MPT Vol 3- Awesome Linkage

Today's MPT includes some awesome articles I can finally remove from my bookmark list, and then some that I've found today. It includes the link to the article, and a quote from the article as well. Enjoy! :)

101 things I've learned about Photography- "52. Always clarify what the eyecatcher (focal point) will be in your image."

Ten most common photographic mistakes- "The human eye and mind tends to see a 3-dimensional scene differently. You automatically blend out things you don't care about. In a photograph it's exactly the opposite."

The 8 basic steps of Image Editing- "First you must learn to speak the language of the image"

101 Photography Tips- "12. Use the “sneaker zoom”. Walking closer to a subject instead of zooming in will give you different results in terms of perspective. Try it out."

How to read a photographic histogram:

Fireworks photography tips-"For a shutter speed, Bulb is often best."

Sunsets without the Sun-"Simply, photograph surfaces the setting sun is hitting, at oblique angles."

101 Hidden Tips & Secrets For Photoshop- "To make sure your Crop is on the edge of the image, hold Ctrl while cropping."

Just for fun, I want to let you know how you can remain your anonymity online, while out in public with camera happy people. Just click here to find out how.

Taking part in a challenge

"Take a photo you like... and play around with it in your favorite editing program to come up with a heavily filtered look that you feel adds to the image and leaves you with an entirely different (when compared to the original), but enjoyable, result." -Mothman

This is what I came up with...not so entirely different, but enjoyable!

It was done in photoshop, and I'll tell you what, I forgot how much I enjoy filters, I had a blast. You can right click and View image to see it bigger. If you'd like to partake in this challenge, head on over and check it out. :)

Words escape me

This is my favorite photograph of this week, it was taken just yesterday while on a fishing trip. It is two images blended together, I wanted the length of the grass with the height of the trees in the sky, can't catch that with a normal lens. So I took a different almost Pano for this photo. I may explore this in the future. The original blend is 1900x3850, and it was shot vertically. I have a few more images that I'll be sharing from this trip in the next couple days. So what's been your favorite photograph that you've taken this week?

Why do you photograph?

There are many reasons why most of us pick up our camera and start shooting away at things, be it family, landscapes, or for documentation purposes. What I want to know is why do you photograph? What makes you pick up your camera, and take pictures?

When I first started, it was more of a way to make my family album. I started out taking pictures of my family, and you know as much as you love them, it's tiresome to see them everyday and see them in the photos everyday. Don't get me wrong I love my children to death, and take plenty of pictures of them, but I needed something different. My "minds eye" was developing through digital photo art before I got a camera. I immediately felt that I could create something from my photographs, and not have to search for free stock, so in the beginning that's what I also did. Sometime after that is when I started in on marbles. I began to slowly see things in a different light, everything was art, it was surrounding me and it was beautiful. Must be a "girl thing" but I was getting attached.

This last Christmas I received an even better camera, and it's capabilities took me far more places then my previous camera did. That's when I discovered why I photograph. I do it because I want to show the small things, to express myself, and to document my life, and family. For every artistic picture I take, there are two or more of my children, it hasn't got old yet, they are constantly changing, as is the world around me. Photography has also become an internal release for me, it gives me even more perception into the world around me as well. If I'm having a bad day, it will show in my work, not that the photo will be bad, but you will be able to tell that something is a bit sad about it. The perception comes in when I look at something standard, that someone else might not see, and see exactly it's "other" purpose.

I don't know that I can answer the question as to why I photograph, all I know now is that it is an urge, and I have a deep passion that tunes in with it. It's about keeping those moments with my children, showcasing the nature around me, displaying what can be done differently. Actually I think I just answered the question. Now I would like to know your answer, or like me, can you not specify it?

This entry was really inspired by The man who took a Polaroid every day of his life. I recommend you go check it out, it is truly remarkable. It reminds me of another certain someone who takes a photo everyday about his life.