1 year, 52Frames Photo Challenge

I did it. 1 year with a new photo challenge every week. 52 photos. I did miss submitting one photo to the 52frames site but I did take the photo that week.

You can see all my photos at the Facebook link here.

You can also view my 52frames profile at the link here.

So what have I learned in the past 52 weeks. Well one thing I have learned is how to quickly take a decent photo that usually presents well to fit a challenge. I have had weeks were I have spent only a min or two with my camera to capture what I wanted for the challenge. This is partially due to having a busy family life and due to trying to minimize my time taken up completing the challenge. It also could be because its 10pm on Sunday night and my photo is due at midnight. This quick exercise has helped me develop a way to come to the correct exposure settings for what I want and know when I got the photo I want and not waste time taking extra photos just because. I usually try to capture at least 2 or 3 photos that I know work that way if I miss focus slightly or have a little camera shake I still have a backup to go to.

I have learned sometimes less is more. This goes for composition in the photo and editing. Some of my favorite photos I have created have had minimal editing and have a very simple composition. One thing I have always been guilty of in my photography is that trying to capture a very big scene. I have learned to get away from the wide angle lens and find the more intimate scene within the big picture.

The more you edit your photos the more edited they generally look. I have learned gentle edits tend to provide better results than trying to get that HDR look. Having a limited range of stops of light in our picture can create a more interesting photo. Having shadows that we cannot see all the details can add more of a sense of mystery in the photo. It helps develop and create a mood to the photo.

Don't be afraid to try some new type of photography. The worst that can happen in the digital age of photography is we get a bad photo. This year I have had the oppurtunity to try things I never would normally try. I have tried food photography, minimalistic photography, still life, self portrait, trusting someone else to edit my photo, low key and high key photos. All were stuff I have never purposely gone out and tried, Yea some photos were better than others but there all new tools I know about it my photo toolbox.