Monday, June 28, 2010

*~*Concentration is key*~*

Now i have been trying to experiment a little more & concentrate harder as well... So here are a few of my practice shots when it comes to taking time away from work!
I love taking a walk with my camera and then get back to the office and some of the people have gone to lunch & almost stop but dont to ask me if i need a ride, lol. I get back inside and they were like were you outside taking pictures? lol. I almost stopped to ask if you needed a ride... like no one takes a walk anymore... i thought it was rather sad.. & granted i do know that it has been rather HUMID out lately but hey i want to learn, i want to become better & if they only time i can do it or feel like pushing myself to do it is when i am at work i will go for it! lol

I must say that the WORST schedule known to man HAS to be the 10-7 shift... who in their right mind is actually ok with this? I like being able to rest for several hours at home before i go to bed... i like being able to watch 3-4 shows before i go to bed. Or going for a walk when i get home before it gets dark... At first you think oh i get to sleep in but then dont think about what you would ACTUALLY do considering you spent the last TWO years waking up @ 6:15 to be to work by 8 and then get off @ 4:45... RIDICULOUS! Is all i can say...

Below is my favorite picture TO DATE! I love the off centerness, the bug huddled in the flower, the blurriness of the background with the crispness of the yellow pettles. Ah genius! lol. jk... but i do LOVE it!
One of my accidentals but absolute favorites. So i am trying to decide what to do... i am at a place in my life where its not moving & i am not quite sure how i feel about it. I am a bit disappointed in myself & not really sure why. Maybe it has to do with the way i look or the way i feel people see me. I need to get back to my positive polliness because negative nelly is really putting a damper on the situation... lol. Well anyways I hope you all have enjoyed my post for this evening as it happens to be my 102nd post... who knew it was so easy to write to the world! lol
Happy Thoughtful Tues-Monday!!
So i wanted to make it tuesday is that so wrong? lol

9 comments:

Pat Tillett said...

Nice photos and story Kimberly!
So much better to get out for walk at lunch. I bet when you get back to work, you are refreshed...

Biggs Photography said...

Concentration is a big part of getting better at anything, including photography. However, another huge part of growing is developing the ability to see the FINAL image BEFORE you snap the photo. That means examining the whole scene and deciding what belongs, what doesn't, and exposing the photo in the way that allows you to make it what you want the end product to be. Sometimes that means overexposing a stop so that you'll be able to use a warm desat, or slightly underexposing so that you can pull the shadows and get that natural grain structure for a killer B&W image.

Your last image is a great example of this concept. Overall it actually is a good image, but it could have been a great image with just a little more thought. The leaf/bud at the bottom of the image seriously distracts from the overall composition and prevents it from being a top notch photo. In addition, the bug doesn't have the focus it should because it doesn't 'pop'. Put an hue/saturation adjustment layer over the image, drag for the bug's color, and jump it 15 or so points. Then add 10-15 brightness on another adjustment layer and give it a global contrast tweak.

Sorry for the book, but I see your potential and I can't wait to see the results of that potential.

The Retired One said...

I like all of these photos..keep practicing..it is great fun.
Oh, and Biggs photography?: you are wayyy ahead of the rest of us amateurs..a lot of us don't have Photoshop to put an "adjustment layer over the image"....I didn't think the bud distracted from the image at all either.

Unknown said...

Thanks guys! I appreciate all the criticism & the helpfulness! It will only help me become better!

Unknown said...

Wow the last flower is awesome!!! Love it!!!

Kristin Rae said...

Well, not to completely disagree with Biggs up there, but I personally like the addition of the bud on the bottom. The weirdo that I am sees that and says, oh wow, THAT little guy will turn into THAT big yellow flower one day! How neat!
But I am interested to see what this picture would look like with their instructions about adjustment layers.

I understand what you mean about feeling a bit disappointed in yourself. I struggle with that a lot, and I think it comes with being a closet perfectionist or something. (And it didn't help that I did in fact get laid off... if that's not a slap in the face...) I have a hunch your crummy work schedule is adding to this feeling. I used to work 9-6 and I never got ANYTHING done at home.
Just keep on practicing, internalize that you DO have talent (the EYE!) for good photography, and chin up!

Pat Tillett said...

Sorry to butt back in Kimberly. I totally disagree with Biggs.

If it involves that much work, then it might as well have been a painting.

Show me a good honest photo that involves light, perspective, contrast, and a good eye, and I'll choose that photo EVERY time over an overprocessed "creation," that looks fake.

The "good eye" portion is most important thing to me. You have a good eye.

Moll said...

My sister works 10:30 to 6:30 and she hates it. It really is the WORST schedule.

Beth said...

Have you considered taking a photography course? Or a course on Photoshop (not that I have it... I don't... but I want to learn it)?

I did take a course once and made me much more familiar with my camera. Also, I learned a LOT from the others in the class. Some were way more advanced than me and others were not.

I am only an amateur who loves playing around with photography and I don't want to do it for a career - BUT since you do, maybe it is time to start pushing yourself to the next level. You do have a lot of potential and there are a LOT of people who want to be in the photography business. You need more time to really fine tune your style. And I do think you will need the editing software to help make things "pop"! It is far too competitive of a market to not learn it.