A Sample of Pop’s “Bee” Images
Another Day at Work
Apis Workers' Party
Predator
Some of Your Beeswax
Sedum Bumbler
Look of Defiance
Chicory Bee
Bumbling Bees
Garden Cafe
Buzz By Here - To Infinity and Beyond
Pick Your Poison
Blind Side Attack
On a Mission
Honey Bee on Sedum
Covering the Cosmos
Center of the Cosmos
Three's a Crowd
Popular Spot
On A Pedestal
A Sample of Pop’s “People” Photo Collection
Big Harry Fireworks Display
To Impress the Girl
Different Perspective
Sweet Ride
Perfect Little Piggies B&W
Flipping the Light Fantastic
Festival of Flights
To the Crowd's Delight
Amish Go Round
Wondersome One
The Stars In Her Eyes
Tuesday's Child
Sleeper Hold
Considering the Next Move
Sugar and Spice
Front Porch Portrait
Caged Competitor
Early Adoration
Child In the Ligtht
Stroll Through the Weeds
Attention Grabbing
Eye Contact
On the Line
Eyes of Wonder
Rounding the Curve
Troubadours of Basin Spring Park
Down by the Creek
Sun Day
Catching Some Light
EAA Fireworks
Hear Me Roar
Pops Quick Tip – Take More Shots
With a digital camera, you can take as many pictures as your camera’s memory card can hold. That’s the beauty of digital photography. Once you own the equipment, it doesn’t cost anymore to take a dozen pictures than it does to take one. So, take advantage of the creative equity stored in your camera and take a lot of shots.
Another great advantage of digital photography is the instant feedback of an LCD screen. With traditional film, you wouldn’t know what you had until you used up the roll, sent it to be developed and picked up your packet of prints – a process that could take weeks or months. Now, with the click of a shutter, you can see the image you shot…kinda. That 2 or 3 inch screen can be deceptive. What looks pretty good on your camera’s screen, might be a mess on your computer screen. Another shot or two of the same subject increases the likelihood of capturing the image you really want.
When I can, I try to take several shots (and sometimes a great deal more) of each photo I’m after. Taking more pictures gives me the opportunity to vary settings and try different techniques. With people, eyes blink and the nuance of expression morphs continually. The more pictures I take, the more I have to select from and the greater my chances of getting an extraordinary final product.
Honestly, I’m not as good a photographer as some people might think. A great photographer could take a few shots and most of them would impress you. On the other hand, I can take a couple of hundred and only produce a few I feel are worth keeping. As I become more familiar with my camera and develop my knowledge and skill, my ratio of keepers will increase.
I’m not suggesting you simply fire off hundreds of shots like a 9-year-old with a submachine gun, thinking the spray of bullets is bound to hit something…eventually. Be a thinking photographer. Think of a different approach, a unique angle, experiment with depth of field, play with the fill flash, vary exposure, fiddle with filters, etc.
One of my favorite quotes, attibuted to a number of people – from Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Goldwin – is, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”
We can apply that same concept to the art of digital photography: The more photos we take, the more masterpieces we’ll find.
White Bench on a Winter Beach
Last Saturday I stopped at Crescent Beach in Algoma, WI and snapped this image. Beyond the fence and out of view is the open water of Lake Michigan.
I took several shots – with the sun shining brightly and with the sun behind the clouds. I preferred the bright sun (as seen here) to emphasize the contrast of the shadows on the snow.
After downloading to my computer, I added the sepia tone in Photoshop.
Spring’s First
Miserable weather this week – beginning with snow, blustery winds and bitter cold – have me thinking of spring.
Instead of posting the photo of a snow scene snapped last Saturday, I thought something a little more optimistic would be a better choice today.
These are some early blooming wildflowers I captured on a hike through the woods of a state park near Sturgeon Bay, WI.
The simplicity and the colors of this image make it one of my favorites.
Pops Quick Tip – Keep Your Camera Close
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt like kicking myself when I missed a great shot because I didn’t have my camera with me. (Sorry, that cell phone camera doesn’t cut it.)
Life and light are happening all around you. If you keep your camera close you’ll be ready when you stumble along breathtaking beauty…when artistic inspiration grips you…when the unusual, never-to-be-repeated event occurs.
I’m making a concerted effort to keep my camera with me. I haul it around, along with a variety of other basic gear, in a good case. Many days I carry it around and never take it out of the case; but I’ve got it should I need it. (Lately, my greatest challenge is pausing from the rat race long enough to snap a few frames.)
The number of interesting images that populate my camera’s memory card tends to have a direct correlation to the amount of time I spend with my camera. Great photo ops are popping up all the time – you might as well capture them.
Keep your camera close!
Between a Rock and a Calm Place
This is an early morning edition of the pier light that marks the harbor entrance at Algoma, WI.
If you follow this blog, you’ll notice it’s one of my favorite subjects.
Cloud Bank Background
When I take photos, I usually take a lot. Then I load them on to my computer and pick out one or two that I like and share them. All the other images from that day are still on my computer. When things are slow – photography wise – I’ll look through some of those photos I passed on the first time around and see if there’s something worth bringing out.
The original image without an effect.
This photograph is one taken in 2009 using my old Kodak EasyShare DX7590. It is the Kewaunee Lighthouse. The lighthouse is actually a supporting actor. I think the clouds are the real star and makes this image a keeper for me. The flock of birds provide a nice accent.
As I often do with photos that don’t quite dazzle me on their own, I added a digital effect to this one using a Photoshop filter.
Feel free to leave a comment.
Dear Pops – Answering Common Digital Photography Questions.
I wouldn’t consider myself an expert, but I know my way around a digital camera. Every now and then, someone who has seen my photos will come to me with questions about how to improve their own images. Now that I have this photography blog, I can post the answers here so that… (1) other photographers can pick up a pointer or two, and… (2) other’s who have overcome the same issues can post “Comments” below with their own suggestions and solutions. (Lord knows, I don’t have all the answers.)
Here’s a question I received by email this week. Rob wrote looking for advice with a common, frustrating problem.
Hi Pops Digital,
I have a photography problem Ive been trying to figure out for some time. looking at some of your photos, you seem to know a little. I was wondering if you could give me some advice.
Canon G1, 3.3 Mpx
I have a Canon G10 camera. It’s a point-and-shoot model but has many features of an SLR camera. My question is about something that’s been really frustrating me when I take photos during my kids basketball games. When I take a picture it is always dark. I think it has something to do with the gym being so large and well lit. When I use the flash it somehow darkens the picture. When I turn the flash off, the picture is brighter but now I run into blur. Ive tried messing with increasing the shutter speed but the pictures still didn’t turn out well. Do I need some type of zoom lens to get better results or am I just not hitting the right combination of settings? I’m confused.
Thanks for any advice,
Rob
I did some quick research on his camera and sent back this reply…
Rob,
I checked on your camera and saw that, in it’s day, it was a highly recommended model. Good choice.
The problems you are having are a combination of lighting conditions and camera limitations. Action/sports photography is a difficult trick to pull off, even with a great camera and good conditions.
The first limitation to address is the flash. Most point-and-shoot cameras have an effective flash range of less than 15 feet. So, unless you are right on top of the action, the flash will not help you. The reason the picture seems to darken when you use the flash is because your camera automatically adjusts its settings for proper exposure with flash. However, its settings are based on your subject being within its flash range. Even a well lit room is not as bright as the light from your flash at 15 feet…so anything beyond the flash range will seem dark, if it shows up at all.
When you turn off the flash, your camera measures the available light in the room and adjusts its settings for the best exposure. Unless you are in an extremely bright room, the shutter speed will be slowed down enough that anything with quick movement – like a basketball game – will likely be blurred.
Adding some type of zoom lens would only compound the problems you are having. Zoom lenses typically require more light, which would slow down the shutter speed even more. And zooming in doesn’t just magnify the subject of your photograph, it also magnifies any camera movement…creating more opportunity for blurring the image.
Since I don’t know how you had your camera set, it’s possible tweaking the settings could help, but I honestly doubt that your camera has the ability to give you quality, sports shots indoors. Increasing the shutter speed could help to eliminate blur, but you wouldn’t have enough light to see the subject in a typical school gym at a shutter speed fast enough to stop the action.
Honestly, most point and shoot cameras don’t have the ability to do what you are asking; and do it well. Even newer models.
The Canon G1 has been around since 2000. My best advice would be to upgrade to a newer model. You’ll find that newer cameras have dramatically improved low light capabilities. For less than $250 (and possibly much less) you would see amazing results. (Keeping in mind, you are still asking the camera to do a very difficult task.)
If a new camera is not in the budget right now, you might still be able to get a decent shot with your G1 if you position yourself just out of bounds near the basket and took pictures when the kids are close – within the range of your camera’s flash. Give it a try and share any photos that turn out well.
Happy shooting,
Pops Digital
If you have any ideas or suggestions that might help Rob, please share them as comments, below. If you have some other digital photography question, write your own “Dear Pops” letter and watch this blog for the answer.
Fire Painted In the Sky
I’m always watching the sky. Here, in northeast Wisconsin, we seem to have the coolest sunrises and sunsets. This prime example dates back a few years; back to March of ’07.
My wife and I had just settled in on the sofa to watch a DVD when I noticed some color in the sky out my living room window. I had to pause the video and run outside with my camera to fill a few frames with this beauty. I remember being very excited about what I was seeing and hoping, beyond hope, that the camera would capture the shear glory of it. As you can see, I think my old Kodak Easyshare DX7590 did an exceptional job.
About being left on the sofa in “pause” mode, my wife simply said, “I kinda thought this was going to happen.” She knows me well.
Bill Pevlor is Pops Digital
Starting the new year off with a new blog site for my photography. Welcome to PopsDigital.com.
I’m looking forward to the images 2011 will yield. I’ve recently stepped up my digital photography game with a new camera – the Sony SLT-A55. It’s going to take awhile to really be able to harness all the capabilities and features of this camera. I’m still researching and adding new accessories. I have my eye on a new high quality printer. (My mind says, “Yes, yes!,” my wallet says, “Not now, you fool.”) Nothing like new equipment to get your creative juices flowing.
Like all websites, this is a work in progress. I was intent on getting something up and running on January 1st. Obviously, there are more images to add, more tools to implement, more entries to post, but everyone has to start somewhere. If I waited until I had it exactly as I’d like it, it would never be ready.
I hope you’ll check back on a regular basis. You could also subscribe to the RSS feed or friend me on Facebook.
This first photo posted is a digitally-altered, self portrait. That’s me, Bill Pevlor, aka Pops Digital.