I'm back

Haven't posted in a long time due to the photography group at Manna no longer happening due to my schedule being hectic with school and coaching soccer.

I miss the group dearly. I love getting together with local Fayetteville, NC photographers and collaborating on edits, ideas and just shooting.

Keep up with the blog and enjoy what comes your way.

RJ

August 15th meeting "Motion"

Car moving by while couple kisses.
Fan moving with backlight CD's cases for the color
Trick skier (Drew) on the downside of a backflip.
Hey all,

I haven't posted in the last week so I hope your photography adventures have as good as mine and you are taking some great pictures.

This week's meeting will be on August 15th at Manna Church at 12pm or noon. We won't be meeting in the classroom but rather in the 1st floor lobby of the education building next to the elevators. We will be working on "Motion" and we will be using our own cars and moving bodies to get some great effects.

It will likely be a little hot so bring a water bottle, wear shorts and come prepared to take some very interesting pictures with "Motion"

See you all on saturday,

Ryan

July 25th - No meeting

Softbox image using one SB600 speedlight right side at 1/4 power.

No meeting on July 25th. I will be gone for the week camping in WV and SC. I hope everyone has a great time shooting photos, hanging with family and relaxing from a tough work week.

I am excited to see everyone's photos on flickr from the past two meetings of "portraits." and any pictures we take between now and August 1st (next meeting) Even if it's just one or two pictures post them. I love seeing other's photos. Try to post some humorous photos on flickr as an assignment. Whether they are from a while ago or recently shot, post some humorous photos in the Manna group.

For our next meeting on August 1st we will be building a DIY (do it yourself) "softbox" or "lightbox". If you are unfamiliar with a softbox it is used for macro photography (a.k.a. close up photography) and it gives even lighting for subjects.

A short video on what we will be building:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt-vYW4Psm8

Copy and paste the link then watch the video.

Materials needed:

Cardboard box with size range of 12 x 12 x 12 to 24 x 24 x 24

White tissue paper (what you fill presents with)

Duct tape

White poster board and/or black poster board

Exacto knife or tool to cut cardboard

If you have time to build the box before August 1st then build it and he will come. Who precisely?

I don't know but I wanted to use the famous line by James Earl Jones. If you don't have the time bring the materials

to build on Aug 1st or ask to share with others as we were taught in elementary school.

I highly recommend you make this $5 piece of photography equipment because you will get some

amazing shots from something so cheap and you will want it to take home and keep using it.

On August 1st bring a few items to take pictures of that are laying around your house.

Time of that meeting is TBD. Check back on the blog for that.

July 18th meeting

We had a great time at our portrait session on the 11th. A few new folks showed up and we talked about the exposure triangle a bit and then used two models for portraits. I didn't snap any photos,but a few, so I want to see everyone else's pics on flickr. That way we all can see the beauty of Diane and Mia (the models).

We finished around 11 and then ventured into the lobby area to use the window light to get more pics. We were having so much fun that we shot for another hour and got some great photos using the reflector as a fill light and the sun as our main light. We even got a few unexpecting models (yours truly and Rich) to get in front of the camera. Scary!

I was going to change the topic for the 18th meeting to Macro photography but I know we will benefit a lot more from one more week of portraits so the 18th will be portraits again. Lets meet at 9:30 instead of 9 to give those late birds a change to find those dwindling worms.

July 11th meeting - Portraits

Evidence of a family outing (yes, that is my father) that was titled "Dress a family member for $7 at Goodwill" then go out and putt putt in the outfits. Luckily we were on vacation and we didn't see anybody we will ever see again.

The July 11th meeting will be "Portraits". We will be meeting in Rm 213 at Manna Church at 9am.

I want to set up the room with some lights and work on lighting portraits and posing/different set ups. I'm gonna bring in some of the church chairs and couches to help us get different looks/props. So if you have any lights please bring them. Also, bring some random props that could be used as well. Use your imagination. Props like hats, fashion accessories, random items in the house, etc. can make great pictures.

Lets bring something to share for breakfast as well. Donuts, fruit, bagels, OJ, breakfast bread, etc. I'll bring some breakfast cinnamon cake.

Comment back or email me back you what you can bring.

See you all saturday

4th of July pictures

The 4th was tiring but enjoyable. Here are a few snap shots of my adventures in Hope Mills. I joined Manna Church in the annual "4th of July Water Giveaway" at the Hope Mills Fireworks. There were so many volunteers from Manna that I eventually just took out my camera and starting walking around. I had some great conversations with many people I knew and some I got to know.

4th of July thoughts

I hope everyone had a blast on the birthday of our free country. Living in Fayetteville gives me an appreciation of our freedom and the costs, both in life and distance relationships, that are sacrifices of immense portion. Thank you to all who serve, have served, and will serve to protect our country against all enemies, both domestic and abroad.

Our freedom gives us the ability to celebrate it's glorious occurrence each year and each day. In addition, our freedom to live a life of glory each day is because of Christ. I find myself in awe EVERY day of how God sent His only son on earth to die so that I can be set free from the sins I have and will commit. It's a little tangent but I imagine the conflict Abraham dealt with in Genesis. Think about this:

In Genesis 22 Abraham was willing (v 3-6) to sacrifice his son who was promised to him, by God, to be the start of the family line of the messiah. When God called Abraham Abraham said "Here I am". That reads with such force and will of your life to trust God's every call. Abraham's response showed his reverence for Him and he took God's directions and followed them to a "T". He saddled the donkey, cut the wood with his servants, traveled 60 miles on foot to Moriah, and brought his one and only son with him to be the sacrifice. Take a deeper look (reading between the lines) and imagine the turmoil of the heart Abraham was likely wrestling. God promised that his one and only son after years of waiting would be the father of fathers of fathers to the messiah. And an only son! I can't imagine the thoughts he had when saddling the donkey and cutting the wood with the servants. Thoughts that likely brought him to tears along the 3 day journey.

This can seem necessary and faithful when looking hindsight but put your child in the story. That means go in the woods and cut down a lot of wood. Pack it in the back of your car with a cooler and books on tape to listen to for the long 3 day journey to California. It will be just you and your son or daughter going with you. While you are preparing for this your first born son or daughter is helping you with all the necessary tasks and is very willing to take a trip with mom or dad. You mention you want to worship God when you get there and want to build an altar for Him when you get there. He or she is so excited to help mom or dad in this adventure. When you get to your destination you build the altar with you son or daughter and they ask you "Mommy(Daddy), where is the sacrifice?" You say "God will provide us the lamb" As you say this waterfalls and body jolting tears are held back because you know what God has asked you to do. Then comes the time where you have to physically tie up your child and place them on the alter. Could you imagine? Could you imagine the look of their face and seeing their eyes? Could you imagine the shaking of your hands? Could you imagine the struggle they may give you? And then the knife. You pull out a knife and hold it above the body of your precious first born. "OH MY GOD, WHY ME?" would be a prayer at the top of your lungs with tears drenching your shirt and hands shaking so vigorously that you can barely hold the knife. You know the story of the angel bring the ram caught in the bush but what if that wasn't the case? What if God really did ask you to drive that knife into the chest of your son? It is vulgar but that was what Abraham was ready to do. Are you?

Abraham was so free in the presence/connection/relationship with God that he was willing to give his promised son up for God.

Thoughts? Additions?

July 4th meeting "Fireworks & Festivities"

Our July 4th meeting will be "Fireworks and Festivities" I know many of us will be venturing off to bbq's, gatherings, parties, boats and more both in and out of town. I didn't want us to miss out on the assingment so I altered it a bit for this week. Therefore, let's take advantage of the country's birthday and make some photos.

We won't be meeting at Manna at 9 am (woohoo for the night owls) but rather be on our own for the day and post our pictures on flickr.com/groups/mannaphotography for the others to see them. The assignment is "Fireworks and Festivities". Get some great shots of friends, family, others, fireworks, ice cream, swimming, boating, messy faces, etc. Whatever you are doing on this day will be great. But keep portraits and the rule of thirds in mind. If you are unfamiliar with the rule of thirds check out this video:

Remember, rules are made to be broken (don't tell my 8th graders). A lot of pictures are spectacular when obeying the rule of thirds and a lot of pictures are spectacular without obeying the rule of thirds. Play around with the rule and get some great photos. I look forward to seeing your photos.

Also, take the holiday opportunity to share Christ with someone. You will likely be around both Christians and non-Christians. Take a small step out of your normal conversation with a non-Christian and ask them a question about Christ or church or mention a story in the bible that seemed interesting to you and ask for their opinion. A small change in conversational direction can be used in a large way by the Holy Spirit.

See you in Hope Mills (I'll be there for the day and night) or see your pictures on flickr.

Next week, July 11th, we will be meeting at Manna Church in Rm 213 to finish our Portrait series (that sounds like a pastor thing).

Shine in the Dark Music Fest - Pictures

Here are a few pictures from the Shine in the Dark Music Fest with Shine Models, Paul Mitchell, Rush skaters, Kutless & Abbi Walker to name a few.

Kutless

Rush Skate Ministries

Shine Model (make up by Paul Mitchell)

Yellow Cavalier

Abbi Walker

Bruce, Rachel (from Cameron, NC) and I had a great time shooting all night. Some more pictures can be seen here:

http://vantagepointphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/8699280_QipPK#575022592_WSrfA

&

http://vantagepointphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/8701179_VS67v#575061242_HFSxD

Concert Opportunity & June 27th

Join me at the Shine in the Dark Music Fest. If you reply to RDJ413@gmail.com or comment back on this blog ASAP you may be able to get a press pass and join me for the event. I'm not too sure how many press passes will be given out but as many as I can retrieve will be given out. First come, first serve.

Shine in the Dark Music Fest: FEED ME. IM HUNGRY

featuring: merra

Abbi walker

Yellow Cavalier

Chasen

Krystal Meyers (with Shine Models)

Kutless

Only $12 + a can of food

When: Thursday June 25, 2009 6pm at the Crown Coliseum

Buy your tickets at ticketmaster.com

www.shineinthedarkmusicfest.webs.com

Also,

Jun27Sat 3:00 PM

3 pm - 6 pmWhere?

Trade Street Brews (Coffee House)

5444 Trade Street

Hope Mills, NC 28348

(910) 425-5600

Who’s

The Fayetteville Photography Club on meetup.com will be setting up a studio environment to get some experience shooting portraits in a studio setting.

The cost is $10 so bring cash, cameras, and remote triggers (Pocket Wizards or Alien Bees or similar) if you have them. If you don't have remote triggers don't worry, you can borrow mine or I am sure just learning how to use them may persuade you to buy them.

I put 2 guests down when I RSVP'd for this event so if you want to join me please comment on this blog or email me at RDJ413@gmail.com.

2nd meeting and our next meeting

We had a great time in the heat on Saturday working on "Lines, Textures and Patterns." There was a mix up on my part about where to meet (I blame it on Rich, he was my navigator) but we all made it.

I loved how we all just went out and started shooting. The enthusiasm is contagious. And the people you meet along the way is great as well. I met a few folks hanging out in the heat and hope to meet more on assignments like these. I'm excited to hear stories about our time and see your pictures on flickr.

If you haven't joined the flickr group go to www.flickr.com/groups/mannaphotography. Sign up! It's free. That is the best way to share photos among our group and comment on them. I have seen some great photos and I can't wait to see more uploaded this week. Flickr is also a great way to see photos from photogs around the world. And a reminder that facebook is free and a great way to share photos and keep in touch with friends.

If you didn't make it to our group this week (June 20) or to our first meeting (June 13) we still would like to see photos whether they are part of the assignments or not. It's just great to see photos of others and get ideas, see other's art and spread God's glory in this format. And speaking of spreading God's glory I missed a golden opportunity on Saturday to share the gospel. I was talking to a gentlemen and I felt the urge to share the gospel with him but I was distracted by my desire to take some photos and talk to others I ran into that I knew from the Fayetteville Photography group on meetup.com. I was kicking myself in the face (that steering wheel kept blocking it) while driving home because all I had to do was ask him two simple questions. A lesson learned.

Our next group will be Saturday June 27th at the Arts Council Building at 9am to work on "Portraits." Don't come to Manna because we won't be there (weather permitting of course and I would send an email if that was the case). If unfamiliar where the arts council building is comment on this blog or email me. We'll cover "Portraits" for the next few meetings because there is a lot of interest in portraits and a lot goes into making a good portrait. Lighting. Angle. Catch light. Photographer/subject interaction. Location. Lens/camera settings. And more.

Comment or email me whether you can make it or not on the 27th. And don't forget to post your pictures on flickr or facebook whether you have been to a meeting or not.

Facebook & Flickr group

The little girl is the daughter of the CEO of Shine International Ministries. This was taken at the fundraiser car wash for their Fashion show with Krystal Meyers and Kutless on June 26th (see previous post for more information).

I created a Facebook group for our Manna Photography Small Group but I'm having trouble inviting you to join. I know I can organize my profile so you are in that group but I spent a half hour trying to figure it out how to give you an invite and can't find the means. If you know how to make a Facebook group for others to join please let me know.

If you don't have a Facebook account you should get one. It is free, a great way to keep in touch with our group and other friends and there is an easy format for uploading photos for others to view.

I started a flickr group as well. Flickr is free up to a certain amount of storage space. After that initial free space I believe you pay 29.99 for a year's prescription of the Pro version. If you just upload a few photos here and there, and keep the file size small, you shouldn't have to pay the $30 unless you want unlimited access.

The flickr group is http://www.flickr.com/groups/mannaphotography/

I put a few pictures from the Shine Mary Kay day on there to start. Let's start uploading photos from our times in the group and on our own. Flickr is the best quality, easiest format, and free tool for us to use to share our photos. Also, flickr is the craze for photographers around the world to share photos, ideas and network. Start a free account and start sharing photos.

Let's use flickr as our main source of sharing and facebook as a secondary.

"There are 10 great photos 10 meters from you right now"

We are "Still" in Christ's image

If you like cheezyness then check out the blog title. It will make since as you read on.

Our first Manna Photography Group on Saturday 6/13 was awesome. We meet in Room 213 (sorry for those who didn't get the room assignment on time) in the education building and had a great time talking "How to use our cameras." We have a variety of experience levels, styles and personalities that will make this group significantly better. I say this because we all like a different aspect of photography. Some like shooting concerts, some like shooting models, some like shooting sports, some like shooting stills and some like shooting portraits. I am stoked about this variety because we have experts in different areas and we can help everyone become well rounded photographers. In addition, I can't wait to see what variety is brought to the table when those who couldn't make the first meeting join us. It will be a plethora (nice word hugh? ..........It was on sale at Walmart. .........$1) of knowledge.

If you missed the meeting we exchanged information, talked about how we grew a passion for photography, helped each other understand how our cameras work and then went on a mini shoot in the Manna parking lot shooting "Stills." In a RJ (my nickname) definition stills are pictures you make that are "still" or not moving.

When talking about how to use our cameras we focused on the Exposure Triangle. The exposure triangle is the balance between the 3 basic aspects of light that exposure a picture. The three aspects are shutter speed, aperture (or f-stops) and ISO. The balance between these either produce a great photo or produce an "educational" photo that will help you expose a better picture the next time. Check out The Art of Photography podcast on itunes for free video tutorials on these plus more basic aspects of photography. I tried to download those vidoes but they would not download. Check them out!!

Next meeting is Saturday, June 20th at 9am in Rm 213 of Manna Church's education building. We will meet briefly there to join up with those who didn't get a chance to attend the first time then were off to Downtown Fayetteville to work on "Textures, Lines and Patterns."

Check the blog periodically this week for a Facebook and/or Flickr group link to share our photos with each other.

Remember, photographers don't take photos we make them!

Shine in the Dark Music Fest

Join me at the Shine in the Dark Music Fest. Bring your camera to take some candid photos with me. The models working with Krystal Meyers will be the models that will periodically volunteer their time to help us in our photography group.

Shine in the Dark Music Fest: FEED ME. IM HUNGRY

featuring: merra

Abbi walker

Yellow Cavalier

Chasen

Krystal Meyers (with Shine Models)

kutless

Only $12 + a can of food

When: Thursday June 25, 2009 6pm at the Crown Coliseum

Buy your tickets at ticketmaster.com

www.shineinthedarkmusicfest.webs.com

Car Wash

Also, Shine Magazine (girlsthatshine.com, a christian magazine going into national production this summer) will be holding a carwash at the Hardees on McPherson Church Road starting at 10 am on June 13th to raise money for the magazine's debut. Get your car washed to help the models that will be helping us in our photography group.

1st Manna Photography Small Group

I can't claim this photo but I think it's hilarious!!

Our first meeting for the Manna Photography Small Group with be in Rm 213 in the Education building at 9am. If you are unfamiliar with the layout of Manna here is the best description I can give (don't criticize me for it):

When you pull into the parking lot in your fantasy Beamer like mine (yeah right) the education building is the 3 story brick building built by Moses himself. Enter the crystal doors and use the elevator on the right or stairs on the left to the 2nd floor. Room 213 is down the hallway on the right. It's hard to miss since there are only 3 rooms in the middle of the hallway. If you get lost for any reason don't call me because you were probably the one I didn't like at the My Manna Connection.

Agenda: Meet, exchange information, "Learn to use the camera we have", next meeting date and time, then go out and shoot

What to bring: your camera (any type), camera manual if you desire, willingness to learn, and creativity to shoot

Time: 9am until around 11am

Where: Manna Church Rm 213

If you have any questions email Ryan at RDJ413@gmail.com

Can't wait to meet and shoot with you all!!

Ryan

Shrader Wedding

I was not the official photographer at the wedding but I did snap a few shots. Nothing fantasy just a camera and some good times capturing friends and their family on their amazing day. It was a blast and the road trip to PA was gorgeous. I plan on stopping at a lot of locations next time I drive up 52 and 77.

While at the wedding I met up with the photographer and I am going to collaborate with them on a few weddings this summer in PA. All it takes is some initiative, good communication skills, a smile, and just having fun. The rest is up to God.

A mini vacation

I will be heading to PA for a mini vacation and some good friends getting married. I hope I will get some good pictures from the wedding, even though I am not the official photographer. I can't really dance at the rehearsal due to my arm still directed to be in a sling until Monday therefore my object is opening the shutter and hanging with great friends.

A little sidenote: if you talk to anyone who wants to join the group direct them to the blog or my email. I'll put them on the email list and get their informtion.

Find your niche

I have been searching for a lot of inspirational photographers on the web through twitter, facebook and meet and greet groups. I found out that my sister's wedding photographer has really advanced his line of work. The reason: he found his niche in Detroit. He puts a bit of an edge on his pictures and makes his work stand out versus the other photographers in Detroit. In addition, he uses his passion of fine art photography to entice others on his great eye for a great picture.

Check out his website. His name is Prem. His business is Arising Images.

Website www.arisingimages.com

Do you have a niche of photography that you thoroughly enjoy? Do you find yourself taking a certain type of picture all the time? Write or comment back on this.

Photography Small Group - Manna Church

Welcome to my photography blog! Hope you like my prize winning photo?

My name is Ryan Jackson and I'm not a professional photographer (but my picture definitely says I should be). However, I am passionate about photography and I presume you are as well for viewing this blog.

I am writing this before My Manna Connection occurs so I am sure it was great meeting all of you. If it wasn't great meeting you I just lied to you. However, you'll never know if I didn't like you so just view the first sentence as truth, bury it deep down inside if you feel I didn't like you and move on.

On a more serious note, I spoke with a handful of people about this small group in the past couple of weeks and I am excited there is growing interest at Manna for photography. My intention of this small group is community. I want to build a community of photographers at Manna that can change the world (I'm stealing Manna's quote) through passion and creativity using a shutter, a flick of a finger and love for everyone around us. I love meeting new people, sharing my love of Christ with them and if I can do it with a camera in my hand than praise God even more.

We will be meeting most Saturdays in the morning, before sunset or possibly during the day time. Our meetings will be centered around community but with a specific purpose for each meeting. We will meet to shoot. We will meet to learn editing techniques. We will meet to share pictures. We will meet to share tips and tricks. We will meet to shoot some more. We will meet to learn how to use our cameras. We will meet to share blogs or podcasts or inspirations of photography. We will meet to learn compositional techniques. And we will meet to pray.

Who is invited? Anyone 14 or older with a camera and a desire to dive into photography. Digital cameras are desired for ease of sharing photos but film cameras are great (you will just need to make prints if you want to share your work with the group).

To sign up you need to contact me. Either by phone, email or through this blog.

Tentatively, our first meeting will be June 13th, 9 am at Manna Church. That gives time for those of us who catch more zzz's on Saturday's to hit snooze 8 more times and those who work out early time to check out your bulging muscles in the mirror before we meet. I need to check if we can use a room at that time so check back here for an update on the 13th. If we can't get a room we will meet at JK's deli on McPherson and Raeford for breakfast and photography (maybe we can take pictures of our breakfast) at the same time. I want to meet everyone and talk about our cameras (so bring them.) You can't go into a sports game with out knowing the equipment and plays you are going to be executing and the same logic applies to photography. You need to know your equipment (and basic techniques) to perform well a.k.a. take quality photos.

I look forward to meeting all of you on the 13th and I still think it was great meeting everyone except if you are currently wearing a green shirt. You just smell!

Bless you, check out my other blog entries, leave a comment, and here is another picture that was fun to make. Remember photographers don't take pictures we make them (and I guess I will lay claim to this masterpiece as well)!

-Ryan Jackson-

Fayetteville Photography Group - Meetup

I just did a simple search on google for Fayetteville Photography groups and the first one just started a week ago. The first meeting is on June 6th at 3 pm at the Blue Moon Room on Hay street.

If you are interested in meeting other Fayetteville photographers both amateur and professional and all in between go to meetup.com, find the Fayetteville, NC Photography group and sign up. You will be linked to about 50 photographers in Fayetteville who want to do the same thing as you

Have fun

Chase Jarvis, one of my inspirations as a young, modern photographer quotes "There are 10 great pictures 10 meters from you right now." I like that because photographers make pictures instead of take pictures. Check out his great work at chasejarvis.com

I enjoy going out with my iPhone and not worrying about all the intricate details of a photo and just taking fun, enjoyable photos. Here are a few I enjoyed taking right around my house. The first was a crazy dog barking as I walked by. He was trying to escape his early night prison. The second is a panoramic of Stewart's Creek using an iPhone application. The third was a mallard who was ruthlessly worried about his personal space. I got as close as the picture shows. It was fun trying to get closer. I lost!

The most important part of photography is that you enjoy it. Whether you are shooting a breathtaking sunset or shooting a family get together or shooting a senior picture you HAVE to make it fun for you and the subjects, if applicable. Enjoy the sunset's beauty, make your family laugh and make funny/creative pictures, and have your subjects do poses that are natural and enjoyable and make sure they know you love making their pictures. Also, remember God's beauty is able to be captured at every shutter opening so remember who you are ultimately shooting for. "The beauty of God at every shutter."

Why photography?

I started a passion for photography while I was student teaching in Caledonia, MI. I was teaching 10th grade Biology for 3 block periods and I had the 4th block as planning. A teacher across the hall from my adopted classroom taught a photography elective during the day but had his planning period during the 4th block as well. He took me under his wing for that semester teaching me the finer, basic points of photography and the art of B & W darkroom techniques.

How did you start a passion for photography?

Recommended beginner books

I locked my self out of my house after a speed walk (man I feel like a grandma) workout because that is the only workout permitted with a sling on the arm. Without my keys to the house and a roommate who just left for a round of golf I was hurting for a long afternoon on the porch. Lucky for me my truck was unlocked and it is jimmy rigged to start without a key so I was not completely bored all day by running errands. My errands landed me at Barnes and Noble to look for photography magazines and books. I was rather disappointed at the minimal selection of help books on photography business (NONE TO BE EXACT) but I did find 2 billion books on digital how to's. I wasn't interested in those so I kept looking to see what I wanted to read for a few hours.

I stumbled upon two easy reads for the beginner that broke down key elements of photography with numerous example pictures, short but detailed explanations, and enveloped topics.

The first book is titled "Understanding Exposure: How to shoot great photographs with a film of digital camera. Revised edition" by Bryan Peterson

This book highlights simple techniques on the triangle of photography exposure [ISO (ASA), aperture, and shutter speed] This book will help an amateur or beginner with exposure as not just trusting your camera's automatic settings to achieve proper exposure but rather use your camera's manual setting to achieve a "story picture." If you don't know what the triangle of exposure is or want to start engaging into why some photos are good and others are great this book is for you.

The second book is "Portrait Photography: Secrets of Posing and lighting" by Mark Cleghorn.

I was fond of this book because it gave a beginner or amateur key/fundamental pose and lighting techniques to spark creativity and get the ball rolling in the studio, homes or in nature. The book is set up with a few pages devoted to a specific topic, enough to get one's feet wet with quality information but not too much to bore the beginner who wants to soak up a lot of basic information and dive into each at a later date. I recommend this book for those seeking to the studio aspect of photography rather than the nature or fashion or wedding business.

Both of these books can be found on Amazon.com for a bit cheaper than the bookshelf price and they should ship quickly.

If you have suggestions on books you have found for the beginner or other literature that is helpful leave a comment.

A walk in the rain

I have been cooped up in my house from my shoulder surgery and I needed to get out. It has been raining all day and I said "enough with it" and put on the rain coat and went outside. I took my iPhone because I can't hold my dSLR with only one good arm, being it my left arm.

Use what you have and be artistic in composition. Remember textures, angles, simplicity, lines, focus, etc. If you give each picture a soul its bound to have one.

Ghetto lighting - DPS

There are many tutorial websites that give great tips, tricks and techniques to help photographers of all shapes and sizes. I like Digital Photography School. They send newsletters that are updated weekly. 12-15 different aspects of photography in each newsletter is sent via email varying from gear, editing, lighting scenarios, how to's and more.

In particular, they have a weekly assignment where subscribers take photos of assignments like kitchen utensils, nature, your home, children, macro, etc. I will mention DPS in the future. You should check it out. Its great for everyone of all photography levels.

This weeks assignment is Ghetto Lighting. They assigned it because great photos don't need pricy set ups. They want people to think outside the box and use the cheap, even free, lighting they already have.

My first ghetto lighting picture is using a plant light, 2 flash lights, 3 different colored CD cases and my fan.

Soft Box Take #2

I used ambient light to light my subjects. Some tweaking needs to be done for better exposure. The iphone was good backlighting but I needed more foreground light. The wakko character was better foreground light but underexposed for a softbox in the background. Also, the wakko has some medium shadows on its side I wanted to avoid. Light balance is the goal.

DIY soft box went wrong

I have been stuck in my condo for the past 3 days due to shoulder surgery and I have been focusing on my photography education. I have been looking at a lot of blogs and reading a ton about lighting. The blogs I have latched onto are Strobist and Chase Jarvis. Strobist is solely concentrated on off camera lighting and Chase Jarvis documents his commercial and lifestyle photography to the public very effectively on his blog.

In particular, Strobist made a DIY video on a macro light box or soft box and I thought "why not? I need one and I like saving money." So I picked up the essentials ($10) and made the box out of tissue paper, cardboard box, duct tape, exacto knife, packing tape and ingenuity. I set up the lights and my camera and my subject (iPhone) and took some photos. I started to adjust the white balance to get the correct light balance but it didn't work. I kept adjusting but no luck. I changed the lighting but still no luck. The results were just not what I expected. Set backs are inevitable.

My theory is lighting. I used tungsten lighting with the new energy saver bulbs but the colors just weren't good. I am waiting for my speed light to be shipped then I think it will work. I have some older speed lights but they don't want to turn on.

Downtown Fayetteville

Living in Fayetteville gives you an appreciation for our country on a level I never knew. I am extremely proud to call myself an American and even prouder of all those I call friends who are in the sandbox fighting for our freedom as I write this blog.

iPhone photo

The best camera is the one you have with you.

Fayetteville Photography Community

I have recently become more interested in my art of photography and want to connect to the Fayetteville, NC photography community. I have a passion for photography that is growing exponentially and I want to collaborate with photographers in my area with everything from assignment shoots to techniques to editing.