Best of 2012

Each year I look back on my images and pick a few of my favorite ones.  This year I have 42 photos to show so lets get right to the images.

Be Deliberate

With the advent of the digital photographic age it seems that we as photographers are trying to speed everything up. While aspects of photography like post processing, workflow, and frames per second certainly have benefits for speed there is one aspect that doesn’t. I am talking about the time it takes to create or make an image. When photographing with slide film we generally took a bit more time because each frame cost money. Not only did it cost to buy the film in the first place but it cost more in most cases to have it developed, especially if you used a professional lab. To really improve we also had to take notes for given situations and try to match them up when we received our images back after a couple weeks. It was a painful process. However, in that process we became masters of our work. We took extra time to see the tonality of the image and to ensure that everything was perfect before we clicked the button. “Fix it in Photoshop” wasn’t an option. If we didn’t get it right we wasted money and the shot was lost.


I have been guilty of moving too fast and rushing through a session or an outing. It is very easy to get in the habit of taking several shots to get it all set rather than setting it all and taking a shot. It seems that we as photographers are often under pressure, actual or perceived, to give a client hundreds of images (or even thousands for weddings) rather than a handful of great images. By doing that I am not certain that we are providing the quality service that we could. Besides, if you take the time to get it right then you can move on to other scenes or compositions. Being deliberate with your photography also helps speed up your workflow and post processing because there is less editing involved.

Sure, at a wedding you may have to move a little faster and take a few more images but that was the case back in the film days too. A wedding day is full of things needing photographed and you are on a time table! Perhaps you are a child photographer and you have to take several shots to get the expression you want. That too is fine and if you have taken the time to get everything set then when that expression shows itself you can easily get the shot. Don’t spray and then pray you got the shot. Know that you got it and move on.

This blog post is as much for me as it is for you and here is my final advice. Slow down and be deliberate. I’ll bet your images improve right away if you take the time to make them.

Changing Light

It has always amazed me the difference a few minutes can make during sunrises or sunsets.  Below you will see two photographs taken just a few minutes apart.  You can see in the first one that the sun hasn't risen to the point that direct light is hitting the buildings.  It is however strangely iluminating the clouds just above them. 

A short time later the second shot was taken.  It is easy to tell that it is just after the sun has fully risen as the light is directly reflected in the clouds, the buildings and the water.  Always remember, at sunset and sunrise if you don't like the light just wait a few minutes.

These two images are distinctly different and each one works depending on what you like.

Don't forget about my Understanding the Basics of Exposure book that just hit the virtual shelves! You can find the press release here: http://eldridgestudios.blogspot.com/2012/10/exciting-news.html The price is only $2.99!

Consider the Time of Day

 Here are a few of my favorite engagement photos from yesterday's (10/06/2012) shoot.  There is a little pull off as you are headed to Key Biscayne where these were taken.  It is one of my favorite locations for engagement photos.

However, taking a couple there on a Saturday afternoon poses some interesting problems.  Until now I had only visited there early in the mornings and typically we were the only ones there and had the run of the place.  Saturday afternoons on the other hand are crawling with people and not the quiet contemplative ones either.  But with a little effort and the willingness of these folks to walk around the photos came out just fine.

The moral of the story is know your location if at all possible prior to the shoot.  I did show up about 30min before and took a quick note of what we had to work with.  If I hadn't done that it certainly would have been a little more challenging.

Of course having folks like this makes it all the easier!