Photography

[dacjohns]

Envirogirl,

Lots of good advice has already been given. I would like to add some things and emphasize some things.

One great thing about digital photography is you can take a lot of pictures without worrying about wasting film and getting photos developed only to throw them away. Take lots of pictures and keep only the very best. Analyze the ones you discard and use what you learn.

Composition is important and there are many rules such as the rule of thirds. But then rules are made to be broken.

Framing helps.

Cropping is an easy tool to use and it gets rid of unneeded elements in your photo.

Look at your background and try to reduce clutter.

Depth of field is another tool.

Contrast between different elements in your photos.

Chickens can be tough, they are always moving and the backgrounds aren't the best.


I know I've thrown a lot of things out here without an explanation.
There are online tutorials you can take. Check out books from the library on photography. Take classes at a nearby school if they are offered. Take lots of pictures and determine why you like a certain photo.

If you questions about anything any of us have said just ask and someone will explain or clarify.

Most of all, have fun doing it.

 

[maplesky7]

Always remember your subject.

In this picture in particular the chicken are your subject but no chicken stands out from the pack.

Had one been looking at you curiously and you made that one the subject...then it wouldn't matter the others backs turned...

And animal photography is difficult as Dac says, because the subjects don't always sit still long enough to get that perfect pose.

But persistance pays off and as the other's have said take plenty and weed out the junk.

Not all subjects must be looking at you either, mind you. I have one of an old dog of mine sitting down, ears cocked, and looking through some trees over a cliff with her back toward me. I cropped the picture as well in that photo to eliminate some of the trees and it's one of my favs.

I remember taking photography for 4-H and I got right up to a plum hanging on a tree. I found a spider web with it's spider. I took a picture of the sunset across the field with an unusual dead tree--off to the side.

I did see some things in your picture that could prove to be interesting in your black and white format.

The chair grabbed my attention. Not the complete chair but if you've seen pictures of objects that you sometimes don't recognize immediately but the pattern is interesting...if you perhaps got a few different angles of the chair--lay it on it's side, turn it upside down...but take a picture of just a fraction of the chair and not the chair as a whole....Like abstract art?

The slatted boards in the background were of particular interest. It gives a rustic feel. If you could go pick a handful of wild flowers and put them in the slots and take different angles of the flowers...even do a messy bouqet and let some fall down or droop down and maybe a chicken may go investigate and you can snap some of the investigation.

A picuture tells a story...at least they do most of the time.

Other times there's something intrigueing and interesting to look at.

One of my fav. pics is of a park that had bright colored picnic tables they leaned against a tree in a row...say 7 or so bright colored picnic tables and the leaves of the trees had turned their fall colors.

Absolutely beautiful.

Go out and have fun. Keep your eyes out.

I pass a brick silo every day and I would love to go ask the owners permission to snap some photos. I imagine myself laying in the grass on my back on a beautiful blue sky day and taking picutures of the terricotta/red brick column jutting up to the blue sky. Maybe have some of the weeds and tall grass around it whisp in front of the camera...maybe not. But I'd play with it.

Most importantly--have fun.

me,
g

 

[maplesky7]

This is not my photo...I found it on photo bucket when I looked up photography.

But what I wanted to show you is the idea of the rustic element....shows a point of interest.

me,
g

 

[maplesky7]

Not my pic.

But shows what I mean about taking a pic of a portion of something that has some kind of neat detail or pattern.

me,
g

 

[maplesky7]

not my pic.

cute photo...tells a story...subjects oblivious about the camera...so no poses...natural environment.

me,
g

 

[maplesky7]

I like colors too...

not my pic.


me,
g

 

[maplesky7]

This has a neat background...not too busy with objects...

For all we know their human set them in there...looks like a deck...or it could have wondered in there itself...at any rate...you have to move fast...I always miss a good ones because of the lag in my camera...

not my pic...not my chicken.


me,
g

 

[HorseFeathers]

Thanks, everyone!

coffeegirl- I do take lots of different pics of the same thing. I.e.: My feet trailing through water, a horse being tacked, etc.

For me, some, like this one, only take one, perfect shot!
(My lep Salvatore is a natural model anyways.)

You might have noticed I love taking pics in black and white. I find the subject is more prominent that way. Anyone else do this?

This is Daisy, my Siamese, in b&w. Of course, she, the couch, and that pillow are all black and white anyways it doesn't really matter!

dacjohns, thanks so much! maple, those are awesome pics. Thanks.

 

[tiki244]

Bryan Peterson has some wonderful books on photography that run around $20 each. That would be a good investment. And try to manually focus as much as possible, as opposed to letting the camera do all the work. And take lots and lots of photos.

 

[tiki244]

O Wow nice photos envirogirl