I Clicked It Up A Notch - October

I cannot believe it is November already! October has been a busy month with not enough photography for my liking, but hopefully I can change that this month. I also can't believe that the monthly contest at Click It Up A Notch is ending. It has been one of my favorite link ups and I will miss it. However, Courtney's blog is full of amazing things to learn and I know I will continue to be a regular visitor. 

The way I Clicked It Up A Notch this month cannot be showcased in a photo as it has to do with sharing tips and tricks on my blog. I am always so inspired and grateful for people who share what they have learned about photography like Courtney. I have wanted to share some of the things I have learned for a while but have been very hesitant about it. Last month and this month I gave it a try. I would love for you to check out my tips on Sunbursts and Landscape Locations. Let me know what you think!

Now as for my submission for this month's contest I chose a photo of a tree outside my house. Believe it or not, I had to tone down the color of the leaves as they are so vibrant in person and in camera. This month has been full of growth and change for me and I feel this photo captures that so well. There is a beauty to even the most difficult change and when we try something new or work to be better we get to see it.

Settings: ISO 400, 50mm, ss1/160, f/5.6

"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living."  - Gail Sheehy 

 

              

I Clicked it Up a Notch - September

September ended with an amazing event that is something I have been looking forward to it since last year, the Clickin Walk! There is just something about spending time with fellow photographers who are all amazing people and all willing to share that makes for a fantastic day. I feel blessed to have participated for a second year in a row. 

During the walk we stumbled upon a community garden filled with amazing photographic possibilities! One of my fellow photographers had a passion for macro photography and her passion was contagious. With my new macro lens (I am in love!) I took this shot. I love the detail of the petals and the way it is a new perspective for me. I can't wait to delve into macro photography further! Come back tomorrow to see all of my shots from the walk and hear more about a macro shoot I was lucky enough to participate in!

Settings: ISO 800, 100mm, ss1/800, f/5.0

“The difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective.” - Al Neuharth

  This also happens to be my favorite shot of the week!              

I Clicked It Up A Notch - August

The month of August has been a busy one! From celebrating and reflecting on the one year anniversary of my blog and shooting on manual to starting my sixth year of teaching, I have had less time get out and photograph than I would like. Despite less time shooting, this month has been filled with trying new things when I do get the chance to take photos. For my favorite photo of the month I chose one where I tried something new and learned from the experience. I was out at a local garden enjoying the scenery, but struggling with the direct sun lighting. In an attempt to use the light to my advantage I changed my perspective and captured the photo below. I learned that even when I feel disappointed, changing my perspective can change everything. (This works for my life too :o)

Settings: ISO 400, 55mm, ss1/320, f/5.6

Location: Point Defiance Park Dahlia Test Garden in Tacoma, WA

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.”  ― John Lubbock

I Clicked It Up a Notch - July

For this month, I picked a photo that continues to make me happy and proud. The location was Astoria, Oregon where my dad lives and was taken on the Fourth of July, which just so happens to be my favorite holiday. I did research before going and went into this shoot unsure, but excited. The results were more than I could have hoped for. This is just one of those photos where I had a vision of what I wanted and with a little work I was able to make it happen. I can't wait to see what happens next month!

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss12secs, f/11 (on tripod, shutter on bulb)

"The intelligent man is one who has successfully fulfilled many accomplishments, and is yet willing to learn more." - Ed Parker

I Clicked it Up a Notch - June

If May was a difficult month, June was daunting. However, I was determined to spend some time with my photography. I had the opportunity to head to the eastern part of the state of Washington to a place called the Qunicy Wildlife Recreation Area. It was an amazing journey and ended with the chance to try to photograph a sunset silhouette shot of something other than the ocean. It stretched me a bit to find a location with enough visual interest for the amazing sunset to contrast with, but I feel successful in the end. I am glad that I took the time to capture this moment and to take a photographic chance. 

Settings: ISO 200, 42mm, ss1/80, f/5.0

"If you nurture your mind, body, and spirit, your time will expand. You will gain a new perspective that will allow you to accomplish much more." - Brian Koslow

         

I Clicked It Up a Notch - May

While May has been a difficult month to find a balance I have had some wonderful photography experiences. One such experience was finding this amazingly lit rhododendron, using my new lens hood and capturing the dramatic natural light as I intended to. School gets out in 15 days and I am so looking forward to many summer days filled with photography, learning and passion.

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, ss1/250, f/5.6 (sunlight wb, lens hood)

"Passion surprises. One doesn't search it. It can happen to you tomorrow." - Isabelle Adjani

        

What I Learned From Critique Me

I often mention Courtney and her site Click it Up a Notch here on the blog. I cannot say enough good things about what it has done for me. It gave me the confidence to try manual with Courtney's information and her support and feedback. I love her information and the way she looks at all aspects of photography in the types of topics she covers. She also hosts a weekly feature called Critique Me, where photographers submit a photo and other photographer's critique the image. I have participated by providing critiques for many images and I feel like it has helped me to see things I otherwise would not have seen. It really does help train your eye as Courtney says :o).

So I decided to submit an image. I was a little nervous, but at the same time I was looking forward to seeing my photo through other's eyes. I find that critiques done in a positive manner are an amazing way to learn and grow as a photographer. I must say that I was not disappointed :o). In an effort to process what I gained from the experience I am going share the things I learned about my image and about my photography. 

First of all, here is the image I submitted:

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/1250, f/7.1 (full manual, sunlight wb, SOOC)

It was taken on New Year's Day at Indian Beach in Ecola State Park in the town of Cannon Beach, Oregon with my Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Lens, a Christmas present. It was a beautiful day on the Oregon Coast, my favorite place to travel to take photos and I spent a lot of time walking the beach and photographing the different views and the changing light. What I liked about this photo was the way it captured the bit of the stormy feel to the clouds, the colors of the sky, the feel of the waves and the reflection on the beach. I first posted this photo with my photography goals for the year. You can see more photos from this adventure here, here and here. 

With that said, I went into the Critique Me process wanting to know what I wasn't seeing because I was so enamored with this photo and the experience it captured. 9 people responded with wonderful compliments and suggestions for improvement. I decided to take each critique and edit the photo and then do a final edit combining what I gained from the experience as a whole. 

Here are the edits based on the critiques. Click to make them bigger...

In order - 1. cropped and upped the saturation/vibrance, 2. cropped out some of the beach, 3. cropped out some of the sky, 4. less severe crop, 5. upped the saturation, blacks and contrast and adjusted the watermark, 6. subtle crop and adjusted the watermark.

Based on the critiques and the editing process here are just a few things I learned that I want to put into practice as I go forward:

1. Being more cognizant of the whole frame and of the rule of thirds - I am aware of the rule of thirds and the power it has to draw the eye in a photo. When I am out "in the field" so to speak :o), I am often so focused on getting the settings right that I am not conscious of looking at the whole frame. I try so hard to capture the landscape as it and as it feels to me (hence the focus on the settings) that other aspects fall away. My goal going forward is to be more aware of the whole frame and of the placement of the horizon and other key parts of the scene in the frame. 

2. Trying to capture "less" in one photo - Since I began this photography journey a focus of mine has been to identify my intention or goal with a photo. This has been coming easier to me, but I often find that I have more than one intention. While this works for me as I know what I want the photo to say and why I made the choices I did, I don't think it translates as well when I am trying to evoke a feeling with a photo. Therefore, I am going to try to hone in on one thing that I want to communicate with each photo. Less can be more :o).

Hopefully you are still reading or maybe you just scrolled down to the results of my Critique Me journey, which works too :o)! Lastly, I want to share a final edit I did after the critiques and thank each and every person who provided feedback. The process has been invaluable and one of the most powerful catalysts for growth I have encountered on my photography journey thus far. Thank you Erica, Amber, Kim, Laura, Benita, Rachel, Laureen, Alessandra and Beth for your positivity and suggestions! And of course a huge thank you to Courtney for this opportunity!

For this final edit in Lightroom I did a slight crop to a more natural break in the rocks and to break up the photo more by thirds. I upped the saturation/vibrance, blacks and contrast and did some work in the tone curve to decrease the lights and shadows and increase the darks. I also decreased the size and opacity of the watermark.

"Feedback is the breakfast of champions." - Ken Blanchard

I would love to know what you think of the final image in order to continue this unique chance for growth!

Linking up to SOOC Saturday, check out the other SOOC shots! Also linking up with The Simple Things and Scenic Sunday. Be sure to take a look at the beautiful photos there as well! And of course Click it Up a Notch :o).