Unless you are using a point-and-shoot camera just for family and vacation photos, photography has many aspects, some obvious, some not so obvious. The technical and artistic components are complex, but so can the business of photography be multifaceted. I … Continue reading
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Pre-revolutionary Egypt
Gallery
My wife and I were fortunate to be able to attend a photo workshop in pre-revolutionary Egypt in 2010. The mentors on the trip were Bill Durrence, Steve Simon, and David Tajada. As with many similar workshops, the schedule was, … Continue reading
A Great Photo
A friend recently said “I want to take a great photo.” He is a good photographer but has limited experience. My advice, basic knowledge is an obvious necessity, and then shoot and shoot and shoot. But when you are shooting, only take “good” photos. And, probably the most important ingredient is “have fun.” The photo not only shows the subject, but also the photographer. That great photo is not something that most of us can choose to take at a specific time but is something that happens with knowledge and effort.
Will and two grandsons are obviously having fun! How this photo should be categorized depends on who you ask; Will would say it is great.
All photos copyright Dan Biggerstaff Photography. All rights reserved © 2011.
Farmer’s Market
Local events can provide a great opportunity for shooting street scenes, one of my favorite types of photography. Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah is the site for a farmer’s market every Saturday morning from early April to late November. The hours are from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors can purchase fresh vegetables, flowers, plants, herbs, pasta, breads, and meats from local farmers and vendors. Many of the foods are certified organic. The vendors are typically very friendly and helpful in making selections. Park benches provide a place to cool off in the shade, in addition to a place of solitude to read and relax. Frequently there are other activities going on in the park such as exercise classes, and on this Saturday, a rugby tournament. All in all, a good place to spend a Saturday morning.
When taking photos in varying light conditions such as bright sunlight and the shade, adjustments are needed to prevent people-pictures from being blown out (too bright) or too dark. If your camera permits, taking bracketed shots can make the process easier. For instance, I set my camera to shoot a 3-shot “burst,” the first correctly exposed, the second 1 f-stop under, and the third shot 1 f-stop over exposed. Another way to compensate for varying light conditions is to use the EV (exposure value) button that has a +/- on or by the button. This allows you to increase or decrease the exposure as needed. What ever you do, HAVE FUN!
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All photos copyright Dan Biggerstaff Photography. All rights reserved © 2011.
Isle of Hope Street Scenes
As many of you know, I try to walk twice a day, for exercise and relaxation. Most of the time I have my camera with me. I love shooting photos of people, scenery, and animals, especially people. Many of the photos taken are deleted; I would never keep a photo that I felt was not really good. I prefer great photos and continuously work towards a few in that category. It is fun seeing people having fun, and that is what I enjoy capturing with the camera. If you see me out and about, feel free to wave or keep on doing what you are doing. I do not want to infringe upon anyone’s “happy space” and will put the camera down if I sense that I am. These photos will be updated periodically.
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All photos copyright Dan Biggerstaff Photography. All rights reserved © 2011.
Tibetan Mandala
Recently, on my daily afternoon walk, I gazed down the street and thought I was seeing an illusion. We occasionally get some interesting characters, but a Tibetan monk on Isle of Hope? Long story short, it was a Tibetan monk. Gary Butch, from Elizabeth’s on 37th, is working to help raise money to help build a clean water system at the Drepung Loseling Monastery in India (www.drepung.org for more information). A group of monks were staying at his home on Isle of Hope while they were working on a Tibetan Mandala. The Mandala sand painting creates a sacred space around the area of the painting. There is an opening ceremony with chanting, of which you see a photo, and a closing ceremony, after the work is completed. This Mandala took 6 monks a total of 8 days to complete. You can see the monks using long cylindrical metal cones to precisely “paint the picture” with grains of colored sand. During the closing ceremony, the sand is placed in a box and wrapped in silk. The sand is then dumped into a river, signifying the transitory nature of material things. Speaking of Tibetan tradition, one of my favorite quotes is from His Holiness The Dali Lama. “As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery…We have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion, while love and compassion and a sense of universal responsibility are the sources of peace and happiness.”
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All photos copyright Dan Biggerstaff Photography. All rights reserved © 2011.
Mater is alive!
Mater is REAL!
Certain things in photography are so basic I hate to mention in a photo blog, but I will anyway. Always have your camera with you, and never go back for a shot. You cannot take a photograph, at least a high quality one, if you do not have your camera. Yeah, I know that the device in your pocket or purse that you receive text messages and a rare phone call on can take photos – give me a break. I am talking about a real photo. If we agree on point one, let’s go to number two. If you plan to go back and take a shot, odds are it will not be there, or at least the lighting will have changed dramatically.
My wife and I were driving back from Charleston to Savannah. On the far side of a small town (a really small town), Cottageville, S.C., I, all of a sudden, turned the car around, and my wife wanted to know what was going on. We had just passed the “real” Mater, and I had to get a shot. For those of you without small children or grandchildren, Mater, a tow truck, is one of the main characters in a Disney movie called Cars 2. I present the real thing. Please share with all the small children you know.
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All photos copyright Dan Biggerstaff Photography. All rights reserved © 2011.