Focus

Focus

Lately I’ve realized it’s time to level up in my photography.

I have spent years with my camera on one setting-point-and-shoot, or auto. It is easy because the camera does most of the work for me. It will meter the white balance, set the aperture (how much light is let in), determine ISO (sensitivity of the image sensor-shutter speed,) and do the focusing. My only job is to point it at the subject and push the button. A good portion of the time, pointing and shooting is all that is really needed to get a decent photo. But then I saw the results of taking it off auto

& I felt challenged.

And so, over the last year I’ve made the personal commitment of learning my camera and putting in the necessary work to correctly portray the subjects of my shoots: wildlife. Every week I go to my favorite nature trail and go about the business of “storytelling.” Think about it. When a photo stirs you it is usually because a person was able to capture that moment when the subject is interacting within their world, whether that be a tender moment between a bride and her father, an egret eating a snake, or a fire consuming a home as the family looks on. You get a snippet that does not require words, but it tells a story. The photo is focused in on what is the main subject, light is highlighting what is important, and position/angle is spot on– no closed eyes, turned heads, stray boogers, fleeting critters, harsh or too dark lighting, nor blur from subject or photographer. It is not easy to reach this level of conversing. Therefore, I take the camera off auto and get to work.

Typically, I spend about four hours every Friday observing nature at its finest.
Ospreys are escorting their catch to a place to picnic, birds are singing, otters are playing, gators are protecting territories, butterflies and dragonflies are dancing about.
It is captivating.
I try to be diligent in snapping those moments because… what a privilege.
As far as I know, that is exactly what I am doing. What I see from my point of view is brilliant.
I am telling the story.

Then I see the truth.

When my day of adventuring is over and it’s time to look at the photos and invite others into my world, the stories I wanted to tell– more often than not– do not even come close to what I was wanting to communicate. The subject is way too many times not in focus, the light is highlighting the wrong area or is overall too dark/harsh, there are obstructions or I had the wrong position
altogether.

Delete, delete, delete (I say to myself in Cyberman voice).

It is so frustrating when the “conversation” I am having is not what I intended.

At least when I was on “auto” I did not have the same investment of time and effort. But when I am intentionally paying attention to all the necessities for a successful story and end up with a hot mess, it is deflating. I want to stop trying.

Photographic conversations are not that much different than the ones between people.

There are the “auto” ones that are everyday exchanges. Point and shoot. Sometimes you get pleasantly surprised by how these ones turn out. However, if they ramble on, have no real focus, it does not bother you. Even if it bombs, you don’t really care. But when you take it off auto and invest, then the care factor goes up exponentially. At this level, you want people to see what you see, while understanding the story that is being told. To achieve this you must:
Keep the focus on the subject. You cannot be all over the place.
Cast the subject in the right light. If the light is too harsh, the picture will be blown out. Too dark and there will be nothing of interest. The right amount of exposure is key.
Sometimes long exposure gets the best results, but other times being quick is all you need.
Knowing and respecting your surroundings is important. If there are distractions, loud noises, things bugging you, poop you could step in, dangers etc. you may want to review if the timing is right.
Don’t be afraid to take some risk. Some subjects are hard to get to, but will be worth it.

I want to reiterate something in case your glanced by it: this has been hard for me. I would much rather get lost with my camera and work on communication with wildlife, rather than with people. There is no DELETE button with people. Words cannot be taken back. You cannot control the reactions of others, even it you feel like you did all the right things. Don’t forget, I often feel like I did all the right things whilst taking photos, but wasn’t even close.

The reason why I take it off “auto” and “take a risk,” is because it honors the subject. I can learn about them and their world and show others how amazing they are. I cast them in the right light so that even if there are flaws, it is part of the whole story. If I insert myself clumsily into their environment, there is a chance I can cause fear and anxiety. If you do that to a bird, they will poop and fly away. People do that to. I also have to be humble. Approach with respect.

I have some tough conversations in my world waiting to happen. I want to be the bird that poops and flies away. Seriously, I do. In some ways I have done just that. However, that does not honor God, nor the people he has put in my life. So, I will get off auto and get to work.

t i m e t o l e v e l u p