What I'm Doing For Summer Vacation

Most adults who aren't teachers don't get Summer Vacation.  I do, in a sense, I guess, even though summer is the busiest time of year for me.  I've got photo shoots almost daily right now, and since I started doing weddings that keeps me doubly busy.  I've let my blogs go, and honestly I don't feel too bad about it.  They are mostly for me anyway.  I was in the middle of a list before I took a break.  My heart wasn't in it, and the list was pretty redundant so I'm abandoning it.

Summers are unbelievably short in the BV.  This one didn't really start until the last week of June.  My spidey senses tell me that we will have an early fall too, I'm guessing it will be full on fall by the first or second week of September.  Which means I will have roughly 2 months of actual summer.  I'm making the most of it by taking lots of pictures--most of them are for clients, so I don't post them publicly.

I have been experimenting with my camera, which is loads of fun.  I did a bokeh project, and tonight I think I'll try painting with light.  It's a little too overcast for star shots right now, but I've got some of those planned in the near future.  For those of you just getting into photography, this is a great website:  http://www.diyphotography.net/  It focuses on using what you've got at hand rather than elaborate photoshop tutorials.  Photoshop is a valuable tool no doubt, but if you don't know how to use light and your camera no amount of digital editing can make up for that.  For example:

There are no photoshop effects in this picture.  These pansies are really those colors :)  The stars in the background (you have to click on the image to see them) come from a bokeh filter I made myself and a regular lawn sprinkler.  I did crop this picture, and remove a fly from the background, that is it.

I've been asked several times by people just starting out what camera to get.  I say if you are not already a pro, get yourself a Canon Rebel (they have one to suit any budget), and the best lens you can afford.  The EFS 50mm II is a great starter lens, and you can pick one up for around $100.  If you've been shooting for a while and you want to know what camera will knock your socks off, get a Canon 5D Mark II.  If you are currently using $10 bills to wipe your butt with, get a Hasselblad.  Next, take lots and lots of pictures.

Sometimes it helps to have a photography buddy.  I'm always up for a safari :)