iphone action: photo J week 10

Although instagram has attempted to make iphone photography an art, the thought of taking a nice picture with an iphone seemed doubtful at first. Without the ability to adjust shutter speed, ISO, and focus, timing and lighting became key players. I discovered for action shots, that the easiest way to freeze motion was to press the photo button before the action occurred and wait to release it until the last possible moment. In this case, my friend's younger brother happens to be a little stuntster which made attempting a few shots very easy. The mid-day sun created a nice shadow below the subject. 

Victor Ordonez jumps from a swing at a park in North Richland Hills on Sunday October 28, 2013.

Horsing Around~Photo J week VIIII

One of the main challenges with shooting action shots is keeping up with the action. In the case of photographing horses, making sure you know where the action is at all times is a matter of safety. I followed my younger sister out to her horse lesson to take a few photos. One of the main challenge was adjusting the ISO and position myself to avoid the shadows caused by the late day sun. Because I didn't have a zoom lens, I had to stand rather close to the horses while still maintaining enough distance so I wouldn't be mauled over. The autofocus would not activate because of the lighting, and so I had to manually focus each shot while setting the shutter speed to the highest setting. Towards the end of the lesson, the sun was in a better position to create highlights on the beautiful animals. 

Maria Greufe jumps with her horse Molly at a ranch in Ardmore, Oklahoma on Tuesday October 22, 2013.

Brianna Gresham rides with her horse Woody at a ranch in Ardmore, Oklahoma on Tuesday October 22, 2013. 

Weather or not it will Rain: Photo J Week VIII

The tricky part about taking a weather photo in Texas is that it's impossible to know what to expect. While I spent the majority of Saturday waiting by White Rock Lake with my camera expecting to get some good shots of the wind or rain and sailboats, instead the stale humid air left most sailors out of the water. I brought my camera everywhere with me, just to be sure I didn't miss a drop of rain, gust of wind, or anything else the gods of the Texas skies decided to produce (hail I don't know). While at a Soul Steppers competition, we waited outside to study when it began to sprinkle. It was a little challenging taking pictures with the loom of a downpour minutes away and my expensive camera vulnerable to the elements. For the light amount of rain, it worked great. As far as having my subjects react to the rain, that was pretty simple. They began pulling out umbrellas and jackets and when I pulled out my camera the rest was just them having fun. The lighting was perfect because of the overcast, although I did have to adjust my ISO a bit to let in the right amount of light. 

Members of TCU's Soul Steppers stand under their umbrellas outside of These Are They Christian Church in Desoto, Texas on Sunday Oct. 13,2013. 

Members of TCU's Soul Steppers reach up to feel the rain drops on Sunday October 13, 2013 in Desoto, Texas.

A few of my favorite things~photo J week VII

This weekend I had a chance to take my camera with me through Fort Worth on a Saturday. I went to a tap class at Arts Fifth Avenue. Outside the studio, the building was covered in several murals. I asked a girl from my class to pose in front of one before she left. The hues in her hat and shirt matched the colors in the mural very nicely. With a shady white balance and low ISO, the faded colors of the mural did not over power the subject. Altogether, the photo made a nice environmental portrait. 

Katie Lawrence poses with her tap shoes outside of Arts Fifth Avenue on Saturday October 5, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas.  Lawrence takes tap classes at the studio during on weekends.

I went down the street to Magnolia where I picked up some coffee at Brewed. I struggled with finding models for another picture of Fort Worth's historical district. The cooler weather created a great overcast for my photos, but kept many Texans inside. Luckily I spotted two women sitting outside of the the coffee shop. The composition exhibits the rule of thirds. 

Two women chat outside of Brewed coffee shop Saturday October 5, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Finding a subject for my next photo was not hard. I captured the little boy I babysit on one of the few times he stood still. He was very curious about the camera, but unlike most adults he did not hide from it and so it was very easy to make a good picture. The overcast light made his eyes appear very dark and highlighted his round cheeks. The out of focus background creates a shallow depth of field. 

Asher Cooper plays outside his house on Saturday October 5, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Overall, it was difficult deciding on just one thing I wanted to photograph. It was fun to look at my day through the lens of my camera.