
Just a quick shot I snapped as my dad bought a bouquet for an event, and layed out the flowers on the car dashboard.
Hey Yaldah readers!
So I’m new here to the whole Yaldah blogging experience, and I cant wait to start! As you know, since youre on this page, I’m running the photography blog. I’ve just been accepted to my DREAM high school, Dreyfoos School of the Arts, and ill be majoring in photography, learning all about developing film, managing editing and Photoshop, etc. I’m excited to learn about Photoshop because its just so confusing! I’ve tried to teach myself the ropes……….. and that didn’t really work out for me. However, I do use this fantastic website called http://www.picmonkey.com . I like to think of it as a “dumbed-down” version of Photoshop. I taught myself pretty much everything I know from this website. If you’re into editing and adding pretty cool effects to your photos, I recommend PicMonkey!!
A lot of my friends ask me if I can edit some of their photos, and I’ll always say, “sure! No problem, just send me the photo and I’ll get right to it.” Sometimes doing this gets a little frustrating, because their photo isn’t always the best quality. Something I always tell myself when I’m editing is, if the photo itself isn’t good, or it has low resolution, bad quality, etc., my editing job won’t turn out that good. You need to be working with a good photo when you’re editing! Now I know what some of you may be thinking– “I don’t have a good camera!” Truth be told, you don’t need one of those crazy expensive Nikons or Canons you see in the windows of the Sony store. It’s really all about the idea BEHIND the camera. I was at a Photoshop/photography workshop one day this past summer, and our teacher told us a short story that really impacted how I think when I’m out shooting. It went along the lines of this:
“When I (my teacher, lets call her Mrs. Greg) was entertaining a group of clients at my home around spring last year, a stately woman approached me and started to compliment me on my work that was hanging in various places around the dining and living room. ‘what beautiful photos you create! You must have a fantastic camera!’ Of course I replied with the usual thank you very much, but I added a little something extra to our small talk. ‘You know, it’s really not the camera that created what you call this piece of art. Do you see that photo of the butterfly in a field of flowers? I personally think that is one of my best prints, and I shot that with a regular small digital camera!'”
What Mrs. Greg was trying to say is that it really doesn’t matter all that much about the size, price, or brand of the camera you use. The person pressing that shutter ultimately decides what the finished product will turn out like. My photos turn out to be great (most of the time) and I use a simple Sony Bloggie (a regular, digital point and shoot) that I got discounted on Groupon.com . Of course, it’s always amazing to have a nice Canon or something of the like, but that wont define your photos, so to speak.
I hope my first post helps all you aspiring photographers, keep shooting!!
-Sarah
Awesome I can’t wait to see more of your photos!!
Wow! I am also really really into photography and i’m hoping to get my first DSLR soon. (The Canon T4i!!) And what you said about being frustrated ‘cuz your friends photos are such bad quality I have the same experiences!! We have this person in our communtiy who has the a 1000$ camera and lens (Canon 60d + 18-200mm lens + 50mm 1.8 lens.) So at every event that we have he always lets me use it! I think that’s pretty cool. For eg yesterday at out huge Lag Boemer party he let me take all the photos for it! So I learnt A LOT when I was using it. I would love if you would check out my photography website and let me know if you think my photos are good! http://leahschlangerphotography.yolasite.com/ Ok I did not mean that to be so long:P
What camera do you use? I use the Nikon Coolpix S8000 and I got some awesome photos out of that tiny camera. :)
That’s really pretty!!!!
Hi Leah! I also loooove photography:) I’m actually a photographer on the eb for yaldah. I love ur pics!!!!! They’re rly good! I have a canon G15. It’s pretty good. My aunts a photographer and she’s teaching me
nice pics. i also like taking pictures. do u know how to make a background of a pic blurred? i rly like that effect. also are u from florida? i think u were once in bunk at camp
Thanks!
Well that’s not really hard to do. Are you trying to put the background out of focus when you take the photo, or when you edit it?
If you’re taking the photo:
all you have to do is make sure your “focus object” is, well, in focus!
If you’re editing the photo, most software should have an effect that can blur the background by putting the focus object in focus.
Yeah, I am from Florida! Did you go to Emunah?
Wow Leah, keep saving up, thats awesome!! That’s really cool that you get to have a lot of hands-on experience before you buy your own camera. That really helps make the whole learning-how-to-use-a-nice-camera process easier.
I just looked on your website, and You’re really talented!!! I love the photo of the dandelion and [what looks like] the sun right behind it… that’s my favorite one! What camera do you use now, if any, and aha do you edit on?
I use a Tiny Sony Bloggie :)
Thanks so much! I edit my photos on Ipiccy.com. It’s a really awesome editor and it has some “pro” editing features on it. I also use a tiny Nikon Coolpix S8000 (Just go on amazon.com and search for it.) It’s really not the best point and shoot but I try to make the best of it. :) I really can’t wait to see your photos!!!
Thanks so much! :) You are so lucky to be a photographer for yaldah!! How old are you? I would love to see your photos!!! Maybe you can email some to me?? :):)
Am I aloud to say something to? I have another tip to get that “blurry background” look. If you have a camera that can zoom in zoom all (or almost) all the way and then focus on your subject! Technical reason why this works: The closer you are on your subject the more Depth of Field you have. When you zoom in you get way more DOF and that gives you a really blurry background. (Ok, you probably have no idea what I just said:P) Hope this technique gives good to you as it gave to me! Sorry Sarah! I hope you don’t mind me commenting this. :P
ya. bunk 17.
Aaaahhh yeah!!! I don’t remember who you are based on ur name :(
Haha yeah I do that sometimes…. I wouldn’t know to call it that though :P
Thanks! Yes, I know, im very fortunate. I’m 14. And sure, id love to exchange photos and tips! whats your email?
ik! im 13 :) ya sure, whats ur email adress?