I remember the days when I would shoot my husband's baseball games, friends and family gatherings, birthday parties, our annual family Christmas parties, even my kiddos' baby announcements and growing days ...IN AUTO.
It was simple, if the light was low while we were watching my daughter blow out the candles on her birthday cake, my flash would pop up and BOOM - photo captured. Creepy, cheesy smiles on the front stoop all ready to head out for Halloween, flash would pop, BOOM - moment captured. Life was pretty easy to lay out in the photobooks. Memories were made and saved, in focus and properly exposed. 4th of July parade with my littles prepped and ready to snag as much candy as humanly possible was easily pushed through the camera and thrown in the family video. The 100s of soccer games kicking out 1000s of digital history...easy.
UNTIL...
I wanted more. I wanted more than a snapshot, I wanted art. The limits of AUTO reared its ugly head. It hit me after my middle son was born and I switched to the digital world. While shooting film, I had plenty of wasted images...too blurry, too dark, motion of movement, etc. But I was always told in my photography classes in 1 roll of film you were lucky to get 1 great image. I didn't push myself to understand exposure. The evolution of that level of understanding seemed impossible to me in the film days. I simply knew to buy several rolls of film, shoot like crazy and expect to get only a few good images. (Can you imagine??) But with the jump into digital, I quickly saw the benefit of shooting, deleting, shifting and shooting again. What a beautiful time of technology to learn exposure! Instant feedback. No need to write down my settings in a notebook for each shot. No need to wait to see how my exposure played out while my film & printed images would be processed for several days (if I developed them myself) or a couple of weeks (if I sent them in for development)...insane conditions to learn exposure and camera settings. I have a deep and resounding respect for the film photographers of the past who captured amazing and moving art without the use of photoshop or digital trial & error. They operated solely on their knowledge of exposure and their understandings of what they could do with their camera.
Why not AUTO? What's the big deal?
Nope, I wanted soft light images of my newborn baby; soft shadow lines providing wispy texture and dimension. Shooting in AUTO would inevitably trigger the flash. My photo in my mind's eye was not the photo achieved in my camera. Flash = harsh shadow lines, blown out close features and blackened background. I discovered a trick, though. I could hold my flash down preventing it from opening! That was successful sometimes, but I never had a guarantee. Operating without flash in AUTO and in low light situations I found subject blur constantly. It was always hit or miss; a crap shoot. I never had a clue how the resulting image would come out. There were never any guarantees. And once the sun went down at the hubby's baseball games, I would have to return my camera to nest in it's bag. There was never the chance my flash would reach (even the expensive one that I was told would). I would envision so much art around me and I had no idea how to capture it in my camera. I would be asked by friends and family to take photos and I honestly didn't know if I would get any good images. It was nerve-wracking and stressful. I had a mind for the subject I captured, but had no understanding of how to capture it within the restrictions of AUTO. It was hit or miss and I had no control over my end results. I was fast realizing I needed to understand more about what I could do with my camera. I needed to take control of the choices my camera was making. I had to break out of AUTO. I had to learn exposure.
Once I opened the "exposure door," it literally opened my eyes to a whole new world. I watched countless youtube videos, bought a couple of books (however, I struggle learning by reading and instead would have LOVED someone to stand next to me to help), played with my settings constantly and began to take control of setting choices and ultimately artistic choices of my captures. I had more failed attempts in the beginning than I wished for, but it allowed me to experience the variables impacting the resulting image. I am embarrassed to say that it took me years. But I will NEVER go back.
It shouldn't take years. It should take a series of pointed lessons on each exposure setting, followed by hands-on practice. I am a see-and-do type of learner. I struggle with read-and-do and am always full of questions...well, what if I did this? How can I achieve this in my photo? I see this in beautiful images, what settings will help me pull this into my results? Many questions. I didn't have that person to ask. I did join photography forums. However helpful, those too, included lots of time reading and not necessarily doing.
The birth of Photography 101:
I am a teacher by trade. I monopolize on learning strategies and applying understandings. Once I felt comfortable in my "exposure" skin, I set out to put together a user-friendly exposure class targeting see-and-do learners, like myself. I pushed to create the class that I would have gained quickly and greatly from in my early days. For 6 years now, I have run the Photography 101 workshop. It is offered in both the Summer Workshop Series and my Winter Workshop Series and is the #1 class for enrollment. Anyone with interest in going further (capturing beautiful images and taking control of the decisions being made by their digital camera) is PERFECT for this class. Specific lessons hit on the 3 aspects of exposure, importance of light and twist of personal artistic composition. The accompanying workbook is designed to be your companion during the 4-hour workshop as well as into the future. With the course, also comes me. I know, I know...what can that possibly mean, Mrs. Center-of-the-universe?? No, I just mean that I craved someone I could bombard with questions who would take the time to help me perfect my understandings. The person I needed back then. It shouldn't take YEARS to learn exposure and take better images. So, I am prepared to be that person for my students. I have a growing private community of learners (on Facebook) composed entirely of previous Photography 101 students (all ages...from teen to adult). It is a private sanctuary where photos can be posted, questions can be asked and good resources for learning can be shared. You are not alone in your journey. I can help. I want to help.
Following is a SAMPLING of what you can find in your discovery of what your camera can do FOR YOU when YOU TAKE CONTROL of the reigns.
Obviously having light in your scene is critical. In order for light to move into your camera to be captured, it has to exist in your environment. But did you know that your camera has a setting that controls its sensitivity to light? ISO is a secret weapon and can allow you freedom to capture moments in low light.
Ever notice blur when trying to capture a moving object? How long light is allowed into your camera is controlled by a setting called shutter speed. This can be your best friend when trying to stop subject motion. Oh, and if you love to see the amazing art of light painting (you know...the light streaks made by moving light sources like cars moving on a street at night), you will love to play with controlling shutter speed. The smooth look of creek water moving over rocks? --achieved by shutter speed.
Everyone loves the look of a "popped" subject when taking portraits of people. They love it so much it is now a filter feature on Iphones. Controlling how large your lens opening is on your camera can achieve that look for you. The creamy, blurry background (called bokeh) effectively pops your subject out of the background and immediately directs your eye. I always say this feature is what takes a snapshot and allows it to become a portrait. This is also the very same setting that creates beautiful close up images of flowers and other miniature Earth objects. As a portrait photographer, it is a setting I prioritize over all others.
All of these settings and more are the focus in the Photography 101 workshop. Open up your world and take control of your camera and what it can do. Stepping up your game by understanding exposure can help you achieve the artistic images you've only imagined. Break out of AUTO. You CAN do it and I would LOVE to help :).
Photography 101 is available twice in the 2019 Summer Workshop Series. Dates: Sunday June 9 and Sunday July 7. It is a 1-day class that runs from 1-5 pm. Information, seat tickets & registration is available at the link below as well as under the "Summer Workshop Series" tab on this website. Seats are limited, so don't wait to claim yours. Workshops take place at my home in Vicksburg, MI.
Past 101 student testimonials...
"Stepping out of auto mode was so hard for me. The thought of Manual was more overwhelming, but I knew it’s what I needed to learn to grow in photography. I would spend countless hours on the computer trying to learn exposure. I could not get it for the life of me. Eventually, I was reminded of your workshop and I am so happy I took it. The class was so hands on and the material that we had was so helpful. I feel so confident with exposure and now that I have a great foundation I can grow in photography. Learning exposure with you was so easy. " ~Mykaila
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