January Theme Challenge – “Your Best 2019 Photo”

For this month, January 2020, the theme challenge is “Your Best 2019 Photo”.

This month the theme challenge is different from our previous challenges, instead of creating an image this month your challenge is to review your images from 2019 and choose the one (1) image that you consider to be your best photo.

By reviewing and doing self assessment of your photos from the year, 2019, you can learn a lot.

Each year I produce a calendar based on thirteen (13) images shot throughout the year in my local area within a theme called “Close to Home”. The calendar project initially started out as gifts for family and close friends for Christmas, but has since grown into selling calendars to people in the local area who are excited to see the images I have created and the special moments that were captured.

Using your best images from 2019, I encourage you to consider creating a project of either a single 8×10 or 8×12 print of your best photo from the year, a calendar (12 to 13 photos), or a photo book of your best image(s) which reflects your past year of photography. If you choose to produce a photo book spend the time writing a story for each image as well as documenting the camera settings.

Students are encouraged to develop their ability to tell a story or invoke an emotion, as well as how to plan and troubleshoot while creating their images. As such it’s important to not only choose their best image from 2019 but to also include a “title”, and write a short paragraph about the image; how they came up with the idea, any interesting back ground that compelled them to make the image, and describe any techniques on how they overcame any obstacles.

As always with our monthly theme challenges we try to seek out an instructional resource, below are a number of YouTube video links to help with some hints and ideas.
Picking and Printing your Best Photos instructional aids:
■ How Reviewing your Photos will Help your Photography: by Nigel Danson (13min 43sec)
■ Why selecting your TOP 8 Photos Helps your Photography: by Nigel Danson (15min 8sec)
■ Printing Photos will Improve your Photography: by Nigel Danson (18min 59sec)

An important part of improving your photography is not only practice but also self assessment and reflection, which is the intent of this months theme challenge. In addition you have an opportunity to learn more about the images you are creating; identify what you are doing right, what you need to improve so you can correct it in future images, and what you like about your images which helps create your style.

December Theme Challenge – “Seascapes”

For this month, December 2019, the theme challenge is “Seascapes”.

Seascape photography is a form of landscape photography with the ocean as an included element usually involving longer exposures. However, you can also capture images with faster shutter speeds that are just as impressive if you don’t have a tripod.

f/16, 1/400, ISO 200, @24mm

To achieve longer exposures it may be necessary to use neutral density filters, however if you take images at the edge of daylight, whether that be around sunrise or sunset it is possible to obtain slow enough shutter speeds without filters to show the movement of the water. That special light and colour in the sky happens during “Civil twilight” which is approximately 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset due to the angle of the sunlight that’s hitting the clouds.

f/16, 2.5sec, ISO 100, @24mm

For camera settings choose Manual mode. Depending on your subject and focal length the aperture can be pretty much any thing just decide on how much depth of field you need for your subject and the overall image you are trying to create so an aperture anywhere between f/8 and f/16 and keep your ISO low say 100 or 200, remember this is just a starting point. This will allow for a slow shutter speed.

For Seascape Photography with long exposures you will need a tripod or something stationary to set your camera on. If you do not have a remote shutter release use the 2 second or 10 second timer. Adjust your shutter speed to get a proper exposure. The shutter speed when the light is low could be between 0.5 seconds to 2 seconds, this is just a guideline as it depends on the amount of light, your actual value may be different than the suggested setting.

For a focal length, typically you want a wide angle of view somewhere around 18 to 30 mm, as an example.

f/16, 0.5 sec, ISO 100, @24mm

Let’s talk Safety. Be careful around the ocean, check the weather and check to see if the tide is coming in or out tides.gc.ca. Being close to the ocean you need to be mindful of the surf watch what is going on for at least 10 min or so to understand how far the ocean comes in and stay back from wet rocks unless the conditions allow you to be that close safely. Remember wet surfaces and seaweed can be extremely slippery so be careful, you do not want to fall and hurt yourself or damage your camera equipment. It is also good to go with a friend or as a minimum let a friend know your plans so they can check up on you. It’s always good to take a phone with you as well.

After a seascape adventure it may be necessary to clean your tripod with fresh water to minimize or eliminate rust and to wipe down your camera and lens with a slightly damp (minimal amount of fresh water) cloth and then a dry cloth to get rid of the salt mist that may have accumulated on your camera. You can also use an Op/Tech Rainsleeve or a plastic bag with elastics to keep you camera dry.

Students are encouraged to develop their ability to tell a story or invoke an emotion, as well as how to plan and troubleshoot while creating their images. As such it’s important to not only create the image but to also include a “title”, and write a short paragraph about; how they came up with the idea, any interesting back ground that compelled them to make the image, and describe any techniques on how they overcame any obstacles.

As always with our monthly theme challenges we try to seek out an instructional resource, below are a number of YouTube video links to help with some hints and ideas.

Seascape Photography instructional aids:
■ Seascape Photography Cheats, Tips & Tricks: by Karl Taylor (10min 20sec)
■ Seascape Photography – Experimenting with Long Exposures: by Nigel Danson (10min 59sec)
■ Landscape Photography Tips & Techniques: Seascapes: by Thomas Heaton (10min 8sec)
■ A Beautifully Simple Day of Seascape Photography: by First Man Photography (12min 39sec)

An important part of improving your photography is practice, which is one aspect of the monthly theme challenge, in addition you have an opportunity to learn about different genres, techniques and tips.