tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73024595653699244992024-02-02T00:22:26.932-08:00pam lane's 10,000 picturesPam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-67547016096337319582010-03-27T00:16:00.000-07:002011-06-25T19:03:53.997-07:00Serendipity and the search for the perfect LA skylineFor some months now, my friends and I have been looking for the perfect place to take pictures of the LA skyline. I often see beautiful, unobstructed shots — when I'm driving on the freeway. Last week, we decided to take a photo field trip to Chinatown in downtown LA. Instead of taking the freeway, we drove surface streets, and, where we least expected it, we saw this great view of LA from the far side of the Los Angeles River.<br />
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The hazy morning sky made the skyline less than perfect, but it was good practice. (Fortunately, so-so pictures can always be made more fun in post-processing.) <br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 60%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4465849057/" title="LA skyline by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="LA skyline" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4465849057_efbce8a314.jpg" width="100%" /></a>The LA skyline</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 60%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4466624850/" title="LA City Hall by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="LA City Hall" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2716/4466624850_57e23ab66b.jpg" width="100%" /></a>LA City Hall (taken later in the morning from Olvera Street)</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;">The second serendipitous part of the morning is that this view of the skyline occurred in the middle of several train tracks. I love everything about trains: the engines, the tracks, all the graffiti on the trains...</div><div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4465848687/" title="Train by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Train" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4465848687_8e254458f8.jpg" width="100%" /></a>A train passed through unexpectedly. I wasn't ready for the first engine. This engine is actually at the end of the train.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4465848591/" title="LA skyline and train by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="LA skyline and train" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4465848591_86d5436ac2.jpg" width="100%" /></a>My challenge was, could I catch the skyline (in focus) in the gaps between the cars? Out of 10 or so attempts, I caught one shot I was happy with.</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;">Next, we turned our attention to our immediate surroundings. This is where the haze in the air came in handy, providing the perfect atmosphere for the standing trains. </div><div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4465848835/" title="Trains by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Trains" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/4465848835_9de97156d8.jpg" width="100%" /></a>I didn't notice the two men standing next to the train until I got home.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4465848933/" title="Trains by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Trains" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4465848933_53e841a62a.jpg" width="100%" /></a>I like the glow of the train traffic lights in the distance.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 50%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4465849247/" title="LA skyline by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="LA skyline" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4465849247_9605db0632_m.jpg" width="100%" /></a>I liked how this sign stood out in front of the blurred skyline.</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;">And of course, the graffiti...</div><div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4466624642/" title="Train graffiti by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Train graffiti" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4466624642_62cb1df05d.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4466624006/" title="Train graffiti by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Train graffiti" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4466624006_55a166c38b.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><br />
<div style="clear: both;"><b>What did I learn?</b><br />
<ul><li>Sometimes you just get lucky. I didn't anticipate finding this location, or having a train pass through while we stood there.</li>
<li>Sometimes you don't get lucky. The hazy sky wasn't very appealing. I'll have to go back to this location on a clear future morning.</li>
</ul></div>Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com7Downtown, Los Angeles, CA, USA34.043094220538123 -118.2278251647949234.038649220538126 -118.23512066479492 34.04753922053812 -118.22052966479492tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-20380433894310835512010-03-13T23:39:00.000-08:002010-03-26T22:51:14.182-07:00Baseball, kids, and black and white<div><div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em 2em 0em 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 30%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4430678683/" title="IMG_1806 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1806" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4430678683_196fc2efdb_m.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>At bat </div>Today I went to the park in search of feet. ("Feet" are the theme of the week for <a href="http://www.downeydailyphotos.com/" target="_blank">Downey Daily Photo</a>.) And I discovered feet galore, mostly very small feet attached to very cute 5-year-olds learning to play baseball.<br />
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Kids at this age are great fun to watch. They're able and willing — and they have the attention span of a gnat. The parents were equally fun to watch. There were no temper tantrums, no yelling, just lots of laughter as the kids hit the ball and forgot to run, or danced and twirled in the outfield.<br />
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It wasn't until I got home and started reviewing my pictures that I noticed that the bright green grass and all the other colors and clothes were pretty distracting. So I changed most of the pictures from color to black and white.</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;">For example,consider this before-and-after pair of pictures.</div><div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 45%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4430681251/" title="IMG_1814 copy by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1814 copy" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2780/4430681251_58842714d8_m.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>Color version</div><div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 45%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4430681573/" title="IMG_1814 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1814" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/4430681573_6571d91a41_m.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>Same picture, in black-and-white</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;">As fun as her pink helmet is, I find it very distracting. My eye is drawn to the helmet first, and her face last. I like the black-and-white version better. What do you think?</div><br />
So once I started converting, I didn't stop.<br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4430687811/" title="IMG_1843 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1843" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4430687811_6016d1a8b6.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>This youngster swung, hit, and watched. And forgot to run to first base.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4430683965/" title="IMG_1825 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1825" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4430683965_dff36859ae.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>Is the goal to get the ball — or to get the runner out? These three boys just wanted the ball. At one point, I wondered how any team ever managed to get three outs.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4431449900/" title="IMG_1813 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1813" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4431449900_8e69bee475.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>Is he bored or patient?</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4431448530/" title="IMG_1807 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1807" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4431448530_e669139a24.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>Finally, some action!</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4431456574/" title="IMG_1839 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1839" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4431456574_9bcd62b63b.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>A swing and a miss!</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4430686157/" title="IMG_1836 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1836" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4430686157_b320009143.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>Nice swing.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4430685313/" title="IMG_1830 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1830" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2768/4430685313_e390880e66.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>Chit chat at first base? Or is she covering her ears and singing, "I can't hear you"?</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4431454930/" title="IMG_1831 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1831" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4431454930_fef49edbb0.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>"I say he's out!"</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4431446986/" title="IMG_1805 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1805" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4431446986_2f8409d837.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>One of the exceptions to the black-and-white format? Grass stains.</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;">Over in the big kid's section, I liked this image of the boy on the bench. Rookie mistake: I didn't even notice that someone else walked into the frame until I got home.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 88%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4431458988/" title="IMG_1846 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1846" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4431458988_fc4c36e231.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>On the bench</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;"><b>What did I learn?</b><br />
<ul><li>As much as I like intense color in my pictures, sometimes I prefer the simplicity of black and white. </li>
<li>Don't forget to check the rest of the frame before pressing the shutter release. (Some lessons have to be learned over and over again.)</li>
</ul></div>Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com1Furman Park, Downey, CA 90241, USA33.953305712980686 -118.1378853321075433.952749712980683 -118.13879733210754 33.953861712980689 -118.13697333210754tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-71421976300003796012010-03-05T22:45:00.000-08:002010-03-06T00:23:06.308-08:00Why do I take pictures?I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why I take pictures, and I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two reasons.<br />
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First, like most people <b>I take pictures to record my memories of people and events</b>. I’ve done this since my first pocket camera on my first trip to Europe. The desire to preserve my stories is why I have so many shelves of photo albums, detailing my daughter’s life and nearly every trip I’ve ever taken.<br />
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The following pictures tell the story of an event during Erinna's high school graduation trip to Cancun. On a day trip to the ruins at Chichen-Itza, we stopped for a swim in a nearby giant sinkhole.<br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: smaller; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 95%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4398889395/" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Sinkhole near Chichen-Itza by pamlane, on Flickr"><img align="left" alt="Sinkhole near Chichen-Itza" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4398889395_150aecf0eb_m.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a><br />
The sinkhole was gorgeous and deep. People were lined up to dive off the perch at one side, and Erinna joined them.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: smaller; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 45%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4399635136/" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Diving at a sink hole by pamlane, on Flickr"><br />
<img alt="Diving at a sink hole" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4399635136_45240acc29_m.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>Erinna did a beautiful dive — that tipped slightly as she neared the water. </div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: smaller; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 45%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4399636200/" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Bruises by pamlane, on Flickr"><br />
<img alt="Bruises" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4399636200_97cee3743d_m.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a>The result? Huge bruises on the backs of both legs.</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;">The second reason is a little more complex. <b>I take pictures because, for me, taking a picture completes my enjoyment.</b> C. S. Lewis wrote in "Reflections on the Psalms," “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation." This is how I feel about photography — <b>it is the consummation of my experience</b>. <br />
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Lewis further says, “…just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: ‘Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it glorious?’” This too is a part of my photography — “See? Isn’t it beautiful?” By "it," I mean the subject in the picture, not the picture itself. <b>The picture is the means for me to share something that I find awesome, beautiful, or simply intriguing.</b></div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: smaller; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 95%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4400697806/" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="My cat Prune by pamlane, on Flickr"><br />
<img alt="My cat Prune" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4400697806_76435b95de.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a><br />
The green green eyes of my cat Prune.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: smaller; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 75%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4400697546/" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Sunlight in the redwoods by pamlane, on Flickr"><br />
<img alt="Sunlight in the redwoods" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4400697546_ae152e48c6.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a><br />
The sunlight filtering through the trees in the California redwoods.</div><br />
<div style="float: left; font-size: smaller; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; width: 95%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4399931637/" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="The bell tower in Split, Croatia by pamlane, on Flickr"><br />
<img alt="The bell tower in Split, Croatia" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4399931637_fede143b3a.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></a><br />
The bells ringing in the bell tower in Split, Croatia.</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;"><b>What did I learn?</b><br />
<ul><li>The best photographers can combine both of these goals in their picture-taking. I'm not there yet.</li>
<li>Each time I take a picture, I need to be aware of what goal I'm trying to achieve. Not doing so often causes me to miss achieving either goal. Focusing on one goal greatly increases my chances for success.</li>
</ul></div>Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-76906610202333610052010-01-23T22:55:00.000-08:002010-01-23T23:18:44.233-08:00Getting out of the rutHave you ever felt like there's nothing exciting to take pictures of? I have. I got into a rut where I felt that the only things worth taking pictures of were the things you have to take a vacation to get to—Paris, Rome, all the famous travel destinations around the world. But as I looked at the work of photographers I admire, I kept noticing that <b>many of the photos I liked best were of everyday things</b>— a reflection in a puddle, curtains in a window, people's feet in a subway. <br />
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Two things happened next. First, I read about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Camera-One-Thats-You/dp/0321684788?ie=UTF8&tag=pamlans10000p-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Best Camera Is the One That's With You</a>, a book by photographer Chase Jarvis. <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=pamlans10000p-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0321684788" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Jarvis's idea is that <b>good pictures come from keeping your eyes open and being ready</b>, not from having the latest and greatest equipment. In addition, Jarvis says, “There are at least 10 great pictures within 10 meters of you right now,” wherever you are, whatever you're doing. <b>I felt challenged to find the beauty where I am instead of where I would rather be.</b> <br />
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Second, I started a blog, along with two friends, called <a href="http://www.downeydailyphotos.com/" target="_blank">Downey Daily Photos</a>. Our goal is to post a picture each day that is taken in our hometown of Downey, California. Now, Downey isn't Paris. Or Rome. But once I started looking, and more importantly, once <b>I started looking while I was walking rather than driving</b>, I started to see all kinds of picture-worthy things. <br />
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Here are some of the things I've noticed during the last month.<br />
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<b>What did I learn?</b><br />
Getting out of this rut involves <b>a change of mind instead of a change of scenery</b>.Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-75085398128057485842010-01-13T23:02:00.000-08:002010-01-13T23:18:01.115-08:00Wedding bellsAbout 6 months ago, my niece asked me to photograph her wedding. I've never done a wedding before. <b>I'm a travel and nature photographer</b>—you know, where the subject typically doesn't move before you have a chance to get everything right. And when I do take people pictures, I like to take candid shots. But she reassured me that they'd be happy with anything I did, so I agreed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4273685912/" title="IMG_5861 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5861" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4273685912_b2eae08d34.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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So I read up on wedding photography, asked my friend to assist me, made lists, gathered all my equipment together, and generally thought I was ready. And the rehearsal reassured me. <b>Things seemed under control, not too hard.</b> And we used the time after the rehearsal to scout out good group shot locations for the next day.<br />
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But <b>the real thing was way harder</b> than I expected. The lists fell to the wayside. People didn't stand in the same places as they did during the rehearsal. There were all these guests to get around. And the group shots were a disaster. We totally overlooked the perfect group shot location, and shot instead into an ugly wall and a too bright sky.<br />
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And nothing prepared me for <b>the aftermath</b>. Between us, we had four cameras and took <b>over 6,000 pictures</b>. (The advantages of digital?) So many pictures! And of course lots of pictures that would be really great—if only the sky weren't so washed out, if only her face wasn't in shadow, if only his face didn't look so red in that shot. All things that can be fixed in Photoshop, of course, but each fix adds a little more time to the task.<br />
<br />
And so, I let it drag on a bit longer than I should have. Four months later, we're finally through. We got through it, and had fun too. <b>Would I do it again? You bet! </b>The whole adventure gave me the opportunity to participate in my niece's wedding at a level I never would have done otherwise. That alone made it all worth while.<br />
<br />
<b>What did I learn?</b><br />
<ul><li>If you're using more than one camera, <b>synchronize the clocks</b>! We could have saved hours and hours in post-processing time if we could have sorted those 6,000 pictures based on the time they were actually taken. </li>
<li><b>Take control of those group shots.</b> Don't expect people to enjoy them, just get it over with as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Tell them where to stand. Tell them when to look at you and smile. (Trust me, candid shots of groups almost never get everyone looking good at the same time.)</li>
<li>Focus on <b>quality, not quantity</b>. Of course, this one probably comes with experience and practice, as you get better at getting the good shots.</li>
<li>Wear <b>clothes that blend</b> into the background. That way you won't take pictures of the bride and groom—and your assistant's pink blouse.</li>
</ul>Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-59232753643236247522009-12-24T17:10:00.001-08:002009-12-24T18:16:18.202-08:00Panning – shooting moving subjects<p>Last weekend I took my dog Ivan to the local dog park, and decided to experiment with panning. Panning is a technique where you follow a moving subject with your camera, producing a picture with a relatively sharp subject and a blurred background. Panning can emphasize the speed and motion of your subject.</p><p>To pan, use a relatively slow shutter speed. When your subject approaches, follow the subject with your camera. Press the shutter as the subject crosses in front of you, and continue to follow the subject after the shutter closes. This will help you maintain a smooth shot from start to finish.</p><p>This was my first experiment with panning, and I still need more practice. Here are some of the best from the day.</p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="caption-side: bottom; margin: 5px 5px 0pt; width: 240px;"><caption style="font-size: 80%; font-style: italic; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">For comparison, a non-panned shot, taken at 1/640 shutter speed.</caption><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="240"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4211468623/" title="IMG_7630 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7630" height="180" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2745/4211468623_de232990e1_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
</td> </tr>
</tbody></table></br><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="caption-side: bottom; margin: 5px 5px 0pt; width: 400px;"><caption style="font-size: 80%; font-style: italic; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">This is Ivan and a friend. It was hard to predict when and which direction he would go.</caption><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4212232316/" title="IMG_7634 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7634" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4212232316_f66dcffeed.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</td> </tr>
</tbody></table></br><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="caption-side: bottom; margin: 5px 5px 0pt; width: 400px;"><caption style="font-size: 80%; font-style: italic; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">This dog was chasing a ball with more consistency, so I tried out some shots on him.</caption><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4212240426/" title="IMG_7679 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7679" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/4212240426_a041c9f4c3.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>What did I learn?</b><br />
<ul><li>Panning works best when the subject is moving in a relatively straight line at an angle perpendicular to your position. Subjects that are moving erratically can result in shots that are rather messy. The perpendicular position provides the greatest emphasis to your subject’s speed. </li>
<li>Panning takes a lot of practice. Even when you master this technique, you’ll end up with a lot of duds. </li>
<li>Panning is easier when you can anticipate the action. The dog park is not the ideal setting for practicing. For practice, cars on a busy street would be easier and more predictable. </li>
</ul>For more information about panning, see <a href="http://digital-photography-school.com/mastering-panning-to-photograph-moving-subjects" target="_blank">Mastering Panning – Photographing Moving Subjects</a>.Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-89651925272898925092009-12-13T17:15:00.001-08:002009-12-17T01:53:52.167-08:00When there’s not enough light<p>I hate carrying around a tripod. Even the little ones like the Gorillapod (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Joby-Gorillapod-SLR-Zoom-Flexible-Digital/dp/B000KFRSG4?ie=UTF8&tag=pamlans10000p-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">Joby GP3 Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Tripod for Digital SLR Cameras</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=pamlans10000p-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000KFRSG4" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />). But these days it seems like I always want to take pictures when there’s not enough light. Low light means slow shutter speeds, where even a little bit of camera shake can turn your picture into a bunch of wavy lines. What can you do to reduce camera shake when you can’t (or don’t want) to use a tripod? </p><ol><li><strong>Hold your camera steadily.</strong> Keep your elbows close to your side. If you have a DSLR camera, support your camera lens with your other hand. </li>
<li><strong>Brace yourself.</strong> Find something to lean against. Lean your elbows on a convenient surface. Or sit, and lean your elbows on your knees. </li>
<li><strong>Brace your camera.</strong> Lean the camera against a pole or wall. </li>
<li><strong>Hold your breath</strong> when you click the shutter. </li>
</ol><p>Recently, I walked around the Naples (Long Beach, California) canals to see the Christmas lights. I brought along my camera with my fastest (and lightest) lens, just to see what I could capture. Using the tips above, I was able to get several clear shots of the lights and decorations. (I also got a lot of fuzzy shots, especially of the reflections in the water.)</p><p><object width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true⟨=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpamlane%2Fsets%2F72157622994800442%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpamlane%2Fsets%2F72157622994800442%2F&set_id=72157622994800442&jump_to="></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpamlane%2Fsets%2F72157622994800442%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpamlane%2Fsets%2F72157622994800442%2F&set_id=72157622994800442&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object></p><p><strong>What did I learn?</strong></p><ul><li>My camera is slow. It’s old. I can’t wait until next year when I’ve saved enough for the next generation of digital camera.</li>
<li>Even so, remembering these tips helps. About a third of my pictures turned out in focus, even though most of the shots were taken at a shutter speed of less than 1/20.</li>
</ul>Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-47995804006553992032009-11-30T16:27:00.000-08:002009-11-30T16:33:34.586-08:00Adding interest to those wide-angle shots<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4147943141/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="practice 014 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="practice 014" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2530/4147943141_993603c9ff_m.jpg" width="100" /></a>One of the characteristics of a wide angle lens is that the lens enlarges anything in the foreground, as you can see by the foot in the picture to the right. You can take advantage of this and add impact to your pictures by placing objects of interest in the foreground of your wide-angle shots.<br />
<br />
<br />
To try this out, I took some experimental shots around my house. The first set of pictures shows the vegetable garden. By stepping up closer before taking the second shot, I emphasized the flag and provided a focal point to an otherwise blah scene.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4147810303/" title="garden by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="garden" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2668/4147810303_743731ce7c.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
The first shot in the second set of pictures shows a typical pool scene. By getting in lower and closer to the cue ball, the second shot emphasizes the player's point of view.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4148569004/" title="pooltable by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="pooltable" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2793/4148569004_5ca57f9126.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Here are a couple of real-life examples.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4147943291/" title="IMG_6705 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6705" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/4147943291_d27fb31bc0.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4148703736/" title="IMG_4446 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_4446" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/4148703736_c19f929423.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>What did I learn?</b><br />
<ul><li>I looked through my old photos and found I don't use this technique nearly often enough. Often, a landscape shot can be improved by adding some interest in the foreground.</li>
<li>It occurred to me that this same technique can be applied to the typical tourist shot ("Look, Mom, here I am in front of the Eiffel Tower!"). These shots often don't do justice to either the people or the site. Instead, try putting some distance between the person in the shot and the site, get up close to the person, and then shoot the scene with both the person and the site in the frame. I used a remote to do something similar in the following picture showing my friends and me in front of the Seattle skyline.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4148703618/" title="IMG_6351 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2682/4148703618_e903baee41.jpg" width="400" alt="IMG_6351" /></a></li>
</ul>Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-82122724522111227692009-11-18T22:43:00.000-08:002009-11-18T22:46:26.537-08:00Thanksgiving rehearsalThis year, Joan and Allison decided that one Thanksgiving wasn't enough, so we had a Thanksgiving rehearsal. As long as we were rehearsing, I figured I'd rehearse the pictures.<br />
<br />
They decorated...<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4116898138/" title="IMG_7149 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7149" height="240" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2581/4116898138_f7288c33ed_m.jpg" width="202" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4116898566/" title="IMG_7150 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7150" height="240" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2776/4116898566_16e41ce190_m.jpg" width="205" /></a><br />
<br />
And cooked...<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4116897742/" title="IMG_7157 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7157" height="240" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2620/4116897742_d40eac7d68_m.jpg" width="224" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4116126413/" title="IMG_7154 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7154" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4116126413_0e1f99645e_t.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4116897364/" title="IMG_7145 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7145" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4116897364_c04f706f3e_t.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
<div align="left">I was thankful for our new ovens that fit perfectly into the space left by the ones that stopped working.<br />
</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4116895306/" title="IMG_7141 by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7141" height="187" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2508/4116895306_33b4137305_m.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>What did I learn?</b><br />
<ul><li>A lens hood is a great tool out in the sun. But you have to take it off when you use the flash. (Notice the shadow below the ovens?)</li>
<li>With or without flash, it's hard to get the white balance right in incandescent lighting. But I think that the color in the shots without flash is truer to the actual lighting. No flash means higher ISO settings to eliminate blur, and therefore more graininess.</li>
<li>I was in a hurry to take the pictures, so I used the on-camera flash instead of my (new) external flash. The new flash would probably have resulted in better color. I need to rehearse it between now and the real Thanksgiving next week.<br />
</li>
</ul>Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-90988904703341092352009-11-15T15:16:00.000-08:002010-01-13T23:21:01.450-08:00Fall leaves and pumpkinsI love fall — the colors, the pumpkins, and all the leaves lying in piles in the yard. <br />
<br />
Actually, all the leaves are lying in other people's yards, since the only things that our trees drop are pine needles. If I want to take pictures of fall leaves, I either have to crawl around someone else's yard, or fill a bag with leaves to take back home. I chose to bring some leaves home. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4106605137/" title="Fall leaves and pine cone by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Fall leaves and pine cone" height="333" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/4106605137_8643bd77e9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4106605815/" title="Fall leaves by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Fall leaves" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2632/4106605815_51f8f414d8.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
<br />
The other thing I love about fall is the pumpkins. If you wait until the morning after Halloween, you can get a great bargain on all the pumpkins you want.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4106606633/" title="Pumpkin still life by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Pumpkin still life" height="310" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2705/4106606633_cbc85efdc0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlane/4107372674/" title="Pumpkin stem by pamlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Pumpkin stem" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2603/4107372674_70ca25624f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>What did I learn?</b><br />
<br />
Macro photography requires a tripod, or at least something to rest the camera on or against. Getting the focus right seems to be my toughest challenge these days.Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302459565369924499.post-70796597009270152302009-01-21T21:23:00.000-08:002009-01-21T21:56:27.075-08:001 to 98: up close and personalMy friend Allison and I decided to start with close-up shots using a backdrop and her new lighting system.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uBe9df-Z7r1XWUn9Ark8sJjl7Hw4yfM5ZimAYH6DebwPBO61kO1mPKEh6BwhJsLVd0e0I-BLxoA01vrAsSjmFqDJBTzC_wSmiiKcjVxPvwmDVUrv5ZIAPU-UvS8tP4LWkK45QiNef3TL/s1600-h/IMG_1094.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293986248213414594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uBe9df-Z7r1XWUn9Ark8sJjl7Hw4yfM5ZimAYH6DebwPBO61kO1mPKEh6BwhJsLVd0e0I-BLxoA01vrAsSjmFqDJBTzC_wSmiiKcjVxPvwmDVUrv5ZIAPU-UvS8tP4LWkK45QiNef3TL/s320/IMG_1094.jpg" border="0" /></a>The first thing I noticed is that I'm not a good judge of what's in focus when I'm shooting up close. (I was aiming for the front berry.) Using manual focus might help with this.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwXymIxsSV7bHbRF9uwGpVuVN3hz8urmVgHXubFefZ5mgxAF_UAm-53bPBOLlPVY5S8_FY-TVVAU10NE3wL0nzxOFa0KmyklaH6QVjw6wYmZPgierp41TvdqlPAM_A8R73ulzTvM4kfww/s1600-h/IMG_1071.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293987058344940194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 124px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwXymIxsSV7bHbRF9uwGpVuVN3hz8urmVgHXubFefZ5mgxAF_UAm-53bPBOLlPVY5S8_FY-TVVAU10NE3wL0nzxOFa0KmyklaH6QVjw6wYmZPgierp41TvdqlPAM_A8R73ulzTvM4kfww/s320/IMG_1071.jpg" border="0" /></a>The next thing I need to do is bracket my shots to vary the depth of field. A narrow depth of field is OK for the berries. But this didn't work as well for Erinna's eyes. I think this shot would work better with both eyes in focus.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-iAmoG3KXMbuBF7HvyOAynXeFlqJLJFquEIBrngrVk9OITyxuCRQslq642o1vrpqTqreYDddynyeQrsmXdkqb2rFoe5_IBWpopH18PRyTgDSWJQuS2e0V2qtvY3imWAeYV6vA6dza9V2/s1600-h/IMG_1117.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293988415089924498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-iAmoG3KXMbuBF7HvyOAynXeFlqJLJFquEIBrngrVk9OITyxuCRQslq642o1vrpqTqreYDddynyeQrsmXdkqb2rFoe5_IBWpopH18PRyTgDSWJQuS2e0V2qtvY3imWAeYV6vA6dza9V2/s200/IMG_1117.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The last thing I learned in this session is that Prune does <em>not</em> like being kept out of the center of attention. She saw the spotlight and headed straight for it.Pam Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594207985230898752noreply@blogger.com2