Monday, December 1, 2008

On The Road To Christmas

You don't take a photograph. You make it. - Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams, for those who don't know, made visionary photos of western landcapes that were inspired by a boyhood trip to Yosemite. His black and white photos are some of the most spectacular you will ever see.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Now we're on the slippery slope to Christmas and opportunities to take photos of friends, family, pets, etc. So here is a simple but important tip. Hold the camera steady. Many pictures are ruined because the image is blurry. Outside, in bright light, the shutter snaps open and shut very quickly, so you don't normally notice camera movement. But, when you're shooting inside or on a cloudy day, the shutter speed is slower and movement is noticeable. Try bracing yourself against a wall or tree or see if you can rest the camera on a table or fence post -- anything to make it more steady. You can also purchase a small tripod or gorillapod that will allow you to strap the camera to a variety of surfaces. With a device like this, you can set your camera's time delay, push the shutter button and get in the picture with your friends. Providing a steady camera is very important to creating sharp photos.

My real estate tip today is this: if you have been considering a real estate purchase, now is the time to check with your mortgage lender regarding interest rates. One of my clients locked in today at 5.125%. If it's been a while since you last checked rates, you'll be surprised. And take a look at this very cool house that I just put on the market. It's located in the historic Carolina Heights area, but was built in 2007 as the builder's personal residence, so you know it has all the bells and whistles.

OK, so concentrate on holding your camera steady and remember the trick about pushing the shutter button down halfway to set the exposure and focus. Press the shutter smoothly the rest of the way and you'll wind up with sharp photos.

Ready. Aim. Shoot.

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