When I started writing House*Tweaking over four years ago, I did it because I have an innate passion for writing and all things home. As a child, I was always writing a book or poem or song – usually in my bedroom which I had just rearranged or redecorated. (Do you remember the wallpaper border trend of the 90’s? I totally put one in my bedroom and DIYed a wall clock to match. Classy.) H*T was a medium for merging those two passions and the minute I hit publish I was hooked.
In the beginning, my least favorite part of blogging was taking pictures, uploading pictures, editing pictures and posting mediocre pictures. I used a Canon point and shoot camera to take pictures of my projects and home. There was no thought or skill behind the photography. It was merely a means to an end.
Somewhere along the way my attitude towards photography changed. I was exposed to such beautiful imagery online and it inspired me to improve my own photography skills. Having reached a plateau with my point and shoot, I started doing research on DSLR’s. I purchased a Canon EOS XSi body along with a 50mm f/1.8 lens for macro shooting and a Tamron AF 17-50mm f/2.8 zoom lens for general shooting and I’ve been using them ever since.
The image on the left is the very first photo I ever posted on H*T. The photo on the right is the most recent photo I posted. Many things have changed from that first photo to the current one: my equipment, my home, my style (that’s a whole other post) and my knowledge of and experience with photography.
When we moved into our current home, I was having a difficult time capturing the interior the way I saw it in real life. The open kitchen-living area receives a ton of natural light but whenever I tried taking a photo of the space it always turned out dark and cloudy. Last year I enrolled in Nicole’s Photo 101 e-course. It was a 4-week course and cost $125. It was the best investment I’ve ever made in my photography. Since then, I shoot in manual mode 95% of the time and I’m completely comfortable doing so. Several readers have asked if I bought a new camera because they noticed a difference in my blog photos. No, I didn’t buy a new camera. I finally know how to use the one I bought years ago.
This is my normal setup for shooting in my home. (Sorry for the poor photo quality. I had to shoot this with my phone since my camera is in the picture. How ironic is it to include bad photos in a photography post?) It’s the camera I mentioned already along with a high quality tripod, a gift from Steve. I had a cheaper tripod originally but within a year the panhead cracked and it was incredibly flimsy which pretty much voided any reason to use it.
Setting up the tripod always seems like a huge extra effort but, in reality, it only takes a few minutes and allows me to maximize the quality of my photos.
Here’s my dirty little secret…I don’t own or know how to use Photoshop. I know. When I started blogging, I couldn’t justify the expense especially because no amount of editing was going to make my poor photos look great. Over time, I found inexpensive, well, mostly free ways to edit my photos. I used Picnik for a while before it was phased out and then I switched to PicMonkey which is what I use now. I pay a small annual fee for the Royale version. (I use Polyvore to create mood boards and round ups.)
Sometimes I wish I could use Photoshop to mock up DIY / design projects and create better round ups but the cost (of even the most basic version) is still hard for me to swallow. Instead, I focus on taking high quality photos which minimizes the amount of editing I do. Usually, I resize and barely brighten images and that’s it. I crop my photos when I shoot not when I edit. Over-edited photos look so fake to me.
When I’m not using my camera, I store it in this camera bag along with my lenses, user manual, memory cards and battery charger. My bag is ~4 years old and looks brand new. It protects my camera and keeps everything in one easy to grab and go place. I went to the Novogratz’s book signing two years ago and Robert complimented me on said bag so, BONUS!, it’s bona fide stylish.
Other than investing in good equipment and an informative e-course, I also regularly take time to study images I’m drawn to online and in print. What is the camera angle? Where is the light coming from? Is it a warm light or a cool light? What is particularly special about the composition? How is the photo styled? Is it a macro or wide angle shot? How is the image naturally cropped? This process might seem like a waste of time but it gives me ideas and leaves me inspired.
To me, photography is a skill that gets better and better with practice. The worst thing I’ve done is sat back and waited for the knowledge to come to me. It didn’t come. I had to go out and find it, learn it then implement it. And keep implementing it. I sometimes study my own images and critique them. What worked? What could I have done better? What can I learn from this and do differently the next time?
My photography has definitely improved since that first photo in 2009 but it isn’t perfect. It’s something I want to be better at. Eventually, I may upgrade my equipment if my skill set ever gets to the place where I think I’ve mastered my current camera. But I’m not there yet. It’s a process! And I haven’t ruled out Photoshop either.
Nowadays when the boys are at school and Mabrey is napping, one of my favorite things to do is bust out my camera and tripod and snap away. Which is strange considering it used to be my least favorite part of blogging.
What about you? Have you ever taken a photography class online or in person? Did you find it helpful?
P.S. – I would highly recommend Nicole’s Photo 101 class to anyone wanting to improve their DSLR photo skills whether they’re a blogger or not. The material mainly uses people and stills as examples but the information is easily applicable to interiors, too. This recommendation is not sponsored. I truly feel this way and am currently looking in to the Photo 102 class.
images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
DIY, inspiration