Thoughts on taking photo's.

[lithman]

I want to add to John's blog,  sometimes we tend to forget the basics, even the most experienced of us.     When you are about to take a photo ask yourself,  why am I taking this? what do I want to comunicate to others?.  Look in the live view or viewfinder and ask yourself would I hang this picture on my wall?, if not why am I taking it?.  Are all the conditions as I would like them to be?.  It may well be that you can't return on another day,  this may well be a one off event and the circumstances can't be repeated,  then we have to work twice as hard and make the best photo that we can, rather than just point and shoot.
Light is the be all of photography,  and luckily for us there are only three points to consider. The first is the amount of light, ie.   the exposure.  The second is the direction of light,  ie.  do I want side lighting to show up texture?  do I want long shadows?  do I want to shoot into the light and create sillouhettes?. And fineally the quality of light,  the emotion of the early morning light,  or that lovely warm glow of late evening light.   When taking photo's after sunset try taking them whilst there is still some blue left in the sky. before the sky goes completely black.
You must express yourself through your photography,  make a statement,  be proud of what you are doing,  you should be able to say YES I did this,  not hide it at the bottom of a drawer.
Speak to you again soon.      Lithman.