183:365 Measuring up on her birthday
184:365 Found object
185:365 The director backstage
186:365 That place where 5 and 6 year-olds live
It was brutally cold at the beginning of last week, so cold that my daughter's bed felt decidedly frosty in the mornings, nestled as it was near her window. "This must change," I declared and we moved the bed to the far side of the room as far away from the window as possible--allowing for the first time her blackout drapes to be opened and closed with ease. Let there be light. And there was. My first over-exposed, backlit picture was the last one from last week's grouping.
Here, I was still working in aperture priority on my Canon, but seeing what the light could do in the dead of winter was like a speed-thaw to my brain. On the weekend I started to play with the possibilities. I've taken and posted a couple of fully manual shots during the course of 365, but largely I rely on the semi-manual settings (aperture and shutter speed priority), tweaking exposure and film speed here and there. Sure there's be deliberation to what I've done so far but I've relied upon the camera to fill in the blanks for me. "Pshaw," I now say. Here are 3 shots from my weekend manual shoot.
187:365 I may change which one is my pick of the day once I can see the shots on my full-size monitor at work. As an aside, can I just say that it's a bitch doing this project when all I've got to look at at home is a netbook screen? I never see my shots at a decent size until after they've been selected and uploaded.
Once I started playing with back-light, I became hooked.
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This week's prompt: manual dexterity. I hope it will prompt me to take deliberate, fully manual shots all week long.
There's something about backlight that is so dramatic and beautiful wherever you see it. Whenever you see it done in a movie, you know the scene is going to be dramatic. I wonder what it is doing psychologically? Is the backlight a symbol of spirituality, like a halo?
ReplyDeleteNow you're inspiring me to give backlit more of a whirl, as I particularly love those photos here. :)
ReplyDeleteI went manual about four months ago and it does get easier, although it makes for a lot to remember when following subjects around in different lighting.
You can also do sidelight - get your subject positioned between a sunny window and something that reflects - even a white wall.
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful!
I started fully manual, because that is what there was - not much between the 'Brownie' point and shoot and an SLR. Took courses, had a ball. I still do that sort of setup from time to time, but find I rely on shutter priority and aperture priority more.
For fully manual, I still like a hand held light metre.
Oh, these are fantastic! Perfect! Yeah! I love the vertical tulips, and the sun in M's hair is divine. Sue, you're kicking it. You can see it in your photos that you're having fun. Just wait until you get some dusky spring and summer light, at say, 6-7 PM... it's heaven.
ReplyDeletethese are really good, all of them!
ReplyDeleteLove the ethereal second tulip shot most of all.
ReplyDeleteOoh, a challenge. Okay, fully manual from here on in. And now I'm way more impressed with the tulip photos, knowing it was all manual.
ReplyDeleteThe one I love the best? Measuring Up On Her Birthday. Isn't there a rule of 3s? Anyhow, the image is divided in a really pleasing way which also somehow echoes the concept of measuring. I love the upward gaze, the trust and question in her eyes, her father's careful wrist.
ReplyDeleteI know these are carrots for your eyes, but Sue, your images fill my mind with swirling words.
oy. i take very few manual shots. i just can't figure it out, and don't often take the time to play. i do like playing with the manual focus, but have a hard time doing that with a moving target.
ReplyDeletethere is so much love in your photographs. even something so simple as the director ascending the stairs... it captures not only something about the subject, but about you, the photographer and what you think about the director. ;) i love it. and the measuring picture? priceless.