And Loving It!

Photography can be frustratingly difficult or incredibly simple. It's all in what you want out of it. There's learning all about exposure, your camera and the technical details of your equipment. Then there's the question of what to take pictures of, how to compose it and how to get there then you have to wait for the right moment to capture the light the way you want it. Then if you shoot film, where to develop it, a darkroom and if you shoot digital, what to do with it when you get it off the card. Card you say?  Well, yes, the card that stores the image files on your camera. Then there's editing and your workflow. That's a lot to remember and even a whole load of stuff I haven't mentioned. When it all comes together, the results are gratifying and sometimes stunningly drop dead gorgeous.

Fortunately, there is help out there and, a great deal of free help available online. There are photo groups on facebook and twitter but, If you're new I'd steer clear of there, the trolls are alive and well. I learned a lot from Digital Photography School or DPS. I can highly recommend these folks to help you get the most out of this obsession. Especially if you participate in the forum. Don't be afraid to show off your work. It's a friendly community and full of some insanely talented photographers. I can also highly recommend Creative Live. While they have free live online classes on many subjects, a lot of these classes are about photography. You can even purchase the videos of the classes you want for later viewing. Both of these sources have helped along in my efforts to improve my craft. I'll leave you with this thought. With every thing you've learned already and even more yet to learn, it may seem daunting. Keep at it and you'll get the results you want eventually. As Maxwell Smart used to say after the Chief told him about all the dangers he would face on his assignment "And, Loving it!"

Today's installment is of several subjects and are presented below for your enjoyment.

This is from the Old Point Loma Lighthouse in San Diego, CA. It's an awesome Abstract of the lighthouse Fresnel lens. The whole reason lighthouses even exist!

Known as Montezuma's Castle, this ancient cliff dwelling is located in Southern Arizona. The image is framed with a tree on the left. Notice the cool looking cirrus clouds in the sky.

Another view of Montezuma's Castle. This ancient cliff dwelling is located in Southern Arizona. The image is framed with a tree on each side.

This is a Bible verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:16- 18, on a beautiful long exposure of a stream with a log across it.

A super neat almost alien-ish close-up of some very colorful lichen growing on the bark of an Alder Tree. The photo was captured in the Seven Oaks area of Southern California.