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Photography Tips

Summer Photography Self-Assignments

June 14, 2023 by Mary Buck

Embrace the warmth of the sun and the vibrant colors of summer as you embark on your photography journey.

This season is a canvas of endless opportunities, waiting for your lens to capture its magic. Through your camera, unveil the hidden beauty in every moment, from the golden hour sunsets to the playful laughter of children in the park.

Remember, photography is an art that transcends time and allows us to freeze fleeting moments forever. Your unique perspective has the power to evoke emotions, tell stories, and inspire others. So, embrace the lens as an extension of your soul, and let your creativity flow like the gentle breeze of summer.

Let every click be a step towards unlocking your true potential as you explore new angles, experiment with light and shadow, and immerse yourself in photography. Allow your passion to guide you, and let the beauty around you be your muse.

In this season of warmth and growth, let photography be your creative outlet, a way to express your unique vision and leave a lasting impact on those who witness your art. Remember, every photograph can inspire, transport someone to a different time and place, and ignite a fire within their hearts.

So, my friend, seize this summer with your camera in hand, and let your passion for photography shine bright. Embrace the moments, embrace the beauty, and capture the world through your lens. This summer, let your photographs tell stories that will inspire and transcend the boundaries of time. Happy clicking!

Here are ten photography homework assignments for the summer:

  1. Landscape Exploration: Visit a local park, beach, or countryside and capture a series of landscape photographs. Experiment with different angles, lighting conditions, and compositions to convey the beauty of the natural surroundings.
  2. Street Photography: Spend a day in a bustling city or a lively neighborhood capturing candid moments of people, street scenes, and urban life. Focus on capturing unique expressions, interesting architecture, or cultural events.
  3. Macro Photography: Explore the world up close by photographing small subjects like flowers, insects, or everyday objects. Experiment with different lenses and techniques to capture intricate details and textures.
  4. Portrait Series: Create a series of portraits that tell a story about a person or a group of individuals. Explore different lighting setups, poses, and expressions to capture their personalities or convey a specific mood.
  5. Night Photography: Venture out after dark to capture the magic of the night. Experiment with long exposures, light painting, and capturing the city lights or starry skies.
  6. Still-Life Composition: Set up a still-life scene with carefully chosen objects and experiment with different arrangements, lighting setups, and compositions. Focus on creating visually pleasing and impactful images.
  7. Architecture and Cityscapes: Explore the architectural beauty of your city or any other city you visit. Capture unique buildings, bridges, and cityscapes from different perspectives, highlighting their grandeur and design.
  8. Documentary Photography: Choose a social issue or a local event and document it through a series of photographs. Use your camera to raise awareness or tell a powerful story that sparks conversation and understanding.
  9. Silhouette Photography: Experiment with capturing silhouettes against vibrant sunsets, striking landscapes, or interesting backgrounds. Pay attention to the shapes and forms created by the subjects against the contrasting backdrop.
  10. Experimental Techniques: Explore alternative photography techniques such as double exposure, intentional camera movement, or different filters and lenses to create artistic and abstract images.

Remember, photography is an art form, so feel free to add your personal touch and interpretation to these assignments. Enjoy your summer photography journey!

Filed Under: Flower Photography, Landscape Photography, Learn DSLR Photography, Photography Inspiration, Photography Tips, Travel Photography

Twelve Reasons one Should Learn Photography.

March 28, 2023 by Mary Buck

Learn Photography
  1. Create outstanding photos: Most of us love to share our pictures and see the response your family and friends have to them. Learning photography can help you create better photos you can be proud of.
  2. Become intimate with your equipment: Learning to use your camera well and becoming confident will result in a more enjoyable and creative photography experience.
  3. Photography can be therapeutic: Photography allows you to get away from everyday stress. While shooting, you will forget your worries and focus on creating great photos.
  4. Photography enables you to see the world a little differently: Once you understand the language of light and the elements of composition, photography can help you see the world in a new way.
  5. Photography is a great way to tell stories: A great photo tells a story, captivates the audience, and induces an emotional response.
  6. Learning photography can help improve brain function for seniors. A 2014 study of older adults found that learning a new and cognitively demanding skill, such as photography, enhanced memory function.

Here are just a few more reasons one should consider learning photography:

Photography has many benefits that can improve one’s life. Here are some of them:

  1. Photography is a form of self-care: Photography can help you relax and focus on something other than your daily routine¹.
  2. Photography improves well-being through community interaction: Photography can help you connect with others who share your interests¹.
  3. Photography helps to find beauty in our world: Photography can help you see the world differently and appreciate the beauty around us¹.
  4. Photography enhances memory and keeps your brain healthy: Photography can help improve memory function and keep your brain healthy¹².
  5. Photography gets you outdoors and makes you exercise: Photography can encourage you to get outside and explore new places while also getting some exercise¹.
  6. Photography makes you enjoy what you are doing more: Photography can make everyday activities more enjoyable by giving you a new perspective¹.

Learn more about Private Photography Lessons

Learn more about the Beginner Online Photography Course

Learn more about Photography Immersion Workshops

Filed Under: Blog posts, Learn DSLR Photography, Photography Tips

How to be the Best Photographer You Can in 2023

January 5, 2023 by Mary Buck

learn photography

You’ve probably heard of the 10,000-hour rule

, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell’s blockbuster book “Outliers.” As Gladwell tells it, the rule goes like this: it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to achieve mastery of complex skills and materials, like playing the violin or getting as good as Bill Gates. But what about learning photography? Will it take that long?

Patience is the key to mastering any new skill

because it does not happen overnight. Photography can be a life-long learning process because technology is changing so rapidly. Trends also change quickly. Becoming a master of photography will happen with time.

Here are some tips to help accelerate the process for the New Year:

  • Join a camera club or photography meet-up. You will learn so much informally from other like-minded photographers. I recommend GNPA, which has many chapters within Metro-Atlanta.
  • Go beyond your limits by trying a new lens or camera. Always using the same focal length can produce stagnant work. Try out one of the new mirrorless cameras and see if that puts a new fire in your commitment to learning. Aperturent is my go-to rental shop in Atlanta. It is located on Roswell Rd near 285. 
      • Commit every week to photography. If you can, make it on the same day and time, so it becomes a habit. A simple walk around your neighborhood or a local park can inspire creativity and also provide exercise and Vitamin D.
      • Consider entering your photos in a competition. You’ll need a bit of thick skin for the process, especially if you request a critique. Judging is very subjective, but you will learn so much about all levels of photography, from composition to technical excellence.
      • Lastly, bring your camera everywhere you go. Sometimes, you never know when the bald eagle will show up. 

      Hopefully, I have given you some

      some ideas to help you get on track to becoming a Master of Photography. Let me know if any of these ideas work for you, and please share them on the Facebook page. 

      Learn Photography Online

      Learn Photography with Private Lessons

      Learn Photography with Immersion Workshops

      Filed Under: Blog posts, Learn DSLR Photography, Photography Tips

      How To Treat Digital Noise

      August 17, 2022 by Mary Buck

      Now that I photograph wildlife, it’s a whole new story.

      I used to photograph people, places, and things using the lowest ISO possible. That is no longer possible when I am outdoors photographing birds and other moving subjects. My camera settings are typically in manual mode, with the aperture set to the widest lens opening and the shutter speed set to 1/1000 second or faster. I set the ISO to auto, being careful, it does not go above 10,000, but sometimes it does go higher.

      I have switched from a DSLR system to a mirrorless camera.

      I am a Canon user and recently invested in the Canon R3 full frame camera and RF lenses. The Canon 100-400mm lens has a maximum aperture of f/8, and when I use a 1.4 teleconverter, I lose a stop of light, so I am shooting at f/11. I can still achieve a creamy background, but it is not exactly a very wide open aperture and coupled with the faster shutter speed, my ISO peaks. This results in digital noise.

      What is digital noise?

      Digital noise is a degradation in image quality caused by a high ISO. Usually, it is because of a low light situation, or it could be caused by using a fast shutter speed which can result in a high ISO. In the past, an ISO of over 400 was considered noisy. As camera sensors have improved, so has digital noise. Full frame sensors generally produce a less noisy image than a cropped sensor. 

      The best ways to reduce digital noise:

      1. Shoot with the lowest ISO possible.

      2. Utilize the Noise Reduction feature in your camera. You can adjust the setting to high in some cameras.

      3. Shoot wide-open if you can afford a telephoto lens that opens up to f/4 or wider.

      4. Shoot in RAW and process the image in Lightroom or ACR using their noise reduction adjustment,

      The best way I have found to treat and remove digital noise is to use a third-party plug-in called Topaz AI Noise Reduction.

      Topaz is an easy fix to most of my images.

      The image of the female cardinal was run through the program. As you can see, the original is very noisy because it was shot at 12800 ISO. I have such a high ISO because I chose a fast shutter speed to stop the wings’ action. The male cardinal pictured below was shot at 6400 ISO on a dark and dreary day.

      The Topaz program has four modules, and I find that standard works the best. A bonus is that sharpening is part of the software.

      Topaz AI Noise Reduction
      Without Topaz
      With Topaz
      This male cardinal was shot on a dark, dreary day at 6400 ISO
      Without Topaz
      With Topaz

      Here is a 20% discount code for the software PICTURECORRECT

      You can order it here.

      Let me know if you have any questions.

      If you would like information on photography workshops, visit the website

      If you would like information on private photography workshops, visit the website.

      The image above was shot early morning in low light at 8000 ISO. It was treated in Topaz Noise Reduction AI

      Filed Under: Blog posts, Photography Product Reviews, Photography Tips, Photoshop Tips

      The Importance of Symmetry

      October 26, 2020 by Mary Buck

      Symmetry, balance, and equilibrium are all things we humans generally strive for and appreciate in many different areas of life. Achieving symmetry in photography is no different, photographs with balance are visually appealing and striking because of their symmetry. In this article, I’ll outline the ways and benefits of incorporating symmetry and balance in your photos.


      We tend to think of photographs as objective items that record a snapshot of reality and as a result, assign them more truth than perhaps they deserve as even the very composition of a photograph can influence our feelings toward it. This is hugely important when considering how to frame a shot for instance a symmetrical image is appealing whereas a photograph with imbalance can cause unease in certain cases. It’s more normal for symmetrical photos to be appealing and this is what we’ll be looking at in the following points. 

      1 – Precision

      For symmetry to be achieved correctly it does need to be accurate and precise. It’s unavoidably in symmetry’s nature that the resulting shots need to be exact for the effect to work and it’s very easy for us to perceive just the slightest misalignment so in order to avoid this, prepare the shot meticulously. Ensure the position of your camera is in the right spot to achieve harmony in the frame. Thankfully a lot of tinkering can be done in post-production these days but careful setup beforehand reduces the time spent on editing.

      Photo by Longreach

      Highlighting balance in architecture or man-made structures is a great place to find and emphasize the symmetry that already exists. The above image shows this perfectly as the lines made by the bridge intersect the frame with mathematical precision. This photo is a great example of both vertical and horizontal symmetry. It works on both axes thanks to the water which reflects the bridge beautifully. This also separates the two shades of light, right and left which adds a pleasing contrast to the overall image.  

      2 – Pattern

      Creating symmetry in photography is basically like creating a pattern in many ways; patterns repeat themselves over and over thereby creating symmetry along the way. When framing your shot, think about the possible patterns that you’re making and if they create harmony. Finding patterns in nature is another aspect to consider in achieving symmetry; objects such as snowflakes reveal perfect symmetry when viewed through a microscope. Each flake is a unique symmetrical pattern that is pleasing to see no doubt but patterns can appear in many more areas of nature. 

      Plants are great examples of patterns in nature and we can see their symmetry very clearly in many structures. Certain flowers such as the one below exhibit repeating petal patterns and so create amazing symmetry throughout. The photographer has highlighted the flower by centering it perfectly in the middle of the frame. 

      Photo by Kristi Decourcy

      Patterns can also be found in many man-made objects, especially within contemporary architecture which in many cases mimics the patterns found in nature! So there’s also potential for experimenting and discovery when it comes to photographing symmetry.

      3 – Reflection

      Achieving horizontal symmetry is also possible when using reflections and in particular, off of water surfaces. This method of photography can recreate balance and harmony in a creative and often stunning way. Of course, social media sites are inundated with rain puddle reflections of cities and similar scenes which is certainly pleasant for a time but by now is quite overdone. Below I’ve selected a fantastic example of why symmetry in reflection is so appealing. This image offers a lovely reflection of the bird flying low over the water, giving us a great example of horizontal symmetry. Again the framing is so important to get the bird exactly in the middle of the horizontal axis to give such a pleasing example of symmetry. 

      Of course, just by looking at the photo, it’s clear that it’s not such precise symmetry as the first two examples I gave which were more ‘pure’ symmetry along all axes as well as their creation of patterns. However, the below image is a great image that highlights were ‘soft’ symmetry can be used to emphasize and highlight the subject of the shot, in this case, a low-flying bird contrasted wonderfully against its background. 

      Photo by Stanley Zimny

      4 – Repetition

      Much like creating patterns and reflections, constructing repetition in the image is another means of symmetry. As we’ve seen with all of the above examples, symmetry features repetition heavily and by incorporating it in creative ways, we can achieve visually harmonious photography. The image below is a great example of this.

      Photo by Doug Racine

      The photographer has caught a serendipitous moment of two birds in sync with one another. This creates the illusion of the bird being repeated, perhaps artificially, in post-production whereas actually it’s just a carefully composed and timed snapshot of two separate birds. This also draws a direct comparison with the bird and its reflection in the water; two great examples of symmetry being achieved in different ways. 

      Capturing symmetry by repetition is quite tricky and at times down to pure good luck but, as evinced, can create wonderfully pleasing images. It’s good practice to try and train your photographer’s eye to notice patterns and repetition in order to create symmetry and balance. 

      As always, practice makes perfect so if you’ve learned anything from these tips, try and incorporate them into your next shoot! Good luck and have fun.

      Author Bio: Rob Holder is the Director of Fable Studios, a video production agency in Bristol, UK

      Filed Under: Blog posts, Creative Photography Techniques, Landscape Photography, Photography Tips

      Gimme Some Bokeh

      October 14, 2020 by Mary Buck

      bo·keh

      /bōˈkā/

      noun

      Photography

      noun: bokeh

      1. the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, mostly as rendered by a particular lens.
      2. “a quick, visual survey of the foreground and background bokeh of a variety of lenses.”

      Creating a bokeh in a photographic image is a technique that can have a positive impact on an image.

      Bokeh is also known as a shallow depth of field, selective focus, or a blurring background. This process helps define the subject, and the remainder of the image becomes a negative space.

      What are the three methods of creating a bokeh?

      First, the most commonly used method is choosing a wide aperture: the wider the aperture (2.8 is wider than 5.6), the greater the blur. If you are interested in achieving a creamy background, choose a lens and aperture to give you the best results. Below are examples of images that illustrate the effect.

      Notice the amount of blur and f/2.8 and lack of it starting at f/8

      The second method for creating a bokeh is choosing a long focal length lens. The focal length is defined in millimeters, and The longer the focal length, the narrower the angle of view, and the higher the magnification. The shorter the focal length, the wider the angle of view, and the lower the magnification. For example, if you have a 70-300mm lens, the longer focal length of 300mm will provide a more noticeable bokeh than a focal length of 70mm. Below are examples of a 200mm focal length, a 400mm focal length, and a 600mm focal length.

      200mm lens f/4
      400mm lens f/5.6
      600mm at f/4

      The third method is the proximity to the subject. The closer the camera is to the subject, the blurrier the background will be. This procedure can present a focus issue, so make sure you use your single AF points.

      Not sure what AF Points are? Check out my online courses and private lessons.

      Filed Under: Blog posts, Landscape Photography, Learn DSLR Photography, Photography Tips

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