Its Tough When Mum Needs to Practise Portraits

Thanks AGAIN E.

my love

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Posing for Portraits

Well it was MUCH harder than I had anticipated to direct someone into a pose. All things considered (we had about 10min to leave the husbands with our combined 5 children and pop across the road to the blank wall of my neighbours house. It was windy and the SUN came out in the middle of a cloudy day…silly sun) it went fairly well for a first go. Things I have learned: I need much more practise. I need to know the poses in the same way you see movies of snipers putting guns together with their eyes closed. I need to be on the subject in a routine way to set the pose and hold it. I am sure I learned more, but I can’t think of it right now…which was exactly what my brain did when I went to pose my friend. Pressure situation = brain fog. Another reason to learn the poses well.

They definitely aren’t perfect portraits. I see the glaringly obvious faults first, but I am happy with my first attempt and it has given me a good idea of how to set about improving. I look forward to the challenge!!

Composition: Framing

I have been looking at framing the subject using whatever is available. I have picked flowers and held them in front of the camera.

Flowers held up in front of the lens create soft shadows to create interest.

Stood behind objects to highlight something.

The sunset in the window glass was beautiful. The rest of the scene was messy. Shooting from behind a tree removed distractions and helped focus on the glass.

And looked for backgrounds to envelope the subject.

The light frames the flower and the rest of the bush creates an interesting background.

I love it. I love the effect and interest it can create. I enjoy the challenge of finding a new, more interesting way of photographing something. Isn’t photography great?!

Limited Subject Possibilities, Look Harder.

I saw a tutorial today that suggested that you should never start out your photography with children. I have no choice, but I have felt that trying to take good photos of my children, who (like all other kids) do not cooperate and often actively try to prevent you getting a good photo, has forced me to look harder, try to be quicker to get a decent photo. I made a pact with myself when I got my DSLR that I would start out using manual mode and that was that. Its hard to believe that that was only a bit over a year ago! Since then I have kept my word. My camera can’t go over 800 ISO without producing noise so I do find it challenging, but I suspect that the hunt is what has kept and will continue to keep me interested in photography.

These are a few of the recent portraits I have taken of my kids (the only subjects available to me).

I have tried to focus on different aspects and styles to increase my creativity.

It has only recently occurred to me that I can create art with my camera.

I want to push myself. As my kids get older I can’t wait to get out and see where my personal characteristics and limitations will take me.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Grand

I am in a multi level consumer paradise looking directly up at the giant present decoration hanging from a glass arch ceiling. The holiday and all that goes with it is grand.

Extreme Closeup With My Camera Phone

I was outside watching my boys play in the yard. I was keeping little E entertained on a mat and he was helping me practise interesting composition. I was impressed that the zoom on my camera phone produced fairly clear images.

Looking for Light: exploring shadow

I have been feeling in a bit of a photography funk recently. A lack of opportunity to get out with my camera resulted in me losing confidence. I had only just started to learn anyway, but I expected that there would be some sort of lull.

I have recently started to take photos again. Mostly on my phone because that is what is with me. I would love an hour to photograph a subject that would pose for me, but I have neither the hour or the subject so my DSLR and its manual settings will have to wait for now (most of the time).

I am focusing on the basics again. Today while my boys played at the playground they gave me a flower. I took a few photos to explore the different effect the angle of light created. I knew I was supposed to try to light the face, but in this case I really liked the effect created by the shadows on the flower. It created depth and interest in my mind.

Lighting the face

Shadowy interest

Weekly Photo Challenge: through my eyes

The world as it appeared to me standing by the jetty of Lake Bonney in Barmera, South Australia. I was using my camera phone but still trying to find the best perspective. What do you think? A, B, C or D?

A

B

C

D

Which appeals to you most?

Stills of Summer 5

he was very happy when he got to the beach

My family LOVE the water. I love the joy captured in E’s jump. The blurriness in this instance was actually intentional. I think it works. What do you think?

Macro Series: Photo 7

The other day my boys played in the front yard. I took my iphone and a cheap macro lens outside with them. These are the photos I took.