Parting Shots

My online photography class with the inspiring Kim Klassen ended a couple weeks ago. So I wanted to share my last few shots from assignments.

I learned so much. The "tension" of having an assignment, a task, a direction, was the most important piece. It makes it easier to grab some stuff, play with the light, and put together a pleasing set up.

What you don't see here is all the time spent gathering tid bits to try in a still life, all the shots just to see what it looks like through a lens, then the before & after of tweaking with VSCO. It's time consuming, but the process is fun & meditative.

I've mentioned how much I love the VSCO app. All three of the shots above were taken with my Canon then sent to my iPhone so I could do the edits in VSCO. I find myself using the app for almost all my pictures now. This last exercise I finally learned about spot metering on my Canon in order to get the right exposure with back lighting. An aha moment for me!

Photo Phun

Wanted to share some photos from the last few My Still Sunday class prompts. I'll be sorry when the 16 weeks is over. Hopefully I will continue to play with what I've learned.

                                                      This was "what's for Breakfast?"

 "Just Three"

"Tell a Story", the caption "He was an artist who knew how to fly". The nibs and metal Faber tin were my Dad's. These are old pictures of him as well.

These next few are the playing around with "Just Three". Only the middle one made my cut to go on Instagram

 But I'm liking this one.

 

 These last few are from a "just one thing" prompt. So many possibilities on staging all these prompts. I could spend a whole day, at least while the light holds, playing with vignettes.

                                         

I'm liking the fact that now I have a collection of backgrounds to use for when ever the mood strikes to create a composition.  Amazing what an old piece of black vinyl   from an upholstery project, or an old wooden box, or piece of lace or linen from the fabric stash can become.

Next up I'll be posting a collection of my current & older hand made Valentines.

Background Bliss

I was fortunate to have a nice chunk of time Sunday to devote to scouring my home for items to photograph and things to use as backdrops for the My Still Sunday class. Blocking light & going for dark & moody was the name of the game this time.

  
In the above the backdrop is an old cookie sheet, much used & abused obviously.
The VSCO app is proving a wonderful tool. I can take pictures with my phone OR take pictures with my Canon S5IS then import them to my phone and to the editing.


 Pre cropping and editing...

 
 and post...
 Once again the man cave came through. Hubby had a large piece of black vinyl I ended up taping to the wall to get the "dark & moody" look we were to go for.

 
These old shoe keepers were my Dad's. I love them. They were made in Detroit! I have two sets that migrate around our home as adornments.

 Around 60 pictures total were taken to come up with the few that were worthy of messing with. I find myself waking up at night thinking about compositions, backdrops, props I might have around the house. I think I may need help. Hi, I'm Linda and I compose still lives to photograph. Better sign up for photographers anonymous.

Just one more.