"The most important thing for a photographer to learn.."

"If you are not your own severest critic, you are your own worst enemy".

The above quote is from my recently purchased book on Light, Gesture and Colour and author Jay Maisel is not only known as a gifted photographer but also a mentor, teacher and trailblazer to many photographers.  So based on this statement from him, I now think that perhaps being overly critical of my own photography may lead to improvement (hopefully!).

Certainly the outcomes from the experience outlined in my last post made me rethink the homework task and restart it using the genre of Advertising.

My neighbour Alex is a car enthusiast and
I enjoy the fact that he is wearing deep pearl
blue which matches the car!

panning shot

what's in the boot

fast shutter speed

wheel section dressed up

F4 with shallow dof

f22 with greater dof

under the bonnet with the R32"s designer brolly!

So these are some of my photographs of the VWR35, a type of photography previously alien to me (having spent the last couple of years taking "nice landscapes")



I managed to captured two pics on aperture settings of F4 and F22 and then two motion pictures, using a fast shutter speed and also with a slow shutter speed and panning.


Great to have a young neighbour who was willing to share his hobby with me so thank you Alex and hopefully I have fulfilled the task requirements. Not sure whether I should consider a career in advertising or indeed find out whether I could get my course fees refunded!  The task required evaluation and I identify the need to get some tuition re focus systems and the D600 (and use of filters and layers in Photoshop).   I feel that I am the only person in the class who does not understand hyperfocal distance but my desire to learn overrides my embarrassment and I seek help. Actually, I worry too much and I now realise that:-

• hyperfocal distance is simply focusing 1/3 into picture, hold the focus by pressing shutter halfway down and then taking the shot at f22 - simple when you learn how!
• ISO - do not be afraid to INCREASE ISO indoors even to 3400 if needed on FF camera
• using flash is not BAD (i always try to avoid flash as think pictures are harsh (but now considering Martin Parr - hey, he's another photographer with which I am familiar) - last weeks' Powerpoint lecture of 139 slides is a powerful resource which has been shared digitally with us
• DUH - I have found out how to sort camera when I inadvertently set it to DX mode (cropped sensor (this will show as 16 x 24) when I press and hold front right button and move the dial which I regard as aperture wheel)

My next challenge is the Assignment entitled 'Ruraltopia' - (should be easily accomplished by a crofter's daughter who lived through the experience so why do I use the word challenge?).  I'm  still anxious about technical skills but I am enjoying the journey.   I am now hoping to feel that I am in control of the camera but I must learn to look and see and then capture the magic.  It's not all about nice views in my 'Ruraltopia'.

“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” – Alfred Stieglitz