Self-Assignment: Shadows

I believe every photographer should give themselves self-assignments. Self-assignment is not a bad thing. There’s no pressure and there’s definitely no right or wrong. Just think: I’m going to go out today and shoot, take photographs, be created…whatever you want to call it. Who do I need to satisfy? No one. In my opinion self-assignments are when you decide to go out with your camera gear and create photographs of places/things that you normally don’t photograph…and sometimes places/things you normally photograph. You have to give yourself a break from the daily grind and have fun. If not you will get burned out and maybe, just maybe walk away from photography for good.

Creating photographic images should be exciting. Regardless of why you enjoy photography it should be exciting. Then you ask yourself “what should I take photographs of”? Find something close to home or at home: circles, a certain color, shadows, or a bicycle… A bicycle? Think of all the parts on a bicycle. Think of the macro images you can create. Set your camera on the tripod and go for it. I have an old bicycle that I have taken a ton of images of. When I was creating my Rose Project the bicycle was a huge part. Self-assignments give you the opportunity to learn more about your camera, etc. Little things you know you need to “work on” … now are the time to do just that. Don’t forget flash photography. I mentioned to create a self-assignment on something you normally shoot. If you photograph events, volunteer to assist in one. Portraits, volunteer to assist in one. The pressure isn’t there for you.

Here I call this Accidental Self-Assignment because it was. I was visiting a photographer friend and we went on a photo walk. It was early afternoon and the weather was gorgeous! As we were walking back to her home I noticed the strong shadows all over the place. If I was looking for shadows, that would have been the perfect day. I was intrigued off all the different ones from the railings to the street signs and the crazy angles they presented. There were so many we were making a game out of it LOL! Camera gear: Fujifilm X-Pro2, 35mm f/2, R WR prime lens.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy………….

HAPPY SHOOTING!! 🙂 🙂

South Carolina State University Homecoming 2017

Each year I have an invitation to visit Columbia, South Carolina. Being a big, die-hard college football fan (and they are too) I go during football season.

South Carolina State University, located in Orangeburg, SC is a HBCU – Historically Black College and University. So even though it’s a football game, it’s really ALL ABOUT THE BAND!! When I was in high school a few years ago 😉 I played the Alto Saxophone. I enjoy music. Yes when you think of HBCU you automatically go to see the band and their dance moves. Yes I am one of those that want to see the band dance but I also want to “hear them play”. I always get excited for my trip to Columbia.

This weekend was homecoming weekend. The game was against Howard University. Alumni comes back home, the tailgate is super, and the day always starts out with a parade. This is the first time I have ever been to a homecoming game. It was great. Alumni band members were invited to march with the band during the parade and also participated in the field events. I must say the Alumni held their own.

Not having ground access to the field, I did the best that I could in taking photographs in the stands. My goal is to one day have permission to be on the field during the band halftime performance.  I did more than take photographs of the football game. I took photographs of the parade and the tailgate. Did I say the food was AWESOME?? And after the game (which SC lost) the food was AWESOME!

When you take your camera to a game where you have no control of where you can stand, sit, etc. here are some tips to remember:

• Shoot as much as you can from your location and often.
• Don’t judge your images from the back of your camera…not a good idea.
• Wait until you upload to your computer/laptop before you start judging your work.
• Remember your circumstance.
• Feel good about what you had captured.
• Have fun and enjoy the moment.

Here are some photographs I took during homecoming. Gear used: Fujifilm X-Pro2, 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens, and 35mm f/ 2 R WR lens. In case you’re wondering why I used the 35mm when I had the 18-135mm…when I was carrying around the camera during the tailgate I wanted something lighter so I could focus on food… 🙂

HAPPY SHOOTING!! 🙂 🙂