blogging & photography

If you take a poll of new DIY bloggers asking what's on their Christmas list, probably over half would say a nice digital SLR.  It doesn't take long for a blogger to realize the importance of photography in the blog world. 

The above shot is from a recent Cottages and Bungalows photo shoot.

The above picture is from my first blog post.  It's not bad.  I had taken a photography class years ago, so I knew the basic principles.  It's just not very dynamic and I didn't have enough faith in myself to use manual mode.  I thought the camera was smarter than I was.  I knew flash was no good, so I would shoot on the portrait setting and just hold the flash down with my finger.  I also didn't know anything about the wonders of Photoshop. 

The photo above has been edited in Adobe Photoshop Elements.  I used actions from Florabella Actions to sharpen the picture and bring out the colors a bit more.  The one below is straight out of the camera.  The difference is subtle, but actions just make good pictures a little bit better. 

Here's one more example.  Below is the picture with action...

...and without...

The time also came when I finally learned how to use my camera.  It's so tempting to let your big intimidating digital SLR do everything for you, but I will tell you that the best thing you can do is take control and learn how to use manual mode.  Another area I have grown in is staging.  I'm definitely not an expert, but I've learned that it's worth taking the time to style a photograph. 

I still have tons to learn and I'm ignorant about so many things in the photography world, but one thing I know for sure is that it's a skill worth honing.  If you're interested in sharpening your photo skills, you can find great series and tutorials on...

My Three Boybarians - 31 Days to a Better Photo
Centsational Girl - Photography
The Pioneer Woman - Photography
My friend Donna also had a great series on taking good pictures with a point and shoot.

Oh and there are so many others, but I just don't have time to gather them all. 

So, what's my point?  I want to encourage you.  You can be a good photographer and take great pictures.  Just be a willing student and the great thing about a digital camera is you don't have to fret about wasting film.  Just hit the delete button if you take a bad pictures.  So, dive into those manuals and hit the forums, read up on photography tips and snap away.  And if you don't have a blog, you'll be capturing beautiful memories of your family and that's certainly worth it. 

Before I go, I wanted to give a quick update on Albert Crombie.  Julie helped me find his daughter-in-law, grand daughter and great-grand daughter on FaceBook.  I sent them messages and I'm waiting for a reply.  I'll keep everyone posted! 

I'm headed to the gym tomorrow followed by a bowl of divine cream of crab soup with my mother-in-law and a trip to Lucketts to refill my space.