Capturing the View

Confused about terms such as ISO, Aperture and shutter speed?

Check out this tutorial by Canon on Youtube..it helps clear up the confusion. =)

It’s very important as an aspiring photographer to have a way for people to view your work. Personally, I post most of my photographs on Facebook, but there are still a lot of people today who don’t have one and can’t get access to my photos. I am working on my portfolio right now so that when I meet someone who is interested in my photography, they can look at my portfolio and get a feel for my style and passion. Here’s a video that goes into depth a little more on how to put together a portfolio:

If I had a magic jenie and could have three wishes…

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

I know..

Canon EF 24-105 mm f4 L IS USM Lens

just what..

Canon EF 70-200 mm f2.8 L IS USM Lens

I would wish for.

(Or more realistically, a little over $5000 saved up)

A girl can dream..

“The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.”

-Isaiah 40:8

A young Cambodian school boy.

May 2009

Though this has slightly more to do with videography than photography, I think you will still be amazed at this touching video. The Trash Mountain Project exists to serve communities around the world who live in trash dumps, just like this own outside of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Believe it or not, hundreds of families live in and around the trash dumps and work in this terrible environment. Among those are children, who have little time to go to school as they are working to help their families. The TMP works to help relocate these families out of the trash dumps and provide them with solutions to find jobs and schooling for their kids. They are an amazing organization and are doing some wonderful things for the kingdom of God.

Much of the video was shot with a Canon 5D Mark II, one of the best SLR camera’s on the market that also has a video option. I think you will agree that the shots are breathtaking and the colors so rich and vibrant. The Cambodian people are absoutely beautiful and so full of life. It’s about 11 minutes long, but worth every moment!

Trash Mountain Project – Trashed in Cambodia from Michael G. Barrett on Vimeo.

“The heavens declare the glory of Gd and the sky above proclaims his handiwork..”

Psalm 19:1

Desiring to take photographs of you and your room mates before the semester ends? Or how about those engagement shots? Not looking to include Southeastern’s decorum in your photographs? Though a small city, Lakeland does provide many unique photographic opportunities. Whether you are looking for a common, naturalistic feel or an artsy edge to your photographs, a little exploring and inquiry will get you a long way.

Downtown Lakeland boasts the cute small town feel, with a mixture of family owned shops and many eclectic restaurant styles. The various array of buildings both old and new, provide a contrast that adds a touching background to the photo. A camera and a few willing subjects and you’re set to go. During a recent photo shoot for my friends Dustin States and Breann Jones, we explored the many different aspects of downtown from the back alley’s to street corner rocking chairs.

Another great area for photographs is none other than Hollis Gardens, bordering Lake Mirror, near downtown. With it’s array of beautiful and well kept flowers, various architectural elements, benches, patches of grassy areas, a large fountain and a koi pond, there is enough variety to appease even the best photographers. On any given day, photographers of all complexities can be found competing against each other for their own space. Juxtaposed against photographers posing their subjects, visitors and locals can enjoy a refreshing walk in the beautiful gardens. Certainly, Hollis Gardens can be regarded as one of the photography”jewels” of Lakeland.

Just steps down from Hollis Gardens, the facade of Lake Mirror provides more photographic opportunities. Just a walk around Lake Mirror can yield many photography ideas: green grass, the lake, myriads of benches and other architectural features. Certainly Lake Mirror seems to be the center of downtown life.

For these two, a setting in the shaded grass left us with some great shots. The luscious green grass provided a great contrast to her red hair and their bright blue shirts.

If the common views of fountains, flower beds and cute benches along the lake aren’t your thing, the hidden features of downtown Lakeland sure provide a variety of opportunities as well. A large, well lit back alley section can be found right next to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe located on Tennessee Avenue. An array of differing doors and windows wedged amongst the older buildings give a unique artsy perspective to any photograph.

Morgan enjoyed taking a spin with her pink shirt on the brick paved alley way.

During the photo shoot with States and Jones, we explored the various alleyways along the downtown corridor. Just behind the Terrace Hotel, we found a random red chair and had a blast using it in their photographs to create a unique look. Using random objects is a great way to personify your photographs.

The candy store in downtown Lakeland is the perfect venue for photographing small children. Just like the photo shoot with Morgan, candy provides not only a sweet addition to the photo, but also a distraction for that short attention span which would much rather devour the candy than pose for your camera lens!

Photography is all about capturing the essence of the subject(s). For this couple, a pair of rocking chairs and a large chess game offered them a nice distraction from the “posing” aspect and a way for them to be themselves. It was even his idea to arrange the chess pieces to say “I Love You.”

Choosing a spot for photography can be a difficult choice for someone, especially since they are trying to create a particular mood or setting. Make certain expectations are given to your photographer so the appropriate venue can be chosen. Another important aspect to consider is the timing of day photo’s are taken. Typically, most photographers choose to photograph during the early morning or early evening, when the harsh rays of the sun won’t leave the subjects with squinting eyes.

With States and Jones, the sun was quite harsh during our photo shoot, so we settled on settings which would provide us with plenty of shade. Due to time constraints, we weren’t able to photograph during the evening, so we had to make due with the afternoon sunshine.

You can’t go far in Lakeland without finding train tracks, which are always a favorite for any photographic element.

For Jones and States, they chose to take photographs in Lakeland and enjoyed taking this adventure with me for this blog post. Jones chose having their photographs taken in Lakeland saying, “For the artistic style that Lakeland gives, such as Hollis Gardens and the downtown area. I loved the diversity of artistic design in the city. There is an open environment, with lots of sunlight. Most of the area’s we went to were not very populated and overall the city is very well kept, and there wasn’t a lot of graffiti on the buildings.” Though Lakeland doesn’t have the means for a beautiful beach or even a mountain scene, photographs can still be captured in this small city if you’re willing to explore and turn it into a little adventure. You may surprised with what kind of shots you end up with!