Back in June of 2010, I wrote a post about using your very own background or even a local park as a place to practice photography and build a creative eye. Today I still believe in this concept. From time to time I go out in my own front yard and backyard to take pictures. I do this to practice newly learned techniques, or to experiment with different camera settings, lighting and so forth. At this point I have probably taken pictures of just about everything that is in my front yard and backyard, but each time I retake a photograph it has a whole feel to it. The reason for that is because factors change. It could be different lighting, different angles, different location, different editing technique and so on.
We have a nice size backyard and plenty of objects to photograph or use. We have flowers, roses, lanterns, lights, cacti, bird houses, two canopies, a large table, two chair swings, two grills, a shed and of course the fencing. Each area of the our background presents some sort of challenge, such as lighting and /or composition. If you don’t have a large backyard and local park will also make a great place to practice. I do encourage everyone who has a backyard or a local park to get out there and photograph anything and everything. You will be amazed at the results you can achieve. After all, we are in an industry that is always changing and evolving, which means we must also do the same.
Here are the images that I shot this evening:
When I began photography I had no idea what I should be photographing. So there I was with my camera thinking to myself, what could I be photographing?. At that time nothing was coming to mind, so the only time I pulled out my camera was when I was heading to either the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park or Seaworld. It was not until I received my first DSLR that I begin to look for things to photograph, after all who wouldn’t when you have such a fine piece of equipment in your hands. That’s when I discovered that my own background would become the Ultimate Practice Grounds.
We have a nice size background and plenty of objects to photograph or use. We have flowers, roses, lanterns, lights, cacti, bird houses, two canopies, a large table, two chair swings, two grills, a shed and of course the fencing. Each area of the our background presents some sort of challenge, such as lighting and /or composition. The goal when backyard shooting is to not move anything, and use your brain instead. For example, if you want to photograph a flower, but you keep getting an ugly backdrop try moving five steps to the left and then five steps to the right. This changes your composition which may help you avoid that ugly backdrop. Another example, if want to photograph a flower, but half of that flower is in shadow and the other half is in direct sunlight what do you do? At this point you can begin to learn how to modify light in your favor. You can use a flash to fill in the shadows, you can use a reflector to fill in the shadows, or you can use an object to block or diffuse the direct sunlight. All are possibilities.
I do encourage everyone who has a backyard or a local park to get out there and photograph anything and everything and put use some of the examples I listed above. You will be amazed at the results you can achieve. Still to this day, I use my own background as a practice ground and I still continue to learn new things. After all, we are in an industry that is always changing and evolving, which means we must also do the same.
Andie Smith’s Bio
Andie Smith is a Dallas-based photographer. She realized photography was more than just a hobby while studying graphic design at The Art Institute – Dallas. Andie knew she had the skills to succeed as a photographer, so she jetted off to southern Florida where she studied photography at The Art Institute – Fort Lauderdale. She claims she spent more time in the darkroom, than on the beach. The majority of Andie’s work is in commercial and fine art photography. Her commercial clients include publications such as Better Homes & Gardens and Midwest Living. Andie’s favorite photography subjects is Americana (especially main streets) and aircrafts. Beware if you meet up with her at an air show, she knows her warbirds! (the pretty camera bag she carries is a decoy!)
Her non-photography skills include talking like Donald Duck and baking a mean chocolate chip cookie.
Andie’s work can be seen at www.andiesmithphotography.net and www.eight18photography.com
No video for me please!
Last September I was sitting at the Canon offices when the 5d MkII was announced. Once I saw the specs I turned to the local Pro Market Specialist, and said “Video?? Really?? Couldn’t give us more focus points? How about more frames per second?? I don’t need or want video?!?!”. (Apparently shooting with the 1Ds MkIII, had completely spoiled me.) In turn I got his famous “stare and smirk”, this is usually a good sign that I am wrong, and I needed to listen for a second. So I shut up and listened to his argument…well kinda…I remember the words “ This is the way the market is going… cameras from now on will have video.. you need to learn this”. See I kinda listened..
Did the lack of focus points keep me from ordering a new 5d? No. I ordered it right then and there. Fast forward to December 1st, I picked up my new camera, and started shooting until the battery ran out of juice. While the battery was charging, I sat down and read the manual. Yes I read the manual…its that book in the box….pull it out, take off the cellophane and read it if you haven’t. I did skip over the parts that referred to video…because I didn’t care.
Copyright © Andie Smith Photography
Sure I saw Vincent Laforet’s short film, Reverie…and was impressed (but it is Vincent…and he has a tendency to impress me). I still wasn’t turning on the video. NOPE..WON’T DO IT AND YOU CAN’T MAKE ME! If I wanted to shoot movies I would have studied that in school, and bought a video camera. I like to shoot stills, and I already know how to edit them. If I am to learn video, I have to learn to shoot it, and edit it. Like any of us have time (okay the market is a little slow and we may actually have time to learn a new trick..but do I want too? not really!). On top of that what other accessories will I need? a stedicam? microphone? Final Cut Studio? Shooting video is like opening Pandora’s box…well, more like opening my wallet.
February came around, and the said Pro Market Specialist asked if I had shot video, yet. I returned the “stare and smirk”, and replied “Nope, but I can shoot at ISO 6400!”
Copyright © Andie Smith Photography
April rolled around and the said Pro Market Specialist asked again if I had shot video yet (in front of a entire room of fellow pros). NOPE! This time not only did I get the “stare and smirk” but a “You really need to shoot video”. my reply “But why??”.. don’t worry he listed several reasons, one being able to grab stills from the video.
Copyright © Andie Smith Photography
July rolled around and I turned on the video. YES you read that right..after 7 months of protest, I shot video. I knew I would be running into the said Pro Market Specialist multiple times that month, and honestly I was running out of excuses. Sure I could shoot at ISO 6400, shoot sports (okay the 1D MkIII was easier but I could shoot hockey with the 5d mkII if needed), but the arguments from Canon were overwhelming…and I was a little tired of the “stare and smirk”. Plus I had stumbled on some great videos shot with a 5d MkII on Vimeo and SmugMug.
I started off by reading the manual again…mmm….okay, lets play. Well I found it a lot harder than I thought it would be. 1st I hate looking at live view! HATE HATE HATE IT! I found it really hard to keep the camera steady when I am not holding the camera correctly. No one gets this right the 1st time, right? oh yeah Vincent did…thats okay he has years of experience on me, and a Pulitzer Prize. I won’t give up…I’ll try again.
Scott Kelby’s Photowalk came around and I joined a bunch of photographers in downtown Dallas. I told myself I would shoot some video, no time like the present to practice. Well out of the 4 video clips I shot, one was usable. That is better than none!
If you know me at all, I am not going to give up. I am going to try again, and again, and again, and….well you get the point. What can I shoot? Oh….Dallas at night!! Great movement, and great lights…okay…who wants to go play with me? I can’t go downtown alone at night…my mother in law would kill me if I did! Three of us ended up shooting that night. OH BOY! SWEET BEANS! OMG! No I didn’t create the next Reverie, but this set of videos was better than the last. Not only was it better…it was fun! Yes…IT WAS FUN!
Dallas Lights from andie smith on Vimeo.
As a photographer it is my job to tell a story through still images. Now I can tell these stories with movement and sound!!! WOW…yeah I see the appeal…I see why every camera will now have video…I see why a certain Pro Market Specialist was hounding me for 7 months to turn the video button on. Lets just say the video bug bit me.
My mind started racing… what I could shoot next? I asked my husband if I shoot his day at work (he has a cool job!) and was denied with out a second of thought. Mmmm…thanks for being supportive. I was like a drug addict, after 48 hours of not shooting video I was twitching (don’t worry you wouldn’t notice it if I use a tripod) I came up with nothing and I didn’t have any shoots scheduled. I was desperate…so I shot my day….a very boring day no less. It was practice, and was something I don’t usually photograph.
Day #11,556 from andie smith on Vimeo.
Will I be spending time in Hawaii shooting surfers? NO! Will I be called to shoot the next award winning film? NO WAY! Will I offer my clients video along with stills? Sure, well…after some more practice. But the more I learn and the more I practice the better I get. I can now tell the story with more dimension by adding video and sound with stills. There are so many possibilities with the added HD video feature on my 5d MkII. If your camera has HD video (Canon 5d MkII, Rebel T1i, Nikon’s D90, and soon the D300s, or D5000) turn it on and play.
Do you need a steadicam, a microphone, and Final Cut Studio? Not to play and learn! I am not using any of the above…I use my regular tripod, no microphone, and imovie. Sure, I will eventually add these tools to my arsenal, but while I learn and explore this new technique, what I have works. Do I realize this is a technique I will need to know? After 7 months, of kicking and screaming, yes I do. This is going to be part of our industry. Will we go kicking and screaming?? Some of us will, just like some didn’t want to give up film for digital. Go play, have fun….turn the video on. Don’t worry you won’t be killing any radio stars.
