I've also taken a rather extended hiatus from my first blog, Exploring Food My Way. I think that the insane amount of time and energy I put into keeping that blog live and vibrant at some point got transferred to my love of photography and learning the craft instead. So while my output on my food blog has dwindled to nearly nothing, my efforts at building a portfolio on my Flickr page have become almost daily postings, mostly of the foods that I eat during the day as well as special projects both for myself and others.
After re-reading some of my original posts, I have to almost laugh at my naivete. A year and a half doesn't seem like very long, but I have learned so much in that amount of time about the art and science of photography that I sometimes still amaze myself. I've had some wonderful teachers and mentors along the way, I've done a ton of self-study, and of course, the biggest help has been practicing with my camera. Learning how to be self-critical (good and bad) of my own work has been the biggest help in teaching me what works and what doesn't. That's not to say I am even close to the end of my journey -- I'm just farther along than I was in March 2011.
Oh, sure, I can say that I've improved, but how do you know?
Here is a sample image I published eighteen months ago:
(click to enlarge to full size)
So what is wrong with this picture? Oh, let me count the ways for you.
1) It's underexposed.
2) It's a bit grainy.
3) It lacks critical focus.
4) I've cut off both sides of the bowl (minor).
5) Busy background.
6) Brightest part of the image is in the background, distracting the eye from the foreground.
Here is an image I took a little more recently:
(click to enlarge to full size)
It doesn't take a well-trained eye to see a major difference between the two images. Which would you rather eat? Now, I'll be the first to admit that the two images were taken with completely different cameras. That being said, were I to set my current camera, a Canon DSLR, on fully automatic mode and take a picture, the result would very much resemble the first photograph in terms of underexposure and critical focus.
My goal is to write once a week, offering tips, observations, and a few of my photographs for consumption. I hope you enjoy what I have to say.
