Weeks 3, 4 and 5

I decided not to post each week as I might not have enough to say on the photographs. That and its not always on time is my choice. 

I am not sure who thought up the various categories for this challenge, nor is there any pattern as yet. In fact, I like the random nature of this as it in turn challenges me to think differently. If it had a pattern, it might become more of a ‘here’s how to learn photography’ which I can do from reading and practicing. So, here (in words and pictures) are the next three weeks. 

Week 3 – Upside Down

Upside Down. There are so many ways to take this type of photograph and yet challenge myself to make it work. What is upside down? Is it the camera being upside down, which would mean a quick rotate and the image is right. Is it the subject upside down and again the viewer rotates it to suit their eye. I decided on taking a photo which could never be the right way up no matter what the viewer did. Hence, it is always upside down. By telling the viewer that, it in turns challenges them to rotate the picture to discover what is still upside down. 

Week 4 – Symmetry

Symmetry. As with so many of these words, there is symmetry everywhere. Just look around and you can find it. It is, as with all things art, subjective. Now I know that will or could be in itself challenged but the statement is general, so tough. A face of a person could well be symmetrical and studies have found we humans do like that in others. Odd aren’t we. I chose to find symmetry in nature and three snowdrops almost perfectly aligned. There for me was the symmetry I was looking for, plus it makes a nice photo.

Week 5 – SOOC

SOOC. I had to look this up myself and I did chuckle when I read it. So long as I have it right, SOOC means Straight Out Of Camera. There is a silent ‘the’ I am sure in there. What this means for me is no messing with it, no photoshop, no cropping, no correction just as it was shot. Pick a subject point and shoot. In this day and age, many cameras will do so much for you, where as I, like many I know switch to manual and do it myself. Hence if I got it wrong, it would show. Sometimes you have to trust your feelings and your experience ignoring any doubt. Take photographers like Ansel Adams (a favourite of mine), he had no digital do it again bit. He just knew the shot to capture. So, if you work on it, you can understand light, dark, focus etc and just SOOC them. (Pardon the pun)