random pictures.... thoughts?

Hey Guys (and girls)!

(this is Ella, not Mr. Mohr) So, Mr. Mohr said that we could post pictures if we want, and even though no one else has yet I thought "hey! might as well, right?" so, here's some pictures I took around campus last friday! any thoughts?

Ella V.

P.S. Please bear with me if this doesnt work... I've never posted one of these before!

Off the Ground!

The Eden Photography Club is getting off the ground on Friday 11/20/09! Our first meeting will be during activity period at the end of the day.

I passed out a list of Essential Equipment at our Activity Period Open House last week. This is the stuff you will need at each club meeting. Please make sure you bring everything (or at least as much as you have) to every meeting.

In case you lost, forgot or never recieved this handout, I will post the list again.

(Check below)

After you have taken a look around this site, and perhaps read a few posts, take a few moments to create an account and become a member. (right hand column) I will then make you a Contributor so you can write posts and articles, ask questions and load your pictures for other club members to see.

Invitation to Join This Blog as a Contributor

Any of you Eden Photography Club members are welcome to join this blog as a contributor.

You need to first create a Google Account and join this blog as a follower. (look on the right hand margin...click the "Follow" link) You then need to email me (dmohr@edenca.org) from an address you check often, and request to be added as an author. When I receive your request, I will submit your email to the blog host, and they will send you a confirmation reply.

Once you are a follower and have been added as a contributor, you will be able to write your own posts, add your photos and show off your work! You can add your comments to other people's posts, too! (you can probably do that now...)

So come on, guys! Sign up and let's see what you got!

Results - Rule of Thirds Project 1 by Missamo

After the discussion and slide show on the Rule of Thirds, club members went out around the school looking to practice composing photographs. I took my camera and went for a walk as well. First stop: my room where Mr. Hall was supervising the Chess Club. I snapped a few shots, and here's what I got.



I think Jourdain should be a bit more to the right. I can fix that in Photoshop Elements. He also looks slightly out of focus. I should have used focus lock when I composed the shot. Out of focus problems can't be fixed in Photoshop.



This looks a little better. The original image was cropped to put the subject in the correct position. However, the out of focus problem remains. Actually, nothing in the picture looks very crisp. This suggests a different problem: camera shake. Camera shake can be caused by several factors. The camera should be held very steady; the button should be squeezed slowly, so that it's almost a surprise when the picture is taken. Camera shake is ofen a problem when shooting in low light which forces a slower shutter speed.

Oh well...next time.



This looks a little better. It could perhaps be cropped and enlarged to show a closer view.

Like this:



Much Better! Thanks Jenny!!



This one could probably stand a little retouching, too. I could crop it and zoom in on Mr. Hall.

Or I could leave it like it is.

What do you think?

Using Your Camera's "Focus Lock" Feature When Composing Photos

Yesterday, we learned how to use the Rule of Thirds to compose artful and interesting pictures that are a cut above the typical snapshot. This involves putting the subject off-center on one of the gridlines, or on the intersection of two gridlines.

One problem associated with this procedure has to do with maintaining proper focus. Cameras that autofocus assume that your subject is in the center of the frame. So, whatever is centered in the frame is what the camera puts in focus. If the subject of your photo is off-center on one of the gridlines, it will be out of focus.

There are two simple ways to solve this problem:

1.) Switch the autofocus function off, and focus manually. This allows you creative control over your image. You decide what's in focus, not the sensor in your camera. However, this may not be possible on Point and Shoot cameras.

2.) Use the "Focus Lock" feature. Most 35mm cameras and many Point and Shoot cameras have this feature, and it works well when trying to compose images. You may have noticed that with autofocus on, you first need to press the button half way down to focus the subject. Then you press the button the rest of the way down to take the shot.

To use the Focus Lock feature, center your subject and press the button half way down to focus, then hold the button at that point and move your camera to reposition your subject on one of the Rule of Thirds gridlines and compose your shot.

As long as you hold the button halfway down and don't release it, the focus will be locked, and the camera will not refocus when you reposition your subject.



The top photo was composed with the Rule of Thirds in mind. The woman was placed off-center on the left gridline. But with the camera in autofocus mode, the center of the image is in focus, while the woman is out of focus.

To solve this problem, use the camera's Focus Lock feature. Center the subject in the middle of the picture. Then press the shutter button halfway down to focus, and hold it there. Holding the button halfway down will lock the focus at this distance. Reposition the subject while holding the button halfway down, then press the button all the way down to take the shot.

The camera will not refocus unless you release the button.

(sample picture from Google Images)

Project 1: Composition and the Rule of Thirds

Our first project is to learn to compose images using the "Rule of Thirds".

The Rule of Thirds is a well-known rule for composing images that are pleasing to the eye.

Check here for a brief tutorial and several examples of the Rule of Thirds.

Your assignment is to take your digital camera and compose several photographs of friends, teachers or interesting objects around the school grounds using the "Rule of Thirds".

Then come back in to the computer lab and download your pictures on to the lab computer and see how they came out.

Post your pictures here on the blog so we can all see!

Good hunting!

For more advanced information on the Rule of Thirds, check here.

For more useful tips on image composition, check here when you get a chance.

sample picture from Google Images

Point and Shoot Cameras vs 35mm Digital SLR Cameras - Which is best for you?

Questions and Answers for Casual Photographers

Not everybody wants to be a professional photographer. Some of us just want to take a few pictures here and there, and don't want to spend a fortune doing it. Before you confront the army of camera sales teams in your local home electronics store, take a look at this guide for casual photographers. The cost for an entry level digital camera can be high, so it's best to really think about what kinds of pictures you are hoping to take before you invest in expensive equipment that may be collecting dust after 6 months.

1. What is an SLR camera? (note: DSLR refers to a Digital SLR camera)

SLR refers to "Single Lens Reflex", or a camera that has one single lens to both view a scene and capture an image. What this means to the casual photographer is that the image you view through the lens will be the picture you take when you press the button. What you see is what you get. It also means you can change the lens to take telephoto or wide angle photos. Probably the most appealing aspect of an SLR camera is the ability to adjust the camera's settings manually for creative control over the final image.

2. What is a digital Point-and-Shoot camera?

A point-and-shoot camera uses one lens to view the scene (the viewfinder), and a separate lens to capture the desired image. This means the image captured will not be the actual image viewed by the photographer, but only a close approximation. For most casual photographers, the image is so close you won't recognize the difference. Point-and-Shoot cameras require very little manual adjustment (if any), and operate like the name describes. Focus is usually automatic. The casual photographer will get acceptable pictures but taking the really creative photographs we all admire is generally not possible with a "point and shoot".

3. Does an SLR take better photos?

Yes. With an SLR camera it is usually easier to capture high quality photos, but there is a price. Entry level Digital SLR camera prices are six or eight times higher than digital point-and-shoot cameras. SLR cameras also take time to master, and require the user to learn quite a bit more about how a camera works in order to take pictures that will "wow" family and friends.

The good news is that now that we are in the digital age, there is very little expense once the initial investment in camera equipment is made. You can take literally thousands of pictures, delete the bad ones and keep the good ones at no additional cost. (except perhaps if you want to have prints made) You can learn how your camera works much faster this way.

4. Does a "Point and Shoot" take poor photos?

No. A Point-and-Shoot camera may take high quality photos, and the quality of these cameras is constantly improving. It is more difficult to produce a professional quality photo with a Point-and-Shoot camera, but it is possible. Point-and-Shoot digital cameras now take pictures that can be printed as large as 11x17 with excellent results.

5. Is a Digital SLR worth the investment for a casual photographer?

Probably not. An SLR camera is usually the choice of serious amateur photographers and professionals. For people who just want to snap a few shots of their friends here and there, or take a picture of their dog while hiking, a digital Point-and-Shoot will produce great pictures. An SLR is bulky, expensive, and requires more time to learn. A Point-and Shoot is compact, less expensive, and easy to use straight out of the box. If you're going to spend the extra money on a DSLR 35mm camera, it makes no sense to take pictures in full automatic mode. The pictures will not be much different from a "point and shoot" camera. You should plan to spend the time and effort to learn what the camera is capable of, and make full use of the creative capabilities of its features to produce high quality images.

2006 by Porterdog http://www.associatedcontent.com

Essential Equipment

Photography can be an expensive hobby, especially in the beginning. But after the initial outlay of money to buy the basic essentials, there is very little cost.

Here is a list of basic essentials, and a wish list to pass on to relatives at Christmas and birthdays!

Essentials: Bring these to every club meeting.

digital camera w/ manual: You will obviously need a digital camera if you would like to join our photography club. A 35mm DSLR camera or a "Point and Shoot" camera will work nicely A cell phone camera, however, will not. A 35mm Digital SLR camera (like a Canon or a Nikon camera) has lenses that can be removed and replaced for different applications. (telephoto lenses, wide angle lenses, etc.)They are more expensive, ($500 and up) but allow much more creative control,

A "Point and Shoot" camera is much smaller and has simpler controls, but can still take very nice pictures. These can be bought for under $150.

You should bring the manual that came with your camera so you can look up how to use the various features of your camera. There are also 3rd party manuals available for the 35mm cameras which explain how to get the most out of their features. I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (bought it used) and I bought this manual to go with it.

starter lens: This would be the lens that came with your 35mm camera. Point and Shoot cameras only have one lens, and it can't be removed or replaced. If you have additional lenses, feel free to bring them!

batteries: You should have fresh or fully charged batteries available for every club meeting. Rechargable batteries and a charger work well, too.

SD or CF card: A San Disk or Compact Flash card stores the pictures you take in the camera. You must then download the pictures to a computer to view, edit or print them.

SD or CF card reader: After you take the picture, and it is stored in the camera, you must be able to transfer it to a computer. There are three ways to do this:
1.) Use a download cable and connect the camera to the computer.
2.) Use a card reader with USB port access - insert the card into the reader and the reader into a USB port to transfer the photos.
3.) Insert the card directly into a slot in the computer. (Not all computers accept all cards)

Download cable: see above

Desktop Computer or laptop: We will be meeting in the computer lab. You can download your photos into the lab computers, but don't delete the photos from your card. You will want to download them onto your computer at home.

Image editing software (free ones are available): You will eventually want to edit your photos to improve the quality of the images after they come out of the camera. Enlarging, cropping, "photoshopping" your photos, etc, requires a software program like Photoshop CS3 or Photoshop Elements. The lab computers have Photoshop CS3 on them, but you will need to edit your photos at home for the most part.

Camera bag: This is for transporting and protecting your delicate camera equipment. It would be a shame to damage expensive equipment out of carelessness or neglect.

Flash drive: A flash drive will be needed in case you edit your photos at school, and want to take them home.



Wish List: Here is a list of additional equipment you may want to consider getting if you want to get serious about photography, and want to take better quality pictures.

More expensive camera
More lenses
Laptop/computer
Image editing software (the better ones cost money)
Rechargeable batteries and charger
Extra SD or CF card
More/bigger flash drives
book for your specific camera
Tripod
Books that teach how to get the most out of the software
Bigger camera bag
On-camera flash unit
External flash unit
Tripod
Umbrella w/ flash