A Learning Process

I think everyone can agree that we never stop learning. It’s a continuous process, as it should be, and we only learn as much as we are willing to put into our work. While it can be a pain in the butt at times, it’s completely worth it.

(So, I’d be lying if I said I came up with the idea for this post on my own, and I need to give credit where credit is due. I actually kind of borrowed it from the lovely Emily of Gem Photo. I had the opportunity to spend the day with her at the BUILD Workshop, and let me just say, her photography is appropriately named. She is a gem.)

When I saw Emily’s post about the craft of color and light, it totally inspired me. To be better. To take my time. To focus on the mechanics. And yes, to practice even when it’s a pain in the butt.

Specifically, nailing the shot SOOC, or straight out of camera. Meaning, when I take the picture, it looks exactly how I want it to, how I see it, right when I take it. No post processing necessary. Although I love what some subtle editing can do, my ultimate goal is to create images that are organic and timeless, and in my mind the best way to do that is capture a moment as it is, the first time. Not have fix it later. Because when you succeed, when you freeze a moment in time like that, everything about it real and raw in its colors and imperfections and emotion, it’s beautiful. Simply beautiful. And it’s something the best editing in the world can’t recreate.

Here are a few photos from my recent endeavors. These were all taken with a Canon 5DMII and a 50mm lens. They are all completely SOOC, no editing done whatsoever. And a quick note about the white balance: Previously I had just left it on auto and that was that. But recently I’ve been trying incorporate it into my settings, and change it according to how I want the photo look, which is why I included it in the info below.

 

ISO 250    .      f/1.8     .     1/640 shutter speed      .    white balance set at 6500 k for cloudy

ISO 250     .     f/2.2     .     1/1250 shutter speed      .    white balance set at 4450 k on auto

ISO 250     .     f/2.5     .     1/250 shutter speed     .    white balance set at 5200 k for daylight

Both photos:          ISO 250     .     f/2.5      .    1/250 shutter speed      .    white balance set at 6500 k for cloudy

ISO 250     .     f/2.5     .     1/640 shutter speed     .     white balance set at 4150 k on auto

ISO 250     .     f/1.4     .     1/1600 shutter speed      .    white balance set at 5200 k for daylight

Photo on the left:          ISO 250     .     f/2.5     .     1/800 shutter speed     .     white balance set at 5200 k for daylight

Photo on the right:          ISO 250     .     f/2.0     .     1/1250 shutter speed     .     white balance set at 5200 k for daylight

ISO 250     .    f/2.5     .     1/250 shutter speed      .    white balance set at 6200 k for daylight

If anyone has questions about anything, please don’t be afraid to ask! While I clearly don’t know everything, I’ve learned so much from following other photography blogs, and if I can give back and be of some help to anyone, I’m more than happy to offer my opinion : ) Happy Monday!

P.S. Thanks to my wonderful friend Tori for snapping some new pictures for my blog header. I figured it was time for a few summer pictures : )