I’m still taking pictures every day, loving it and learning so much! Here are a few of my takeaways from my 366 Project during the month of July.
It’s all about the light: Low light, sunny days, skies filled with clouds. Each offers its own challenges and rewards. The blue tones in dusk are so moody and lovely but then I struggle with getting my camera settings right. A bright sunny day–fantastic–until I realize the dark shadows obscure my daughter’s face or blow out all the details on a leaf. Clouds and rain, the bane of a Seattleite. Yes the grays can wipe out everything of interest in the sky but then I find colors are more deeply saturated and the shadows softer in my images. I still have so much to learn about how to get the most out of what kind of light each day (or time of the day) brings!
Don’t be afraid to fill the frame: I waited and waited for this peacock to spread his wings but when he did, he was farther away then I would have liked and the background around him was distracting. I decided to tightly crop my photo which put the focus on his colors and patterns in his beautiful feathers. There is always a place for broad beautiful vistas but sometimes, filling the frame with one detail, like just the petals of the flower or your child’s hands playing in the water, really brings home the shot.
Edit, but edit with caution: I like to explore creative ways to select the parts of my photo that tell a story, but I try to be cautious about over-editing. Too many special effects or too much over-processing can ruin the natural beauty already in the picture. That said, sometimes it’s fun to add a bit of drama with a dark background or bump up the color so your subject really pops.
There is so much beauty in our world! This isn’t an epiphany, but I do find that the more I shoot the more I see, and the more I see the more I want to get out my camera. I love watching the seasons change, the ebb and flow of plants and animal life. Nature amazes me. There is always something spectacular to discover around the corner or right in my own backyard.
Here’s July:
It’s all about the journey,
Beth