A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

taking photos

Capturing memories with a click or two

It’s said a photo is worth 1,000 words.

Sometimes, I wonder if it’s more.

In this day and age of social media and technology and with so many mediums for communication taking back seats to something newer and better, I am often reminded how important and timeless a photograph is.

One photo can be a memory for years and years.

Sure, videos are great things. So are other ways of seeing the past. But a photo – it captures a moment in time that somebody can be whisked off to with one glance at the image.

I was reminded this at work Thursday.

Part of my job as a communications specialist is taking photos. I do video as well. I also design publications, write stories/releases, deal with media when necessary etc. But the best part of my job, without a doubt, is the photography.

This morning was the first day of school in the one district where I work and I was at the elementary school bright and early capturing kids as they arrived, along with parents sending them off etc.

As I went through the photos, processing them and looking at each one, I’m reminded how important a photograph can be in showing a story.

I love photography. Over the years, I’ve done it at different levels, be it personal or a wedding, or newspaper, or something else. I love snapping a photo and knowing I’ve captured something in time. I’ve done my best in the past few years to try and capture my family as much as possible, too, as I believe it’s extremely important.

Still, there are times when I think people tend to forget about how important photography is, be it digital or film. Any photo — be it a silly selfie or a cute candid, or something else — holds many memories. The photos can trigger so much.

Photography, when done right, is something more than an image. And while I agree that phones, point-and-shoots and things like that are amazing these days as compared to when it first started, there is still something more when it involves somebody who has taken the time to learn a craft. I’m not saying I’m the best by any means, but I always try and find something special when I am shooting.

That’s something that makes me truly love my job for the most part. It’s not all cake and candy by any stretch, but for the most part, I get to capture some fun things and help these kids and their families create memories they can always look back on.

Don’t underestimate a photo … and I say that without putting a photo with this post. Go figure!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

Back behind the lens: Time to start snapping away again

It’s time to start getting back into photography with more than a phone.

It’s time to get back into photography.

And, no, I’m not talking about taking more photos with my iPhone. I mean get back into it for real — with my DSLR camera and multiple lenses and trips with the idea of taking photos.

For most of my life, I’ve been into photography. I started with a newspaper when I was in middle school and I’ve always enjoyed taking photos. I went in the direction of journalism as it allowed me to mix and match writing and photography.

But in the past year or so, I’ve let it go. Take, for example, the photo blogging challenge I run. For the bulk of the past several months, I have used photos taken with my phone. Though I am totally addicted to things like Instagram, I totally have ignored my camera, outside of if I needed it for something like work etc.

Finding different things to shoot makes it easier to keep with it.

Part of the problem is ease of use, without a doubt. The phone is always with me. It’s easy to grab it and snap a shot. Carrying a regular camera can be cumbersome at times and get to the point where it’s annoying to have. But… if I am using it more often, maybe it won’t be as cumbersome.

I have a pretty good messenger-style back for my camera, but at times, I just don’t want to carry it around. I have ideas to see if I can do other things with it, so we’ll see.

One good thing is recently getting a new lens (a 28-75 2.8, so a nice walk around lens) and having something different to use. This will allow me to do more without having to change lenses so often, or so I hope.

Still, I need to come up with some sort of a plan – for carrying the camera around, for where to go and for what to do. I’ve recently been thinking about this while my camera was at Canon getting repaired.

My plan:

  • To find a new, comfortable backpack bag where I can carry my equipment as well as other needed things (health etc.) for day trips. I’ve found one that has two side pouches for water bottles, which is outstanding.
  • Plan in two or three days per month where my goal is to go out and take some photos.
  • Rent a different lens or two (such as a Lensbaby) to try and get into different things.
  • Use some different things (lenses, attachments etc.) I’ve gotten over the year to see if that helps.
  • Get back into Flickr, post photos, interact and, hopefully, get inspired.

I know a lot of people put transfer their photos and put them on Instagram. I’ve done that once or twice in the past, but I think I’d rather keep my images there as ones taken with the phone. That might change from time to time, but for now it’s good as is.

Sometimes, one needs a personal challenge to think outside the box for cool photos.

Unfortunately, I don’t live in an area where photographers are rampant. Therefore, it’s rare to find people interested in, say, a photo walk. Depending on the weekend of Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk, I may actually try and run one in my area to see if there are some locals who enjoy shooting. I have loved attending other walks, but I always travel for them … so we shall see how that works out.

It also helps if I am going places where photography will be something I can concentrate on. Let’s be honest, I’m pretty worn out with my area for photos. I’ve taken things over and over. And though I can always find something new when out and about, it’s tough to plan a photo day, per say. So I have a few places I want to try and go this summer/fall, as time and cash flow allow.

Possible weekend/long weekend trips include:

  • Maine (specifically Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park)
  • Montreal
  • The beach (as I try and do each year)
  • New York City (which I try and do at least once a year)

If I can pull these places off, maybe I can get back into it.

One thing I am hoping to really get me going is to start thinking deeper about the one challenge I am in, and maybe even look at one of the older challenges I was involved in. But I did notice that challenges are hard for me because I sometimes rush them and don’t think about them until the last minute. I need to actually think more about each of these and see what happens.

Long exposure/night shots are something that could help me get back into it, too.

Finally, I think I’d like to try and learn some techniques or ideas. These may come from books or photo blogs or whatever else. But I need to start thinking outside the box some to make sure I am not doing the same things over and over. One example of this is to learn lighting a bit more and maybe learn about off-camera flash and things like that. This will likely require the purchase of a new flash, but I’ve wanted to do that for a long time, anyway.

So it’s time to start snapping away. I always love seeing what I can do with a camera and beyond and I’ve taken too much time away from it. I’m not saying I’ll shy away from the iPhone camera – far from it as I like apps such as Instragram etc., rather I’m saying I want to add something back into my life in hopes I can have the same enjoyment with it.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!