Be Still and Shoot as Fast as You Can

During the second meeting, we focused more on shutter speed. After the further discussion we were off to take pictures using different shutter speeds.


It has been a little frustrating because of many things. First, most of us don’t have our own cameras so we settled on teaming up with whoever has and those who have borrowed one. This being said, I actually come up with the idea of posting this on my other blog which is “Cravings” since I crave to have enough budget and be able to have my own camera for personal use. (I might just end up posting another there just to take out my emotions.) Anyway, I joined a group of three. There came the second conflict, we could not quite find a better subject at the grounds of the campus not to add the sun was infuriatingly staring at our backs. So, my basic idea was the place in between the buildings which I call “the Garden” and then the pond which was swarming with koi as the second site. Here’s the third conflict takes place. After choosing our subject we were alternately taking “poses”. It was not because we were taking pictures of ourselves but we find it rather troubling to find the right position where to shoot from. We knelt down a few times. Then looked up high and knelt down again. We stood up at the edge of the pond which is risky for us. One or all of us might get wet and swim with the kois. Then the last and the most obvious problem, is that we had a hard time finding the right shutter speed for each of our chosen subject. Honestly, the one hour limit given to us almost lacked. BUT, in the end, of course we made it. We each had our best taken picture for that activity critiqued by our instructor.


It turns out that my subject was the mini falls at the koi pond. My remarks was rather satisfying because according to Sir Rey the photograph I had taken was good enough since there are ripples of water captured clearly though I can make it even better by a faster shutter speed. It was the one below.


My best shot for now.

Mini falls at the Koi pond at Jose P. Laurel Building, LPU-Laguna.

Falls at the Pond. Copyright. MarCaDi

Credits to Jean's camera :)

Overall, we successfully passed the first trial. Next, the aperture—a harder course.

Having met the Basics

   "Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst..." 

 - Henri Cartier Besson 

It was our first meeting to a four-hour class; Visual Communication, on a Wednesday morning, we started off with one-by-one introduction of our section. We stood and tell our names where we come from and what our capabilities are (including the weaknesses).


There are few of us who has their strength fit for the course. But, for most of us not having equipment individually for us to use is not the only problem alone. Majority has no background at all in the field. Especially, with the basics, in this case so far, it’s Photography. We were introduced to the basics which also stand as the most important factors to learn: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO the factors that forms the Exposure triangle. 

The shutter speed is used to control the light by a fast or a slow motion. If you're in a bright space, set it faster and if you are taking a picture in a dark place (less light) make it slower. Meanwhile, the aperture is a hole or an opening on the lens that lets light in. It varies in different sizes, the smaller the number of the size the larger the opening. The bigger the opening of the aperture the shallower (blurred) the depth of field. Last is the ISO (International Standards Organization), the sensitivity of camera to light. A lower number means it needs less light. ISO 100 to 200 are used in a bright place, said to be best for portraits. For beginner’s use, ISO 400 is suggested (not by me) and ISO 800 and above is to be used for dark or less light.



Aside from all those technical things discussed and some other stuff (which we cannot quite keep up with smoothly still), we have learned that there’s a big opportunity in the field in terms of source of income as well. On the other hand, it was just the first day and all we have done was listen and to have met few of the basics. No application yet. And so far we haven’t started on our quota—10,000 worst shots.