Why I love photography

1. I need time to slow down.  I honestly think this is the reason everyone initially gets into photography. Photographers have a compulsive need to preserve time.  We feel it slipping away and life is like a vapor.  Here one minute and gone the next.  Time only keeps speeding up and I want to remember, document and cherish every detail.  Time is precious, and it feels like the older I get the more quickly time passes by.  Things change and happen so fast!  Sometimes I feel like I’m hurtling through life.  I love the slow days.  I love time to think and create.  Photography helps me to do that.   

Newborn and mother picture, Columbus, Indiana Newborn photographer

2. I love the technical and artistic challenge.  Guys, you have no idea how short my attention span is.  I love art, and have always loved art.  But I get tired of different mediums rather quickly.  I have plowed my way through learning ink, watercolor, pencil, charcoal, oil paint, oil and chalk pastels, sculpting, woodburning, hand lettering, calligraphy, acrylic paint, marblizing and making paper, collage, cooking, sewing, poetry- you name it! Photography has kept my focus for soooo long.  And that is because the possibilities are endless!  From editing, to film, to getting things technically right straight out of camera, from learning my settings and gear.  It is a gold mine of endless learning!!!!! Photography is such a good fit for me.  Since I have an automotive background, I love the technical aspect of photography.  Since I am an artist, I also love the control and artistic view you can infuse into every photograph.  Since I am somewhat of a perfectionist, I can work hard to achieve a perfectly exposed photo in camera every time.  I love learning and trying new things, and I have yet to reach any exhaustive point with photography and I have been actively absorbing everything I can for at least five years.    

Bride, Columbus, Indiana wedding photographer

 3.  I love observing people.  Photography has helped me to become more thoughtful and observant.  It has also helped me to consider how I can become a better visual storyteller.  I love unique quirks and small ticks.  I love seeing different personalities. I love expressing myself through photography in a way that will honor the person I am photographing, and best tell their story. 

Child at play, Columbus, Indiana child and family photographer

 4. I feel that it is an important craft to learn.  Photography has been around and changed a lot in its lifetime.  There are skills to be learned from photography.  I think it is important to see beauty in the mundane.  I think it’s important to study the masters.  Learning photography has improved my ability to see light.  It has improved my ability to capture dynamic skin tones when I paint. It has taught me to look for design and composition in everything.  I can see things in a new way, and it has sparked my curiosity about the world.    

Self Portrait, blog why I love Photography, portrait photographer, Columbus, Indiana

 Thanks for reading!!!

 

Your Vacation Guide to the Smokey Mountains

If you have not been to Gatlinburg, Tennessee you need to go!  The smokey mountains are beautiful and there is so much to do! My husband and I took a short getaway recently without the kids, but there are plenty of family friendly things to do.  The cabins are always reasonably priced, and they are located with beautiful views and minutes away from downtown things to do. The drive through the park alone is worth it! There are tons of places to pull off and admire the view.  

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Travel Photography, Landscape photography,

We went to Clingman’s dome.  The hike is a paved way to an amazing view! It is somewhat steep but very doable! There is a tower at the top and the view is beautiful.

Clingmans dome, travel photo, Gatlinburg, TN
Clingman’s dome, Travel Photography, landscape photography, Gatlinburg, TN

We stopped by Elkmont ghost town. I found it to be a photographer’s dream! Full of interesting angles and textures. I could’ve spent hours there exploring. We visited midday so the sun didn’t give the pictures the atmosphere it deserves.  Maybe this spot deserves a revisit sometime in our future, but maybe that’s just me.

We went up the Gatlinburg Skylift park, where you ride a ski lift up the mountain.  There is a suspension bridge at the top which has glass floor panels in the middle.  It is not for the faint of heart if you are afraid of heights.  I didn’t have my big camera up there, which was unfortunate.  I was terrified of dropping it!

We drove on the Tail of the Dragon! Which is 318 curves in 11 miles.  Let me tell you, I never want to do that again! I was so carsick afterwards! If you get motion sick this one is not for you. But it was a once in a lifetime experience that was worth it.  However, NEVER AGAIN!!!

Panning Car, Gatlinburg, TN Travel Photography,

On the way home we went by Cumberland falls.  This was a worthwhile stop! The falls are beautiful, and it was a good break from driving.

The weather was absolutely perfect the whole time we were there! However, on the way back we were hit hard with rain. I took pictures out the window the whole time. They turned out to be some of my favorite landscapes. The sky was rolling! I loved every minute.

Thanks for reading.

Self portrait, Columbus, Indiana Photographer

10 Elements of Composition for Photography

  1.      The Rule of Thirds

    This one is a simple one to employ. If you divide your frame into 9 equal squares, then you should place your subject on the lines of intersection.  Horizons should go on these lines as well and you should avoid placing them directly in the middle (in between the lines).  This will help to add interest in your image.

Rule of thirds, photography composition tutorial, Columbus, IN

2.      Symmetry

It helps a strong center composition to have perfect symmetry on either side of your subject.  If you have ever watched a Wes Anderson film, you will notice how he uses this often. See here. This is one of my favorite compositions to use.  I feel like it brings a sense of whimsy and peace to the image. Symmetry is very pleasing to the eye.

Symmetry, elements of composition, Columbus Indiana photographer

3.     Negative Space

Having a lot of negative space around your subject helps to draw attention to them in a minimalist way. There are no distractions to draw the eye away with this composition.

negative space, rules of composition, Columbus Indiana photographer

4.      The Golden Triangle

This one takes a bit of intention to pull off.  Be aware of strong diagonals going throughout the image.  Sometimes they are more implied.  Other times it is a direct line.              

Golden triangle example, Columbus Indiana photographer, rules of composition tutorial

5.     Isolate the Subject

Using a wide aperture as low as f/1.4 will help the focus to fall on your subject and the background will fade away into a blur. This will give you a shallow depth of field.  This gives a dreamier effect and is great for portraiture.

Isolate the subject example, elements of composition, Columbus, Indiana photographer

6.       Color

Using analogous colors or complimentary colors will help bring attention to your subject.  For this picture the girl’s hoodie is the same color as the lemur’s eyes. Color harmonies are also very pleasing.  I love using the primary colors!

color example, rules of composition, tutorial, Columbus, IN photographer

7.    Fill the frame

This is where you get very close to your subject so that very little if any space is seen around them. This draws the attention right to your subject.  Cropping in very tightly works well for this, just make sure to not chop limbs in an unpleasing way.  For more information on limb chops go here.

Fill the frame, composition element, Columbus, Indiana Photographer

8.      Leading lines

This is exactly how it sounds.  Look for lines or paths that will lead your eyes to the subject. You want these lines to take your eyes deeper into the frame. They do not have to be straight, sometimes a curved path can take you deeper into the image.

Leading Lines example, Columbus, IN Photographer, Tutorial

9.      Foreground and Depth

This is essentially layering.  Having a strong foreground, middle ground and background can help add visual interest. In this picture the plant is the foreground, the baby is the middle ground and the grandmother is the background.

Foreground and depth, Composition example, Columbus, Indiana Photographer

10.      Framing

This one is my favorite! I love shooting through things to frame my subject.  In this case the leaves do the job.  But you can use anything! People, nature, buildings, even light! The possibilities are endless.

Framing example, Columbus, IN photographer, composition rules

Hope this is helpful! If you’ll like, you can read more here. Thanks for reading.