Photo Tip Friday: Understanding the Focal Point of a Cell Phone Camera

by Mary Denman    @MaryDenman

Daffodils taken with iPhone 6 by Mary Denman

Today we're going to learn more about your cell phone camera and how to take better shots with it. 

You can use many of the same principles of photography with a cell phone camera, a point-and-shoot, or a DSLR camera. Things like framing, lighting, composition. 

But there are a couple of differences that you need to understand to best use your cell phone camera. So let's learn about how a cell phone camera reads light and focuses and how to put that to good use. 

Wordless Wednesday: Pet Portraits

by Mary Denman  @MaryDenman

Welcome back for Wordless Wednesday.

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Last week was on 5 Tips for Taking Better Food Photos with a Cell Phone

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These are portraits my sister Elizabeth painted. 

She took photographs I've given her and created these paintings of our cats, Duke the First and Duke the Second, after they passed away.

The ones following Duke and Duke are other pet portraits she's done.  

I think she's phenomenally talented. 

She just started a few years ago and does watercolors, pastels and oils. 

Portrait in Memorial of Duke the First

Monday's Musings: While my Soldier Serves, Prayers for Military Families and Their Soldier

Today, I have the honor of sharing with you about my close friend Edie Melson and her new book, While My Soldier Serves,  that is to be released in May. I watched her walk through her son's two deployments to Iraq and can tell you that she lived what she writes about now. If you know anyone in the military, consider sharing this with their families. 

Edie Melson by Mary Denman Photography

Sowing Faith in the Hard Times Brings a Harvest of Joy

There are times when life is lived in the dark. The days are long and hard, and the rewards nonexistent. Everywhere we turn—inside and out—the landscape is bleak and barren. It’s times like these that only faith will get us through. There’s no proof we’re on the right path, no confirmation that God is at work. Often, even God Himself seems distant and unreachable.

I’ve been through those times—and come out on the other side. My time of darkness came when our oldest son was deployed to Iraq as a frontline infantry Marine. We don’t come from a military family, so everything about his choice to enlist was an opportunity for growth. Every step in his journey was a time of stretching for our family. Oh, don’t make the mistake of thinking we were disappointed in his choice. We were button-busting proud of our son’s willingness to serve.

But as his mother, I didn’t want to face the prospect of my son going off to war.

Wordless Wednesday: Bees and Flowers

by Mary Denman

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Thanks for dropping by. 

Join me on Fridays for Photography Tips. 

Last week was 5 Tips for Taking Better Food Photos with a Cell Phone

1 week ago was Tips for Taking Unique Photos

2 weeks ago was Tips for Changing Perspective and Improving your Photography

Join LINKY below! 

Azaleas and bee by Mary Denman Photography

Photo Tip Friday: 5 Tips for Taking Better Food Photos with a Cell Phone

By Mary Denman
@MaryDenman

Coffee by Mary Denman Photography

Today's photography tips are going to be about taking better restaurant food pictures with your cell phone camera. 

There's been an explosion of people doing both undercover food reviews for their blogs and more people wanting to do reviews for sites like TripAdvisor. Both of these require photos to do justice to the food and reviews. 

So, let's go over some tips on how to get great restaurant food shots and what to watch out for! 

Wordless Wednesday: The Masters at Augusta National

by Mary Denman    @MaryDenman

Thanks for dropping by. 

Join me on Fridays for Photography Tips. 

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Last week's tips were on Tips for Taking Unique Photos

 1 week ago was Tips for Changing Perspective and Improving your Photography

I got to go the MASTERS practice rounds on Wednesday, 8 April 2015.....

It was so cool to see the golfers with their kids, Tiger Woods included!!

There were several errant balls on our hole. 

One man got hit on his shin and got 2 signed golf balls, AND got invited to actually putt a few times right there with the players!!

I think he was glad he got hit!! 

I'm not name dropping (cough, cough) but we saw: Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Gary Player, Fred Couples, Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods, Lindsey Vonn, Ray Floyd, and Condoleezza Rice.... 

And, once I can watch the tutorial on how to start my photography website, you'll be able to see more pictures from the Masters! 
I'll keep you posted on that! 

Ben Crenshaw, Gary Player at the Masters by Mary Denman

Monday's Musings: Helen Keller Inspiration - Overcoming Obstacles

by MaryDenman   @MaryDenman

Helen Keller quote - photo by Mary Denman

I'll be honest. I don't like failure. Not many people do. 

How does it happen? 

We try something. 

We hit obstacles. Some of our own making. Some from others. 

We struggle. 

We fail. 

Question: Do we try again or quit? 

Photo Tip Friday: Tips for Taking Unique Photos

by Mary Denman       @MaryDenman

Masters by Mary Denman Photography

Today, I want to talk to you about taking unique shots. I was able to attend the Wednesday practice round at the Masters at Augusta Nationals this week! It includes a par 3 tournament.

One of the best parts about attending the practice rounds is that cameras are allowed. About 30 - 40,000 patrons a day attend. Thousands and thousands, armed with cameras. So what could make my shots different? How could I stand out? 

I was only taking the pictures for me and my family, and to share here. So why was I thinking about unique photos? Because I keep pushing myself to be a better photographer. To see picture opportunities others might miss. To document the feel of the event. 

So let's run through these shots and see why I took them. 

Wordless Wednesday: Spring at Biltmore

by Mary Denman    @marydenman

Welcome back for Wordless Wednesday.

Come back and join me on Friday for Photography Tips!
Sign up for email and get all my posts straight to your inbox.

 Last week was Tips for Changing Perspective and Improving your Photography
1 week ago was on Blurring the Background, part 2. View it here.
2 weeks ago was on Blurring the Background, part 1. View it here.

I will read and enjoy all comments left below...
But I won't be able to answer them this week because...drumroll please....
I will be at the MASTERS on Wednesday!!
No phones allowed! But I can take pictures with my camera and I promise I will!!
I'll post them next week!

Enjoy!

JOIN LINKY below!

Spring at Biltmore by Mary Denman

Photo Tip Friday: Tips for Changing Perspective and Improving your Photography

by Mary Denman   @MaryDenman

Tulips to help teach perspective by Mary Denman

Today's post will be looking at these 4 tulips to illustrate how perspective affects your photography. 

How? 

Because these flowers are in a fixed location, it will be easy to show you how much your perspective can change what your pictures can look like. 

Using different perspectives can make the difference between a bad, good, or great photo! 

NOTE: All of the photos today were taken during one day,  either at 11:45 am or 6:15 pm. None of them have been edited except for cropping. 

Let's get started.