Found my niche (or not)

I would love to be the type of photography that captures beautiful scenes, but the fact of the matter is that I'm not. I'm okay with that because I've decided it's not gonna stop me from at least trying. I usually find that the way I see the subject in my mind is NOT usually the way it looks through my lens. So here are a few shots that I took that really surprised me when I saw the final product. I hope you enjoy! 

Sunday Brunch

One Sunday, after being invited to brunch, I decided that I was going to carry my camera with me wherever I go. This was a big deal for me because I feel like people expect a lot from you when you carry a camera around. (Crazy thinking)

So here are some photos from that day!

Welcome back!

So it's been over a year since I've posted to this blog.  There's been some picture-taking that happened in the year, but not as much as there should have been.  I would really like to rectify that in this coming year.

So let me catch you up...I've received a new lens and flash for Xmas.  They are both wonderful (even thought I still haven't figure out how to use the flash).  I mostly shoot outdoors in natural light.  I've shot kids, pregnant co-workers and co-workers.  I still haven't learned to use photo shop (any teachers out there), so most of my pictures are either cropped or perfect-in-camera.  Believe me...I throw out a lot of photographs. Honestly, it teaches me to really take in the scenery before I snap.  So I would say it's a good thing.  

I've discovered and listened to a lot of music in the past year. 

Alabama Shakes - Southern Rock, but so much better.

Melody Gardot - Crooner - the girl can sing.

The Lumineers - What can you say about them? If you haven't heard them, take a listen. 

Anyways, here's a few shots:. 

They could basically be twins.  

Sisters

Beautiful Mommies!

Do you Instagram? When did that become a verb? Follow me at lscottva.

Until next time...

50/50

I received a lens for my Nikon for Christmas.  It's a 50mm, 1.8 fixed lens.  I love it, but it takes some getting used to because I no longer can stand in one place and adjust the lens.  I'm having to move closer and closer to the subject to get the great picture.  If you've taken pictures of people, you know how much you end up in their personal space when you shoot with a fixed lens.  These pictures were taken over Christmas break.  I hadn't taken pictures in a long time and just received the lens and I felt like I needed to shoot.  So I asked one of my good friends to let me shoot her and she agreed.  It was fun (as I expected it to be), but it also allowed me the opportunity to get to know my camera.  Like any other technology, I definitely had to adjust where and how I was shooting many times.  I just am grateful that she was the first person that I shot and wasn't overconfident thinking that I could shoot someone serious.  Anyways, I love the way most of the pictures turned out, but I need to take a class and find out more about the mechanics of my camera.  Anyways, enjoy!

 

Last night I had a great conversation with some very cool people.  We discussed music, poetry and literature.  I haven't had a conversation like that in forever.  It felt good, it felt right.  I felt at home.  It made me want to listen to Transatlanticism.  Such a well-written album.  Dust it off and listen to it again.

Best.

Here's where it starts to get interesting!

It's the beginning of 2012, and of course I have thought about resolutions but have not decided on any. It's really my way of never getting off the fence. I seriously will ride the fence until someone forces me to get off. I like to call it my one foot in one foot out mentality. I'm always waiting for the next new thing to come along. Well last year I discovered a photography app for my phone named Instagram. If you have an iPhone you definitely should get it. It's free and let's you view pictures from people all over. I love the app and find many of the pictures interesting (even though most are fixed in post production.). Some of the post production can make the picture look very cool though. Err are some examples of what I've posted. Not taken by my Nikon, only iPhone!

Me, myself and I...

Just a random Sunday Funday! I love shooting this boy...he's one of my very best friends the whole world.  The other thing that makes this great is our ability to make each other laugh uncontrollably.  I haven't been shooting much lately because I've been so busy with school and work, but I'm ready to pick up my camera again. I'm gonna have to find some new subjects to shoot, so get ready cause I will be asking.    

 



We'll name her Minnie Pearl...

My favorite thing about taking pictures is the randomness that you get yourself into.  This day was definitely random, but I went with it and this is what came from it. Let's just clear this up...we had planned to take pictures, but I definitely thought that they would be more structured.  That's my power needs coming out in me, but I'm glad that I just decided to go with whatever happened.  All of these kids were so welcoming and just allowed me to keep the camera right in their faces.  I'm happy with them and I hope that you like them too!

I just got back from a work retreat and while I was there I was able to score two finds.  The first was The Eagles Greatest Hits on Vinyl for $1.  (Hell yes!) The second thing was a book named Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons. It's an Oprah's Book Club book, which is usually a no-no for me, but the character was described as "a southern Holden Caulfield, tougher perhaps, but funny..." I mean, how could I pass that up?

So besides the new Eagles vinyl, I have whipped out ...And Out Comes the Wolves! Give 'em the boot!

Best

giving me that james dean look...

So I'd made myself a promise that I would spend a good portion of my summer behind my camera.  I'm trying to at least post once or twice a week.  This means that I have to push myself to find things/people to take pictures of.  I'm finding it hard because it's summer and I want to be lazy.  Speaking of lazy...this shoot was so early in the morning (not really, 10:30) at the oceanfront.  During the summer, the oceanfront freaks me out - the tourist like to dart out in front of your car.  Fuckin' sucks! Anyways, this boy (he really is a man) allowed me to take pictures of him on the Boardwalk. The bike was his idea, but a good one! I've been friends with his family for a while now and we've become fast friends. Shooting him was fun and I can't wait for the night shoot he promised me with him and his friends...it's gonna be a blast!

Can we go home and eat cannolis now?

Um, just trying out the wide angle lens! Not sure if I love it because I love to see faces, but it does make very interesting pictures.  Of course the first person that I wanted to take pictures of with this lens was this girl.  She is so beautiful and definitely fun to hang with!  Some of the funniest picture were when she was flaring her nostrils.  Needless to say...we had fun!