Overcome Self Doubt and Improve your Photo Skills with Karen Doughman

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I don't want them to think of me.
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I want them to think of the subject, whoever's being captured in that image.
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I remember that moment.
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That was such a good time that we had.
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And I hope that it brings up other memories that surround that image, you know, things that happened a month before, a month after, or whatever that, that image somehow sparked.
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I want it to be a living memory that whenever they look at it, causes them to reflect on their life and that moment and how much they love that person that's being captured there.
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Hey, welcome to the beginner photography podcast.
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I'm your host, Raymond Hatfield.
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And each week, well, I interview one of the world's most interesting photographers to learn what it really takes to capture beautiful images so that you can start to do the same.
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In today's rewind episode, we are chatting with community member Karen Domen about how to overcome self doubt when behind the camera.
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But first, the Beginner Photography Podcast is brought to you by Cloudspot.
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Cloudspot has everything you need to build a thriving photography business.
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So grab your free forever account over at deliverPhotos.
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com and only upgrade when you and your business are ready.
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You know, my goal for the podcast has always been to show you that there's more than one right way to get the shot.
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When some people say that, something is the only way to do it, I promise you others will find a hundred more ways to do the exact same thing.
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And while it's my hope that knowing that there's a million different ways to do the same thing would build confidence.
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for some, myself included, that can at times create decision fatigue where you actually feel overwhelmed by the amount of options.
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Today's guest Karen knows this all too well and today shares how she overcomes the self doubt and decision fatigue when she's behind the camera.
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So in this interview you will learn the power of carrying your camera with you every day to better familiarize yourself in different lighting conditions and environments.
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How to embrace imperfections and let go of control as sometimes spontaneity can lead to capturing more genuine moments.
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And the power of focusing on authenticity over perfection.
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Now I would love for you to join myself, Karen, and thousands of other photographers just like you looking to learn more about photography and grow your skills in the free and supportive beginner photography podcast community which you can join right now by heading over to beginnerphotopod.
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com forward slash group With that let's go ahead and get on into today's interview with Karen Doman.
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My first question for you is we're going to start real simple.
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Who are you?
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What do you do?
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My name is Karen Doman.
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I, until just recently, was a middle school English teacher, so I did that for about 16 years.
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I left the classroom just recently, in December, and, it took an early retirement, and now I'm seeing what I can do with photography.
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Okay.
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so, obviously, long career in education, teaching lots of kids.
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When did photography come into the picture for you?
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Actually, when I was in college, I was in community college and you have to take your electives and one of the electives was photography.
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And that's what I chose.
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And so I didn't even own a camera at the time.
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So I went into the local use camera shop and I said, Hey, I'm going to take this photography class.
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Can you help me out?
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didn't even know what to get.
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And they said, Hey, if you buy this camera, your professor will be really impressed.
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And it was a Nikon FM too.
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And I was like, okay, great.
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I'll take it.
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and so I learned how to do some basics on the camera and I really enjoyed it.
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we developed our own film and we watched our Prince come to life in the dark room.
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And that was really exciting.
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I really enjoyed it.
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But at that time I was a single parent and photography is super expensive.
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So after a while I sat down that camera and I didn't pick up another camera for about 10 years.
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and then I graduated to, I think I had a Nikon D 3500 and I didn't know the difference between a crop sensor and a full frame.
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And.
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I just started carrying that camera around and taking some pictures.
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But again, life got in the way and I set it down again.
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So I wasn't super consistent until about this last year with the pandemic.
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I found I had extra time on my hands and I wanted to get back into it.
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So I promoted myself to mirrorless.
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And so now I have the Nikon Z5 and I've been.
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making more efforts to be more consistent with the photography since then.
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So you went, back to full frame.
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So when, obviously you got the FM two, right?
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When you brought that into class, because I have not shot with the FM two, but I believe that's one of their more like prosumer film cameras, right?
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It wasn't like a, like an entry level.
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You can get it at Sears.
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it was a higher level, right?
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Um,
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I guess we don't know.
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Okay, we'll find out.
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He just handed it to me, said your professor will be impressed.
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And I was like, okay.
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And, um, and I didn't know anything about it other than it would help me fulfill the requirements for that class.
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Gotcha.
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Okay, so you have the camera, you go into photography class, and you show up with the camera, what were some of those first things that you learned, because, obviously, it stuck with you to a point, you enjoyed something about photography, about the learning process of photography, that you kind of wanted to stick with it.
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What do you think that was?
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well, I really loved taking pictures of my kids.
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My kids were, you know, a toddler and a couple of were in elementary school.
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So I have three daughters.
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And so I really enjoyed capturing their emotions.
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and there's something magical about seeing the print come to life in the dark room and knowing, if I just burn and dodge, you know, I can create different effects in the image and knowing that I managed to get the settings right so that the picture looks.
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Like how it should look right.
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I didn't super overexpose or underexposed.
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So, there's a certain magic in that dark room and watching that all come together.
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And so that was really exciting It felt like there was more control in the creative process, which I feel is a little lost with digital.
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But at the same time, I appreciate digital because.
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I still make a lot of mistakes and it's way cheaper to make the mistakes with digital and see it on the back of the camera or in the computer than it is in the film, which you have to wait a week or whatever, and it's so expensive and so, that magical quality of being in the dark room and seeing it come to life, I'm like, oh, I, I did that.
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That's me.
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that's special.
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And I really was drawn to that.
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And of course it's pictures of your kids and how could you not enjoy that?
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Right,
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right, right.
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I remember, a few years ago, I believe it was, uh, Fabiola in the group who was talking about, you know, she's working really hard to, cull down the amount of images that she shoots, but finds that when.
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Photographing your kids.
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It's almost impossible to get rid of ones, even if they're just like a little bit of out of focus or whatever, because they are your kids.
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So I totally get that.
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And I'm, I'm the same way.
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It's so hard to get rid of those photos.
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but when you're in class, I want to know, you're there to learn photography.
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And I know, you're an English teacher, I'm sure that you had plenty of students who weren't very good with words.
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I would include myself in that camp, and that's why I found, a love for photography.
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But when you were there to learn photography, was there anything from a technical standpoint that was, difficult for you to understand or a concept to grasp?
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Oh, sure.
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The exposure triangle and how you can manipulate that and create different effects and it's something I still struggle with.
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My approach was just to like go out and do right.
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Just go out, snap the pictures and see what happens.
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And then you go back and you reflect.
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But when well, it didn't go well.
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Why did this happen?
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I don't remember a lot of book work in that.
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I don't I don't think we even had a book.
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It was just here's your camera.
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Here's a couple of lectures.
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Now go do your thing.
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I mean, it was 20 years ago, so maybe I'm forgetting.
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But it was basically you come and every week you had to have a roll of film to process and develop.
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And you had a class critique of your work.
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And so you would put your images up and you had 25 other people saying what they liked about it, what they didn't like about it.
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And from that you were supposed to grow and develop.
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But, you know, lighting is key in the photography.
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and if you don't understand the lighting, you're going to struggle every single time you pick up that camera.
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And I kind of get the lighting.
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I mean, I think a lot of my images that I post are, are nice, otherwise it wouldn't be posting them.
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Right.
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Um, but there's a lot that I throw out and it's like, there's something I'm doing wrong that I could be doing better.
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and it all always comes back to the light and how I use the light or misuse the light.
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I think that's a pretty powerful, practice that you put in by, you know, in school you were learning to be able to reflect on your work and then come back and look at your work and figure out what it is that you like and don't like.
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Do you think that you might, be too hard on yourself today?
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Because that's just a practice that you started so early, I guess.
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Hold on.
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I'm going to make this question even more complicated than it already is.
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I know that a lot of photographers, oftentimes they'll take a photo and, instead of looking at images, whether it's good or if it's bad, they'll just say, Oh, well, this is art.
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this is the photo that I wanted to get and this is what it is.
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But you had a different, upbringing in photography that was no, no, no, slow down, look at your images so that you can decide what it is that you like and what you don't like.
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Do you think that you're holding onto that too long?
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Yeah,
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into your process.
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Yeah.
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I'm by nature a bit of a perfectionist.
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and it served me very well in the classroom.
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What am I going to do?
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How am I going to do it?
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What do I want my students specifically to learn?
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And how do I want them to learn it?
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And how am I going to assess that knowledge?
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Right?
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So You have to have every step planned out.
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Otherwise chaos, right?
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35, 13 year olds that that turns into chaos very quickly.
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So you have to know exactly what you're going to do every single minute.
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And if it doesn't turn out well, if you've missed a step, they let you know right away.
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And you have to come up with a plan B very quickly.
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So I've learned to anticipate Okay.
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the issues, the struggles, the missteps that my students are going to have, so I can try to create a lesson that, will take them to where they need to go in a very efficient way, but in a way that forces them to step outside themselves and to learn.
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Well, I, I apply that to photography, but.
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There's so many gaps in my knowledge that I don't know all the steps and so I become very frustrated.
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And then when I do evaluate my work, I was like, I somehow messed this up and I don't even know how I just know is wrong.
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And so that's very frustrating for me.
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And so I guess you could say that that.
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I'm holding onto it too tightly where I, I need to like let it go and just like, okay, move on and to just go forward and keep going.
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but until I figure out how I'm screwing it up, how can I improve?
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How can I get any better?
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And so yes, it's very challenging for me to let it go and to stop being so critical, but I feel that that critical aspect is, is important for growth.
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there's a balance there and I'm not saying I have it yet, but There's a balance, yeah.
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So, how do you expect to get over that and get to whatever that next level in photography is for you?
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Well, I know that there's something I mean, I've talked about lighting already a couple of times and it's like I feel like I should be able to walk into any situation and be able to effectively read the light and know exactly what my settings should be on the camera.
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I am nowhere near that yet.
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so that's kind of my goal.
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full sun.
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That's a nemesis of mine.
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I have a very hard time with that.
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so I recognize that there are a few things that are holding me back.
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So, practice, making an effort to practice in those unfavorable conditions and, trying to read and just look at what other people are doing so I could see.
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What are their strategies?
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that's what I really appreciate about the beginner photography podcast daily challenge is that Kimberly's been posting articles and it's like, okay, I can read through those.
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And so I appreciate that academic side of it.
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It's not just posting pictures and say, Hey, look what I did.
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It's like, oh, you can learn something.
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And so I appreciate that.
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What most recently has been something that you've learned that you're going to put into practice in your photography?
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oh gosh, because there's so many things that collide altogether.
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well, I was just recently listening to the podcast with, Mark, I don't know what his last name is.
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Silber?
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Yeah,
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yeah, yeah.
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And he said something and I wrote it down because I was like, Yes, you should know your camera so well that it doesn't get in the way.
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Yes.
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And I thought that was really profound because I was just taking pictures of a toddler who was running around and I have my camera set on the focal point where it's the eye tracker, which I think is great because toddlers move fast.
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But she handed me a flower and I wanted to focus on the flower and not on her.
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But the eye tracker was on and so it focused on her.
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And I was like, okay, I don't know how to change it.
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I don't know how to move that focal point to get it to do what I want.
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So my camera was getting in the way for me achieving what I want.
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And you only have like five seconds.
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I mean, there are two.
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So, um, so that I really appreciated that.
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And I remember, in another podcast, one of the community members, I think it was Kimberly said that she would sit on her couch and just adjust her camera just so she could get real quick.
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Doing the settings and I was like, okay, I need to sit down and do that because that's another thing where I was like, okay, my lighting has changed.
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I need to adjust.
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And it's like, okay, which way do I turn the dial?
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Which dial is it again?
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So, I mean, it slows me down.
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it's not stopping me, but it definitely slows me down.
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You know, I don't want to add anything onto your plate here of things that, maybe you should look into.
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But, when I first switched to Fuji, I found the same issue with the eye tracking.
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I thought in 90 percent of the situations.
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I was like, this is great.
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It's, you know, finding focus or whatever, occasionally at a wedding, though, it'll want to focus on.
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a groomsman die instead of the bride.
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And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, I can't have that.
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so what I found was, I use back button focus when I'm not using autofocus.
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Have you tried back button focus at all?
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Yes.
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So I'm still doing something where I couldn't get it to do what I wanted it to do.
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Yeah.
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So I've been using that.
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But in focus for a while.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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So that for me, I found the ability to immediately switch it into manual and then hit the back button focus, right where I wanted it to grab the shot and then put it right back into autofocus really kind of gives me a good blend of being able to do those two things.
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and I'm sure that there are people out there who are also struggling with that.
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So one, thank you for sharing that.
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And hopefully, that helps as well.
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Uh, autofocus is, it seems like something that you should just.
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like happen, but it is much more difficult than it needs to be, which is really unfortunate.
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I want to know, I guess, before I get into this question, what is it today that you're photographing most?
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kids.
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I have a five year old grandson.
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I know don't look like I should, but I do.
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and so I have a little project where I get him once a week and every week we do something and I'm taking pictures.
00:14:56.192 --> 00:15:00.922
last week, it was the museum and we went and we visited the dinosaurs and he's really into dinosaurs.
00:15:00.932 --> 00:15:08.731
So, I had one shot in mind and I just wanted to get him looking up at the dinosaur and that was the only shot with no other people.
00:15:08.731 --> 00:15:11.741
And, it just so happened that everyone cleared out of the way.
00:15:11.782 --> 00:15:13.672
And I said, go look up at the dinosaur.
00:15:13.672 --> 00:15:14.491
And he did.
00:15:14.511 --> 00:15:15.451
And I got the shot.
00:15:15.451 --> 00:15:16.922
So I was really pleased with that.
00:15:17.532 --> 00:15:20.532
but I want to do kind of like a documentary style with him.
00:15:20.552 --> 00:15:22.422
So he's getting ready for school.
00:15:22.422 --> 00:15:29.331
So when he goes and he gets his hair cut for school or when he learns to ride a bike, I want to be able to document those kinds of things.
00:15:29.741 --> 00:15:35.591
that's really exciting to me to capture those moments and just to see and watch him grow.
00:15:36.142 --> 00:15:56.491
I'd love to be able to do that with like members of the public to a documentary lifestyle kind of a session, where you maybe stay with the family for like a year and you capture some of their really special but everyday moments and just compile like that album and so they can just see how their family grows.
00:15:56.501 --> 00:15:58.481
So to me, that would be really exciting.
00:15:58.631 --> 00:15:59.591
I'd like to see that.
00:16:00.162 --> 00:16:01.751
but I need to master the lighting first.
00:16:01.751 --> 00:16:03.942
I can walk into somebody's house and know how to shoot it.
00:16:03.951 --> 00:16:07.642
So, I feel a little held back by my own, lack of skill in that regard.
00:16:08.711 --> 00:16:11.432
But what better way to learn than trial by fire, right?
00:16:11.442 --> 00:16:11.792
Yes.
00:16:11.792 --> 00:16:13.932
Just get thrown into the situation and just start doing it.
00:16:14.111 --> 00:16:14.422
Yeah.
00:16:14.981 --> 00:16:20.731
when you, went to the museum with your grandson, it sounds like you had an idea of the photo that you wanted in your head.
00:16:20.741 --> 00:16:23.241
Do you typically do that before you go out and start shooting?
00:16:23.662 --> 00:16:32.961
Yes, if I go and I don't have any ideas of what it is that I want the people to do, what poses that I want to achieve, then I'm like, um, okay, what are we going to do next?
00:16:32.971 --> 00:16:38.341
and then I shifted the responsibility to the subject and I should have that responsibility.
00:16:38.802 --> 00:16:40.302
and then I also get really super nervous.
00:16:40.302 --> 00:16:42.721
So that doesn't help me at all.
00:16:42.731 --> 00:16:44.792
So I do research different poses.
00:16:44.831 --> 00:16:46.961
I don't have it all intuitively yet.
00:16:47.032 --> 00:16:50.772
I'll go into Pinterest or I'll go into Instagram, or I have an app that I use.
00:16:50.812 --> 00:16:59.692
And, I'll look for poses that I think will work for what it is that I'm trying to accomplish and, I'll screenshot them and then I'll actually show my subject.
00:16:59.701 --> 00:17:05.321
Cause that's another skill is like explaining how to pose and to mirror the pose.
00:17:05.497 --> 00:17:09.656
So if I say raise your right hand, I'm raising my right hand, they raise their left hand and it's not working.
00:17:09.656 --> 00:17:12.366
So I haven't quite learned how to mirror it yet.
00:17:13.386 --> 00:17:16.116
It's a different part of the brain that needs to activate and mine's not there yet.
00:17:17.027 --> 00:17:19.186
so yeah, I have to have something in mind.
00:17:19.457 --> 00:17:21.497
Otherwise I just go blank and I get super nervous.
00:17:22.109 --> 00:17:25.880
So how do you intend on, doing more of these documentary sessions?
00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:27.049
Yeah, I know that's, it
00:17:27.049 --> 00:17:28.539
seems counterintuitive, right?
00:17:28.549 --> 00:17:29.630
Just based on what I said.
00:17:29.660 --> 00:17:53.951
But, when I'm following different, people on Instagram who are doing the lifestyle photo sessions, there are certain key angles and key groupings that come up, so it's like, okay, so even though it's not technically posed, There are certain things that are, repetitive that I see keep coming up that look good, that show that, connection and that emotion with the family members.
00:17:54.461 --> 00:17:58.612
And I was like, okay, so I could have those, those are my go to ones.
00:17:58.612 --> 00:18:10.579
And then, you know, what happens, you know, capturing what they do, and kind of be fluid with that, which is really, It's really outside my comfort zone because you've heard me talk about teaching and it's like very structured.
00:18:11.539 --> 00:18:18.799
So to, to kind of let go and just release and see what happens, that is very uncomfortable for me.
00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:21.569
But I think that that creates the best images.
00:18:21.569 --> 00:18:23.519
So that's what I'd like to push myself to do.
00:18:24.435 --> 00:18:27.586
Why do you think that those images are better than the alternative?
00:18:28.238 --> 00:18:32.968
Well, I mean, there's a place for staged images like your JCPenney shots.
00:18:32.968 --> 00:18:34.208
There's a place for that.
00:18:34.278 --> 00:18:35.867
You know, grandma loves that shot.
00:18:36.231 --> 00:18:45.005
I think all families love at least one shot like that where everyone's looking at the camera and they want that to hang on the wall, but there's not a lot of emotion or memory attached to that.
00:18:45.065 --> 00:18:47.545
It's just, oh, we went to JCPenney and had our pictures done.
00:18:48.164 --> 00:18:55.490
But when the kids are rolling around, In the backyard in the mud pit and they're laughing and having a great time.
00:18:55.789 --> 00:19:01.140
Yes, they're messy and it's not staged, but there's so much emotion into it.
00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:03.589
And you can look back on that photo 10 years from now.
00:19:03.589 --> 00:19:06.819
And you're like, I remember when they did that and it was great.
00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:08.150
and that's what I want.
00:19:08.150 --> 00:19:11.579
I want those stories that, that the pictures, recall to your mind.
00:19:12.037 --> 00:19:15.636
Those are the images that I want to be able to take and, have people hang on their wall.
00:19:16.451 --> 00:19:27.545
So capturing photos that bring up that emotion, while being the fly on the wall and not create, not, not altering it at all.
00:19:27.555 --> 00:19:39.565
So, when, with your idea of these, documentary sessions, which I love by the way, I just wanna, Learn more about, would you approach it as, you know, here, let's get the whole family together for some sort of activity.
00:19:39.595 --> 00:19:44.224
And then I will document that or just I'm going to show up today and we're just going to see what happens.
00:19:45.102 --> 00:19:48.221
Well, I haven't done it yet, so I don't know.
00:19:48.981 --> 00:19:50.672
I think I think you should have.
00:19:51.156 --> 00:19:58.176
Perhaps an idea of like, Hey, let's do a couple of different activities and then, but still be able to go with it and be fluid.
00:19:58.176 --> 00:20:07.086
So if you just show up and everyone just plans on watching Netflix all day, well, that's, I mean, you might be able to get a couple of good images, but that's not going to be a good use of your time and energy.
00:20:07.626 --> 00:20:18.306
but if it's like, Oh, we're going to make cupcakes or we're going to go ride bikes, or, we're going to put a puzzle together, something like that, even though they seem like little small activities, well, those.
00:20:18.905 --> 00:20:20.326
Those will create some emotion.
00:20:20.336 --> 00:20:22.685
Those will create the images that you want to preserve.
00:20:23.105 --> 00:20:24.556
and that's what I would be excited to do.
00:20:24.556 --> 00:20:32.476
So to answer your question, it would have to be a mix in my opinion, you know, have something planned, but then still be willing to go with whatever happens.
00:20:33.635 --> 00:20:34.766
What do you think you need?
00:20:35.560 --> 00:20:43.260
skill wise, knowledge wise, portfolio wise, whatever, to be able to do one of these sessions, to feel comfortable, to do one of these sessions.
00:21:16.360 --> 00:21:18.510
I think it goes back to the use of lights.
00:21:18.610 --> 00:21:33.941
I see amazing photos, Where somebody will go into a room and it'll be like these forest green walls and they'll have a beam of light coming down and they'll like move all the furniture out of the way so that they can use that beam of light.
00:21:34.870 --> 00:21:40.701
think I'm still at the stage where I'll walk into that forest green room and I'll be like, Oh no, this is too dark.
00:21:40.760 --> 00:21:41.421
I can't do it.
00:21:42.651 --> 00:21:43.980
And I want to get beyond that.
00:21:44.030 --> 00:21:45.141
I want to get beyond like the.
00:21:45.161 --> 00:21:49.961
The initial reaction to really see like, Oh, I can take control of the setting.
00:21:49.961 --> 00:21:53.141
I can move the furniture and, take, advantage of that light.
00:21:53.181 --> 00:21:55.240
That's hitting the wall right behind the couch.
00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:56.691
Let's just pull the couch out of the way.
00:21:57.171 --> 00:22:01.740
that takes a certain boldness to go into somebody's house and to, to say, Hey, let's move the furniture.
00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:03.880
And so, I can do that with friends.
00:22:04.181 --> 00:22:06.370
I don't know that I can do that yet with strangers.
00:22:06.431 --> 00:22:14.649
so there's my comfort level that I need to just Get past, you know, and, and just have that confidence and project it and say, no, I can do this.
00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:18.529
so there's a couple of different things going on there that are kind of holding me back.
00:22:18.529 --> 00:22:22.299
But I think if I just practice, then, then I'll be able to do it.
00:22:22.369 --> 00:22:23.569
I just need the practice.
00:22:25.014 --> 00:22:26.315
Where are you going to get that practice from?
00:22:26.845 --> 00:22:28.845
I know I need to harass my friends more.
00:22:28.884 --> 00:22:30.714
Yeah, that's, that's what it is.
00:22:30.714 --> 00:22:35.305
I just, I just need to say, Hey, let me come into your house and let me document what's going on.
00:22:35.904 --> 00:22:38.030
And, um, hopefully they'll let me.
00:22:38.060 --> 00:22:38.181
That's too
00:22:38.181 --> 00:22:38.471
funny.
00:22:38.810 --> 00:22:39.030
Yeah.
00:22:39.320 --> 00:22:39.911
No, they should.
00:22:39.931 --> 00:22:40.330
They should.
00:22:40.330 --> 00:22:40.560
Right.
00:22:40.610 --> 00:22:44.141
I mean, if a friend came to me and offered to do that, I would say, absolutely.
00:22:44.141 --> 00:22:44.421
Yes.
00:22:44.421 --> 00:22:45.000
let's do this.
00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:49.346
Let's see what happens because worst case, I don't know, it doesn't turn out and you just don't have to I don't know.
00:22:49.346 --> 00:22:54.596
I guess share the photos or whatever, but the up there's so much more upside than there is a potential downside.
00:22:54.596 --> 00:22:56.026
So I think that they will say yes.
00:22:56.026 --> 00:22:58.465
And if they don't, well, then they're not really friends of yours.
00:22:58.516 --> 00:23:00.806
You just send them a strongly worded email afterwards.
00:23:01.655 --> 00:23:13.465
Um, you mentioned, uh, going on Pinterest and Instagram looking for poses, earlier, where do you find, I would say overall, inspiration to go out and, shoot the types of images that you want to create?
00:23:14.593 --> 00:23:15.482
Yeah, it is.
00:23:15.522 --> 00:23:16.843
I feel like I'm chasing.
00:23:17.052 --> 00:23:18.772
I feel like I'm chasing everyone else.
00:23:18.782 --> 00:23:19.802
That's already there.
00:23:19.883 --> 00:23:23.032
perhaps because this is kind of a later in life shift for me.
00:23:23.032 --> 00:23:26.972
I mean, I'm not 18 and just from high school and I have a camera and I'm so excited.
00:23:26.992 --> 00:23:27.832
I mean, I'm.
00:23:28.238 --> 00:23:28.627
Older.
00:23:29.417 --> 00:23:34.847
so it is kind of a big shift for me and I'm still growing into it, right?
00:23:34.867 --> 00:23:38.748
I'm still learning to, to develop my own ideas and my own visions.
00:23:39.137 --> 00:23:41.377
And so right now I'm borrowing everyone else's.
00:23:41.387 --> 00:23:51.413
So, Megda had that one where she, created this artwork and she, you know, in her photo with her daughter, and I was like, Oh my God, Oh, that's a possibility.
00:23:51.542 --> 00:23:54.812
I can look at old paintings and recreate them.
00:23:55.225 --> 00:23:57.495
And I did that and it was like, Oh, look what I did.
00:23:57.495 --> 00:24:00.678
I did that with my, my friend in the, in the red, scarf on her head.
00:24:00.729 --> 00:24:01.699
and it was gorgeous.
00:24:01.699 --> 00:24:04.269
And I was so pleased and I was like, okay, I can do this.
00:24:04.858 --> 00:24:07.009
but I feel like I'm chasing everyone else's ideas.
00:24:07.538 --> 00:24:11.028
And I think that's okay for right now, but I do have some, some of my own ideas.
00:24:11.222 --> 00:24:19.103
there are like, lines from children's stories that I would love to create the photographic representation of like famous lines from children's stories.
00:24:19.572 --> 00:24:22.742
my grandson loves, space and astronauts.
00:24:22.772 --> 00:24:27.252
And so I was like, I want to create an image where he's like jumping into the stars.
00:24:27.302 --> 00:24:30.502
I kind of have an idea of how to create it, but I don't yet.
00:24:31.173 --> 00:24:35.663
So I feel hampered by my own limitations, but I have the ideas.
00:24:35.663 --> 00:24:40.113
I sketched them out a little bit and now it's just like, how do I make that real?
00:24:40.442 --> 00:24:42.861
So I feel like I'm chasing everyone.
00:24:43.096 --> 00:24:45.946
But I, I feel like I'm starting to get my own ideas too.
00:24:45.986 --> 00:24:49.846
So that's exciting to see like, well, can I make this really happen?
00:24:50.473 --> 00:24:51.773
So let me ask you a question.
00:24:51.793 --> 00:24:57.163
When you have this idea, you know, take this photo of your grandson, just jumping into the stars, right?
00:24:57.707 --> 00:24:59.647
Let's say that you were trying to go and capture this.
00:25:00.197 --> 00:25:01.407
This wouldn't just be all on camera.
00:25:01.407 --> 00:25:04.347
This would probably include some sort of, post production, some Photoshop work.
00:25:04.347 --> 00:25:04.788
Is that right?
00:25:04.807 --> 00:25:05.647
This idea that you have.
00:25:05.951 --> 00:25:07.201
It would create.
00:25:07.391 --> 00:25:11.701
Yeah, well, Photoshop is a beast that I have not yet tamed.
00:25:11.990 --> 00:25:15.560
I kind of just walk by the cage where it's at, and it howls at me.
00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:18.010
so mine would be very rudimentary.
00:25:18.010 --> 00:25:20.540
I'm hoping it would be, you know, Great.
00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:39.770
I have these stars that I ordered and I would hang them from the ceiling with clear line and with a black backdrop and he's got a little astronaut helmet and a friend has a little trampoline and I'm like, well, if he could just jump up on the trampoline, like he's trying to grab the stars and then I could just erase the trampoline.
00:25:40.030 --> 00:25:41.050
That's probably.
00:25:41.266 --> 00:25:46.459
All I could handle in Photoshop, but I know somebody else could do glorious things, but that's a no, no,
00:25:46.459 --> 00:25:47.908
no screw everybody else.
00:25:47.908 --> 00:25:49.278
It doesn't matter what everybody else can do.
00:25:49.278 --> 00:25:50.229
It matters what you could do.
00:25:50.239 --> 00:25:50.528
Right?
00:25:50.568 --> 00:25:55.118
So I guess what I was going to try to get out there, which you had a much better answer for me.
00:25:55.118 --> 00:25:58.358
I was going to try to get at if there is a struggle, like a Photoshop, right?
00:25:58.358 --> 00:26:01.449
Something that you don't fully understand, technically, does that work.
00:26:01.449 --> 00:26:01.469
Yeah.
00:26:02.108 --> 00:26:06.888
Stop you or does that, discourage you from actually trying to capture the photo, but you kind of went the other way.
00:26:06.898 --> 00:26:09.489
You're like, let's try to get this all in camera, right?
00:26:09.568 --> 00:26:13.028
Like, let's get these stars, hang them from the ceiling, and then go ahead and get that.
00:26:13.408 --> 00:26:17.528
I like that idea a whole lot better because obviously that feels more, organic.
00:26:17.558 --> 00:26:21.828
Because if you think of like a real picture of stars, they're just tiny little dots, you know what I mean?
00:26:22.088 --> 00:26:25.308
It would be so hard to match lighting, at this stage.
00:26:25.308 --> 00:26:26.903
So, okay, let me go back.
00:26:27.350 --> 00:26:28.250
I love the idea of the trampoline.
00:26:28.280 --> 00:26:30.360
First of all, like, that's your challenge right now.
00:26:30.360 --> 00:26:31.110
I want you to do this.
00:26:31.110 --> 00:26:33.201
Like you have to get this photo and we have to see this.
00:26:33.201 --> 00:26:38.891
We, you have to be able to take this before this goes live so that we can post it in the show notes to, to see how this turns out.
00:26:39.090 --> 00:26:52.610
but second of all, I know that, you did something similar with flowers hanging from the ceiling from a clear string and you were asking questions in the group about Photoshop and overlays and how to do all this stuff and you were finding that, very frustrating.
00:26:52.691 --> 00:26:52.941
Yeah.
00:26:52.971 --> 00:27:02.730
Do you think that that experience, is turning you off of Photoshop or does that get you more excited for the things that are possible to do in photography?
00:27:02.760 --> 00:27:03.891
Does that
00:27:03.891 --> 00:27:03.911
make sense?
00:27:04.574 --> 00:27:06.283
It doesn't turn me off from Photoshop.
00:27:06.303 --> 00:27:11.523
What turns me off from Photoshop is that my computer really can't handle Photoshop efficiently.
00:27:11.574 --> 00:27:14.223
there's a lot of wait time and lag time and glitchiness.
00:27:14.253 --> 00:27:20.683
And so that is really frustrating to wait so long for my computer to respond to an action.
00:27:21.473 --> 00:27:22.203
I get bored.
00:27:22.403 --> 00:27:26.473
It's like two minutes and then I get irritated because I have other things I could be doing.
00:27:29.293 --> 00:27:30.293
You're wasting my time.
00:27:31.076 --> 00:27:35.586
And now is not the time to go out and buy a new computer with COVID and the chip shortage and all of that.
00:27:35.586 --> 00:27:37.556
So that'll be something in the future.
00:27:38.036 --> 00:27:41.855
so that the technology is really hampering me in that respect.
00:27:42.346 --> 00:27:46.056
but to get back to the flower strand images, which I, I love them.
00:27:46.655 --> 00:27:48.665
I just didn't appreciate that.
00:27:49.066 --> 00:27:51.995
I needed at least two to three times more flower strands.
00:27:52.076 --> 00:27:56.455
And so if I redo that in the future, I'm just going to hang more flowers.
00:27:57.820 --> 00:28:03.760
Yeah, yeah, so that it taught me something for the stars to I'll have to use more stars than I probably originally planned.
00:28:04.260 --> 00:28:22.641
Because I think it's just better to create the scene the way you want it than to have to worry about overlays because the lighting, you know, try to get the flowers to match the lighting, and then how I angled the camera, and then, you know, it was, you know, Too much to try to match and the lagginess of the computer.
00:28:22.641 --> 00:28:24.500
And then I'm still learning.
00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:25.880
So it's not intuitive yet.
00:28:25.891 --> 00:28:29.590
I'm like looking up videos and then pausing the video and trying to recreate it.
00:28:29.590 --> 00:28:32.171
And then it was just too frustrating.
00:28:32.171 --> 00:28:41.461
There were too many variables that weren't going my way when I could have just hung two to three more strands and I wouldn't have had the issue.
00:28:42.050 --> 00:28:42.550
So.
00:28:42.848 --> 00:28:49.749
just knowing that I probably need more More than less because I can always take away, but I can't add more later easily, right?
00:28:49.828 --> 00:28:50.118
Yeah.
00:28:50.199 --> 00:28:50.699
Yeah.
00:28:50.739 --> 00:28:55.828
Yeah So, how many stars do you think you're going to need for this photo of your grandson jumping into the stars?
00:28:56.972 --> 00:28:58.292
I don't know.
00:28:58.393 --> 00:29:05.923
It depends on the spacing the spacing will be much smaller because i'm going to be using a backdrop in the front room Yeah, i'm just using my house.
00:29:05.972 --> 00:29:09.999
And that backdrop is six by six, maybe.
00:29:10.558 --> 00:29:12.118
so I need enough stars.
00:29:12.628 --> 00:29:13.688
You're making me do math.
00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:14.928
I'm an English teacher.
00:29:14.928 --> 00:29:16.999
Okay, so try
00:29:16.999 --> 00:29:22.209
to come up with the numbers, you know, 200 stars, probably 30 stars.
00:29:22.354 --> 00:29:23.124
is what I'm thinking.
00:29:23.124 --> 00:29:23.793
30 stars.
00:29:23.803 --> 00:29:24.324
30 stars.
00:29:24.324 --> 00:29:25.003
Okay, okay.
00:29:25.653 --> 00:29:29.513
So now you know you need 30 stars, you need the string, you already got the backdrop.
00:29:29.584 --> 00:29:30.223
What's next?
00:29:30.223 --> 00:29:35.563
What next do you need to, from a technological standpoint or equipment standpoint, to be able to capture this photo?
00:29:36.503 --> 00:29:38.104
I just need to make the time at this point.
00:29:38.153 --> 00:29:39.354
I need to borrow the trampoline.
00:29:39.848 --> 00:29:41.348
So I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna buy one.
00:29:41.378 --> 00:29:41.858
I'm gonna borrow.
00:29:42.219 --> 00:29:44.949
and then, hopefully the child will be cooperative.
00:29:45.368 --> 00:29:46.658
He has a mind of his own.
00:29:46.658 --> 00:29:48.979
So sometimes, fruit snacks work wonders.
00:29:48.979 --> 00:29:50.418
So we'll see what can happen there.
00:29:51.068 --> 00:29:52.739
and then I'll be adjusting as I go.
00:29:52.739 --> 00:29:58.608
So, do I need to lower them or raise the height of the stars and the window light?
00:29:58.638 --> 00:29:59.568
I do all natural light.
00:29:59.618 --> 00:30:00.638
I don't have a flash.
00:30:01.229 --> 00:30:03.098
So far that's been working out well for me.
00:30:03.688 --> 00:30:07.358
so yeah, then it just becomes about the time and the cooperation of the subject.
00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:10.729
So how do you find time for photography?
00:30:11.709 --> 00:30:15.999
Well, I took that early retirement so now I have time all the time.
00:30:16.009 --> 00:30:29.653
So before it was Just a couple of days a month and now it's like I could do every day if I wanted to So i'm making an effort to at least You do photography at least once a week, more if possible.
00:30:29.653 --> 00:30:32.483
And so I am making more of an effort to plan the shoot.
00:30:32.483 --> 00:30:33.513
So it's not just random.
00:30:34.013 --> 00:30:36.114
but I did listen to one of your podcasts.
00:30:36.114 --> 00:30:38.433
I was like, take a hundred photos in 10 minutes.
00:30:38.433 --> 00:30:41.114
And I was like, yeah, I, I don't know that I can.
00:30:41.114 --> 00:30:41.894
That's
00:30:41.894 --> 00:30:43.283
the point of it.
00:30:44.594 --> 00:30:51.433
Because I think that's where my need to control just a little too much comes in, where it's like, I think I have to plan it a little bit.
00:30:51.584 --> 00:30:54.003
Otherwise, it's going to be 100 photos of the refrigerator.
00:30:54.003 --> 00:30:55.303
And that's just not the point.
00:30:56.993 --> 00:30:58.423
No, that is the point.
00:30:58.433 --> 00:30:59.743
That's exactly the point.
00:30:59.753 --> 00:31:01.983
You're missing the point of that being the point.
00:31:02.033 --> 00:31:12.824
And that is to give up some of that control, because we all are very, you know, we can have that perfection tendency, especially in photography, where it's like, it comes.
00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:14.449
Only from us, right?
00:31:14.459 --> 00:31:17.969
From our brain, from our ideas, from this creative space.
00:31:17.989 --> 00:31:20.828
And then we use our camera as a tool to be able to capture this.
00:31:21.118 --> 00:31:28.528
And oftentimes photographers, myself included even, will spend far too much time on a photo because we want it to be absolutely perfect.
00:31:28.868 --> 00:31:30.908
But the goal is, no, no, no, no, no, no.
00:31:31.088 --> 00:31:34.298
Try to lose as much control as possible and see what you get.
00:31:34.308 --> 00:31:34.808
Because.
00:31:35.223 --> 00:31:43.513
In those moments where you find a photo that you absolutely love, take that introspective look and ask yourself, what is it about this photo that I like?
00:31:43.543 --> 00:31:48.653
So that now when it's time to spend more time on a photo, you can focus on those things.
00:31:48.793 --> 00:31:51.023
So now you have two challenges this week, right?
00:31:51.233 --> 00:31:57.713
You're going to go ahead and photograph your son, your grandson jumping into the stars, and you're going to take a hundred photos of your fridge in 10 minutes.
00:31:58.144 --> 00:31:58.693
That's what we're going to do.
00:31:58.973 --> 00:32:01.983
And we're gonna see how it turns out because I know that it's gonna work wonders.
00:32:01.983 --> 00:32:03.063
I know that it's gonna work wonders.
00:32:03.413 --> 00:32:04.033
that's what you're gonna do.
00:32:04.033 --> 00:32:04.923
We're gonna see those photos.
00:32:05.213 --> 00:32:14.493
but moving on, want to know more about, this journey where you're taking now to continually learn photography because you've been in the Facebook group for almost a year now, which is wonderful.
00:32:14.493 --> 00:32:20.134
So I want to know, how did you find the group and what is something that you've learned in the group that maybe you wish that you learned earlier?
00:32:20.471 --> 00:32:22.228
I found the group through the podcast.
00:32:22.307 --> 00:32:32.307
So, when I picked up that camera, during COVID the quarantine, I was like, okay, we had just transitioned to going back to face to face, instruction.
00:32:32.307 --> 00:32:34.157
And I was not happy about that.
00:32:34.617 --> 00:32:38.817
And I was like, okay, well, if I'm going to have to go to work, I'm going to listen to something.
00:32:38.817 --> 00:32:41.587
And so I found your podcast and I started listening then.
00:32:42.157 --> 00:32:44.407
And, shortly thereafter, I joined the Facebook group.
00:32:44.766 --> 00:32:47.425
And what do I wish I would have learned?
00:32:48.096 --> 00:32:58.157
it's something I'm still struggling with is just taking the camera with me everywhere, and to kind of what you're saying with the hundred pictures, it's just, you know, Relax and take the shot.
00:32:58.677 --> 00:32:59.647
so that I still struggle.
00:33:00.107 --> 00:33:04.867
I feel like I am a and I don't like feeling that way.
00:33:05.228 --> 00:33:06.518
so that makes it hard for me.
00:33:06.548 --> 00:33:09.718
But San Diego is a touristy town, so you can kind of get lost in the crowd.
00:33:09.718 --> 00:33:14.207
But still, I feel like, Oh, my gosh, people are gonna be looking at me like, What are you doing with that camera?
00:33:14.207 --> 00:33:15.667
Why are you taking pictures of that?
00:33:15.768 --> 00:33:22.163
Or, you know, Or worse, when I go to a touristy spot like Balboa Park, I think you know a little bit about San Diego.
00:33:22.242 --> 00:33:22.462
yes,
00:33:23.312 --> 00:33:26.062
there's a photographer on every corner.
00:33:26.093 --> 00:33:26.913
I kid you not.
00:33:26.923 --> 00:33:31.633
Every time I go, there's at least three weddings, 10 quinceañeras and all the maternity pictures.
00:33:32.212 --> 00:33:38.192
And some photographers have their entourage and they have like three people and they're all holding lighting equipment.
00:33:38.232 --> 00:33:39.802
And I'm like, Oh, the professionals are here.
00:33:39.802 --> 00:33:40.952
I need to go somewhere else.
00:33:43.768 --> 00:33:48.637
I can't, I can't keep up with these people and they're going to know just by how I'm holding my camera that I don't belong here.
00:33:48.637 --> 00:33:51.258
Um,
00:33:51.337 --> 00:33:51.907
so that
00:33:51.998 --> 00:33:53.968
where your mind goes, really, that that's where it goes.
00:33:54.067 --> 00:33:54.447
It does.
00:33:54.457 --> 00:34:07.107
It's really, I'm busy in my mind and it takes a lot of effort to fight back those feelings and, those words that I tell myself and, to force myself to stay there until like, Oh no, I can be here too.
00:34:08.358 --> 00:34:09.258
that's challenging.
00:34:09.278 --> 00:34:09.548
But.
00:34:10.137 --> 00:34:21.851
I know, like intellectually, I know if I just take my camera with me and I take advantage of every situation that I'm in to, to take pictures, then I will get better and those voices will, will quiet.
00:34:22.751 --> 00:34:26.311
So what are you going to do to be able to get to that point?
00:34:27.081 --> 00:34:29.701
It's just about investing the time, that's all it is.
00:34:29.791 --> 00:34:31.371
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
00:34:31.371 --> 00:34:34.711
You have the time to just carry your camera on you, right?
00:34:35.030 --> 00:34:36.981
You go and do things.
00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:39.260
You can carry your camera on you.
00:34:39.280 --> 00:34:45.021
What if I gave you permission to not take any photos, but just to simply bring it with you?
00:34:45.101 --> 00:34:48.581
Would that change how you feel about bringing your camera with you places?
00:34:49.367 --> 00:34:49.837
Maybe.
00:34:51.887 --> 00:34:53.317
But there's only one way to find out, right?
00:34:53.378 --> 00:34:53.807
Yes.
00:34:53.847 --> 00:34:54.277
Yes.
00:34:54.597 --> 00:34:54.938
Right.
00:34:55.378 --> 00:34:57.027
So now you have three challenges this week.
00:34:57.597 --> 00:35:00.047
We're just gonna load you up with as many challenges as possible.
00:35:01.257 --> 00:35:14.610
I want to know, after a time of shooting, of growing your voice as a photographer, building up a portfolio at some point, a collection of images, say, you know, 10 15 years from now, what do you want?
00:35:15.036 --> 00:35:18.925
People to feel when looking at your photos.
00:35:19.798 --> 00:35:20.235
just that.
00:35:20.266 --> 00:35:21.865
Oh, I remember that sweet moment.
00:35:22.462 --> 00:35:24.413
I mean, I don't want them to think of me.
00:35:24.523 --> 00:35:28.472
I want them to think of the subject, whoever's being captured in that image.
00:35:28.552 --> 00:35:29.612
I remember that moment.
00:35:29.623 --> 00:35:32.152
That was such a good, good time that we had.
00:35:32.782 --> 00:35:42.072
and I hope that it brings up other memories that surround that image, you know, things that happened a month before, a month after, or whatever that, that image somehow sparked.
00:35:42.103 --> 00:35:44.543
And so that's what I would love.
00:35:44.923 --> 00:35:46.393
I don't want it to be like.
00:35:46.818 --> 00:35:51.028
This dated, isolated, oh yeah, she snapped that picture.
00:35:51.028 --> 00:35:51.878
I don't, I don't want it to be that.
00:35:51.938 --> 00:36:01.608
I want it to be a living memory that whenever they look at it, they causes them to, reflect on their life and that moment and how much they love that person that's being captured there.
00:36:02.688 --> 00:36:03.458
What about others?
00:36:03.509 --> 00:36:06.139
What do you want others to think of your work?
00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:11.822
What feeling, what emotions do you want brought up in somebody not in the photo?
00:36:11.822 --> 00:36:14.251
Somebody who doesn't know anything about what's going on in the photo?
00:36:14.262 --> 00:36:15.311
What do you want them to feel about?
00:36:16.081 --> 00:36:16.862
Your images.
00:36:17.802 --> 00:36:20.001
We hope that it's like an honest capture.
00:36:20.532 --> 00:36:22.262
so it's not overly staged.
00:36:22.371 --> 00:36:24.612
it's not dated by the editing process.
00:36:24.612 --> 00:36:27.112
Like these orange filters that people are using.
00:36:27.141 --> 00:36:29.512
I don't want the shag carpet of, photo editing.
00:36:29.931 --> 00:36:32.012
I don't want it to be dated in that way.
00:36:32.391 --> 00:36:36.672
but I, I would hope that somebody would look at it and say, oh, it's, it's a simple image.
00:36:37.041 --> 00:36:38.152
it's a clean edit.
00:36:38.331 --> 00:36:39.791
It's true to life.
00:36:39.791 --> 00:36:40.172
Yeah.
00:36:40.297 --> 00:36:45.153
that reflects real life and that they would be happy if somebody had taken that image of them.
00:36:46.750 --> 00:36:47.460
That's beautiful.
00:36:47.509 --> 00:36:49.626
That is something that, I strive for as well.
00:36:49.677 --> 00:36:50.447
it's very similar.
00:36:50.476 --> 00:36:55.166
I think as artists, we know that we feel something when we look at our work, right.
00:36:55.166 --> 00:36:55.987
When we create it.
00:36:56.027 --> 00:36:59.027
And I think we just want to know that others can feel the same.
00:36:59.201 --> 00:37:01.302
Because that's just a form of connection right there.
00:37:01.302 --> 00:37:02.811
So that's, that's beautiful.
00:37:03.322 --> 00:37:06.802
well, Karen, I think we are at the end of our time here.
00:37:06.889 --> 00:37:14.311
But before I let you go, is there anything maybe, I didn't ask you about photography, that you want to say or any questions that you have that I can answer for you?
00:37:14.521 --> 00:37:15.492
or anything like that?
00:37:16.402 --> 00:37:17.132
Oh, gosh.
00:37:17.422 --> 00:37:18.521
I don't know.
00:37:18.643 --> 00:37:30.413
At some point, I hope to master the lighting struggles that I have and then see where I can go with flash and external lighting and see what kind of creativity I can do with that.
00:37:30.413 --> 00:37:35.884
But I don't know if that would work against what I would hope to do with the in home documentary style.
00:37:35.913 --> 00:37:40.183
I just can't imagine bringing all that equipment into somebody's home.
00:37:40.183 --> 00:37:40.433
Right.
00:37:40.733 --> 00:37:42.483
Then it becomes not real anymore.
00:37:42.523 --> 00:37:43.824
it's too much interference.
00:37:44.393 --> 00:37:45.724
even just for moving a couch.
00:37:46.443 --> 00:37:47.713
Yeah, yeah, even that.
00:37:49.413 --> 00:37:51.614
See, now you're bringing it back to my self consciousness.
00:37:52.923 --> 00:37:55.853
No, this is just it's it's whatever you want it to be.
00:37:56.153 --> 00:37:58.344
You know, yeah, it's whatever you want it to be.
00:37:58.364 --> 00:37:58.963
Who cares?
00:37:58.974 --> 00:38:01.284
You know what other people think or who cares what you know?
00:38:01.653 --> 00:38:06.907
Ideas you may have about something if you you know, Want to do something or don't want to do something.
00:38:06.907 --> 00:38:07.567
just do it.
00:38:07.757 --> 00:38:08.297
Just do it.
00:38:08.653 --> 00:38:15.103
Yeah, I'm still learning how to do that I'm still learning how to quiet those those, you know words of self doubt and just just to do it
00:38:16.083 --> 00:38:17.153
Yeah, it takes time.
00:38:17.253 --> 00:38:32.125
It definitely takes time I remember when I first started it was very similar, you know Whenever I'd go somewhere I'd see somebody else with a camera and think you know cuz when I first started it was with a entry level it was a Canon, X T, which was like seven megapixels or something like that.
00:38:32.135 --> 00:38:33.996
Like it was a very entry level camera.
00:38:34.036 --> 00:38:38.375
And I remember cause, uh, I started digital photography, learning digital photography when I was in film school.
00:38:38.726 --> 00:38:45.715
And as you can imagine, when you're in film school, there's like camera nerds who, have like a 5, 000 Leica or, you know, like these red cameras.
00:38:45.945 --> 00:38:47.625
And here I was with like this 300.
00:38:48.275 --> 00:38:52.706
Canon entry level camera and I felt, I felt very similar to you as well.
00:38:53.056 --> 00:38:57.916
but I just gave myself permission to not take any photos and just to literally just have it on me.
00:38:58.195 --> 00:39:07.971
And that was one of the biggest things that I think helped me in my journey because eventually I got to this point where I would always have it on me and then I'd see something and be like, Wait a second, what is that?
00:39:07.980 --> 00:39:10.690
And then I just pull out my camera, take a photo, and then I'd be done with it.
00:39:11.070 --> 00:39:14.920
And I think it's those little moments, of capturing that light.
00:39:14.931 --> 00:39:19.641
Those little moments of capturing that expression, or that thing that's happening, or using this focal length.
00:39:20.070 --> 00:39:30.599
That, over time, Compound and get you to where you want to go faster, even though at the time it doesn't seem like you're investing, a lot of energy all at once, you know what I mean?
00:39:30.599 --> 00:39:33.259
Like it's just little moments throughout the day that all come together.
00:39:33.458 --> 00:39:42.748
And, you know, within a year you've had, I don't know, you combine all that time and it's like five full days of photography, and that amount of time would be invaluable.
00:39:42.759 --> 00:39:45.679
So again, I really encourage you to just Yeah.
00:39:45.849 --> 00:39:46.969
Bring it with you.
00:39:47.438 --> 00:39:48.538
Carry it on your shoulder.
00:39:48.588 --> 00:39:49.849
Don't take any photos.
00:39:50.298 --> 00:40:08.128
And that's going to be the best way to see the light is actually seeing how your camera reacts to light, as you know, it's, it's very different than how our eyes kind of perceive our eyes are do this really good job at, telling our brain like, Oh, that color is actually white when really maybe it's, it's more yellow or it's more blue or, you know, what have you, and carrying your camera with you.
00:40:08.128 --> 00:40:10.548
It's going to be the only way or the fastest way.
00:40:10.548 --> 00:40:17.898
I took the back, not the only way, the fastest way for you To really see what light does and figure out how to use it in your photographs.
00:40:17.969 --> 00:40:19.338
So can you do that?
00:40:19.369 --> 00:40:21.228
Can you just carry it on you?
00:40:21.898 --> 00:40:22.849
I can carry it with me.
00:40:22.849 --> 00:40:23.288
Yes.
00:40:23.409 --> 00:40:24.298
Yes.
00:40:24.588 --> 00:40:24.949
Awesome.
00:40:24.958 --> 00:40:25.308
Awesome.
00:40:25.369 --> 00:40:25.849
All right.
00:40:26.239 --> 00:40:29.528
Well, Karen, again, I really appreciate your time today.
00:40:29.608 --> 00:40:35.119
before I let you go, can you let others know, aside from the beginner photography podcast community, where they can find you online?
00:40:35.344 --> 00:40:36.583
I'm on Instagram.
00:40:36.663 --> 00:40:42.523
So my last name, Doman underscore photography, and I'm also on Facebook at Doman photography.
00:40:43.643 --> 00:40:52.317
I Invite you to come join our free and amazing community of photographers just looking to learn and grow their skills just like you By heading over to beginnerphotopod.
00:40:52.327 --> 00:40:54.317
com forward slash group now.
00:40:54.690 --> 00:40:56.411
Thanks for listening to today's episode.
00:40:56.420 --> 00:41:00.661
And remember the more that you shoot today, the better of a photographer you will be tomorrow.
00:41:00.911 --> 00:41:01.391
Talk soon.