Take Better Photographs & Portraits

I love this photo of my sister’s youngest son.

I carried my big Nikon and both lenses to VA for the Xmas holiday and took a couple hundred photos of my niece and 2 of my 3 nephews.

To get better, I need to carry the camera more and shoot more. A lot more.

Took this photo of Brian F. on August 1st, 2010. I took a lot of photos at the LeaderShape Institute week and actually got to put together and present the slide show. I think it came out well and definitely made me want to take more photos. I especially dig portraiture.

took a beginners digital photog course in mid-December with a local artist teaching and two others in the class. it was 3 hours and only 50 dollars each! We went through a lot of basics (that I didn’t know) and she gave us homework and assignments (that I still need to do). But I enjoyed it and am looking forward to learning more.

On my semester at sea trip around the world I toted my Nikon coolpix s6 and the new d50 i got just before leaving and had a BLAST shooting around the globe. still don’t know squat about anything technical, but got some good sunsets, peopleshots and the occassional stunner. i like people and statuary a lot for shooting. i want to look at emerson matabele’s stuff and micah diamond’s stuff and look up more on gordon parks. you know, with all of my free time and other hobbies right? my nikon coolpix got busted a few weeks ago, so i’m averaging one coolpix per longterm trip! damn!

i’m loving the nikon d50. got some great shots of the turtles out at prai do forte in brazil. still enjoying even though i don’t know what all of the doo-hickeys…do.

I totally forgot. Today I splurged and bought two Lomo cameras at amazon.com the fisheye and the holga starter kit. Both together were less than $90 and they use conventional film, but I thought this would be a fun way to play around with photography. I also ordered both for a good friend’s birthday/kwanzaa gift. I hope they arrive in time!

i’m about to pick up the nikon d50 to upgrade for my semester at sea trip. i struggled with getting the d80 ($600 more than the d50) and found a great deal on the 55-200 lense but at $700 i realized i’m just a rooky hobby-ist and not sure that its a good investment at this level. i think i’m going to stick with the baby lense. i also just ordered scott kelby’s book: digital photography which is supposed to be good in terms of technical know-how, but also a humorous read.

i have so many hobbies and interests i have to pace myself. i found a guy emerson matabele whose photos make me want to learn more and do more with this medium. i’m toying with upgrading to the nikon d-80 and lenses for my SAS trip.

i gave away my coolpix ii and now have the coolpix 6 which is wi-fi capable, small and super sharp! still not sure about the classes, my summer schedule is already looking crazy!

there’s a 35mm beginner’s class this summer that runs tuesday nights in Richmond. Should I do that or just keep playing with my digital? Their digital class doesn’t fit my schedule, but it might be a)fun b)i’d learn to develop film c)still need tips on taking better pics in general. hmmmm…