day three::photography this and that.....

today is day three of answering your questions regarding photography. remember, the information i share here is based on what i know {or what i think i know} what i've been taught or what i've found while searching for answers myself. today, i've got some lightroom love, finding your style based on what and how you shoot, lenses and a little blip about lenses and shooting lengths.

the above photo was edited in lightroom

the below photo is sooc {straight out of the camera}

what a difference, right?

susan and gail asked me how i arrived at "my style" and how i found "my look" and to be honest with you, i have to thank lightroom for part of that. within lightroom, you can make your own "presets." i have about twelve of them now and almost every photo i shoot gets at least one of my presets added to it. some are specifically for indoor shots, while others really only work on my outdoor shots. the two photos above are a perfect example of why i use lightroom and the difference it can make to a photo. if this all sounds like a foreign language to you, i'm sorry, but i just can't tell you often enough how wonderful this program is.

another part of "my style" is based on what i love to shoot. i don't ever want to photograph a wedding, but give me acres and acres of old barns and farmhouses and i'm your girl. i think developing "your look" also comes with how you shoot. i like to spend time on the ground shooting children at their level or chasing them around a playground, but i also have the patience to stand completely still, barely breathing, just to get a great bird/dragonfly/deer/squirrel photo. {again, the above photo was edited in lightroom and the below photo is sooc. in all of my edited photos, i'm pretty much a fanatic when it comes to making sure the photo, or what's in the photo, level. in this case, it was the roof.}

one of the greatest compliments i've ever gotten...well, i've gotten it a few times now, thanks to so many of you...is when someone says, while looking at many photos, "i just new that one was yours." 

i guess maybe that's how you know when you finally have a style or a look that's all yours...when other people "see it."

let's talk now about LENSES. my first bit of advice is to buy really good ones, not lots of inexpensive ones. i've learned this the hard way. you're welcome.
most kit lenses, the ones that come with your camera, are just okay. if given the option, always buy your camera body separately and then buy your lenses. so what can i not live without?

1. my 50mm 1.4. some people refer to this as the nifty fifty. i refer to it as you're an idiot if you don't have this lens in your arsenal. snort. seriously, it's that good.

2. i love my 70-300mm 4/5.6. i think everyone needs a zoom lens and for most people, the 300mm is enough zoom, plus it's an easy lens to carry around ON your camera. believe me though, if i was a girl out in the wild, i think i would need this lens...but then i'd need a tripod, too and by the time i pack and carry all that, my other lenses, a lunch and a lawn chair, well i'd probably be too tired to even shoot.

3. my macro. i have a 100mm 2.8 and it's a charming little fella. don't believe for a minute that you have to use a macro lens just for macro shots. you don't. they take incredible anything and portrait photos, too. remember at 2.8, your depth of field is amazing !

here are the other lenses i have, that i don't use on a regular basis. 80-200mm {which is extremely old and was used with our first pentax SLR, but is still a honey}10-24mm wide angle, 17-50mm {non-kit lens} and my lens baby. i still love my lens baby and can't wait to play with her again this summer. i truly like her best when we're outside...like at the beach.

something i found while reading...while shooting, here 's a quick little thing to remember when it comes to lens length and shutter speed to avoid a blurry photo. if you're using a 50mm lens, your shutter speed should never be less than 1/50...when you're shooting with let's say your 70-300mm lens at the 300mm setting, your shutter speed should never be less than 1/300....and so on and so on. basically it says to match your focal length to your shutter speed. does anyone ever use this rule of thumb and if you do, i have to believe it's meant for outdoor photography?

another before and after {both above} with help from lightroom

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i hope today's little tips were helpful. thanks for stopping by.