Focus
Can anybody tell me what this plant is? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula




Can anybody tell me what this plant is? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
I originally asked my husband to take photos of me for the White Jeans post. I found it was not any easier than setting up the camera on a tripod and taking selfies with a timer, as he didn’t know what I wanted. At least when I took them myself, I could immediately take another after seeing the result.
When someone else is taking the photos, you are more likely to keep going for a few poses before taking a look and finding out you wasted your time because the angle etc was all wrong. When you take them yourself and look at the result right away, you can adjust immediately for the next shot. The first shot is what I used for my post:
Of course, the good thing with someone else shooting is you don’t have to stop after every shot to set up the camera again. The good thing about taking your own pics is you don’t have to coordinate with someone else.
The main thing harder about taking your own pics was figuring out how to do the prefocus and making sure you step into the same focal length or you will be out of focus. Then again, “soft focus” can be a plus…. Use the method you need to get the shot you need.
Do you prefer to have someone else take your photos or DIY? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
OK, I was going to do the photo post of “My Love,” but my husband didn’t want to pose for a picture. So, I’m doing the question instead.
As previously mentioned, I am not a big selfie fan. I am not in most of my photos, as I like recording my environment, looking for something new in the everyday; a new angle/perspective to something ordinary, new lighting situation, new way of looking at something.
Lately, I’ve been trying to get used to taking photos of myself to post OOTDs. I suppose I will eventually stop feeling silly posing in front of the camera, waiting for the timer to go off. Or not. I bought a book with “1000+ Poses for Fashion Photographers” to get some ideas for how to pose.
Here are three versions of my pose in a hat for my White Jeans post:
Even when I find a pose I like, I still need to practice it several times in front of the mirror to a) figure out how to replicate the pose, b) get comfortable with the pose, c) do it several times when in front of the camera to get it right, as you can’t see what you’re getting until you run back to check.
Practice makes perfect….
What are your experiences with self-photography? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
Trying to get caught up on NaBloPoMo posts today. I’m combining two in one with this pic to show “Far” and “Filter Me This.”
This glass block wall flanking one side of the sidewalk with trees on the other side seems to go on forever! Used the VSCOCam Sepia filter.
What kind of filters have you used? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
Ever photograph a subject without their knowing? I certainly have. It’s called “getting a candid shot,” and can result in the most honest photos of people, catching them off-guard and natural. No hammy poses, no cheesy grins.
I recently got this shot:
What a fun outfit, and you can’t tell me he wasn’t looking for attention and begging to be photographed wearing this!
What candid shots have you captured lately? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
They say good things come in threes. Well, my husband is the middle boy of three, there’s the Three Bears, the Three Little Pigs and here’s a nice trio of soft lights.
What have you noticed in threes? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
Quick post for NaBloPoMo- my Energy:
Not the most original, but this was when I was first learning how to use my iPad and Instagram. Early morning breakfast shot!
What gives you energy? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
I was about to pop down into the BART station to go home for the day when this shot caught my eye. There was no way I was going home without taking a photo!
The City Hall Building at the San Francisco Civic Center looked so ethereal, peeking out from above and behind the trees. The sunset light was just gorgeous!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
A little behind again on NaBloPoMo. The photo topic of “Your Style” can mean a lot of different things. The first thing that comes to mind is fashion style. But since I just did a post on that a couple of days ago, I tried to think beyond the obvious.
Then I thought “How about photographic style?” since it was the photographic theme. I happen to be taking a SkillShare course on finding my Instagram style, called “Make the Most of Instagram: Build Your Brand.” If you’re interested in finding out more about Skillshare or the course, click here to get a free month.
The project is to curate 9 photos ONLY from your Instagram feed that represents “Your Brand.” While I still shoot whatever catches my eye, I have been more cognizant of what I put up and being extremely careful with editing and preparing photos for presentation. Here is one of my favorites.
Those are not Vermeer paintings on the wall behind the line of patrons. They are framed photographs of Assyrian refugee women, taken, I think, in a refugee camp in Turkey. The portraits are very noble, and I was immediately struck by the chiaroscuro of the lighting. I loved the juxtaposition of the people waiting in line with the portraits. I couldn’t resist taking a pic!
I’m still working on curating the 9. As I shoot more photos I will find my “voice.” I used to think I liked taking portraits, but since I started with Instagram, I find myself drawn more to patterns and architecture. I’ll keep shooting and posting for a while longer before posting my final 9 for the class.
What’s your style? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula
*Disclaimer: Please note the link to Skillshare above will generate a credit for both of us as a reward for sharing information about Skillshare. I have taken several courses on Skillshare and find their classes to be well done and a great way to learn a new skill.
Today’s NaBloPoMo topic starter is the question: Do you think one side of your face photographs better than another? My answer is a resounding yes! About 15 years ago, I started noticing that in some photos, one of my eyes looked “wonky.” When holding a pose for the camera, we all tend to “freeze” and try not to blink before the shutter goes off so we don’t wind up with pictures with our eyes closed. But I noticed one eye consistently seemed to be too wide open and thus “wonky.”
Even my sister asked what was going on. “You don’t look like that,” she said. So I tried not holding my eyes so wide open for a while. This didn’t work so well either, as it resulted in photos where I clearly looked self-conscious or my eyes just looked wonky in a different way.
Flash forward a few years, and I was finally getting married. There would be lots of pictures taken that day, and several wedding sites had articles advising practicing poses for the big day. So I did just that, checking out which angles, head tilts, smiles, etc worked best. It was one less thing to worry about, I felt much more at ease, and most of my photos come out great. Knowing how to pose also came in handy when shortly after, I had my first-ever photoshoot for my women’s performance dance group. The photo in my “About” section is one of the photos from that session, as is my sidebar intro and avatar photo.
So the answer to “Do you think one side of your face photographs better than another?” is…drumroll please…my left side.
Which side is your best side? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading!
Ciao! Paula