Be prepared for the ramble....
Photography Stuff -
So I took a photography class yesterday. It was specifically on Travel Photography. I have to say that it was definitely worth the time and money.
The class was geared toward people who want to advance their travel photography and possibly do it as at least a sideline income. The teacher is an amazing photographer and he was actually a really good teacher. Very much into the Socratic method though. :) He gave a lot of good advice. He focused a lot on how to tell a story with the photographs and remembering that with Travel Photography especially, a location is not a story. He was also quite helpful in tips about getting work out there and how to approach magazines.
I will also say that I went in very nervous about the level of my photographs. I feel a bit less nervous about that now. The class was a great reminder that what I tend to see online are the "best of the best" of folks' stuff and I rarely see the not so great stuff. I tend to obsess over my not so great stuff and the feeling that there should be a better ratio of great stuff. After the class, I really think it's more a matter of taking even more pics (surprise, surprise) and paying more attention to the various types of photos (portrait, environmental portrait, etc...) that I'm taking.
So one of the things I want to get better at is approaching people and asking them if I can take their photos. COMPLETELY nervewracking for me, but I think it will definitely improve my photography overall. It might help me be a bit less hesitant in social situations as well. One of the things that I want to do for this though is develop some sort of "business" card. I took a picture yesterday of a group of kids that had just finished the AIDS Walk and they wanted to know where they could see it afterwards. I gave one of the girls my personal Tumblr URL, but the photo taking might seem less creepy if I have an actual card with at least the Tumblr and an email address for if folks want their pictures. (This led me into a whole mental spiral about needing to set up a website, but really needing more content and blah, blah, blah...but I'm moving on from there.)
I'm also planning out a project that I'm considering doing a book on Blurb with. Since I can spend a LOT of time on L.A. Public Transit, I thought I'd do a whole series on it. I'm still figuring out the whole story and layout, but it's actually kind of fun to plan. I have an idea for a small book when I go to Hawaii as well, but that will potentially take some assistance from certain parties so we'll see how that works out.
So thanks, for the encouragement from folks. I'll always take more. :D
Also, if anyone has any photography "Prompts" they'd like to share, feel free. Stuff like local places, a specific color, a type of subject, a photography technique, etc...
If you're interested in seeing any of my pics: Girlonthecoast.Tumblr.com or http://www.flickr.com/photos/cknepher/ Critique is definitely welcome, but know that I've thrown stuff up on both that I wouldn't necessarily consider my "best".
I would also ask that you keep in mind that while I welcome fannish folks on either of these places (of course), they're not specifically fannish space. I have family and friends of all ages and sensibilities hanging out, so be forewarned.
So I took a photography class yesterday. It was specifically on Travel Photography. I have to say that it was definitely worth the time and money.
The class was geared toward people who want to advance their travel photography and possibly do it as at least a sideline income. The teacher is an amazing photographer and he was actually a really good teacher. Very much into the Socratic method though. :) He gave a lot of good advice. He focused a lot on how to tell a story with the photographs and remembering that with Travel Photography especially, a location is not a story. He was also quite helpful in tips about getting work out there and how to approach magazines.
I will also say that I went in very nervous about the level of my photographs. I feel a bit less nervous about that now. The class was a great reminder that what I tend to see online are the "best of the best" of folks' stuff and I rarely see the not so great stuff. I tend to obsess over my not so great stuff and the feeling that there should be a better ratio of great stuff. After the class, I really think it's more a matter of taking even more pics (surprise, surprise) and paying more attention to the various types of photos (portrait, environmental portrait, etc...) that I'm taking.
So one of the things I want to get better at is approaching people and asking them if I can take their photos. COMPLETELY nervewracking for me, but I think it will definitely improve my photography overall. It might help me be a bit less hesitant in social situations as well. One of the things that I want to do for this though is develop some sort of "business" card. I took a picture yesterday of a group of kids that had just finished the AIDS Walk and they wanted to know where they could see it afterwards. I gave one of the girls my personal Tumblr URL, but the photo taking might seem less creepy if I have an actual card with at least the Tumblr and an email address for if folks want their pictures. (This led me into a whole mental spiral about needing to set up a website, but really needing more content and blah, blah, blah...but I'm moving on from there.)
I'm also planning out a project that I'm considering doing a book on Blurb with. Since I can spend a LOT of time on L.A. Public Transit, I thought I'd do a whole series on it. I'm still figuring out the whole story and layout, but it's actually kind of fun to plan. I have an idea for a small book when I go to Hawaii as well, but that will potentially take some assistance from certain parties so we'll see how that works out.
So thanks, for the encouragement from folks. I'll always take more. :D
Also, if anyone has any photography "Prompts" they'd like to share, feel free. Stuff like local places, a specific color, a type of subject, a photography technique, etc...
If you're interested in seeing any of my pics: Girlonthecoast.Tumblr.com or http://www.flickr.com/photos/cknepher/ Critique is definitely welcome, but know that I've thrown stuff up on both that I wouldn't necessarily consider my "best".
I would also ask that you keep in mind that while I welcome fannish folks on either of these places (of course), they're not specifically fannish space. I have family and friends of all ages and sensibilities hanging out, so be forewarned.