The Photographic Lens

Mumbai Blasts Covered on Flickr

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:59:00 +0000

I generally try to follow the news through online sources like The Wall Street Journal or CNN. However, I was intrigued to find that the recent breaking stories about the terrorist attacks in India were being covered photographically by people entrenched in this tragic situation. One photographer, who was only a short distance away from the attack location, was using the photo-sharing website Flickr to post images of the aftermath:

Mumbai Blasts on Flickr

These pictures represent a different perspective from professional journalists and provide a unique insight that might otherwise be unobtainable. These events are truly horrendous, and I can only hope that more fervent, uncensored coverage will more clearly bring the gravity and devastation of these violent acts to the forefront of the minds of the world. While I admire the use of modern social media sites like Flickr to depict the whole story, I dream that someday I won't be able to find photographs of terrorist attacks there.

Create Panoramas Using Autostitch

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:05:00 +0000

The development of programs like Autostitch has made the creation of beautiful panoramic images easier than ever. I recently learned about this program and began doing some experimentation around my apartment. I walked out onto the balcony and started snapping some pictures with my camera phone (3.2 megapixels). Besides keeping the focal distance and zoom consistent through all the shots, I basically just point and shot while trying to eyeball a little bit of overlap. The result of those three shots, the default settings using Autostitch, cropping, and a few other minor adjustments can be seen below:

Panorama Example

It is not the prettiest scene, and the sky is completely washed out, but I wanted to give you an example of the capabilities of Autostitch. Post a link to your favorite panorama in the comments.

Cleaning the Photographic Lens

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 05:30:00 +0000

More blogs created by amateurs emerge everyday and have been for years. I wanted to be a part of this proliferation and began on this journey almost two and half months ago. This duration is both long and short in the world of blogging. Some blogs receive success and readership in a matter of days. Others maintain relative anonymity for a long time and suddenly begin growing. Therefore, I'm not going to quantify success by the number of readers or comments. Rather, I set out in the beginning to both provide information about photography and to create a medium for displaying my work for criticism. I feel that most of my posts achieved one of these goals. However, these past posts have taught me some lessons that I can use to improve my blog in the future.

Blogging does not function well as a means of displaying photography, on its own. The chronological nature of posting means that a photo that a visitor sees and likes will probably be in a different location the next time she visits the page. A companion site with a section that organizes just photographs would benefit a visitor that wants to simply view photography. I hope to develop a site in the future months that achieves this goal. As a medium for interaction, blogging works extremely well. I've communicated with both my peers, experienced photographers, and unknown strangers interested in photography as a result of my blog. This back-and-forth helps disseminate information, clarify techniques, and develop ideas. I plan to focus on topics inherently inclined towards interaction in my blog in the future. Thanks for reading, and I will talk to you next post!

Calm by Dawn

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:40:00 +0000

This post is going to show a picture that I took on a trip to a North Carolina beach with the Newman Catholic Student Center. The beach provides so many great photo opportunities; in fact, the scene in the header for this blog is a picture taken on this trip at sunrise. While the header is a typical waterfront view, the photograph below does not contain a visible grain of sand or drop of salt water. However, the wooden walkways and vegetation typical of beach front property suggest the proximity of this building to the ocean. This locality vagueness is one aspect of the photo that appeals to me. Others include the intense blue color of the sky, the position of the walkway in the frame, and the effect created by the incandescent lights on the cabin. I dislike the vast quantity of sky that is above the roof. I could fix this by simply cropping it, but I did not like the results produced. I wish that I had taken the photograph with a few different angles and compositions, because it is such a pretty scene. Let me know what you think.

Calm by Dawn

Chronicle Photo Editor

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:13:00 +0000

I've shared a little bit about my first experiences with photography in a previous post, but I thought that you might want to hear how some other students became active as photographers. I asked the Photo Editor of The Chronicle, the daily newspaper at Duke University, a couple of questions about her start with a camera and some aspects of her job.

How did you get into photography?

I've loved taking pictures since the grade school when I remember getting a Kodak Advantix camera for my birthday. I've always had a camera, whether with family or friends, at school or on vacations. I also have an interest in art/drawing/painting, and I've been able to learn how to use high tech equipment to improve my photography skills. I was finally able to turn my hobbies into an activity: photojournalism with the Chronicle. I decided sophomore year at Duke that the coolest thing would be taking photos of basketball, and that's what led me here!

What parts of working at the Chronicle do you enjoy the most?

To specify my favorite parts of working with the Chronicle I would definitely include two things: 1. Traveling to new places to shoot sporting events, because I love traveling and seeing new cities and arenas, and 2. Meeting/working with all sorts of photographers and Duke students, who make my job so much fun on a daily basis.

Using a Camera as a Scanner/Photocopier

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:42:00 +0000

When digital cameras first began to appear on store shelves, resolutions of two and three megapixels were common. This size works well for regular size prints and standard photographic practices. However, now that the sale of affordable cameras with resolutions over 5 megapixels is ubiquitous, cameras contain many more capabilities beyond standard photo taking. In recent weeks, I discovered a solution to a problem that really annoys me. When attempting to work with a book where I need to see two pages that are far apart, flipping between the two wastes my time and becomes tedious. For example, a textbook with the problems on one page and the answers all in the back causes irritation when checking my work involves returning to that page and finding that particular number.

The last time I was working on a problem set, I was sitting at my computer desk with my camera bag at my feet. After struggling with different pens and post it notes to mark the pages I was flipping between, I finally decided to try taking a picture of the answer page and quickly transferring it to my computer so that I could look at it on my monitor. The picture worked well, and the high resolution meant that I could zoom to any part and still clearly see the answers. I've put a link to an example shot that is not even particularly good at the end of this post. The quality is still good enough to read the answers though so my annoying problem was solved by taking 30 seconds to snap a picture and putting it on my computer. No more flipping.

This technique is now even used in libraries with books that can't be photocopied because of their fragile nature. A high resolution photograph is taken from above so that the researcher can refer back to it and zoom in on the parts of the text that she needs.

Example Picture

Alternatives to Expensive Photo Software

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:41:00 +0000

In this post, I would like to highlight two free pieces of software that I have been using for several months. The first that I would like to discuss is called Picasa, and it was created by the new media giant Google. This program functions as a basic organizer for all of my photos. It automatically finds any new photos that I add to my hard drive and catalogs them by their folder and by the date they were taken. This is my first step in processing a picture after I take it off of the memory card in my camera. If you desired, Picasa could be the only program you use to interact with your photos. As well as organizing photos, it also has several editing features that are all that is necessary for the vast majority of my work. After you're done editing the photos, Picasa supports uploads to the web and will even allow you to post a picture straight to Blogger (also owned by Google). I don't extensively use all of the functionalities possible with Picasa, but I highly recommend using it for organizing your photos. More information can be found here:

Picasa Photo Software

The second program that I use when I want to do more powerful photo editing is called Gimpshop. It is a free alternative to Photoshop, and it looks and functions in a very similar way. I am not an expert when using Photoshop or Gimpshop, but the reading I have done indicates that Gimpshop is a truly remarkable answer to the person who wants to edit photos but can't drop several hundred dollars on Photoshop. I encourage you to try it out and if you are curious more information about it can be found here:

Gimpshop Information

Photographic Trust

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:40:00 +0000

As you might have noticed, photography can be a very expensive hobby. Digital cameras are not getting any cheaper, and the lifecycle of new cutting edge technology feels like a few months. Photoshop and other software suites commonly used by serious enthusiasts cost hundreds of dollars. With that being stated, I have been thinking of ways to offset some of these costs by utilizing photography. One option I have explored is the idea of becoming an event photographer.

This job would entail taking photographs for parties, groundbreakings, or maybe even weddings. The only way I can think to start is by posting ads on craigslist, maybe putting up some physical posters, and other forms of informal advertising. The major hurdle I predict is how will people respond to the idea of putting their important memories in the hands of a photographer with no formal training and little experience. Also, do I feel confident enough to be entrusted with this responsibility. I would hate to have a problem and realize that a true once in a lifetime moment was lost forever. What do you think? Would you risk your memories for a wildcard photographer like me for a much cheaper price?

Flashlight Painting

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:15:00 +0000

In my previous entry, I mentioned a technique that Tips and Tricks Photography called painting with light. I really enjoyed that article because it expanded on an idea that I had been playing with on my own. My "Flashlight Painting" is not a traditional form of photography that I learned from a book; rather, it came to me as a "hmm, I wonder how that would look" moment. My basic technique for creating one of these photographs is quite simple.

The first thing I do is find a completely dark room or area. Then, I set my camera on a tripod and focus on an object that is close to where I'm going to be standing when I'm doing the "painting." Don't worry too much about the focus, because as you'll see, the goal is not crystal clear sharp photographs. I set the aperture of the camera to about 4.5 or 5.6; again, these values can be adjusted to suit your needs. I leave the ISO at 200 because one potential problem is the introduction of noise because of the very slow shutter speed that is necessary. You want the ISO as low as possible. The aforementioned shutter speed varies depending on how much time I need to create my painting. Generally, it will be between 10 seconds and 30 seconds.

After I set up my camera, the only thing left to do is turn off all the lights and create my masterpiece. The art of painting with a flashlight is controlling the intensity, duration, and color of the light. I like to take a standard incandescent flashlight and put a paper towel over it to soften the light just a little. You can be creative and put any kind of color or surface that you think might look cool. After creating my brush, I press the shutter on my camera and begin my painting. I cover the flashlight with my hand in any area that I don't want to have a flashlight streak and uncover it any place that I do. You could turn the flashlight on and off if you would like. An example involving three different brush strokes can be seen below:

Light Painting Example

One "stroke" was necessary for each eye and a final stroke for the mouth. This photograph was taken with a shutter speed of 10 seconds because I did not really need more time than that. You can see a little image of me because I was shining the light in the direction of a wall and window that reflected some of the light and slightly illuminated the room. One final note, the ideal way to press the shutter would be to use a remote, but if you don't have one, the self timer on your camera would work well, or even just opening the shutter and walking into position with the flashlight off would work. Remember, the area is completely dark so the movement won't get picked up by the camera. Alright, I hope you enjoy trying this technique or just viewing some of the creative things you can do with a camera.

A Young Terp

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:14:00 +0000

One of the commonly referred to introductory principles of photographic composition is the rule of thirds. This rule provides a general outline of where the subject of a photo should be framed. The way the human eye works and examines a photograph is the basis behind the rule. It states that if you draw two vertical and two horizontal lines over the frame of the photo, dividing it into thirds in both dimensions, the subject of your photo should go at one of the four intersections. This idea is best described visually; I made an illustration depicting the rule of thirds. For maximum interest to the human eye, the subject should be placed at one of the red dots in the drawing below.

Rule of Thirds Illustration

Now that you hopefully understand this principle, I've provided an example using a photograph of my baby cousin. He is the son of a Maryland graduate and is fully decked out in red and white as he rides the noble terrapin (essentially a type of turtle) on the College Park, MD, campus.

A Young Terp

You can see that my cousin, the subject, is located on the left third of the frame. The positioning helps provide interest to our eyes as opposed to just snapping a picture with every subject in the center. This and other basic guidelines furnish a framework for taking photographs, but, like many other things you will learn in photography, plenty of great pictures have been taken that completely disregard this rule. Basically, think about it when composing, but don't feel constrained by it.

Independence Day Fireworks at the Washington Monument

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:14:00 +0000

Fireworks make one of the most difficult subjects to photograph. The traditional technique to capture a great image of fireworks requires a tripod, time spent finding a great position, and tinkering with shutter speeds. I had none of these when I decided to attend the massive Fourth of July Celebration in D.C. However, I did possess a small, digital point and shoot camera and the hope of successfully capturing a few good memories of my first time viewing this spectacular fireworks show. Not being a native of the capital city, I was unsure of how this event would occur, but I did know a few details: lots of people would be there, the fireworks would explode near the tall Washington Monument, and the sky would be dark.

While riding the packed subway to the second nearest stop (the closest was closed due to security concerns), I concocted a plan to try to get some decent photographs with my point and shoot. It mainly involved bracing myself against a wall or some other object for a little stability, using the automatic mode on my camera with the exception that I would manually turn the flash off, and taking many photographs in the hopes of catching a gem. The following photo shows one of the results.

Flash Fireworks

This image is far from perfect, but several interesting developments occurred while taking the photograph that make it memorable and appealing to me. I was not able to keep the camera entirely steady, which did result in noticeable blurring. This defect does make the photograph less professional, but I find that the softening of the edges suits the atmosphere of the event. The most noticeable anomaly in the photo is the illumination of the bottom right corner. When I was taking the picture, another camera fired (with flash) just as I was taking the picture. This burst spotlighted the corner and provided a dim view of an American flag which fit the patriotic theme of this photo and event perfectly. I don't think I would ever conceive of trying to create a photo with this kind of timing, but my third idea of taking many pictures gave me this random of event that makes this photograph.

Digital Photography Info on iTunes

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:14:00 +0000

The internet contains so much information on modern technology that sometimes I am shocked when I don't think to look for advice or guidance. I search often, but there is so much that I really should hunt more. For example, I've only recently discovered the world of podcasting. My initial foray into this new type of information dissemination involved finding some helpful language podcasts; specifically they were introductions to French and Italian. However, after seeing all of the interesting topics on the iTunes sidebar, I realized that there were probably some podcasts about digital photography.

A quick search of the iTunes store using the terms "digital" and "photography" yielded tons of hits. I was skeptical of how podcasts about such a visual medium, photography, would work, but I found a few that functioned well and provided useful information. The first one I'm going to recommend trying is called Digital Photography Tip of the Week. This podcast is aimed more towards beginners, but I feel that it covers a broad range of topics and does an adequate job of showing some of the aspects of photography that new photographers and seasoned veterans alike need to think about when taking a photograph.

Upon scanning and listening to many of these photography podcasts, I clicked on one and was surprised to hear nothing coming out of my speakers. Instead Adobe Reader opened and showed a pdf titled Tips and Tricks Photography Magazine. I had stumbled on a Pdfcast that I ended up really liking. This magazine contains more specific content and articles related to more seasoned photographers. I found the article on painting with light very interesting because I had done something similar, and seeing another perspective on it gave me some ideas for the future. I recommend this pdfcast if you're looking for some inspiration to go try a new technique or expand your thinking as a photographer.

Digital Photography Boom

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:10:00 +0000

Film and the associated cameras grow closer to their graves with each passing day. The signals appear everywhere that cameras are used. The sidelines of major sporting events are populated with digital Nikons and Canons and have been for years. Even school newspapers are starting to discard their "old" digital cameras in favor of a newer generation. Any camera that is pulled out of a purse or a back pocket has a big screen and that signature digital form factor. There will always be those few steadfast relics that insist film provides better images, and they might be right in some instances. However, even such giants of film as Eastman Kodak are making the switch and evolving to fit the developing market.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal stated "Kodak said sales of digital products rose 12% to $1.59 billion, accounting for 60% of revenue. The digital increase nearly offset the 16% decline in traditional film-based revenue."** This century old company now depends on digital photography for more than half of its revenue. Digital photography and cameras are becoming ubiquitous because of their ease of use, increasingly detailed picture quality, and a myriad other number of advantages over traditional film. In a few more years, film will certainly go the way of videocassettes, vinyl records, and bag phones; it will be relegated to antique shops and stories.

**Bulkeley, William M. "Kodak's Move to Digital Shows Progress." The Wall Street Journal. 2 Nov. 2007: B5.

Hood Ornament

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:22:00 +0000

In this post, I'm just going to talk about this picture that I took recently at a sailing regatta in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Hood Ornament

I saw this kayaker rowing through the inlet and knew immediately that I had to have a photograph. No offense to the kayaker, but what really makes this picture in my mind is the little dog sitting on the front of the kayak. The scene reminded me of massive hood ornaments on luxury automobiles, hence the title. I wish that I knew more about dogs and could identify it's type, but I do know that it looks very cute.

I took about 10 shots of the kayak from the dock as it glided by me (one great benefit of digital photography is that each picture is dirt cheap). All of the pictures were fairly similar; the dog did not really move too much and the kayaker continued rowing. However, there were some subtle differences that made me choose this one to display on my blog. The dog has her head turned towards the camera in this exposure which just makes it look even more cute and cuddly. Also, the small wave in the background adds some depth and interest to the photo. Finally, the only editing I did to this photograph was cropping out some of the boring water. Hope you enjoy it!

Photographic Reality

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 04:33:00 +0000

"At the same time, it [short animations] also replaces the still photograph as the new index of the real: since everybody knows that still photography can be digitally manipulated, a short moving sequence arranged in a loop becomes a better way to represent reality-for the time being."

Lev Manovich makes this statement in Generation Flash. As a digital photographer, I find truth and intrigue in this declaration made by the new media specialist. Still photography does not represent reality or the real, but I don't feel that it ever has come close to achieving this ideal. Further, the goal of photography is not portraying the world as seen through the eyes of a human. Certainly, it can be utilized in this manner, but photography can encompass much more than the simple capturing of a moment.

The first photographs were taken in black and white and required tons of time and preparation to take; any people as subjects had to pose and remain still for a long time. These photographs did not portray the actual world, and even as camera technology has evolved and improved, cameras still do not depict the world as the eye sees it. They describe brief moments in time: a basketball player can look like he's suspended in air, an ant can be the same size as a person, a house illuminated by moonlight can appear brighter than it does during the middle of the day. A photographer does not need to be concerned with the implications of using some editing software to enhance her work; it is simply another available tool. She can try to "index the real" if she desires, but she should not feel constrained and should create based on her inspirations and goals.

And for another time and discussion: any moving loop or animation is simply many still photographs shown one after the other in a brief period of time. Manovich's argument is truthful but does not devote enough justice to the versatility of modern photography.

I Wonder Why?

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 02:26:00 +0000

The "Headlines" on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno are always a highlight of my Monday night. Basically, the editors of the Tonight Show accept clippings from newspapers, magazines, advertisements, etc from all over the country, and Jay shows them to the national audience. The clippings generally contain a typo that makes them really funny, or two ads are very ironically placed. For example, an ad for a sale on wine is next to an announcement for the next AA meeting. Anyways, I was driving down the road with my dad this summer, and we spotted an interesting "Headlines" type scene and decided to take a photograph. The results are below:

I've Got a Great Bridge

In a similar fashion to the Tonight Show, I've provided some helpful arrows to identify the interesting aspects of the photograph. The reason I've posted this humorous, quirky picture after talking about shutter speed and how a camera works is to remind you that photography should truly be fun and enjoyable. Sure, capturing a moment can be great, but not if it comes at the expense of living the scene. I'm going to continue teaching you how to use the camera, but always remember to make photography what you want it to be.

Photography at Night

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 17:44:00 +0000

I've always been fascinated by nighttime. I'm not really sure why, but the middle of the night just appeals to me. Photographs of night scenes illuminated by city lights or moonlight always mystified me.

At the end of my previous post I showed you a little bit of my work in the middle of night. However, I was looking around and stumbled upon the Night Photography Blog by Andy Frazar. If you're interested in seeing what can be created with a little vision and a slow shutter speed, I encourage you to check this site out. There are plenty of stunning images to provide inspiration for future photographs.

Shutter Speed

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 17:58:00 +0000

A modern digital camera works by exposing light from the environment onto a digital sensor located inside the camera. Basically, the total amount of light that hits the sensor determines how the picture will look. If a lot of light contacts the sensor for a long time, the picture is going to be very bright, and if just a little light hits the sensor for a short time, the photograph will be dark. The photographer regulates how much light hits the sensor and for how long by manipulating two controls, the shutter speed and the aperture.

The shutter speed is the amount of time that the shutter (the part of the camera covering the sensor) moves out of the way in order to allow light to hit the sensor. The aperture is basically how large a hole has been created to let light onto the sensor. A larger hole allows more light and a smaller hole less light. Now that I've gone over the very basics of how a camera works, I'm going to spend the rest of this post discussing shutter speed in general and then illustrate using a few examples.

Shutter speed is a little bit of a confusing term because it is not actually measured in terms of a speed. The unit that photographers use is simply a time, and the more time the shutter is left open the greater amount of light that can enter through the aperture and hit the sensor. If you've ever had to use a camera where you had to determine the shutter speed, then you realize that common values are 200, 250, 640, etc. These numbers don't really make sense; is the shutter open for 200 seconds or 640 seconds, certainly not. These values actually refer to their reciprocal in seconds. For example, if you a see a shutter speed value of 200 on your camera, it actually signifies that the shutter will remain open for 1/200 second, a very short time. The lowest shutter speed that is generally usable in a situation where you are holding your camera in your hand is about 1/30 of a second. Longer values are possible, but they generally require the use of a tripod. Now, let's look at a few examples.

The following two photographs show my friend imitating a helicopter spinning. The first one was taken with a shutter speed of 1/250 second. This value was fast enough to freeze the motion and make it appear like he could just be tipping over because he lost his footing. However, the second photograph was taken using a shutter speed of 1/15 second. This speed was slow enough to allow him to spin a little bit while the shutter was open. This caused the slight blur that you can see which suggests he was moving rather quickly, not just tipping over.

Finally, this photograph taken on the beach during the middle of the night shows the effect of an extremely slow shutter speed, 30 seconds. The shutter was open for a long time and allowed the sensor to gather enough light to effectively show the stairs when it was essentially pitch black outside.

Understanding the Camera

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:31:00 +0000

Have you ever thought you had that perfect photograph only to review it and realize that the image is blurry, too dark, too bright, etc.? If you were using an automatic mode on your camera or a point and shoot, the result was due to the camera misreading the situation and creating a problematic result. Let's avoid those mistakes and start learning about the camera by looking at the two main types.

There are two main types of cameras that I'm going to discuss here, automatic (point and shoot) and SLRs (single lens reflexive). The automatic type usually has a few modes; such as landscape, nighttime, and sports; but generally makes the vast majority of the decisions regarding the photograph for you. A single lens reflexive camera is what you see newspaper photographers carrying. These are generally heavier, more expensive, and able to be operated manually. The name, single lens reflexive, comes from the mirror that redirects, or reflects, the light, the image, coming from the lens into the viewfinder; the mirror flips up when you press the shutter button which exposes the image from the lens onto the digital sensor. When you are using a single lens reflexive camera, you are looking through the lens; whereas in most automatic cameras, the viewfinder is a separate entity. The separate viewfinder can be seen in the accompanying photos of two different cameras, an automatic Panasonic DMC-LC33 and an SLR, a Nikon D40.

The red circle in the top picture shows the viewfinder for an automatic camera; you can see that the viewfinder is completely separate from the lens below it. The introduction of LCD screens has made it an afterthought on modern digital cameras, and I would not suggest using it on a point and shoot camera. In the SLR on the bottom, you can see that there is no separate viewfinder. When the photographer looks through the eyepiece on the back of the camera, she is looking through the actual camera lens and is seeing what the sensor will see when the mirror flips out of the way. The SLR has automatic modes that enable it to work in a similar fashion to the point and shoot, but the true power and versatility comes from its ability to be operated manually. The photographer can make all of the decisions about how her photograph will look.

The next posts will examine what these decisions are and what criteria the photographer needs to consider when making them. If you have any questions, leave a comment and I will answer promptly.

What is The Photographic Lens?

noreply@blogger.com (jrazick) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 18:00:00 +0000

The Photographic Lens represents what I have learned as a photographer since I began over 10 years ago. My first real experience with photography occurred when I found my dad's old Pentax sitting around the house. He had just bought a new Nikon and let me play around with the old one. We loaded up some film, took the lens cap off, and began to take some pictures. I really didn't know what I was doing with this entirely manual relic from 30 years ago, but I enjoyed composing images of my house and backyard.

We drove to the local drug store to drop the photos off for one hour development, came back, and was told that no images came off of the entire roll of film. My father and I then learned that the advancing mechanism on the old Pentax was completely dysfunctional. Rather than discouraging me, this incident just increased my desire to learn about photography. The next week I commandeered my dad's camera and repeated the process of taking an entire roll of common plants and trees in my backyard. These developed well, and I had found a new hobby.

Now, as is often the case with young boys, this hobby was just one more item to add to the list of things to do with my massive amounts of free time. I didn't start carrying a camera with me from that point forward, but I did like to take charge of it on family vacations and other special occasions. As I grew older and more experienced, I finally joined the school newspaper as a sophomore in college. It's been about a year since then, and working with the paper has really improved my photographs.

There are two main goals for this blog:

To pass on some of the knowledge that I have acquired through taking pictures. I am certainly not a professional, nor do I know everything there is to know about photography, but hopefully I can explain what I do know in a clear, understandable way.
To provide an outlet for me to display some of my work along with my thoughts concerning the piece for critique and criticism.

I plan to begin with a series of posts explaining the difference between the two types of cameras that I am going to discuss and the two main adjustments that a modern digital photographer needs to consider when taking a photograph, shutter speed and aperture.