Don’t be afraid to get down in the dirt.

That is what Jennifer Davidson told us at a photography class I took from her a few years ago.  The class was organized by our extension agent Charlene Belew and I waited until the very last-minute to sign up.  I guess, with the auto function on the camera, I didn’t really see the need to take classes.  Boy, was I pleasantly surprised.

I didn’t hear

what the rest of the class heard.  I am still an auto function snapper.  The whole set your ISO to this, and your aperture to that and make sure your shutter speed is slow or fast is just way to much to comprehend.  It was and is just to dang complicated.

While everyone was trying to set their cameras to the various settings to get the different effects, I was listening for bits and pieces to make my photography better.  I did the exercises with the class.  I changed my F stop, set my aperture, made sure the shutter speed was slow and got the shot Jennifer was asking us to do.  But, I cannot replicate it today.  I kept her papers and if I want to take a certain type of shot I have to go back and read how to set my camera.

So what did I hear that I can share, to make you a better photographer?

Don’t be afraid to get on the ground or climb a ladder.  Pictures look a whole lot different from different perspectives.  I took a picture of my grandson Jadon the other day while he was looking at the train under the Christmas tree.  It would have looked a whole lot different from a standing position.  On the ground at his level my snap tells a story.

It’s all about the light.

When I was growing up they always made us face the sun so the light was shining in our eyes.  Those were terrible pictures.  I have also taken a few pictures where the sun was at the kids backs. Those weren’t much better because everyone’s face was dark.  Where is the light?  Is it dawn or dusk?  Is it shining in their face or behind their back?  Look for the light source and try to use it the best you can in your shot.  This tip is probably the hardest of all the tips I picked up.  Sometimes I take a shot and look to see where the light in the snap is and make a few adjustments.  I am not talking adjustments to my camera.  I am talking about adjustments to where I am standing, kneeling or tippy toeing to get the shot.  I may have to take the shot from the side instead of straight on.

The third thing I picked up

was that just because a picture is blurry doesn’t make it bad.  For years I would take a picture and throw it out as soon as I saw that it wasn’t perfect.  Jennifer said that sometimes the blurry shots tell a story too!  Hmm.  That was something to think about.  The blurry shots tell a story too.  I must have thrown out a million stories because my photography was blurry.  Believe me I still trash a lot of blurry shots but I do keep some cool ones

The last bit of information

that stuck with me was to use reflections and shadows.  If the subject is standing and the shadow is cool try to get both in the snap.  If there is a  reflection  in a window or a mirror why not try to get a double image.

I guess what Jennifer was saying to me…

was that every picture tells a story and if I look at things just a bit differently, I can get the whole story not just the main body.  It is about the emotion and thoughts that pictures provoke that make them go from good to great.

Its Christmas

I challenge all of you to take some snaps…Use your phone, one shot camera or the big new camera you are getting for Christmas.

Be the one who records the story.