2024 Photos Year in Review
So as we close in on 2025 I want to do what I did last year and post favorite photos from each month. NOT saying these are the best but these are the ones I like most.
January and February - I will have to combine since I didn’t have much from January. Had the opportunity to visit friends down on Marko Island FL. While out on my friends boat this guy flies right over the top of me!
This second shot was my first ever photo of a Yellow Crowned Night Heron
March - This poor old Barred Owl was not having a pleasant morning. It was cold it was wet and I am pretty sure he was annoyed with me.
April - Took a trip to LaRue Pines Snake Rd. This little beauty, Yellow Warbler, was posing for me.
May - Spring time brings out the new antlers on the White Tailed Deer. Nice Spring Photo.
June - In June, I went on my first ever Cruise. I have to say it was a lot of fun! This is a shipwreck just off one of the beaches of Bimini Island Nassau.
July - Was a pretty busy month for me. Lots of photos for other people, few photos for just me. This lily was one of the few just for me and I love the colors.
August - Was a great month for me for photos. I could have done this whole thing with photos I really like. But This one won out just because it is fun. Now I did photoshop the UFO in… and the orange beam, but the Bull Rider is real!!! My son said it looked like the bull was being captured by aliens, so I had to make it happen.
September - The Union Pacific Big Boy. This was taken near Witt IL. Pics of old trains are always good to me.
October - On a trip to Land between the Lakes, this guy was strutting his stuff at the Living History Museum there.
November - Spooky shot of my favorite statue in Bellefontaine Cemetery. I inverted the color on this to get the vibe.
December - If you have been watching you have seen this one recently, but angry eyes eagle is still my favorite for the Month.
So that is a few of my favorite shots through out 2024. If you like them throw a like if your seeing this on Facebook better still, Follow me on Facebook. If you have seen one this year you like better let me know. Hope you have as much fun looking at these as I did taking them but not sure that is even possible. Don’t believe me come shooting with me and see!
Until Next time - The Redleg Photographer
Eagles and Swans!!!
Sorry I know I have been slacking and not adding to by blog regular like. But Inspired recently by great Photo Trek to Loess Bluff, MO. It is right outside of the small town of Mound City, MO.
The ALPS Camera Club at Little Egypt Art Association headed out there first week of December. We were only going to be able to shoot Tuesday afternoon, all day Wednesday and Morning of Thursday before heading home, or as Swan Day, Eagle Day and Combo Eagle/Swan day. Everyday was Snow Goose day also.
First day was a great day for swans. There were several location where the swans were active. Feeding, Preening, Swimming, plus taking off and landing.
Second day was eagles, eagles and more eagles. Bird counts estimated some where above 300 eagles at Loess Bluff.
Then Combo day. It was almost hard to find a shot you wanted to take at that point. We already had so many good shots of both eagles and swans that it was hard to hit the shudder on just an eagle on a branch or a swan flying by. We also saw a few Sandhill Cranes but not in the numbers we saw the others.
Great Trip! For More photos of this location Head to www.redlegphotographyllc.com also check out my Facebook page named the same please like a follow.
Late Summer Thoughts
I always kind of dread summer for photograph. I am usually very busy with grandkids, and family events. Then it is usually so hot you don’t see much wildlife out moving. It is just not my favorite time to get out.
So lets jump into this.
This Summer was a bit better this year. I had a couple of events to photograph and some drone work (even got to rescue a horse, forgot to take a picture though). But still I am looking forward to fall and cooler weather, migrating birds, deer looking for love and everthing else getting ready for winter. But we are talking about summer hyere not what I am looking forward too.
Just off one of the beaches on Bimini Island
So my summer photography really started out fun. I went on my first Cruise and I went with old friends from the Army. As always I had to take a camera with me. It is always so much fun to fly with a camera because the camera bag becomes your carry-on if you don’t have them in a hard case and with a short flight and short stay that is the best way. The only issue is what to pack! Which camera bodies and lenses. It is a fact of life you always take more than you need.
I retired at the end of June and photography became my primary focus for work. It started out with Drone photos, and a family photoshoot for relatives and a trip to Florida to my Brothers
So keep and eye on me!
The rest is just fun with Camera! That is what it is for me. If you like my work it is for sale just contact me at my NEW Redleg Photograph phone number (618) 521-9236 or through the contact section on this website. If you just enjoy seeing my pictures Follow me on https://www.facebook.com/RedlegPhotographyLLC or the links at the bottom of the page.
Until Next Time
The Redleg Photographer
Quinceanera Shoot
I work with a Young Woman who has a daughter that it getting ready to have her quinceanera. Since I had never been to one and really wanted to see one, I (for partially selfish reason) offered to do her photos as a gift to her.
This is a young hard working family with not lots of extra money to give their kids everything they want (and they give them plenty). But professional photography for this was just a bit too much.
So I can do this and help make it more special, but what I realize was how much fun I would have doing these photos.
I hope you enjoy the photos
Crazy Old Man Jumping in Cold Water!
Good Day, so here is the explanation of that title. So every year for the past 5, I have done the Law Enforcement Torch Run’s Polar Plunge. This is where this Crazy Old Man, Jumps into cold water for a fundraiser for Special Olympics.
This is a fun event and as they say that we are “Freezing for a Reason” I am looking for donations to help Support this cause. Then if you wish you can come out and watch all the crazy people who jump in the cold water! It is a party atmosphere.
Many People will dress up to do this in costume! This year I am going to be “All Shook UP” and go and plunge as Elvis! It will be a site to see!
So if you wish to support me AND Special Olympics please donate: https://support.soill.org/give/f5144039/#!/donation/checkout
As an added bonus if you Donate $50 or more you may pick a photo here at www.redlegphotographyllc.com and I will print you a 5x7 of any one. $75 or more and you can get a 8X10. You just have to let me know which one.
“Thank you, Thank you Very Much”
Until Next time
The Redleg Photographer.
My favorite Photos of 2023
Well another year has gone by and I am happy to share my favorite photos from each month in 2023. So lets begin!
January
Morning sunrise at Crab Orchard Lake at the Marina.
This is a hawk I shot through the Moonroof of my car! Glad he didn’t poop!
February
Guess they needed a run at it. This was taken at Mingo Wildlife Refuge in MO.
Great Blue Heron on a frosty morning in Feb. I liked this one for the Boka in front of the subject.
March
Found this on a Foggy Morning near Ina IL
Red was keeping an eye on me.
April
And the Race is on!
The famous Ina Osprey on the nest at Rend Lake. Love the way they are locked eyes.
May
Singing a song of Love!
A Red Headed Woodpecker. I used to see these in the woods behind the house I grew up in. This was the first one I had seen in many years. Near Wolf Lake IL.
June
B25 Mitchell bomber at Veterans Airport near Marion. This piece of history came in for several days. You could buy a ride on it but I was happy to just get a good picture.
This is an immature Bald Eagle. I am sure he had just left the nest recently since he let me get so close. Near Rend Lake IL.
July
I got this photo of a Gold Finch in a very colorful patch of Zinnia. There was so much color it made it distracted from the pretty bird, so I made him the only thing in color.
Stopping for a quick Breakfast!
August
Black Crowned Night Heron posing for me.
Bared Owl
September & Oct (Took a trip to Colorado all photos from there)
Grey Jay
Snow blowing on the peak.
Old Truck near Pitkin CO.
Narrow gage steam train near Silverton, CO.
Lovely waterfall we found in CO
November
Bared Owl on a post at Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge
My first good picture of a Belted Kingfisher.
December
My Christmas Cardinal
One more picture of the Crab Orchard Owl.
Well that is it, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. If you want to see more check out the galleries here on the website, or follow the links below to Instagram and Scopio. If you think you would like one of these hanging on your wall contact me for pricing.
Until next time
The Redleg Photographer
Colorado in the Fall of 2023
Old Mine near Silverton.
It has been a bit since I posted but this one is worth the wait.
The end of Sept myself and my friend and mentor Kris Killman headed to Colorado for a weeks worth of photo trek with NPEG, a national club for photography. The end of Sept was the perfect time to be there. We hit just before Peak Colors and over last few days were in Peak Colors with a little snow on the mountains to put icing on the cake so to speak.
Our Travels took us to Gunnison, Lake City, Ouray, Ridgway, Telluride, Silverton, and many other side trips.
The variety of shots and the spectacular colors kept us behind the camera at every turn.
I have only put a few pictures here the rest are here in the Colorado Fall 2023 gallery. Who knows I might be posting more soon.
Until next time, the Redleg Photographer.
The Summer Photography Slump
These past few weeks I had been thinking man I really have not gotten out and taken many pictures, nor did I even feel like going out and getting any pictures.
I had done some engagement photos, which I thought, turned out pretty good. I have also done a few shoots for real estate, but on a few of them they were needing drone photos and getting approval to fly near the airport near Carbondale was proving a problem for some reason.
I was in a slump. Therefore, when in a slump the only way to get out of it is to get out and take some pictures!
I knew there was supposed to be a B25 Mitchell bomber coming to Veterans Airport. On Thursday the 22nd I took my wildlife camera and drove over to see what I could see. I found I had too long of a lens to get pictures on the ground. I did find out when they would fly and was able to get a couple photos of it in flight. That day and Friday.
That had me fired up and there was no plans for Saturday morning. I decided I wanted to go see the Osprey chick before they left the nest. I was up before dawn and headed to the Ina boat ramp. The chicks are very active and hungry which made for good photography.
After the kids were fed, I loaded up, headed over to Gun Creek, and was walking one of the levees to see if I could capture anything there and came up with these.
At this point, I pointed the car toward home and headed down but as I got near Marion, I decided I wanted a few more shots at the B25.
This rounded out my day and it made for a great day of photography! I am still processing pictures, there were so many good ones.
Help Me Pick a Photo!
VA Creative Arts Festival
Last year I entered a photo in the Marion VA Health Care’s Creative Arts Festival. I entered this photo.
Railway to the Sun
I did not have lots of time to choose and had to use an image I had already had printed.
It won first place in the regional competition. However, it did not move on up. I am hoping to do better this year.
So now, I need your help. I am going to be entering 2 photos one black and white and one color. I would ask you to review my website redlegphotography.com, my Facebook page of Redleg Photography https://www.facebook.com/RedlegPhotographyLLC , my Instagram https://instagram.com/redlegphotographyllc?igshid=MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg== and my Scopio page https://artist.scop.io/arthur-fager-8fbb7280 . Then pick out your favorite photo, and then tell me your favorite photos. You can leave a comment on Facebook, Instagram, or just email me at redleg111@gmail.com and put “Favorite Photo” in the subject.
Who knows you might help me win more than just the regional competition, and my thanks if you do!!!
Until next time.
The Redleg Photographer
The Osprey
About a year ago I was taken up to Ina Boat Launch and shown a nest for the Osprey! I was a bit worried the nest might not survive this past winter. Well it still there an the Osprey are back.
Building on the nest
I did a little research on Osprey recently and found out that they are a hawk and not an eagle. This surprised me since they look as large as an Eagle. But Osprey are not as large or as heavy as an Eagle. Osprey are 3-4 pounds and up to 70 inches in wing span, Eagles are up to 80 Inches wing span and average 14 pounds.
Flying out for more supplies
The 2 at the nest in Ina were still building their nest and still getting frisky in preparation for egg laying.
Avert your eyes!
They are some of my favorite birds to photograph. I hope you enjoy the photos
The Stare
Until Next time.
The Redleg Photographer
New Toys, New Skills and New Services, Drone Photography/Video.
I went to our local Photography Club’s ALPS, at the Little Egypt Art Association, meeting a while back. The guest speaker brought in his camera drone! I have wanted a drone and considered getting one for a few years now. His demonstration pushed me over the edge. I bought a drone shortly afterwards, a DJI Air 2S. I will not bore you with all the specs, it does has a 20MP camera on a 1-inch sensor and it can do 4k Video.
Guess who Bought a Drone!!!
The day I ordered it, I took the FAA Trust exam to be able to fly it recreationally and was waiting for it to come in. It arrived late on a Friday and I charged all the batteries read the manual. The next day I took it out to fly. What fun!
Spillway
I knew that I would want to be able to sell pics from using it and be able to fly to get pics and/or videos for others on contract. You know insect a roof, overhead photos for real estate and such. So just a few days after I got it I signed up for a training course through Drone Launch Academy (recommended during the ALPS presentation & now by me too) to prepare for the FAA Part 107 Exam. I have spent the last few weeks studying and the last week repeatedly taking practice test. I have been consistently scoring in the 90s on the last 6 tests. Good news is I will only need a 70% to pass the actual test.
Jason and Janelle’s house.
That leads to today! I took the exam! Passed it with a 93% and have applied for my License! I should have my temporary License in a week. At that point I can fly commercially, as in for pay, legally.
If you know anyone lookin for photos that need to be taken from above, ie real estate, roof inspection, or just a unique angle give me a call!
as always follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
until next time
The Redleg Photographer
A New Year and my Favorite photo from each Month in 2022
I decided I needed to pick my favorite photo from each month last year.
January - I had forgotten this photo. Not sure I ever posted it, but I loved the colors. It was a great way to start the year. Hope you enjoy it too.
Ice on Crab Orchard Lake pre Dawn.
February - I caught this guy going low and slow on a small pond. I just love detail and the glow on it from the Moring light.
Great Blue Heron
March - A flash of red and he was off. I liked the blur at the wing tips it gives it motion.
Cardinal in flight
April - On a spring trip to Florida I found this guy looking for love!
Great Egret
May - on the way back from a weekend class on Black and White photography I took this on the way home.
Chester Bridge, Illinois
June - Egret Fly By!
Egret in flight
July - On a short trip to WI to visit family I got to grab a photo of “Seven” one of my nephew’s many Chicken and his most striking Rooster.
7 the Rooster!!
August - I happened to be driving by SIU parking lot near the Arena. I saw this young man and a couple of his friends test driving their project car. They were gracious enough to let me photograph them doing hot laps.
September - I had the honor of photographing a good friends wedding. Was not sure I wanted to do it, but he insisted. I am glad I did it was very rewarding and I am very proud of some of these photos but this is my favorite.
Vanessa in Black and White
October - Beach front near Rochester NY., Some of the best fall colors I found.
Ontario Beach Park
November - Mingo Wild Life Refuge I was able to catch this Drake on take off.
Mallard on take off
December - The family church I grew up attending in Murphysboro. Thought it would look good in black and white….. mostly!!!
First Lutheran Church in Murphysboro
So that is it my favorite photo from each month!
Until next time
The Redleg Photographer.
Wants and Needs, The great Camera upgrade dilemma.
I have two functioning high quality cameras that do everything I need to do.
My primary camera is the one I use for wildlife. It is a Canon 7D Mark II. It is an ASP-C 20 megapixel Crop Sensor and has a max shutter speed of 10 frames per second. The crop sensor makes my lens reach farther, add in the 96 auto focus point, and combined that with the shutter speed, and you have one of the best Wildlife cameras made.
My other camera is a 6D Mark II. It is a full frame sensor that is great for landscapes, portraits, macro and such. I like it much better close in and it takes great pictures.
The one I am considering upgrading is the 7D Mark II. Canon has a R7 crop sensor mirrorless camera available now. The reviews have been great, and the price not out of reach. I was close to pulling the trigger on this camera when a close friend of mine purchased one. He has been a mentor to me and when I first went looking for my first big boy camera (the 7D) I pretty much copied his rig. I bought it and shortly after the camera, I bought a Sigma 60-600mm Sport Lens to pair with it. It gave me beautiful reach and versatility to go after wildlife shots. It still does! Now he has upgraded to the R7. All the things I liked about my current camera expanded! 20 Megapixels Vs 35 Megapixels, 10 frames per second Vs 15 (30 with electronic shutter), 65 focus point Vs 651! The list goes on.
Seems like a no brainer right, here is the rub. My friend had a horrible experience with his. His had issues focusing with it jumping around rather than a smoot track, but the killer was sometimes after pushing the shutter release it would just have a runaway shutter! It would not stop. It is likely just a bad copy as they say. Still now, I am a little camera shy now.
I was excited and putting back money to buy the camera and if truth told, I have enough as of this blog. I am thinking of taking a wait and see and put a bit more back.
If any of you are using the Canon R7 and want to give me your take on it, I would welcome your comments.
Unique Opportunity, Photography a hunt provided for Disabled Veterans.
If you haven’t guess by my Logo or my Bio I am a Retired Field Artillery Major. I am also a Combat Veteran and a Medically Retired Veteran myself after 24 years of wearing the uniform. So when the opportunity came up to go photograph fellow Veterans out on a hunt I was excited to do it.
The event was set up by “The Fallen Outdoors”. I was in contact with Clayton Yanis the moderator of the Midwest chapter FB group. The day started Early on the 3rd of December. The hunt was planed for a 0800 meet up at Macedonia Game Preserve, http://www.macedoniagamepreserve.com/ This is a large Southern Illinois hunting location north of .
I arrived early to set up my gear and to meet up with the Hunt Coordinators. The Vets/Hunters were showing up at the same time I arrived.
At 8:00 Am we started the hunt our guide got us lined up and it didn’t take long for the action to start! What really made this such a good event was the camaraderie. We reverted to brothers really quick. Joking and poking fun at each other.
Fallen Outdoors & Macedonia Game Preserve put on a great event for the Veteran’s who participated. It was also very appreciated that they let me come an get these shots! Please check out these 2 groups and support these people who love to support our troops.
Wildlife Photo Trek to Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
On Thursday I took a trip to Mingo National Wildlife Refuge to take pictures of Waterfowl and whatever else would hold still long enough to let me get a picture of it.
Mingo is over 21000 acres of bottomlands that is right on the flight path of many different migratory birds. It is new Puxico, MO and I am told there are a lot more photo opportunities that at my beloved Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge.
Kris Killman of https://www.killmanart.com/ (My running buddy and photography mentor) called to get bird counts from the refuge and there are lots of bird waiting on us to come down and photograph them.
The day started at 0430 meet up at my house with Kris to drive there. Yes coffee is required. Which is not unusual since it is required every morning in my book. headed south to get there right before dawn. The drive was uneventful and we got to Mingo just as the sun was coming up.
Once there several things became very apparent. This is a large refuge, there were lots of wildlife to see, and that the water levels were way down. With as much wildlife we saw in those conditions it makes me want to go back one when the water levels are normal. This has quickly become one of my favorite places for wildlife photography! I can’t wait for my next expedition there!
So if your looking for a place to go see lots of wildlife I can highly recommend Mingo Wildlife Refuge.
Until next time
The Redleg Photographer
Photo Printing and my favorite Company to do it at, Mpix.
This is a unsolicited plug for my favorite place to get photos and other photo products, that is a company called Mpix! Almost everything I have printed in any quantity and especially anything I cannot print at home (my largest at home print I can do is an 8.5X11), is from them!!!
The prints I do at home are mostly proofs and are not as good of quality as what I get from Mpix. My printer make good snapshots but not something I would want for a customer.
Mpix’s quality is great. The largest image I have had them do so far is a 20x30 and I am completely satisficed. Their web site is informative and pretty easy to use. Their pricing is strait forward and no hidden cost. But most important their customer service is great. I have only needed to use it for issues I have created and they have done their best to help me out.
So if you are looking for a good place to get a quality wall hanger, Wall Art, Photo Book, Calendar, even a Christmas ornament and many more Items check them out!
I want to reiterate I am receiving no compensation to make this plug. I just like their work. If you need them open your search engine and type in Mpix.com you will not regret it. #mpix
Until next time
The Redleg Photographer
New Family Project and a documentation of our History
Grandma Alice, Clarice Daniel, Robert, Philip, EJ, Victor, Grandpa Ernest. At Aunt Clarice’s wedding.
New Project for the Fager Family. I am doing a historical calendar of our family. It will have photos going back to prior to the civil war and moving forward and it will center on my Aunt and Uncles and my parents.
The Beginning of Fager Brother Contractors?
The generation before me were members of the “Greatest Generation”. I can only say that yes they are perfect examples. This makes for good calendar material as you will see.
first photo Frank and Marie Mileur. second Photo John, Mary, Ernest and Marie Fager. third photo Sebastian Fager.
The first few months it is about our ancestry, our great and great great grand parents. They are the foundation of our heritage immigrants looking for a new land to call home and their children who start fulfilling their dream.
Victor and Lawanda (Blondie) Fager
Velma and Edmond (EJ) Fager
Geraldine (Gerry) and Earnest Philip (Philip) Fager
Norma and Robert Fager
Bonnie and Danny Fager
Clarice and Ralph Arbiter
Then we devote a month each to Each one of my Aunts and Uncles. I purposefully picked photos of when they were first starting out. We always see our parents as our parents. They are grown and mature, we don’t see them as young adults trying to figure it out just like we were.
The next page after the Aunts and Uncles is a tribute to our military history. Many of the Fager men served, again going back to the Civil War. The pride I feel of their service carried me through my own time in service.
Civil Water - Frank Fager, WWI - Ernest P Fager Sr. WWII - Victor, Edmond, Philip, Robert, and Daniel Fager.
There is History, Memories, Pride, Sorrow and Happiness in the photos. But mostly what I see in these photos is Love. I tried to add a little love of my own.
One of the last photos of the Fager Greatest Generation.
This project was a labor of love. Once I started it, I finished it in less than 2 days. I am proud of my family and I hope you enjoy the pages from the calendar I used.
Until next time
The Redleg Photographer
Fun when you find new Photo Editing Tools.
As most of you have seen my primary focus is Wildlife, Nature and Landscape photography. If you have been following along you have seen me do portrait, real estate and wedding photos too. I have even dabbled in night and macro photography from time to time.
I keep trying new things to keep things fresh and keep my interests and motivations fresh. I have become a better photographer and photo editor by trying new things. The most recent thing I have done to stretch is a little more robust photo editing.
In photo shop you use layering to build an image. Leaving your base image pure and working off of copies, filter and adjustment layers. I tried to expand on these, since up to this point the majority of my images are of wildlife and I want you to see what I see. Now I am wanting to have you see what I can imagine.
This means I have gone back to my old standby of research, practice and get better. So I took a few old pick to see if I could jazz them up for a lack of a better term. Here is what I have been doing.
First I look at sky replacement to make bland skies look better in photos. Up to this point I had been using Luminar 4 to do my sky replacements. I knew that photoshop had added that function into the software and decided to try it instead. I have to say I like it as much or better than my previous workflow. I think it does a litter better job and since it is in Photoshop itself it works a little faster.
Second I have lookin to more of the native filters in Photoshop and using them more and finding that there are a lot more uses for them than I had been using.
Third and lastly I have purchased a some Kelvin Pimont brushes. These are cool I can paint fog, snow, rain lighting and other stuff right to my photos. These 3 are ones I used some of those new brushes on. Primary the fog brush. Although I did use the lightening brush a bit in that last photo. There can be only one!!!
Now I just need more Ideas to use all these tools on! I also want to thank my son for supporting his old man and being my model.
Until next time.
The Redleg Photographer
Doing Wedding Photography for a brother Soldier and a friend. What I learned.
I was at a reunion of Soldiers I deployed with. One of them came to me and said, “Sir I want you to be the photographer for my Wedding”. I said I have never shot a wedding and don’t want to shoot a wedding. His comment was “Well you are going to shoot this one”. I remind you I was his commander and he one of my SGTs, no respect for Rank, LOL.
He is a Brother and really wants me to do it. He also has several kids and so does the woman he is marrying, I know what I see being charged for weddings and that is a lot of money, so as a gift to them I tell them I will shoot it, no sitting fee. If they want prints done by me I will charge for those but I am gifting them the digitals.
So like the Senior Photos I did for his daughter about a year ago I started my research. I contacted the bride and asked for photos of weddings she liked. I sent a shot list for her to fill out to mark the please don’t miss these photos. The read articles, watched some YouTube and practiced a bit.
So the day before I loaded up EVERYTHING. 2 Cameras in case one had and issue. I charged and took every battery I had and bought a large pack of double AAs for the speed lights, and loaded my indoor outdoor studio light and light modifiers. I took every stand I had (and broke one). I even too back drops just in case I needed them for good background if Venue didn’t have one.
After work on Friday I head up to where the wedding it is at, check into Hotel and head off to the Venue #venue720. check out the lights and location, take a shot or two to she what I can get. It was pretty dark there so I know that in a majority of the cases I will need flash and I don’t use flash that often so I practice some more.
Now day of the Wedding, I get up and roll out to the Venue at 10:30 (wedding is at 3:00) Everything is looking good there. I track down where the bride is and catch up to her getting her makeup done, to get some shots of her getting ready. I run back to Hotel to get some Groom shots, then back to the Venue since the bride is there now and get the rest of the preparation shots before the wedding. Those went very well but now we are heading into the main event!
The wedding is ready to start and my real work begins. From then on it is just a rush of shots and adjustments for the uneven lighting depending on the angle. I don’t remember much, in fact as I went through the shots I would see one and wonder when did I get that. The rest of the evening went fast and soon I was packing up the gear to move back to the hotel.
At the hotel I fire up the computer and find I forgot to charge it before I left and guess what I don’t have? You guessed it the cord. I did manage to download the files, and copy them to a second external hard-drive. So Little chance of loosing the photos since they were on 2 hard drives and the memory card. Time to breath!!
Next day I head home and start processing, 4 days later I had 119 edited shots. It took longer since all the shots had different lighting I had to do each one on its own, I couldn’t just drop a preset on all of them. I don’t think I did to bad! Bride is happy and tells me so. Which make groom happy and he tells me so. All the photos they and I posted get good comments and lots of likes.
So what did I learn, preparation is very important. Prepare the equipment double check it. Do your research on what your doing. Scout the location if you can. Have spare everything if you can, camera, batteries, flashes, everything.
It was a great experience but still not my cup of tea. I think I could make a living from it but don’t want to tie up every weekend chasing weddings. I learned a great deal and it will improve my photography. Which is always a value add.
If you want to talk about what I learned or any of the things I did to prep I would be happy to share. If your looking to hire me for a wedding I don’t wish to hurt your feelings but NO! Either that or you have to offer me so much money you could afford to hire a better wedding photographer LOL.
Until next time
The Redleg Photographer.
Photography and Education. Learning how to use your Camera!
Macro assignment
I have been taking pictures and posting here for a couple years. I think I do a pretty good job, but I also think there is always more I can learn! Here are my thoughts on learning how to use my camera.
Black and White Assignment
If you have read any of my other blog post here or my bio. You know I have not been at this all that long, maybe 3 years. My photography has improved greatly during that time!
Have I upgraded my equipment yes! I love my cameras and lens I have now. Is that what has made me a better photographer? NO! It has helped get me more opportunities for good shots with longer reach with my Sigma 60-600mm Sport Lens, and the faster shutter speeds, bigger sensors and just all around better gear.
Freeze the subject and blur the background in camera assignment
Better gear is not what has made me a better photographer. There are 2 things and the first one is more important than the second.
The first one was education!!!
Framed in nature assignment
Let me give you a little background: I have owned a DSLR since right after I left the military in 2012. With some of my separation money, I went to a big box electronic store and bought myself a Canon 3Ti with 2 (count them 2) kit lenses. This was going to make me a photographer. I put it in Auto Modes (standard, portrait, sport, etc….) and went and took pictures. OK snapshots. Once in a great while a good shot. But I didn’t know how to move that selector to Manual and get any kind of good picture. I played around with that for a few years. Bought a 3Ti for dummies book a year or two later and learned a little about what all those extra switches and knobs were all about. Slightly better pictures. I struggled until 2019 when I found a class at John A Logan (Adult Education Classes) taught by Kris Killman. There were 2 levels: Beginners photography class and intermediate/expert photography class. Well my Ego said you should take the later. I should be an intermediate photographer. I found out quickly I was not! I was determined to step up and learn. I learned about exposure triangle, composition, rule of thirds, lighting, white balance and most importantly how to use my camera in manual mode. It was a struggle but in the end I think I caught up to the intermediate photographers in the class. —— That could be my Ego talking again.
Later I took a post processing class with Kris Killman again. It was a very small group class there were only 4 student because at the time that was all there was room for. I have also watched hours of YouTube, hung out with other photographers and picked their brains for how to do things.
With those 2 classes and all of my other channels for learning this skill, it has brought me to where I am today. A much better Photographer and headed back to class!
Yes I am headed back to class because I have determined there is always more to learn! Plus I am still not as good of a photographer as I want to be (even if I am a pretty good one I want to be better).
Now comes the second thing that has made me a better photographer. Getting out and taking lots of pictures, i.e. practice! you have to get out and take photos. Not lots to expound on here just get out and take pictures.
So the bottom line in this is that investing in yourself will always bring you the greatest return! To that end if you have any questions about where to find training or any of the resources I used or even if you think I could help you directly, reach out to me. I will be happy to help and share what I know.
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