head are now long gone. Most of the hundreds of photos that I took on that outing look just like the one shown below.
I walked away with more than my share of out of focus bits of birds. Was the time well spent? I wouldn't have traded that day for anything. I got to spend time with my one of a kind Uncle Eddie, and at the end of the day, I walked away with a handful of images like the one below.
What do you know, my parents are right, practice makes perfect.
What part of your photography do you struggle with?
Make a point to practice. Put yourself in locations and in position to work on your weaknesses. Sure, you will shoot a lot of terrible pictures, but eventually you will get that first great shot. After enough practice, you will regularly get the great shots you you want.
Have a great day folks.
working your subject
A common mistake made by inexperienced photographers is to not work their subject. How many times have you (or someone you are with) just taken the shot as soon as you stumbled upon the scene and then simply moved on? Instead, you should explore your subject. Try to envision what it would look like from a different angle. Walk around it. Get down low or up high.
Each of the following images was taken of the same ramp system in Atlanta’s High Museum of Art. Notice how I did take the straight on shot. However, I then started moving around and exploring the ramps from different directions and heights.
I climbed to the top floor and discovered these wonderful converging lines.
I then shifted over a few feet and discovered that I could get the line of the top rail to cross over the other lines.
I even walked into the ramps and started to see something completely different.
My point is that you need to work your subject and engage your imagination. If I hadn’t taken the time to explore this ramp system, I would have never discovered the wonderful lines and tones that it contained.
The next time you approach a scene, take the time to go the extra step. You just might be surprised by what you discover.
my last assignment
I recently completed my last assignment from mentor and inspriration Tom Dinning. You can read about it here:
Blue silo, purple sky
2013 photo book
Each year, for the past few years, I've printed a small number of photo books and given them to my friends, family, and those that have really encouraged my photography. The last of the 2013 books is now in the mail and I can finally show them off to the rest of you fine people.
You can download and view your copy here: 2013 photo book
lake lines
Last weekend, was a cold foggy one. My usual walk at the lake was not in the east bit comfortable. Still, it was beautiful in its own right. As I walked along the ridge overlooking the beach, I saw this scene:
What caught my eye was the way the tree broke the parallel lines of the beach. However, when I began processing the image, I was pretty dissatisfied. The lines were not as parallel as I had thought. There was ice floating in the water that was distracting. So I gave the problem some thought and opened up Photoshop.
The first step was to re-crop the image to provide some better balance and focus on the tree. I then straightened the shorelines and removed the distracting ice. Finally, I straighened the tree line and applied some basic adjustments.
Sometimes our images need a little help to get them to be what we envisioned when we snapped the shot. Is it cheating? Is putting makeup on a pretty woman cheating?
sycamore reflection
This image combines two favorites in one photo; sycamore trees and fog. I am always looking for a good sycamore scene. The white trunks are gorgeous, especially in the winter. The problem is that I struggle to find scenes in which the tree contrasts nicely with the background.
When I wake up and see fog in the morning, I always run out with my camera. I am intrigued by the way the fog shrouds the landscape, hiding details or coyly revealing brief glimpses.
Imagine how excited I was to see both a nicely contrasting sycamore sitting in a foggy scene. The reflection…pure bonus!
the big ball – 2013
New Year's Eve means the big charity ball in South Charleston, Ohio. Every year, a Civil War period ball is held to benefit the South Charleston Opera House.
I've shot the ball a few times and every time, I struggle to take good images. The light is low and there is a lot of motion. Still, it is beautiful to see and one of my favorite events of the year. Those of you with very good eyes might notice that my good friend Debbie is playing in the band. That woman has skilz!
You can see the entire set of photos at this link.
tim mcmurdo 