Nature

Very often I will go to nature parks and walk around, or take pictures. Whether I am by myself, or with someone else, nature is always something I enjoy. 

Ironically, I don't always bring my camera with me. I am some one who likes the sound of nature but never really takes the time to appreciate minor details in every day life. This is ironic because as a photographer, that is usually what inspires.

I often take photographs of people. In fact that is what led me into photography. However, I always am looking to challenge myself.

When I started capturing images, I never took photographs of nature unless my mom nagged me. It was like pulling teeth for me to take any landscapes or nature photographs. Still life photography also never interested me because it's really easy, and I thought that capturing people took more skill, and by that I mean posing, and taking flattering images of the subject, not just good "quality". 

However, I didn't know that landscapes were one of the most challenging subjects of all. Not everyone can take a photograph of a horizon and make it beautiful. Ansel Adams was obviously a genius at this. Landscapes aren't easy because they don't rely on photoshop, they rely on exposure.

During my classes I usually take things that I don't normally take. For example, in my 4x5 class I took a lot of images of beaten down barns, but not the barns itself, more so the detail of the wood falling off or the chipped pant. I did macro shots of the falling apart building. In color photography I did a lot of night shoots with running headlights and streams of light, and for this fall semester I think I will be shooting a lot of nature.

I took some still life images today, and although they are easy, they are also very easy on the eyes. :)

(below)

This photo is a little softer focused than the one above.

We like to think of bugs as pests.. but I think they are beautiful creatures.

Random fact : For a camera lens to stare into the sun isn't good for the lens. Although many of us enjoy the lens flare we receive from doing this, it is actually just as bad as looking at the sun with our eyes. Get a lens hood and keep an eye on your lens to make sure the quality doesn't deteriorate.