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Saturday, January 22, 2011

Photography Tips from a Non-photographer


One of my favourite things about other people's craft and design blogs is the photography. I'm in love with colour and texture. It is so impressive when people are able to creatively display their work in a way that shows off these qualities, while also capturing the greater essence of an item, design, or experience. I make no claims of being a photography expert - I've known more than a few of those (both aspiring and fully realized) and I don't even begin to compare. F-stops and apertures and, well anything much beyond you will find considerably greater success if you take the lens cap off are way above my level of knowledge. I have, however, dedicated years of my life to the study of art and design. I'm not sure how one consistently takes great photos, but I can, without a doubt, tell a great photo from a mediocre one.


While some of the photos I have posted on this blog are less even than mediocre, my funny old digital camera and I get along quite well. It was given to me second hand, and I have dropped it from a fairly grand height two times, as of this morning. I take about 50 photos per photo shoot, and whittle them down to the two or three that I really like. My best advice to crafty folk who, like me, aren't great photographers but know great photography, is this:

Use the macro setting.



It wont help you get a great shot of your overall project, but a great detail shot is priceless. The macro setting has a very short depth of field, so only the areas you want the viewer's eye to be drawn to will be in focus.

Oh, and natural light is your friend.







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