Photography Workshop Week 3: {Lighting}

The third week has come and gone. We are actually into our last week of the class now. SAD!! My wonderful mother-in-law loaned me her fancy smansy camera to use for the week since they are coming for Easter and I am just having a blast using it. Trice is crawling toward it less so he must be getting used to it being in his face. 

This week was all about lighting. Catchlights, Flash, Indoor/Outdoor, Using natural lighting, etc.

Here are a couple pictures from this week (the first was taken with our camera and the rest with Donna's DSLR)!

Rubber Ducky - You're the One!

Hungry? Why Wait?

The Babies on the Bus go, "Wah wah wah" (This was an example of "framing" since I didn't get one last week!)

 Examples of "catchlights" (Twinkle in the Eye!)

Boogies!


The critique on the next one is that I should have had him at the right of the picture so it was leading to him. I knew there was something a little off. Unfortunately, the box of books is right up against the couch, so I couldn't have moved any further to the left.

I'm NOT up to something...

This picture did not make the cut .. it's not a good example, but how could I NOT show you that hilarious face?!

Photography Workshop Week 2: {Composition}

Not going to lie .. this week was SO busy that I really didn't get the practicing done that I needed to. Fail. I plan on stepping up my game this week and working on getting the composition pictures I didn't get. By the end of next week, I will have examples of viewpoint, leading lines, rule of thirds, depth, and framing. I do, however, have a few sweet ones to share today! We wear pajamas all day every day in this house -- don't judge. 

These were all my "viewpoint" pictures of the week:

Cyclone Fanatic

A Father's Love

Thinking Caps ON

"What do you want to do today, dad?" "The same thing we do every day, son; TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD."

Sunday Afternoons

Baby Toes & Cat Naps

Off to Dreamland

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Toes

I will get another post up when I have actually done my assignment and practiced these skills. I will also let you know what the critique is on them. My biggest struggle this week was lighting. My flash (or how I use my flash ruins EVERYTHING) so I have been having a hard time getting decent pictures on these gloomy days. Using "natural lighting" is  completely foreign to me. I'm excited to get outside this Spring and mess around with outdoor lighting. Lucky me -- next week is all about lighting AND we are also supposed to get some decent days. 

 I'm also in a funk of only taking pictures while Trice is sleeping. The thing is -- it takes me like 900 tries to get an "okay" picture at this point. I have to adjust everything over and over again. This is not easily done when you have a baby crawling at the camera every time you get within 100 feet of them. So for now I'm going to continue to practice on sleeping babies and maybe once I get the hang of it, I'll be able to get a GREAT shot in one click.  Our "teacher" is so encouraging and posts so many great examples for us to get the idea. I just need to be more creative and quick so I can actually see improvements by the end of March. I think getting out of the house will really help with that. I'm hoping to borrow my mother-in-law's awesome camera next weekend to play around with (shh.. she doesn't know yet) and see what I can come up with! 

I am slightly disappointed because I found out the camera we had is more meant for landscapes and groups rather than portraits (which is basically the only thing I take), so the process of trying to convince Benny to buy me a DSLR has begun... wish me luck! ;) And feel free to start shouting out your camera recommendations as well as any tips on any of my pictures. I'm really trying to learn this stuff because I really enjoy it!