About the photographer, and the 2B Pencil photoblog

Comments

Feel free to add your comments to this blog. For me, it's all about improving my photography. So if you like an image, tell me what you like. If you don't like something, I want to know that too. The more specific you are, the happier I'll be. : )

Then

I started taking pictures in the early '80s when I got my first camera, a Nikon FM. It was fully manual, had very few controls, and I absolutely loved it. I still have it, but I stopped using it years ago, even before I got my new digital SLR in August '05. I never learned how to develop my own pictures, and film and processing were expenses I really didn't need at the time.

The FM was so easy to use. It had controls for ISO, shutter speed, and aperture; that's it. I adjusted exposure with the aid of 3 LEDs in the view-finder. Focus was manual as well. It did have split-focus, which helped immensely.

Now

In August 2005 I finally purchased my dream camera, a Nikon D70. This is one amazing piece of equipment. It's as complex as my FM was simple. I'm still experimenting with the settings to figure out exactly what it can do.

Like most people, I'm aiming for getting the image I expect, or at least something reasonably close, straight from the camera. I like playing in Photoshop as much as the next person; I'd just rather use it to extend my creativity, not to correct for something that my camera can handle.

As for subject matter, I'll shoot just about anything. One of my favorite locations is the Bristol Renaissance Faire. I love ren faires in general, but Bristol is my home faire. It's my first love. If you're a photographer, and you've never been to a ren faire, do yourself a favor and find a local one. Larger ones obviously afford more opportunity, but small ones have their own unique charm.

Later

The plan for now is to keep working on getting good images, both technically and artistically. The more I shoot, the better the images coming out of the camera seem to be, so I guess I'm doing something right. : )

  

Links

Inspirations:
I try to check all of these photoblogs daily. Some are traditional. Some are experimental. Some document the world in which we live. Some dance on the edge of graphic design. But they all inspire me to question my conceptions of art, and the art of photography, and to improve the quality of my images.

Below is a list of links that you may find are useful in getting your blog up and running: