Sunday, March 15, 2015

capturing moments





i have been trying to challenge my photography skills a bit more often lately. i read this book, and while it wasn't great... it did inspire me to shoot on manual more (and got me reading my cameras manual to learn a few new things). i think it could be a great start for someone who is looking to learn some dlsr photography basics. i don't shoot on straight auto, but i often use one of my cameras digital vari-programs... well... i choose one of two programs. i use either the landscape program or the sports program. the sports program is my favorite. first of all, neither of these programs use a flash. the landscape uses a small aperture which keeps everything in focus and then adjusts the light to compensate. the sports setting keeps a quick shutter speed and then adjusts the aperture to compensate... which usually means a wide aperture to let in a lot of light. i love this for two reasons... 1. the fast shutter captures my quick moving children and 2. the wide aperture gives a soft blur to the photos (called bokeh)... it keeps the subject in focus but gently blurs the background... i personally just love this soft feel in photos. anyway, sorry to ramble on like that... not the point of this post (although i suppose i didn't have a "point" to begin with... so maybe that's the problem).  

back to challenging myself...
the book has gotten me out of my comfortable "programs" though and shooting on manual more. i still use the programs, but at least now i shoot on manual some of the time.
my sister and her fiance asked me to take some engagement photos for them, and of course i said "YES!" while looking back through the photos most of what i thought about was what i wished i had done differently... but that's where the learning comes in right?... and i do think we got a few "good ones."










...and i captured some great moments of my maiko and eislee playing around us on the marsh.




the photo above might be my favorite.



there truly is something magical about the evening light.

6 comments:

  1. I think you are doing wonderfully! The last few of your sister and her beau are wonderful, candid, very true. Lovely. And the light filtering through her hair. You did a great job!

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  2. Lovely photos of your sister and her fiance. The light is wonderful in them. And your favourite one of your daughter, yeah, mine too :)

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  3. I LOVE the third photo of your sister and her fiancee! and the one of eislee that is your own personal favorite.

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  4. Love these photos!! You take beautiful pictures Jenny!!
    I need to learn more about how my camera works too. Only rarely do I shoot out of auto.

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  5. thank you everyone! it is especially fun working with people that are totally fine with me taking forever making adjustments :) which also helped me get some of those candid shots because they got comfortable while they were waiting.

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  6. Isn't it so fun to learn more about photography? I love it! The pictures of your sister and fiancé are so awesome. I really like the silhouette one and then the one with your children in the background. And yes, the sweet one of Eislee is really pretty too!

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