Do you like taking photos, or do you think you might like taking photos if you tried it? Do you sometimes lack motivation to take photos despite theoretical interest? If so, consider joining our photography club. In fact, if you’re reading this you can consider yourself a member.
Here’s how it works: throughout the month of January 2018, we go out and take one or more photos that fit a particular theme, and then share them in this thread. This is not a contest with judges or votes, though you are free to choose a favorite if you’d like.
For this inaugural round, you get to choose from three flexible themes that @Mikey and I came up with:
- Green
- Water
- Success
Feel free to combine two of these, or even all three. When you post, you can explain how the theme or themes you have chosen apply to your photo. Or just leave it up to your audience to interpret. There really aren’t any rules, just the illusion of structure to encourage motivation.
You can also talk about your equipment or technique if you want to, so that maybe we can all improve a little.
FAQ
Can I participate if I don’t have a good camera, or if I just have a phone?
Yes.
Can I participate if I’m not an experienced photographer?
Yes.
Can I post a photo that I took before January 2018?
Yes, as long as you modify the EXIF data so that no one knows that you cheated.
Can I post a photo that I took after January 2018?
Yes, there is no deadline.
Can I manipulate my photo after taking it?
Yes, and if you do something interesting with it please share so that we can learn the technique.
Tips
Here are a few tips that helped me when I first started trying to take decent photos:
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Use a tripod if possible, or just place the camera on top of something. Or at least try to hold the camera as still as possible.
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Use your camera’s timer function if possible, even if you just set the timer for two seconds or so. This helps because simply touching the camera to take the shot can shake it a little.
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Avoid using the flash whenever possible, unless you have a fancy flash. If you need to shine a light on something, try diffusing the light. One very cheap technique that you can use for this is shining a lamp through a piece of frosted shower curtain plastic, which you can get at a fabric store.
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Don’t use your camera’s digital zoom function. Just use the optical zoom (the one that actually moves the lens) and crop the photo later if you want to.
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Dawn, dusk, and overcast days are perfect for photography. Noon when the sun is bright is typically not ideal, nor is darkness.
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head. If you have a nice camera and/or know what you are doing, then the above tips may not apply. And I’m not the best person to be giving such tips in the first place. I’ve never even owned an SLR camera.
That’s it. Have fun and post your photos below. And if you have an idea for the next theme, let me or Mikey know and you can join our secret planning thread.
