Meta
London, ON, September 2010
If you've been following along on my little photographic adventure, you now know that I like to capture scenes from the dinner table*. Restaurants hold particular appeal to me because they always seem to serve up different, often cutting-edge artistic visuals to explore. Freaking out other patrons is another delicious little side benefit.
This particular resto was no different. We had come here to celebrate our daughter's birthday, and much to my chagrin the light was horrid - memo to restaurant designers: We really like to be able to see our food, and each other, when we eat. Makes for a more enjoyable and arguably much safer dining experience. End rant.
But I still wanted to try something new, especially since the day was an important one for our family's newest teenager. She had just gotten a new camera, and was trying it out for the first time. Since she's my kid and her photographic genes seem to have developed quite nicely, she was game for a little picture-within-a-picture experiment while we waited for the very friendly but somewhat absent-minded waiter to get our orders right.
The good news is we had lots of time to set up the shot. Sometimes, sluggish service isn't such a bad thing.
Your turn: Now that Dahlia's got a camera of her own, what should she shoot? What's the best way for a new photographer to get started in this wondrous art?
--
* Earlier restaurant shoots can be found here, here and here. To participate in this week's still life-themed Thematic Photographic, head here.
She should shoot whatever she wants.. That's what I did... then I discovered the manual.. I do know, I love the macro option... I learned a lot from using that mode.. It taught me how to angle the camera just right, that natural light is the best.. I never use the flash.. I learned early morning light was best and sunset also works well... U can get the best effects using the sun either as a backdrop or getting that effect... If she has an slr , she will have more options and shooting in b&w is the ultimate..its classic and timeless...and always wins out.
ReplyDeleteWhat a very fun idea for a picture.
ReplyDeleteI would just tell her to shoot anything and everything....she will find her groove. I'm sure she has lots of great help and advice from her dad =)
Most importantly- don't let someone tell u what u can or can't have in a photo.. Granted there are rules to taking a photo such as 'rule of thirds'... I have a friend who joined a photo site and was criticized relentlessly because her sunset pics only had water and no land... Don't let someone stifle your creativity...U can adapt the rules to your creativity.
ReplyDeleteThe phrase 'freaking out other patrons' prompts this embarrassing memory: years and years ago (okay, once-upon-a-time), my slightly fanatical husband, traumatized by the astonishing quantities of Wonder Bread the deluded human race had consumed since the early 60s, took a Wonder-like, white fluffy bun out to the restaurant parking lot with him and, dropping said fluffy wonder bun under his front tire, proceeded to drive over it - once, twice, three times. When he got out of the car and picked up the battered bun, it took less than 5 seconds for it to spring jauntily back to its fluffy-go-lucky fullness! What a wonder!
ReplyDeleteI believe she already knows that shooting everyday common things often turn out to be completely, out of the ordinary and even unusual. It's all about the eye of the beholder, and good direction she's already observed...and without a doubt an endless supply of capturing her family, friends and animals probably already in her camera!
ReplyDeleteIf you wish to give her an assignment, I would take this wonderful time of year as an opportunity to give her a chance to see the world of macro. It is one of my favorite worlds, the detail you can see, the depth of field you can make. A really nice macro of the turning leaves would be a neat assignment.
ReplyDeleteI may have to drive up the canyons here in Salt Lake to do the same.
-Mr.
I'm sure she will get all the photographic direction she needs from her very talented Dad.
ReplyDeleteI'd suggest she ALWAYS carry her camera because you never know when the perfect picture opportunities will pop up. I'd also encourage her to join Thematic Photographic.
The best advice I ever got was "always take the shot" no matter what. If it catches your eye, grab it and wonder about the details later. I would have missed some of my favorite photos if I'd been worried about the light, the background, the angle etc. Just look around the world and capture your own little part of it.
ReplyDeleteShoot what speaks to you. Twice.
ReplyDeleteteen girls in my family need no advice on 'subject'... they see it in the mirror and snap away...
ReplyDeleteThey had these little T.V.'s on every table? Wow. I've gotten repremanded for taking pictures in restaraunts, so now I do it discreetly and don't snap any customers. Tell your daughter to go out and find as much beauty in everything that she can. There can even be beauty in trash, it's all in your way of looking. This can help her to see beauty wherever she is. If we don't look, we miss so much.
ReplyDeleteI love watching kids decide what they want to shoot. It makes for some GREAT photo opps for me!
ReplyDelete