Photography in the Studio

CAPE TOWN SCHOOL OF PHOTOGRAPHY

DSLR 1 An entry level course that will enable you to take better photographs with your digital SLR  camera.

Photograph Selection for my FIRST WEEKS PROJECT
 

Never having used a SLR camera before
(a camera with a removable lens) only a point and shoot which did all the "light thingie" and focusing for you, I was so intimidated.

I had no clue as to what cameras "DO"

I simply waited for the time of day when the light was the best for the type of photographs I needed to take.

Doing this assignment I constantly read and reread my notes, then looked up Aperture and ISO on the net...the more I read the less I knew and that was even less than NOTHING ....

Now this week I at the very least know what articles to look for.

I know how to set an ISO and aperture, which dials and buttons to press to do so...How to keep the exposure needle in the middle...one heck of a lot more than last week!

This course was a Christmas present to myself as I wanted to do tutorials, the photographs taken for tutorials don't just happen.

In November I hope I know enough to give your girls and boys a photographic tutorial on how I make fimo flowers for my outfits.

THAT'S a PROMISE

A great site for first time photographers

http://www.digital-photography-school.com

Knowledge with understanding is vital....

PS Did you know that when the shot you want to take is in focus the camera BEEPS at you, now there's a thing
Wish I knew that 200 shots ago!!!

Photography in the Studio

PHOTOGRAPHS a whole new world

For homework we need to print three 6 x 9 photographs that we have shot this week (all on manual) concentrating on exposure not under or over and take them along to class.

Well a hundred and something pictures later, I need to choose at least one of this series. 

Thank goodness I had had my cataracts removed as now getting pictures in focus is a mission.

This last picture is out of focus!

These shots have not been touched up in Photoshop as yet,

as I don't know how to.

I was trying light from behind no shadows wonderful.
The sun is now so bright I'll have to rig up some sort of curtain behind the soft see through one hanging at the moment.
All a learning curve.

My doll Hilda which is an antique reproduction doll,
is my most favorite of dolls.

It was a smaller version of her that I bought on Pier 59 in LA
which started me down the porcelain doll road. 

She was not a particularly well painted doll,

but could she talk... That was 30 years ago now.

My child size Hilda was painted by my friend Lesley Vermaak.

Lesley is a wonderful artist and sculptor. I love her style of doing things, how she manages to get a new creation look as though it was made years ago is such a skill.

Enjoy

Sharon

Photography in the Studio

Well the first photographic lesson is over...it started out with having to climb 8 flights of stairs, the building is in a revamp mode at the moment. Crikey I'm not fit, glad I got there first so I could catch my breath without anyone seeing the performance.

I turned out to be the oldest duck there. Six woman and one man is in the class. Must be that men "get" manuals and tech jargon better than us woman I suppose, but who cares we are on our way to learn to drive these camera's of ours.

The lesson was wonderful, a light was switched on and the shutter went up on what I hope is a whole new world of pleasure and creativity.

One of the biggest needs in our blog and miniature world is to take beautiful pictures of what we create for them to be properly enjoyed.

Blogs I enjoy for the wonderful photographic skills is 

Linda Carswell of the Une Petite Folie Blog 

and 

Monica Roberts of Hither Thither and Yon Blog

Check them out you won't be disappointed.

Even learned a little photographic jargon

"open up" and "close down"

The aperture that is.....for a moment I thought I was at the dentist.

Also learned about "The Rule of Thirds" had heard of it before but so much better to have it explained and named all good. 

Was shown photographic examples which made it so much simpler to understand.

Google Rule of Thirds to see what is meant by it..interesting

Our brief for the first weeks homework is to put our cameras on 

M = Manual and go for it.

Take as many pictures as we like 

making sure they are not "over or under" exposed.

Getting that little line slap bang in the middle.

Was rather over excited I think so came home and finished off a little blue and yellow mouse dress.

Getting back into a calmer center of being, 

the rhythm of the clicking needles once again.

This is the last photgraph I am allowed to take with my 

Sony point and shoot, I'm now putting it high up in the cupboard so I am not tempted to use it till I have the 

"Knowledge with understanding" (our old school motto)

of this new which was until yesterday 

"a terrifying camera"  

Wow these cameras can do so much if only we take the time to learn how to push the various buttons.

One lesson at a time...YES

Taking good photographs knowing what was done with the dials and buttons and not by flook

Photography in the Studio

When one hangs a picture in a passage not many people look at it as they walk right on by.

Well, this would describe this spot which is on a busy local road at the base of Chapman's Peak, cars and bicycles rush by, no one taking a second look.

To view this "River of Lilies" and to really enjoy one needs to walk to the spot and breath deeply...

The arum lilies have decided without any help from humans that they want grow on this marshy area between two fields.

We call it the common, during the day one can see children and dogs playing on the fields as well as horses grazing in the sunshine.

Taken with my point and shoot Sony, which I have had about 10 years now....can't wait to start my photography classes, to find out what new knowledge learned will bring to my photographs.

Enjoy

Sharon