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Thursday, May 31, 2018

100 Day Project

 
"If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you."  -  Les Brown


At first, I planned to take pictures of anything I found beautiful, not necessarily flowers.  But my project #seebeautyhere has evolved into flower and nature pictures, a majority documenting my yard coming back to life after a long winter. 
 

I knew the project would be a stretch for me to keep up with...

The first thirty nine days I posted a picture on Instagram every day.  Then the weather turned warm outside with a lot more things to do.  I have taken pictures most days but my posting on Instagram has become a little sparse...


I have learned a few things in the first 50 days or so:

I love the morning light.  The morning light is muted, soft with no harsh shadows.  Sometimes there are bonuses like dewdrops, or even raindrops, for added interest.  I also love how the angle of the light shines through the trees in my backyard making the most lovely bokeh backdrop for flowers.

Learn more about bokeh HERE.


Shooting in manual mode isn't scary.  Really.  Manual mode is just a dance between the aperture, ISO and shutter speed.

In the past I would normally shoot in Aperture Priority Mode.  I chose the aperture, or f-stop, so I can control how much of my subject is in focus and what the bokeh looks like.  I also put the ISO as low as possible for the lighting situation, always under 400, so my images aren't too grainy (I think they call that 'noise' now.)  So the only thing left to adjust for manual mode is the shutter speed.  I started looking at my camera's internal light sensor and moving my shutter speed up or down as needed to get an exposure close to what I like.  The big secret?  If the image is close to the correct exposure I can fix it in Lightroom.


It can't always be perfect.  Taking pictures everyday and then editing them is time consuming.  I don't spend as much time on the 100 Day Project pictures as I normally do with pictures for my blog.  Guess what?  My project pictures look about like my blog pictures.  I have realized I spend way too much time second guessing myself about little things in an image when editing. 

The key to getting images I like...take a lot of images.  I have a lot more photographs this year than I did  last year at this time, and more images I like.  Taking a lot of photographs, looking at them close and figuring out what worked and what didn't, is one of the best ways to learn how to create photographs I like. 


A 200mm picture doesn't look like a 60mm picture.   My 60mm macro lens broke a few weeks into the project.  My 60mm is my go-to lens, being without it forced me to use a different lens.  I have a used 200mm-70mm f2.8 I bought a few years ago but didn't use it much because it is so big and heavy.  I also didn't like how far I had to stand away from my subject.  (The minimum focus distance is about 5 feet.)   When using the 200mm while my 60mm was broke, I was reminded it has great bokeh at f2.8.  The 200mm also brings the background closer to the foreground, 'compressing' the image.  I have read that before, but now I really see it and understand it better.

My 60mm lens is now fixed and the big lens gets put on almost as much as my 60mm.

Learn more about lens compression HERE


It doesn't always work out as I planned.  Sometimes I take crappy pictures...and that's okay...because I just love taking pictures.  Although at times I can get a little irritated if after an hour or so of work I don't have any good images.  But I am slowly learning about letting go of the outcome and just enjoying the whole process I love so much.


It is a practice, this photography thing.  A practice I will not always get perfect, but I will love every step of the journey...


Summer is definitely here!  I will be taking a blog break for the month of June and part of July... Enjoy your summer! 

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day and stopping by!
Have a great day!

Michelle



9 comments:

  1. Oh Michelle, this is a wonderful post!
    Like you I also started the 100 day project, and I finally gave up. I just couldn't keep up since my work has become crazy busy (end of the school year) and it felt more like a chore than fun - a sure sign to stop doing it.
    You are right, photography is a lot of practice. I started shooting in manual a few years ago and I've never looked back. I'm not sure why I didn't do that earlier, it really is not rocket science. I also get a lot of crappy pictures, but that's okay because I learn from it. My confidence in photography has grown a lot and I just build on my experience. It is fun and very satisfying.
    I enjoy your beautiful photos here and on your Instagram.

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  2. So pretty Michelle, as a love of anything flower this puts my heart on pitter patter. I am also going to take a break soon as the summer heat here in AZ is a good time to stay inside. Have a good break and summer.

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  3. So many dreamy images here, but my favourite is the pink blossom and the wonderful soft background.
    I also take a lot of pictures and then choose my favourite afterwards when I view them on my computer screen. I don't use Photoshop as I don't have it!
    Have a wonderful blog break in June and part of July!

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  4. I like reading about other’s experiences and thoughts about photography. I think I mostly have low expectations. When I walk with the camera, I enjoy the experience of watchfulness - finding scenes I want to shoot. I always edit my photos - at least the ones I might use. That does take time, but it’s a creative process I enjoy. Have a good time on your blog break. Make some memories.

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  5. You're right about manual mode and I need to be a little more patient and use it more often. I'm usually in aperture mode. I also agree with you about editing. I try to keep that as simple as possible. Sometimes I spend way too much time tweeking something in a photo only to think that I finally got it right - and then can't see the change when I compare the final exported image. I would like to learn more, though, so that I can streamline my process - make it more simple. I mostly use lightroom - only jumping over to photoshop if I want to take something out of a photo which I'm finding distracting.

    These images are beautiful! Your broken lens may have been a blessing in disguise, as you seem to have learned a lot from it - if only reinforcing some things that you already knew. I also like how your 100 day project gains focus as you're working through it. Enjoy your break and happy clicking!

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  6. Nothing beats that first morning sunlight for the right captures. Great macros! Many times things don't work like we planned...and that's okay. Sometimes you can go back to those photos (even years later) and discover something you didn't see before. Keep up the good work!

    Chris

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  7. Michelle, I always look forward to your images! Beauty-full!! Glad you had a go at the 100 day project - good on you! I would like to try it too, since hearing so many wonderful stories about it and the outcome. You can always pick it back up ... that's the beauty of life! :)

    On photography -- Always manual mode (is there any other way?!) HA! ;) I love to push my ISO, call me crazy that way. I love grain! And, exciting news, I just got myself a 35mm film camera to go the rounds with!!! As soon as I get through some work, I'm going at it full on! Secret to tell -- I have not shot with a fully manual film camera in over 27 years (but who's counting!)!! :D Yay!

    Have fun and keep experimenting; push those boundaries! Will look forward to hearing from you after your break. Enjoy and be well! xo

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  8. You have learned so much from your 100 day project already. I failed miserably once again. Oh well! I am considering manual mode once my 365 velvet 56 project is done. Lensbaby lenses don't work in manual mode. I fell in love with my zoom last year when I did my meadow project. That compression is divine.

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  9. Love your photos, Michelle !
    Thanks for sharing your experiences ...
    Enjoy your break,
    Sylvia

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