TPI - Assignment 4

Well this one took me ages to complete, not because I was being lazy (well maybe) but because it required some outdoor shots in various lighting conditions. Living in the UK we usually only get one type of light outside....dull grey, so while I tried to arrange stuff so that I could go out and take pictures it was usually a non-starter as the conditions were never any good.

Then finally it came, we had a good weekend last week and I was able to get out on Saturday morning. (Which was good because since then we have had rain, hail and snow !)

Taking the pictures was very rewarding as I was making use of other things I have learned in the previous assignments. Additionally, I had a new tripod to use which made life so much easier.

My objectives for this shoot were to get the images required for the assignment and to also get a nice landscape image.

Overall I have learned a lot more about histograms and how to read them. The course notes don't go into a great detail about histograms but that is what the assignment is for (pratical is so much better than theory).  I would say though that the material it does cover is very useful to know and I have again learned a great deal from it.

Let's hope the score at least meets my expectation.

TPI - Assignment 3

Certainly the most difficult/interesting assignment so far. What I really mean is that this is one area of photography that I hadn't studied previously in any detail. Metering was something I just left to the camera to sort out but there is so much more control you can take by chosing the right type of metering.

I found the Zone System very intersting and whole concept of 18% grey has (I think) finally clicked.
That said I'm sure I'll revisit this topic from time to time and realise that I haven't got it nailed at all yet !

TPI - Assignment 2

This was a very thought provoking assignment that covered some basic principles but brought it all together in a way that was much easier to understand....If that makes sense ?

The relationship between shutter speed, aperture and ISO is something which I'd like to think I have a good understanding of but had never spent time taking test shots at different settings in order to study the differences. This was really useful as it helps you start to memorise the various aperture settings and shutter speeds in terms of full stops rather than the 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments you get on the camera.

The best part of the assignment was to do with pre-visualisation and preparation for a shoot. The time spent carrying out research on a shoot can be really useful as you don't need any equipment...just your brain. What starts out as a simple idea takes on all sorts of twists and turns until you come up with what you think the picture will look like. Then you set up the shoot and it all changes again.

I found that a particular idea kept coming back to me so I had to try it out but for one reason or another I didn't. I still haven't taken this particular shot but as soon as I get the opportunity I will do and it will be added to this update.