Emily's Imagery

Images for a Lifetime

Photography is easy.  Really!

 

The first thing you’ll need is a camera.  Obviously.  Without that, you’ll be reduced to drawing what you’ve seen with crayons!  To start, get yourself an inexpensive digital camera.  Try to get one with at least 6 megapixels.  No, a megapixel not a big camera fairy.  All you need to know is that the more megapixels a camera has, the better quality your photos will have.

 

Digital cameras come with a memory card that stores your photos.  Usually, the memory card that comes with the camera doesn’t hold very many photos.  Invest in a memory card that does.  It may cost you more, but remember, you won’t be buying rolls and rolls of film.  You’ll keep using that memory card over and over.   

 

A nice camera is . . . well, nice.  But it’s the skill and vision of the photographer that really counts.  What?  You don’t think you’re skilled?  Can you pick up a camera, point it toward your subject and push the little button?  Ok, you’ve got 90% of the technique down.  The rest is fine-tuning.  The camera will do most of the work for you.

 

Camera Settings

 

Please, don’t set your camera to take the most photos at the least resolution.  They’ll look terrible!   Set it at the highest resolution so you can actually do something with the photos when you’re done.  Oh, and all digital cameras come with a fantastic, terrific, extraordinary accessory – the owner’s manual.  Don’t be afraid.  Dive in!

 

Use your manual to find out these three things:

 

  1. How to download the photos you’ve taken to your computer.  Don’t panic.  All you do is insert the disk that came with the camera to install information which allows the computer to recognize the camera.  It’s like an introduction between the machines.  When you’re ready to download, connect the camera using the USB cable that came with it and turn the camera ON.  The camera talks to your computer and they do the rest without you.

  1. How to format the memory card.  You’ll want to do this after you download your photos onto your computer.  This wipes the memory card clean and gets it ready for more photos.

 

  1. How to set the resolution.  You want FINE or whatever gives you the biggest number of pixels per shot.  Remember, pixels are your friends.

  

The Magical Rule of Thirds

 

The Power of Thirds is not to be underestimated.  It transforms dull photos into art.  Basically, don’t center your subject in all your photos.  That’s our natural tendency and it's naturally boring.  For a more in-depth explanation of this easy rule, please go to the free classroom section at http://www.morguefile.com/docs/Jodie_Coston:_Lesson_1

 

Ready for your close up?

Your camera came with a zoom function.  Try not to use it.  Whenevery you zoom in, there’s more of a chance the photo will turn out blurry.  WALK closer.  Yep.  Get up.  Stretch your legs.  Get into the action!  While you’re at it, make sure whatever you’re photographing fills the frame.  Don’t take a photo of your beautiful grand daughter from fifty feet away.  Get in there and fill the whole viewfinder with her beautiful face!  No one cares about the jungle gym behind her.

 

Keep her sweet little features sharp, too.  You want to see those baby blue eyes, not blurry blue dots floating in a sea of wobbly flesh and hair.  Keep the camera as close to your face as possible, not at arms length.  Practice keeping your elbows tucked into your sides.  That’ll do it.  Now, take a breath.  As you exhale, push the button.  It’s like meditating.  You’ll feel good!

  

Ready, Set, Shoot!

 

You’ve bought the camera, read the manual, learned the rule of thirds . . . what are you waiting for?  Get out there and have some fun!   Practice in your yard.  You’d be surprised what’s out there when you really look.  Morning and dusk have the best light, so right before or after work are perfect times to practice.

 

 

Take your camera with you everywhere!  (Well, not in public bathrooms.)  If you want to take photos while driving, please pull over.  Remember the blur issue?  You don’t want to become a smudge yourself.  Be safe.

 

Torment your family.  Get them used to that flash!  They’ll be seeing a lot of it.  Take photos at family barbeques, birthday parties, reunions and other fun events.  One word of advice:  go easy on the people you actually live with.  After all, they know where you keep your camera.  Paybacks can be costly.

 

 

Tweak!

 

Tweaking is not a Twitter function.  It’s what you do to the photo after it’s in your computer and you wish it was a little brighter, more colorful or cropped a certain way.  You can download Picasa, a free photo processing program that’s really easy to use and FUN.  Here’s the link:  http://www.picasa.google.com

 

 

Congratulations!  You’re a photographer!