Jumping Rope

DSCF0745
Originally uploaded by jalenaaron

Pay attention to your framing (what you see in the viewfinder). There are a few distracting elements in this photo that could have been eliminated; minivan and trash bin. Moving in closer and rotating your lens to the right would have cut out these distractions. Rotating your lens to the right would also have included the rope twirler on the right. The subject here is the girl jumping rope, we'd like to see the expression on her face as she jumps rope, so positioning yourself where she faces the camera would have been better.

Photo Chick

Vietnam Veterans Memorial at night

Vietnam Veterans Memorial at night
Originally uploaded by wanderingphoto

This image of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at night is the most successful of the four. Here you have focused attention on the environment, we know where we're at. However, the subject of this photo is the Washington Monument because it has the sharpest focus and our eye is drawn to it from your use of converging lines.

The converging lines of the Vietnam Memorial, the inlay of bricks you stand on to view the memorial, the round lights in the ground, the sidewalk and the row of trees on the opposite side all create visual lines that lead our eyes to the Washington Monument. These lines were created because of your vantage point, anytime lines are perpendicular to the camera lens they will converge to one point in the distance. Converging lines are one way to focus attention on your subject.

You did not capture any detail in the Washington Monument but in this photo I think it works nicely in silhouette.

Photo Chick

What is Photography?

Photography is more than just taking pictures by depressing the shutter release button on your camera. Photography is about creating pictures; having a vision, an idea, an expression. Like any other art form there are necessary skills that one must apply to produce a great work of art, photography included. You need not only educate yourself on the fundamentals of photography by learning how to control the camera and the lens but professional critiques, which provide feedback, on your work are a necessary part of your photography development. Along with these skills you must have a vision and a creative "eye" never hurts. We all have ideas we can turn into pictures, I like to think our photographs serve as a metaphor for holding our ideas in our hands. Being able to take this idea and make it tangible requires the photography skills necessary to make a picture.

© Photo Chick

Built in Meter

You will have complete control of your built in meter in manual mode. So switch your camera to manual. The little graph (little hash marks with a 0 in the middle and +/- on either side) in the bottom right corner of your viewfinder is your camera's built in meter. When the sliding hash mark is at 0 you will have correct exposure. If the hash mark is on the + side your image will be over-exposed and you will need to close your aperture or increase your shutter speed decrease the light and bring the hash mark back to the 0 position. If it is on the - side your image will be under-exposed and you will need to open your aperture or use a slower shutter speed to increase the light and bring the hash mark back to the 0 position.

Your creative ideas will determine whether you change the f/stop or shutter speed dial. The next thing you should be aware of in determining correct exposure is the metering system your camera is set on; matrix, center weighted or spot. Look in your camera manual for a description of how each will read the light in your scene and effect exposure.