"Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly." ~Robert Schuller See that quote? It was the Real Simple "Daily Thought" sent to my inbox a couple of days ago. I've given it a lot of thought, and decided that there's a lot of truth to it. Don't you agree? See, here's the deal. I LOVE taking pictures! I have taken thousands and thousands of pictures over the years. As my interest in photography grew, I started soaking up as much information as I could about the craft. Taking classes (in real life and online), subscribing to blogs, and, well, practicing what I learned....over and over and over! When I upload a set of pictures, I always feel a sense of excitement, hoping that at least ONE of the 276 images I took (in a 15 minute period!) turns out okay. Most times, I can gather enough from a shoot to make a fairly decent album. Then, I usually hit a snag.... "Comparison is the thief of joy." ~Theodore Roosevelt I tend to look at my pictures and immediately compare them to those taken by other people. Mine aren't as crystal clear...mine aren't as richly colored....mine don't evoke that gasp of deep appreciation....well, you get the idea. I'm without question my own worst critic. (That goes for all areas of my life...not just photography, by the way.) So, my quest for that "Wow Factor" continues. In my most recent online class, something FINALLY clicked and for the first time in my life, I am shooting in 100% Manual Mode! For the very talented/knowledgeable photographers in my area that may be reading this, I realize that this is nothing so extraordinary. However, for someone like me who has until now depended on the presets on my DSLR camera (...you know..."portrait mode"..."running man mode", etc.), this is a BIG deal! I feel the need to give the guys over at shootflyshoot.com a big ol' shoutout for their very clear explanation of shooting in manual. Thank you, Kevin & Josh!! Seriously, you guys are awesome! :) So, here's a picture I took last week...in manual mode! :) It is truly SOOC, meaning "Straight Out Of Camera" with no editing done to it at all. Even though I think it's pretty darn good, I immediately start telling myself that it could be better. I used to think editing a picture was "cheating", but I'm learning that most ALL photographers edit their images in one way or another. So, I no longer view it as cheating, but, rather, "enhancing" my images. I use PSE10 (Photoshop Elements) and PicMonkey. I like both for different reasons. Anyway, here's the same image after a "Clean Edit".... See what I mean? It truly is simply "enhanced" ....very subtle changes, but more pleasing to my eye. The colors are just a touch sharper. There is a touch more light. I have found that my images don't need as much editing if they are shot in Manual Mode. Kinda weird! I would think that the camera presets would be best, but it seems that perhaps the camera doesn't always know what's best after all. Anyway, so I could stop here and be perfectly content, but.....aw, heck...who am I kidding??! I'm ready to try something else with my pictures, so....these days, I've become obsessed with textures! I have seen blogs that texturize every single picture they edit. I'm not sure I'll be texturizing pictures of people anytime soon, but I DO like the effect on my nature pictures. So, with that said, take a look at my latest texture experiment... This image makes me happy! Isn't it pretty? It's kinda' "artsy-looking." :) I should be good now, right? Well........, I am venturing into a part of the editing world that I know very little about. I am already worrying that someone will see this and immediately spot the imperfections in my latest interest, but I'm trying to keep those feelings under control. I'm mean, after all.... "Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle." ~Jon Acuff So, am I "flawless"?? Hardly! Trust me, "imperfections" abound, but I'm learning to be kinder to myself. I'm trying my very best to see the good in my efforts and appreciate my journey for what it is... a journey...not a finish line! I hope you're finding joy in your journey, too!
Until next time, ~Dot P.S. I've posted a few more of my Texture experiments on my Photography page if you're interested.
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AuthorHi! I'm Dot. I refuse to succumb to the "empty nest syndrome"! So, this is my journal.....my photo album.....my attempt to enjoy the next chapter of my life as it unfolds. Welcome to The Roomy Nest! Archives
January 2020
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