Admitting failures

The Legal Handbook is DONE and danged did I learn some good stuff in there. I've got the Consent to Photograph and Publish all set up (aka. Model Release) but I want to get it done on some better paper and hopefully stored in a small folio (even just checkbook sized) for ease of travel, not getting crumpled, as well as professionalism.

I'm DYING to get to the farmer's market this Saturday morning and shoot a bit, but I'm not sure I'll do it on my own. I'll have to see how weekend plans work out. The D50 with the 50mm (not sure which one. 1.8 or 1.4?) is perfect for that, since it's small enough to not scream 'PROFESSIONAL' but still a step above the G10.

I've moved on to 'Mastering Nature Photography' which is really much more THE book I've been needing than I expected. It even talks about (when I get to those chapters), scouting out locations, dealing with the overwhelming choices available to you in nature, etc etc. Sporting events are cake next to this -- you focus on the athlete(s) and tune out the rest (except the background if you have any control over that). Nature photography? It's like dropping yourself into a psychedelic stew and trying to pick out the best ingredients to use. Let's not even get into composition or anything else.



Speaking of which . . . yes I admit it. COMPOSITION IS MY ISSUE. I've had enough of a 'natural' eye that I could compose a pretty decent photo. I rarely 'center' shot images and had some sense of aesthetics. However, I had a lot more to do and work on. The rule of thirds I understood for foreground/midground/background, but NOT as a grid for composition.

How did I miss learning that? *sigh* so be it. I'm aware of it, working on it, learning more, and yes . . . ordered a book about it. And another nature photography book.

Frighteningly enough, ALL my free time is spent reading these books. Tv shows? That's what dvrs are for (even when 88% full). Mail? Unopened on the sofa. Pets? Pet and snuggle them WHILE reading books. Breaks at work? Reading time. I think you get the idea of how self absorbed I've become in this. Many other things have been flung aside, unfortunately not all of them good.

Two nice days ahead, so I'll at least have a chance for some fun IR outside (strong light needed!) as well as perhaps some macro in my mini 'garden' out front before I mulch the heck out of it.