Lessons

One of the things I’m very quickly learning about photography is that you can take hundreds of pictures and have maybe four of those will actually be somewhat decent enough to edit. Well it’s either that or I’m really doing a bad job at this! It’s the former! (Eek I hope!)

So I was being lazy and decided Assignment 2 was not for me, but thankfully my better sense prevailed and these are what I have to show for about thirty minutes of lying on cold tiled floors whilst my boobies and ribs were crushed under the weight of my hair. Good Lord, do I need to work out!

Anyway back to the point!

My fav pair of Iron Fist graced our oh-so-subtle floor tiles whilst I set up my camera about half a metre away from it and prepared! Okay so the entire Assignment centres on Aperture which, from my vague understanding, is the lens of the camera or rather controlling that lens. Works like the eye’s iris, if the environment is dark it gets larger to allow light in, if the area is full of light it decreases in size so less light gets in. So here goes!

• ·         Camera set to Aperture Priority
• ·         Smallest Aperture F22 (Photo 1)
• ·         Take shot. Hold camera still.
• ·         Largest Aperture F5.6 (Photo 2)
• ·         Take Shot. Hold camera still. 

Photo 1 F22:

Photo 2 F5.6:

School Hard Part 2

Okay back home from second lesson and honestly I sat down with every intention to write but oh how my bed beckons...

Sleep....zzzzz.....zzzzz...

Sleep has been had, now rundown of last night. Btw I know I'm reusing a Buffy title here but go with it!

Assignment 1 Crit:

Focus on object, so there aren't too many vying for attention Assignments can be edited in terms of lighting, cropping etc- mine were not. But for the next assignment editing shall be on like scone! (Gaaaawd let's pretend I never said that!)

Today's class dealt with various elements of photography, the basics I suppose.

ISO- simply how sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light. 

Shutter Speed- this is just the amount of exposure time, i.e. the length of time the shutter remains open.

Aperture- decides how much light will be let into the lens, or my take on it, a simplified take. 

All of these elements are really in depth and eeek will do them individually as I learn more, but for now...

Assignment 2:

1. Photograph a subject using the smallest Aperture (F22)
2. Photograph a subject using the largest Aperture (F5.6)

Subject needs to be the same object and angle.

Good luck me! 

New Moon Rising

Readers...what up!

So Assignment 1 has been completed to best of my ability (read: lack of abilty) and here they are!

Because I know zero to minus zero about photography I went to the one place I could get really amazing shots without actually knowing how to get a great shot, enter Durban Beach Front.

If you're from SA or have been here then you know how amazing it is, every single day! And shame on you naysayers who say nay!

Most of the shots were crappy, but as the wise Stephen has said, "Out of 500 shots they'll only be 10 or so really good one's that you could use."

The first shot was a low angled photo. I took about a gazillion low angles of stairs, flowers and ither random shite and then whilst walking along the pier I look down and see this.

A little boy had run into the surf and it was beautiful. Words are seriously failing me now, shitty considering this is a written medium and all, but this little boy was bursting with joy and it was lovely to witness and capture. Not sure if it comes out in the photo to anyone reading this but it certainly did for me. whilst the technique may not be there I think this photo contains the spirit.

North Beach 2012

The second shot included was meant to be a photo depicting the Rule of Thirds. I'm not sure what the heck this is depicting except a bad shot of one of the most gorgeous skylines I've ever seen.

Durban Skyline July 2012
 

The final shot was a high angle. Now high angles sound fun and easy, but you look uber retarded taking them! I stomped around the beach front taking shots of everything from tree's to decrepit old buildings and even this really tall dude. Nothing really worked.

This however is not too bad. uShaka's Cargo Hold restaurant, not the yummiest food around but delicious views!

uShaka July 2012

 

In my head I have some really gorgeous pictures that are just waiting to come out, hopefully someday I'll know enough about photography tp make it come out. :)

 

(Eek how Dogie Howser was that!! Yikes! Goodnight!)

 

School Hard

Good evening faithful followers, the lack of faithful followers and whoever happens to pass by!

Firstly I haven’t posted because I’m lazy…sorta. My last job had me by the proverbial nuts which ended with me not posting, not sleeping, always eating and rocking myself in a dark corner of any given room.

Guys I suffer from a serious case of OCD and as you know I haven’t posted in like forever! But I have been copiously writing in the last couple of months, just not posting.  So the compulsive in me tried in vain to back date my posts. That did not happen. It clearly did not work. So gentle readers I'm hoping to update aplenty!

Getting back to previously written posts, enjoy the first!

18 July 2012

(So yesterday was the mum’s birthday and we nom-ed at Nourish! If you haven’t been there, do yourself an immense favour and go now!)

Today I began this really awesome photography course with Stephen Railton Photography, thanks Groupon for that awesome deal.

Now for those of you who know me, you are aware of my complete inability to direct myself, I generally follow the skyline and move towards what looks most familiar. This was the strategy employed today whilst trying to find Mackeurtan Avenue, see Durban North region.

This resulted in me being 45 minutes late to a two hour class, Mr Railton was kind enough to give me a courtesy call, whilst stuck in non-moving Inanda traffic, in which I assured him I would be there...eventually.

The class is being held at Northwood Boys, and BTW FYI every high school smells the same. 

It smells of shame, disinfectant and mass amounts of sweaty boys-many of which were running around as I parked off.

I dash in, trying to be inconspicuous and trip across my own legs and find a seat at the front of the class- high school déjà vu.

Okay! So back to the class!

There was, as I’m told, a fantastically compelling intro (which I missed) followed by camera basics, i.e. this is the lens. But high five self, I totally knew my lens! The rest of class centred on types of camera’s, flashes, presets, len’s etc.

Then The Rule of Thirds came into effect, the basic concept of which I understand, but alas we shall how this comes out in the photos. Finally Composition was discussed at length, I won’t bore you with the details.

Assignment 1:

1.  Photograph a landscape using the Rule of Thirds.
2.  Photograph an object from an extremely high angle.
3.  Photograph an object from a low angle.

Parameter's include Complete Auto and Composition.

Boom! Next post, the fruit of my Assignment labour! 

Potential (we hope!)

Now in the last few weeks I should have written at the very least 5 blogs. If you’re reading I apologize, if not meh! I’ve just been uber busy (hurr hurr hurr) and super lazy!

So the plan for this is to be a quick catch up of what’s been going on!

So my first ‘professional’ (note not my term but my beloved mother’s, she’s sweet and supportive and little too trusting) foray into photography began firstly doing random clickety clicks at like… grass. I’ve upgraded! And very quickly became official photographer for my gran’s 80^th! (My mother’s doing again, not mine), surprisingly these pictures turned out quite well!

Well as well as can be expected! But considering its my first time I have patted myself on the back!

Bear with me as I try to photo effect it and make it all cool and hip and with-it and fail dismally at all of the above!

So the above are but two of the many pictures taken that night, not the best but i'm high-fiving myself because yay! they came out alright! 

Inca Mummy Girl

So it occurs to me that my last post occured over a year and a bit ago.
Why you ask?

Well I got lazy! (hence the title...erm cos mummy's are lazy...and dead...)

I didn't have much to write about...and then suddenly I did!

So much so that I truly had zero time in which to write about all the awesomeness I was going to write about! Which leads me to today! April 19th 2012 I have finally figured and remembered how to log onto my account and here i sit typing away...at work...meh!

I can finally say I have a sort of topic that I'm heading towards! I am the recent owner of a delicious Nikon D3100 and have been trying to take up photograpghy for awhile now, purchase made and here I am.

That being said one of my projects is going to track my foray into this interesting world that speaks of apertures, ISO and other unknown things!

Excited! Pleased! And hopefully the photo's won't be that shite!

Btw fyi ---> the interest sort of sprang from that...its gorgeous and in Grahamstown!
It was amazing, I was cold, mad awesome friends, learn't so much and took that pic! Lord I hope I get better!