Shoot Along – How to Boss Your Camera Around (or, How to Shoot in Manual)

Dang it! I found out that this in yet another Shoot Along tutorial that I cannot participate in. All because my silly Sony digital camera does not allow me to play with shutter speed and aperture settings (my camera controls those things). It does, however, let me change the ISO settings, but whoop-dee-doo.

If you happen to have a camera that DOES allow you to manually set your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, I highly recommend you read this tutorial because it has tons of useful information. I found it very interesting even though it doesn’t apply to me and my camera *making mental notes for when I do have a fancier camera someday*.

Credit: Giver’s Log and Carrie Butler.

Shoot Along – It’s All About the Light

As I mentioned in previous posts (here and here), the Giver’s Log and Carrie Butler Photography have teamed-up and put together a Shoot Along complete with tips and tutorials to help people like me, to improve their photography skills.

And, as I also mentioned, I have fallen behind on a bunch of the tutorials and need to play some major catch-up.

Besides myself, I only have one other subject in this household during the day that has eyes. Which means that Madison was forced to be my model.

So out I dragged her from her comfortable spot under the couch.

She yawned in preparation, only to lay right back down again in the sun. This dog of mine is not at all cooperative for photos let me tell ya.

This Shoot Along topic was all about lighting and how to find the best light for your shots. It’s a really great tutorial, so I recommend you give it a read (here) because it explains the concept really well.

Basically, the very edge of shade, facing out towards the sun is the best lighting. In this position faces illuminate, features are brought out, and light glitters in the eyes.

It’s hard to tell in my photos below, but I positioned my little poodle on the edge of the shade where the sunlight was coming in through the window. Outside would have been better, but that would have been next to impossible with just me and Madison…trying to get her to look…trying to keep her from wandering…trying to keep her from following me…ugh!

So, it’s hard to tell, but the sun was coming in toward her face in the photos even though it looks like her back was to the sunlight. With all her fur, it’s hard to see those eyes. But underneath all that, you can in fact see a glitter of sunlight in them. And that is a difficult task considering her eyes usually turn red or nearly see-through in photos.

And here, is what the same shot of Madison’s face looks like when she is completely in the shade. No halo of light. And definitely no real life to her eyes.

Well, those were my photos for the lighting tutorial. I’m still playing catch-up with the Shoot Along though. Next up is a tutorial on How to Boss Your Camera Around (or, How to Shoot in Manual). That should be a good one considering I don’t have a fancy dancy professional camera, only a little digital one.

Stay tuned!

Credit: All photos taken by me. Tutorial by Giver’s Log and Carrie Butler Photography.

Shoot Along – Catching Up

Was July really the last time I posted about the Shoot Along? It’s no wonder why I feel so bad about not posting anything about it in a while.

As I mentioned in previous posts (here and here), the Giver’s Log and Carrie Butler Photography have teamed-up and put together a Shoot Along complete with tips and tutorials to help people like me, to improve their photography skills.

Needless to say, I have some catching up to do. So keep an eye out for Shoot Along posts over the next couple days as I try to catch up.

You can see my Telling the Story Shoot Along post here. Of course, the main subject is my pooch Madison. Oh how I wish I lived closer to my family and more specifically, my nieces, so I could compete the Sour Face Shoot Along. That looked like a fun one to take photos for. But alas, I cannot feed Madison sour candy.

Well, I’m off. Time to TAKE some photos, BAKE some biscotti, and MAKE a homemade card for an upcoming birthday girl.

Links to Shoot-Along posts via Giver’s Log:

• Join the Giver’s Log Shoot Along
• Your Burning Questions about Photography
• Shoot-Along Tutorial: Telling the Story
• Shoot-Along Gift Idea: Portrait Buttons
• Shoot-Along Gift Idea: Photo Games
• Sour Face
• Shoot Along Gift Idea: Personalized Game Pieces
• Shoot-Along Tutorial: It’s All About the Light, part 1
• Shoot-Along Round Up
• How to Boss Your Camera Around (or, How to Shoot in Manual)

Links to my Shoot Along posts:

• Shoot Along
• Shoot Along - Telling the Story

Credit: Giver’s Log

Shoot Along – Telling the Story

As I mentioned in a previous post, the Giver’s Log and Carrie Butler Photography have teamed-up and put together a Shoot Along complete with daily tips and tutorials to help people like me, to improve their photography skills.

Well, today is just day one, so keep that in mind when you look at my day’s photos. I can’t wait to learn more and see some progression in my photos.

Today’s assignment was Telling the Story. “What is part of your life right now that you’ll want to remember in a couple years?” In the tutorial, they said that the key to this is to consider what story you are trying to tell with the photo you are taking at the time, and then, carefully composing your photo to include all the characters in that story.

Since at the moment I am unemployed and a stay-at-home-mom to my dog Madison, it is Madison that primarily takes up my days. Therefore (of course!), Madison was my subject for this assignment.

I take care of Madison’s grooming myself, because (1) I have the time and (2) she hates going to the groomer. She doesn’t make it easy for me though. Madison will only sit still for awhile before she moves around and then hides where I can’t get at her.

Here are photos I took during one of her self-determined grooming breaks. She moved herself to a nice warm place in the sun. If you look closely, you can see how I have started to trim near her back and body, but her head and legs are still giant poofs of messy curly fur. Hopefully one day I will get to finish her haircut.

Apparently Madison is part bird. Hidden in her tail, I found a small white feather. I wonder how long that’s been hiding in there.

Day one: OVER

Tomorrow’s tutorial is slated as lighting, I believe. Can’t wait!

Credit: All photos taken by myself.

Shoot Along

Amberlee of Giver’s Log (one of my very favorite blogs by the way) and Carrie Butler of Carrie Butler Photography have teamed-up and put together the first ever Giver’s Log shoot along.

I’m super exciting because my photography skills sure could use some fine tuning…

Here’s a link to check out the ‘official invitation’ for yourself and to sign up:

http://giverslog.com/?p=9024

Be sure to sign up fast, because the Shoot-Along has officially begun and today’s tutorial is: Telling the Story

…Now what do I want to tell the story of???

Credit: Giver’s Log