This weeks challenge is both FUN and humbling. LOL It is BEFORE and AFTER shots.
When I first got my DSLR back in July of 07, I just assumed that I’d get the expensive camera, and I would immediately start taking awesome pictures! After all, the amount of money that goes into the equipment, I expected it to do it ALL for me and maybe fold some laundry too!
I was sorely mistaken. This was the FIRST photo taken with the new camera:
Fine enough….this isn’t hard, I’ll be on my way to making thousands of dollars by next week…. π (I still have never made thousands…not even THOUSAND I don’t think LOL)
I didn’t even LOOK at my background! That’s alright, everyone else does enough for me. UGH. Not good.
Onto my FIRST “photo session”:
My Mom let me practice on her girls (my little sister and my 2 nieces). That was the only great thing that came out of this: I had a lot of practice on gorgeous girls! I even put the camera in MANUAL! WOOHOO!! However, I had no idea how to meter the shot AT.ALL. So this was a very LUCKY manual shot. LOL But I have hit and miss color, I have under exposed areas, and then I have over exposed areas as well. I am all over the board on this one. And look at the poor amputees…missing toes and whole FEET. OYE!
(I can’t believe I’m sharing these LOL)
Another practice a month or 2 later gave me better exposure in camera at least! (Thank you, April for showing me how to meter my camera! LOL) But look at all those WAY over exposed areas! Dappled light is not good….
And lastly: my beautiful nieces and handsome nephew (remember his photos from last week?).
My color is atrocious and my 2 older nieces are not even in FOCUS!
WOW….so much for the belief that expensive cameras do all the work for you. They do not. It requires TONS AND TONS of practice and a LOT of learning, reading the camera manual as well as stalking other photographers. But one of the MOST beneficial things I ever did was getting INVOLVED with a photography group with sweet, patient ladies that helped me. Not all of their advice I liked, but it helped me IMPROVE. Critiques are hard to hear, but that’s what made the difference for me.
These are my afters taken just last night:
I take what I learn, and I apply to MY style. What I enjoy. And I keep practicing and I keep learning. I am no where NEAR a lot of the professionals, but I’m getting there!
Keep shooting!