The most difficult thing about a new camera should not be finding the time in which to use it. Between Child A getting the stomach flu, Child B getting a cold, Horse C getting an abscess, 3 hours of dental work leaving me a ball of misery and whine for two days, and stupidly forgetting to take the gear out of the trunk on my one day off before the wife drove off with it... well, you get the idea. However. It is there. Waiting for me. Calling my name. Whispering.. Michealle.. Michealle, come take piiiiiiiikshuuuuuuurs. Ehem. At least I found some time to read some of the manual!

Now. To the assignment. Decisive moment is hard. Hard. Glares. People glare. Oh my gosh do people glare. They also gawk. Some of them -dive- out of the way if they think they are in your photograph. Kids sometimes strike poses and try to fill your frame. You want me to adjust my settings and get the shot off before the moment goes away? Ouch.



At one point at the ice skating rink, I sat at the base of the ramp while the zamboni was going around. I was taking pictures of kids coming down the ramp, or goofing off at the top.. well, whatever, I figured the ramp was a good spot. I had my camera up in front of my face and my finger waiting to go, just knowing that -something- had to happen soon. The guy in the right of this picture got so uncomfortable and squirmy that I finally realized that he thought I was taking pictures of him. I shifted my camera a bit, took a picture, then compassionately lowered my camera. Of course, right after that this girl in bright orange stockings goes rail hopping.

Step one: Get out around more people and action. Step two: Don't give a damn if they glare, gawk, dive, pose, or squirm. Step three: Learn lightning-fast super-shutter reflexes! Step four: Take picture. Social intimidation much? I think so!

I got a new camera. What's the first thing I do with the darn thing? Take pictures in the car, of course. On auto mode, and over my shoulder since I get carsick. Still, I am entertained!



I'm now going out to work in my decisive moment some more. It's going to take me a while to figure out the camera controls and what not, but I figure I can practice and do my homework at the same time. I also got a new flash card to replace my horrible one that betrayed me after four years of reliable service. The new one is also faster, to match the new fast camera. In fact, the new camera is so fast that I have to train myself to anticipate a little less. I kept getting pony strides off of their ideal capture point. Sobad.

I almost feel guilty. Almost. Nomnomnom.










Edit @ 6:38pm: My favorite from today, taken through the plexiglass at the side of the rink. Taken during sunset. 800ISO, 50mm, f4.0, 1/2000

Framing + getting a shot in a split second = zomg difficult.

Hurrah for more excuses to shoot and creative feedback. This post is more to kick off the new semester assignment blog than anything else. Here's to the next few months full of shooting.

Oh. Also, flowers AND bunny. Can't beat that. Ha!



I took this years ago on my N80. No clue anymore what film or settings.

The pleurisy has FINALLY gone away enough that I can get away with keeping my narcotics usage to the night time. I'm still on heavy amounts of ibuprofin, but I'm relieved enough over this step that I could cry. This means that I'm easing my way back into taking pictures again. This excites me greatly, as I have some gear to rent and a formal portrait shoot to do with horses at the end of January. Practice, practice, practice.

On another note. Trains are serious business.

Sunlight & fairly still child.

Speedlight & squirmy child.

Part II

Shooting while drugged was interesting. I think 12 of the 30 shots I took came out in focused. Ha! Just out of time to wait for feeling up to par. This will have to do. It's not so nice as I had hoped, but I think it works.

Fish appropriated (reused from first), glass texture appropriated. Fan scanned. Everything else shot with my moderately patient eight year old. Turned down the saturation and the selected things to bring out. Seventeen pictures in this one, eighteen if you count the one I duplicated.

---

Tweaked it more. I was tempted to edit out all of the clipping, but I like what it does where I left it.

Generally speaking, I find the behavior of my fellow classmates to be appalling.

How difficult is it to pay attention when someone is giving a presentation?

FFS, people. I was so disgusted that I left.

Then I saw where someone had recreated a Banksy painting on the trunk of his car. It was a joy to be reminded of the things that matter.

Don't know Banksy? Go look.

Here is an interesting article on the future of photography.

The game is changing so fast that nobody can see the moves before they're three moves behind.

It's all good, though. No matter what happens, I'll be there framing the world.

And, a photograph!

50mm . 400ISO . 1/400 @f1.8
It was nice and soft, but there was a patch too focused.
I softened that up in Photoshop. Otherwise it's as-is from the card.