Dogwood |
Over Lake Allatoon, GA |
Civil War Reenactment |
Summertime Leaf |
I took a couple of classes at a well known photography store/school here in Atlanta, Showcase Camera, http://www.showcaseinc.com. This was where I was taught the basics. I knew virtually nothing about photography when I took their classes and they were a perfect launching point for me. I belong to two successful photography clubs in the Atlanta area, Decatur Digital Photography (www.meetup.com/Decatur-Digital-Photography-Meetup) and Southeastern Photography Society (SPS) (www.meetup.com/SPS-Meetup). I gain more from belonging to these clubs than can be imagined. There are constant lecutures by such notables as Larry Winslett and Michael West, workshops, competitions and shoots with plenty of opportunity to learn about the many aspects of photography. There are pro photographers available to speak with as well as every amateur level photographer in existence. I have also taken an online course in the editing software, Photoshop Elements. I have found there is an unending volume of material online: blogs, free tutorials, and classes for a fee.
Waterfall at Callaway Gardens |
What objects/subjects are you most interested in? People? Nature? Small objects? Wide vistas?
I had to think about this one for awhile. There are so many aspects of photography you could spend years studying one faze alone and honestly I love just about all of them. Initially I thought I was interested primarily in macro photography. I was fascinated with close-up images and for many months simply could not take enough photos of this type. Capturing the minute details of subjects such as flowers and insects can produce amazing pictures. More recently I have been learning about off-camera flash. I love the dramatic 3-D images this type of photography can yield. It is a very different approach and I have been learning a tremendous amount about light and how you can manipulate it to produce incredible pictures. I am also interested in landscapes, animals, and candid portraiture.
Do you develop your own pictures?
View from Inside Westin Hotel Downtown Atlanta, GA |
No, I have never worked in a darkroom. I find it to be quite a challenge to master the editing software that is out there. I have Photoshop Elements and Lightroom 3. I have only recently delved seriously into Lightroom. I can’t think of a single photographer that I know that does not use Lightroom so I am a little behind the times as far as this program goes. I also recently acquired the Nik Software suite which I am currently learning how to use. For all the wonderful Ansel Adams darkroom stories I’ve heard my understanding is that with the proper understanding of these programs you can duplicate what one would do in a dark room.
Sarah Gardner (http://www.sarahgardnertextures.com/), Mike Moats http://www.tinylandscapes.com/.
I currently have a Nikon D60. This is one of Nikon’s most basic DSLRs that is no longer made. Although the least expensive, I am an “amateur” and this camera has allowed me to apply myself and learn the basics. I am in consistent awe of the cameras that are available out there and what they are capable of doing. I am looking to upgrade at the end of this year. In the meantime though, believe it or not, there is still ample subject matter for me to study and practice on. I have two lenses currently: the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF/S ED VR II Nikkor Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DX-Format Digital SLR Camera and the Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR lens.
My wish-list: Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G SIC SW Prime Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras , Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S DX Nikkor Wide-Angle Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras, and the Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens.
I have a great deal to look forward to and am excited about the future.
I can be reached at dlyner33@yahoo.com.
Thank you, Dorothy, this was interesting and enlightening. The photos are absolutely fabulous. Unfortunately, I can only show a few here on this post, but I hope the visitors to my blog will hop over to your website and Flickr (see link above) and feast their eyes on these great pictures!
And you are all welcome to leave a comment. You can leave a comment as “anonymous” if you don’t want to sign it. If you do that, then please write your name in the comment.
Happy Viewing!