Archive for May 23rd, 2009
Things I Learned at the Beach
If the skilled and knowledgeable members of the photographic community care to run their collective eye over the pictures here and offer helpful words of wisdom, I’m all ears. Learning by trial and error is a slow and painful process!
Taking photos of buildings should be easy. They don’t move or change expression: how hard could it be?
It was trickier than I thought. Wandering about the place I found a good angle, composed the shot so there was a little more interest than just the actual building and…voila!
Or..not.
See that nasty, no good shadow on the bottom of the building? Not pretty. So I tried again.
The afternoon shot was an unmitigated disaster. The sun was blinding, there was lens flare galore, the beach was in shadow, and nothing at all was right about the picture. Sigh.
Midday had to be the answer. I failed to overcome the lens flare issue, and in this particular shot the lack of people makes it seem a little bland, but it is something to remember, this not getting shadows all over the subject. I might also add, if you are standing in the surf juggling your camera, shoes, and hand bag, don’t wear a long skirt. Focused on the building, your attention is distracted from the odd killer wave that can sneak up on you. Everyone say, “Wet, sandy, walk home!”
The observation deck presented further challenges for this novice. I had read in my big red canon book of things to want that there is a filter that will block reflections. Thinking ahead to this photo opportunity, and knowing I was desirous of one, my sweetie went to buy it for me. I can assure you that after finding that Mr Beyondbluestockings had paid a tidy sum for the filter, and that it made not a skerrick of difference (see my favourite white skirt in the picture?) I was grieved.
In the light of day, my unhappiness faded as I learned that the sales assistant, not comprehending what my husband had asked for, had sold him a polarizing filter. It’s not a non-reflective filter, but, hey, sunnies for my camera – cool! I can use that.
The next day was my last at Q1, and it occurred to me to put the lens hard against the glass. Why it didn’t occur to me the previous night, I can’t imagine. But it did solve the reflection issue, though limited the angles I could shoot from. You live and learn.
