Friday, March 11, 2011

Social Photography, 2

I'm in about week 4 of my Social Photography course. (If you want some background on the course, click HERE for my previous post on it.) We are learning all about our cameras and how they work and, theoretically, how to take different kinds of photos. There's been a lot of talk with very little practice so far, which drives a practical sort of gal like me nuts. 

Great! I think during the lessons, it's all very clear! But when I try to take a photo, all the info we have heard about in class gets all mushed together in my brain and I have no clue as to how best to capture the moment. In fact, the moment passes while I'm fidgeting around pushing buttons, trying to calculate exposure, white balance, aperture . . .

We have had one photo assignment so far: to record a process. Our instructor assured us that the emphasis was to be on capturing a process and not on the beauty or technical perfection of the shots.

Here is my sequence of photos which capture a trip with my younger son to the mall to pick up the new Pokemon Black and White game for his Nintendo. This was rather a big deal because he had sold a bunch of old games to pay for this new one, and there was apparently a countdown on various media to the worldwide release of this game. All very exciting for the hardcore Pokemon fan, you can imagine.

Leaving the house

Setting the house alarm

Walking over to the car

Mommy driving - G took this shot, I haven't yet perfected the technique of photographing myself from behind!

Oops, detour! My car ran out of gas on the on-ramp to the highway and we had to walk off the highway and back into town because, of course, I had forgotten my cell phone at home. All this in high heels!

Our hero came to rescue us!

What a patient boy.

Arrival at the mall. Don't ask me WHY this photo is psychadelic, things happen . . .

Pokemon White, finally! Do not ask me WHY this photo is pink . . .

Safe at home enjoying his hard-earned game.

To tell you the truth, these photos are absolutely nothing special. The process was definitely captured, but I shot them all on automatic. Cheating? I don't know. I think I will need a lot of time to practice just shooting and shooting pictures while playing with my camera's multitude of settings to see what happens.

In the meantime, if I want to take quick pictures I'll stick to automatic or even my old compact camera.

11 comments:

shopgirl said...

Gaby looks so cute. I love these photos of him in action. What kind of camera did you get? I hope you're enjoying the photography class!

xoxo

little luxury list said...

That was a tough assignment! You definitely captured the steps in the process. I'm an amateur photographer so have no idea to make it more artistic or anything.
I do like the psychedelic picture and am sure you'll have lots of interesting pictures ahead.

xoxo,
Chic 'n Cheap Living

LindyLouMac said...

I would like to learn more about the technicalities of photography but I am just not a technical person. Maybe I will pick up a few tips via your posts on your classes here.

Jan said...

Mission accomplished --- yours and his! I like knowing that G. raised his own money for the White Pokemon --- resourceful boy!

Dana said...

Thanks for the laugh . . . you ran out of gas and honestly documented that? You are a good woman! I did enjoy seeing the entire process.
D

Anonymous said...

You caught the process and I enjoyed traveling along...well not so much the running out of gas or walking in high heels...I think you did an excellent job of photographing an event...no matter that you used automatic! And at the end your thrifty son gets to enjoy his White Pokemon...and participate in Moms learning experience.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Excellent photos. I think it is very enterprising of you to do this course.

Sharde said...

i think youre doing a really good job so far! I found you through SITS today. i love your blog and good luck with your photography! I hope to get better at shooting, but as for now i have my bff photographer girl take my shots for me. i have a style/fashion/craft blog and probably by tomorrow I will have shots posted of our photoshoot today if youre interested!

come and visit me at thestyleprojects.blogspot.com

Katja said...

I really like that last shot of him playing the game. The composition and colours are lovely, and the look of concentration on his face just makes it.

Couture Carrie said...

Cool process shots, darling!

xoxox,
CC

Jen Price said...

Taking a photography class to learn about aperture, white balance, etc. was the best thing I ever did! Hope your classes got better. We had an assignment every week which was really great and helpful. I was tell myself to embrace the process of becoming an excellent photographer. I want to be amazing NOW!!