Unnamed Column
Photo of the Week: Sespe Creek after the triple rain storms a week ago. Though could have been shot various ways, my 'artistic' intent was to shoot at sundown for some warm color on the hilltop. Notice the bushes in the creek are all sharp while the water is blurry? I set the camera mode dial to shutter priority. Image particulars: lens at 24mm, aperture at f/10, shutter speed 1/15 sec., ISO 500. (Mighty Trinity of Exposure) Camera handheld, not tripod mounted. To include some foreground, perspective, I shot the photo from the water's edge. Questions/comments welcome.
Photo of the Week: Sespe Creek after the triple rain storms a week ago. Though could have been shot various ways, my 'artistic' intent was to shoot at sundown for some warm color on the hilltop. Notice the bushes in the creek are all sharp while the water is blurry? I set the camera mode dial to shutter priority. Image particulars: lens at 24mm, aperture at f/10, shutter speed 1/15 sec., ISO 500. (Mighty Trinity of Exposure) Camera handheld, not tripod mounted. To include some foreground, perspective, I shot the photo from the water's edge. Questions/comments welcome.
By Bob Crum — Wednesday, February 1st, 2017
Photography Tips & Techniques
Bob Crum
Bob Crum

By way of last week's autobiography, most of you know that I have been a photojournalist and writer for a few decades. Also note that photography is not just something I greatly enjoy doing, it's a passion. Photography is seriously awesome! While photojournalism has been a vocation of sorts, wildflowers, landscapes, waterscapes and wildlife are all irresistible to photograph. My favorite, if you must know, is Mermaid boudoir photography.
Here let me wax philosophical for a moment. For artistic expression, some talented folks sketch, or paint – oils, water colors or acrylics. Lacking such talent, my artistic expression has been and is through photography. Photography is my expressive medium, my opportunity to capture and share my unique vision of the world with the world.

A camera captures a moment of time and light. The result, the digital file, the camera creates is my canvas upon which I take artistic license. Computer software serves as my instrument with which to create an image as I envision. The finished photograph... either a print or a digital file for the Internet is my artistic rendering.
Naturally, there is a process in producing an eye-grabbing photo. In the coming weeks, many technical aspects of photography like aperture priority, shutter priority, manual mode vs auto mode, depth of field, bokeh, exposure compensation, RAW vs jpeg and much, much more will be discussed.

The question I am asked the most is: How do I take better photographs? Well, I don't know! Just kidding! There are many intangibles to capturing an eye-grabbing photo. But the most important component is composition, a key aspect of a compelling photograph. Composition cannot be overemphasized and from what I observe it is the biggest mistake many photographers make. I'll discuss composition a lot.

I often take day trips here and there just for the purpose of shooting landscapes or wildlife. So, where I go and what I shoot will also be featured and discussed. All in all, I hope that you will be entertained as well as educated.

Til next week, it might serve you well to memorize the following:
Pixel Psalm ISO 200.f11
Unto photographers the Digital Pixel said:
“There shall be three Wise Elements
in the Mighty Trinity of Exposure:
Aperture, Shutter Speed and the
Holy ISO. Embrace the understanding!
Happy shooting!!!

The name the column contest remains open one more week. Prize is upped to two scoops of Baskin Robbins ice cream! BTW, yes, the name does need to apply to photography.