Planning a photography course...

Hi everyone, I need some help. What would you have liked to know when you got your first SLR camera?

I'm seriously considering starting a business teaching the basics of photography to people who are moving in to an SLR camera, digital or film, for the first time. There is so much to learn and I've found in the course that I'm doing that if you can get the basics bedded down then working on the creative side is so much easier.

The problem is that anyone can take a good photo once. The new wizz bang, super duper, gigapixel camera does all of the work and the photographer really has no idea what just happened. The first step, I believe, is to go back to the basics, understand what happened and be able to repeat the process when that type of situation arises again. The follow on step is to be creative with the "rules" and make up some of your own rules to develop your individual style.

So I would like some help. I need to know what you wish you knew when you first got your camera. What fundamental thing about your camera would have made it easier to use it creatively? I want to go back to the basics of ISO/ASA, shutterspeed, aperture and work up from there.

Thanks in advance for any constructive input...

How many words do we really need?

Some time ago (nearly a year ago) I wrote a blog entry regarding short stories here. Nobody took me up on the challenge to write the shortest story that included religion, sex and mystery... So I've decided to complete the circle myself and give you the full version.

Just to fill you in if you haven't followed the link. The assignment in a short story course was to write a story that includes religion, sex and mystery with as few words as possible. The winning entry went something like this... (I have shortened it even further from the version I first saw).

"God! I'm pregnant! How?"

Melbourne weather...

There is a perpetual myth that when you come to Melbourne you should be prepared for four seasons in one day. Yesterday it was hot at around 33 deg Celcius and towards the evening clouds started to build up. As I left work I looked around (if you've never tried it look up for a bit of a change there are some amazing things to see) and saw some awesome clouds. Unfortunately I only had my phone camera and the poor thing didn't cope very well with the contrast.

These are some of the images I took and are only a poor rendition of the colour and drama.

This morning I woke to a storm with lots of lightning, thunder and some very welcome rain.

More studio fun...

We had a "family & friends" night at the school studio a while ago and Gabriel and his new wife Maria volunteered to be the guinea pigs. We had free reign as far as what we wanted to do and a good time was had by all. By the end of the year the studio looks a little tired, the white paint is scuffed and the plaster in places is a little cracked.

I worked my butt off! By the time the studio session was finished I had almost completely run out of steam...

I had to work on the images a bit due to the background and I experimented with extracting the subject and placing him on a completely "fake" background. I think it works and I know he likes the pose...

Fun on the farm...

A close friend has a farm not too far from Melbourne. I grew up in the country and don't seem to be able to get out there enough these days.

Warren and Vicki are currently raising some calves and they are pretty cute at present (the calves are, Warren and Vicki might not think it appropriate for me to call them cute!?!).

I took some photos and this is just one of the ones I like. The calves are very curious at this age and will walk right up for a pat and a scratch...

Take a bunch of flowers...

and a macro lens. Add a little aperture, light and be very, very still...

I love photographing flowers. I'm not sure why it's just something I've always liked doing. So I'm thinking that I really should do something with that and make an effort to get better at it.