Photography Workshops and Private Lessons

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digital slr camera

Depth of Field Preview Button

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Did you know you could preview the depth of field in your viewfinder?  You can with the depth of field preview button on your digital SLR camera. Watch the short video to find out where it is located and how to use it. It is a great tool for helping you previsualize your photography.  If you would like to learn more about digital SLR photography check out my courses in Atlanta GA or my Digital SLR Photography Online Course.

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Why Photography is Like Cooking

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photography and cooking Why Photography is Like CookingIn my beginner-level DSLR classes, I give the analogy of why photography is like cooking. First lets start with the pre-visualization step.  Do you picture a juicy steak, baked potato with butter, sour cream, and bacon, and grilled asparagus? Next, you find a recipe on how to prepare the meal so it comes out exactly as you pictured. You’ll add a cup or teaspoon of this and that..and voila, it either came out or it didn’t. If it didn’t you can tweak the recipe until it is perfect.  The last step is that practice makes perfect.

Photography is the same process as cooking. First, you start with the pre-visualization step. Then add light or subtract light which can increase or decrease the depth of field.  You also decide if you want to show motion or freeze motion.  You add other ingredients including the proper ISO, a tripod or filters, and voila…..the image turns out as you expected. If not you try again until the result is perfect.

I have recipes for all my photography whether it is a portrait, action, fireworks, or the full moon.  My photo recipes are available as an APP. There are thirteen recipes because thirteen is a baker’s dozen.  They are available for just $10 and you can check them out here.

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine are photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Digital SLR Photography |The Best Secret I Learned

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Pageant photography Digital SLR Photography |The Best Secret I LearnedI have been a photographer for a long time and thought I knew it all.  One of the best secrets I learned in Digital SLR Photography was about 7 years ago. My daughter, Brittany decided to enter a pageant.  I was excited for her so we went through all the steps of pageant training, buying the dress and shoes. Then the big day arrived. First, she had her hair done and then her make-up.  She looked absolutely gorgeous and I was nervously counting the minutes before she dazzled the judges with her rehearsed pageant walk. I was prepared with a front-row seat and camera in hand. Next, her name was announced and I clicked away as most proud moms would do.

Although she did not earn a crown this time, I was still extremely proud of her. My biggest disappointment came when I saw how crappy the photos came out. Brittany was over-exposed!  What could have happened? I used aperture priority, boosted my ISO so I could hand-hold my camera, and made sure my shutter speed was faster than 1/30 second.  I dug into this a little deeper and realized I had forgotten to change the metering mode from evaluative to spot metering mode.

Now that I know what to do I photographed another pageant and had great results. And then I became the official pageant photographer.

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine are photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Sunset Pictures at the Beach

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Sunset in Destin Sunset Pictures at the BeachThe Golden Hour in Destin

One of my favorite places to go in Destin is the Florida Panhandle. I recently visited the area for a vacation mixed with business and pleasure. The photo on the left is part of the pleasure.  It was taken right before sunset. This time of day is known as the “Golden Hour” as you can see from the photograph.  The Golden Hour is a fallacy however because it really only lasts about 10 minutes. I love the image because not only does it capture the golden hour, but it also shows foreground and texture. What’s a walk at the beach without a camera?  It is like milk without cookies.

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine art photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Panning in DSLR Photography to Create Images that show motion.

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Hope you enjoy the following video on a camera technique called “panning” which shows motion when shooting action. To view more of my videos subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine art photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Shutter Speeds and a Digital SLR Camera

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I had an exciting day last Saturday because the city I live in hosted the Georgia Cup Twilight Bicycle Races all day. The Duluth downtown area was filled with revelers of all ages to see the bicyclers race around the  town square block.  I was there most of the day with my Canon 7d to capture the excitement. Shooting during the day was a breeze because there was sufficient light in order to use a fast shutter speed to stop action.  I also ‘panned’ several of the shots to show motion, instead of stopping motion.  Panning is a technique that requires a lot of practice but can produce incredible results if done properly.  To pan, you must set your shutter speed to a around 1/30 second, and you ‘pan’ or move with the action while taking the photograph. The end result is that you have a relatively sharp subject and a blurry background.  This technique gives the feeling of movement instead of the subject being static.  Below are some examples of  panning (left photo) and stopping action (right photo)

IMG_0176 Shutter Speeds and a Digital SLR Camera IMG_0154 Shutter Speeds and a Digital SLR Camera

When I returned for the twilight racing events at 8PM it was becoming more difficult to photograph the action with both methods. I had to boost my ISO up to the max and by 9PM I was done.  Below is the last shot I was able to take.

IMG_0468 Shutter Speeds and a Digital SLR Camera

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine art photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.