Happy Halloween

I took this picture when I lived in Santa Monica. I stopped and parked in the lot of an elementary school to take pictures of their pumpkin display. The bright sun cast shadows, so I had to make sure I stood to the side of my subject to not darken it with my own shadow. I also crouched down as low to the ground as I could, not only to make the pumpkins appear bigger, but to crop out people walking around. I like to crop my images in the moment by zooming in on the subject, for example so I don't have to do anything in Photoshop later except resizing.

This image and story are not in the book.

Dream

San Francisco Conservatory
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt

Timing is Everything

Timing is everything, but remember to have FUN! In photography, knowing when to snap is just as important as knowing what to snap. One summer I visited family in Cleveland, Ohio. We spent a lot of time around the pool. The kids were jumping in the pool one at a time, two at a time, and all at once. When I snapped this picture, they had climbed out of the pool to jump in again and just happened to form a line in descending order by height.

I asked them to stay as I took a “before” picture. Then I struggled to capture them as they were jumping in. It took a few tries to get this right. I snapped too soon, then too late. They didn't mind hurdling themselves into the water again and again. After I got this shot, we started playing with the jumping theme and attempted to capture other moments of them in the air. Some turned out and some didn't, but we all had fun. Fun is the key. If you try too hard to get that spontaneous shot, it looks forced or staged. Just enjoy the moment and if you happen to have a camera, take a few pictures as they play. Kids love to see themselves in action.

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Excerpt from: Moments in Time Captured Forever; You Don't Need a Good Camera to Take Good Pictures. 

Greatness

San Francisco Conservatory
“Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength.”
– Henry Ward Beecher

More Proof You Don’t Need a Good Camera to Take Good Pictures

Our first excursion together was a helicopter ride over the island of Kauai. Eric and I were both very excited and looked forward to seeing Hawaii from the sky.

Since there was limited space and a weight allotment on the helicopter, I was not allowed to bring my camera bag with all of the extras I may want. So, I had to choose. I decided to attach the zoom lens on my manual “good” camera so I could capture the waterfalls and gorgeous greenery with the clearest detail and had that one hanging around my neck. On my wrist was the Canon Power Shot for the wide angle photos.  I was prepared to take great images with whichever camera the situation suited best.

I discovered as we were flying around the island, that the close up images of trees and water were nice, but didn’t capture the majesty of the island I wanted to remember and take home with me. With its wider angle lens, I once again found my little Power Shot took good pictures and was better for the landscapes. Additionally, because of its compact size I could get the lens closer to the glass to crop out the reflections of the people inside the helicopter. The lighter, more versatile point-and-shoot also saved me the trouble of contorting my body to get the shots I wanted.

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Complete story from, Moments in Time Captured Forever; You Don't Need a Good Camera to Take Good Pictures.

Heart in the Sky

San Diego, CA
“Nature is the art of God.”
– Dante Alighieri

Use What Feels Comfortable

Hearst Castle®/California State Parks

In November of 2009, I visited Hearst Castle. I brought my “good” camera thinking I should at least have it with me to take photos using my zoom lens. I took a few shots with it at first, but I wasn’t getting the pictures I had envisioned. Like many occasions before and since, I found myself utilizing my point-and-shoot for its ease of use.

I felt a little guilty having my boyfriend carry my “good” camera all over the castle and not using it again. Everyone else on the tour was using their professional-grade cameras. It was hard not to compare myself to the others and not think less of my own pictures because I wasn’t using a “good” camera like them. But, in the end, the camera doesn’t make the photographer, they eye does. My Power Shot is an extension of my arm and has become part of me. It’s easier to carry, easier to hold and takes good pictures.

Excerpt from: Moments in Time Captured Forever; You Don't Need a Good Camera to Take Good Pictures.