Everyone's A Critic

As with most things, to get better at photography, it helps to have someone give some honest feedback on your photos.

Before we ever had a digital camera, I took a photography class where everyone had to critique at least one person's photos and say one good thing and one thing they could improve on. I hated that part of the class because 1) I had to get up in front of people and talk, 2) I had no idea what I was talking about anyways and 3) usually their pictures were really bad so it was hard to come up with something nice.

My main critic is my husband. He lovingly (usually) tells me what is wrong with my picture and how I can make it better. For instance, he didn't like the really shallow depth of field in the raspberry picture because he wanted more of the berries in focus and said it hurt his eyes to look at the picture. True story.

Even though I liked that picture, I took his recommendation and shot these flower pictures at the farmer's market with a smaller aperture, so there would be more in focus. He said he likes these better, but he still wants more in focus.

f4.0, 1/320 sec, ISO 100

f8.0, 1/100 sec, ISO 100

f5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO 100

f4.0, 1/320 sec, ISO 100

When he tells me he likes a picture of mine (such as this raspberry picture and the peach picture), I know he actually likes it and isn't just trying to be nice. He tells it like it is.

If you don't have someone in your life who can give you a decent critique, there are lots of places online to do it. Flickr has groups especially for this. Try photo.net or DP Challenge. Or ask people to critique photos on your blog or on your facebook. Or hello, ask me! I promise I will say something nicer than "your picture hurts my eyes."

Also, giving critique of other people's pictures will help you become a better photographer. When I comment on someone's picture on a blog, I usually (but not always) try to say more than "I like your picture." I try to tell them why I like it. It doesn't have to be anything fancy - just a comment on something such as composition, the depth of field, crop, perspective, color, maybe a feeling the picture evokes... anything. You should try it.

Poetry Tuesday {6.30.09}

Aw, I've missed Poetry Tuesday.

It's Cleaning Day

Five loads of laundry.
None folded yet. Made a huge
mess. Please send help. Please.

Yes, This One Is About Jam, Too

I made strawberry jam again. But due to strawberry season ending and my friend's busy schedule, I had to make it alone this time. It took much longer and was more stressful and messy. And I only got one picture that I took while I was mashing up the strawberries. There was no time for anything else.

But I did it though, and now I have eight pretty jars of reduced sugar (yum) strawberry jam sitting on my counter top. After making jam, there is no better sound than the little *pop*pop* you hear of your jars sealing.

Cherry, Cherry

Look who isn't scared anymore of taking pictures at the farmer's market. I didn't even trying to hide the camera. I just walked around, bought my stuff, and snapped away.

Not pictured below are the eight pints of strawberries I bought to make more jam this weekend. This is probably the last week for strawberries, so I wanted to get one last batch in.

And if you didn't catch it, the title of this post is the title of a Neil Diamond song. I mean who doesn't love some Neil Diamond? And while we're on this totally random subject, how about you go listen to one of my favorite songs of his Cracklin' Rosie. Yes.

Canning Craze

The blog has been rather pictorial lately, hasn't it?

Not too much has been happening since we've been back in town. My friend and I have made two batches of jam, and there is more to come. Hopefully, I can make reduced sugar strawberry jam this weekend, but this will be the first time for me to make it alone. It's not difficult to make, but I'm just used to it being a two person show. I mean, who will take pictures while I make it??

Strawberry season is winding down (hence the reason we picked black raspberries instead of strawberries the other day), so next up is apricot and blackberry jam. Then I'm going to can peaches (or make peach jam or peach butter or maybe all three?) and do something with tomatoes. Apple sauce and apple butter will be in the fall. Oh, and pear preserves! What else sounds good?

Canning vegetables is probably out because I think you need a pressure canner for that. Maybe another time.

If I make all the things I say I'm going to can, we are going to have jars of canned goods coming out our ears! I'm pretty sure people can expect some jars of jam for Christmas.

I Heart My 85mm Lens

Sometimes it can be a little frustrating to take pictures with it when I've been used to the zoom lens, but our 85mm lens takes so much better pictures.

f1.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO 100

f2.8, 1/800 sec, ISO 100

Happy :)

Summer Bounty

f2.0, 1/1000 sec, ISO 100

f4.5, 1/400 sec, ISO 100

A friend and I picked black raspberries and made some more jam. I think it may even be better than the strawberry jam.