The thing that was different was my being there at sunup, camera in hand, in jeans and an old fleece jacket. Forget the slacks, forget the cup of coffee steaming on my desk, forget the office and the phone that starts ringing before I even arrive. I had certainly forgotten about all of that. In fact, the only thing I was thinking of was how much I wish I could start every morning like that one – outdoors as the sun rises, camera in hand.

It seems that amid all the deadlines and rushing around, somehow I managed to actually forget how much I love the simple pleasure of working with the camera. In the past I’ve sometimes used the excuse that working through the lens insulates me from the world, lets me step back. And as much as that may sometimes be true, I think the opposite must be true as well – working through the lens lets the world in, often in very intimate ways, as other people and other places open up to you.

I didn’t make any images that I would call stunning, although I managed to capture one or two that I was pleased with. I didn’t find the river otters I’d gone looking for, although I did fine my friend the heron in the reeds. I didn’t get the photo of the cardinal that I was trying for, although I did watch a hawk wheel overhead, heard it actually let out one of those cries you hear in old westerns.

Mornings like that are better than any therapy. They might even be better than anything else at all.

Goodness knows, I wish I had more of them.

And if you are looking, chances are you’re overwhelmed.  Google “photography” and you get 317 million results.  ”Learn photography” is somewhat better, at 1.5 million results.  We’ve uncovered the not-so-secret flaw of the Internet – there’s too much information to possibly sort through.  To make matters worse, many of the results are worthless because they are either bad advice, or written by someone who wants to sell you something.

The Web can be a great resource for information on photography.  The more specialized the information you want, the narrower the range of results you’re likely to get, although you’ll almost always get something useful if you ask correctly.  It would be foolhardy to even try and compile a full listing of good photography sites, and I’m not even going to try.  Instead I’m going to highlight several sites that helped me when I was starting out, and which still help me even now.

DPChallenge

DPC, as it’s known to its fans, is the first site I joined when I took up photography and I am still a member today – it is worth every cent of the $25 annual fee to become a full member (you can be a registered user for free).  The site is based around several weekly challenges, each of which has a theme that ranges from very specific to very vague.  There are no prizes except for virtual ribbons and bragging rights.  More impressive than the challenges is the forums, which hold a wealth of knowledge and are constantly prowled by obsessed dedicated members who are the most open, generous, and helpful I’ve ever encountered on the Web.  They’ll answer any photography question you have (or point you in the right direction), they’ll impress you with their range of skill, and many will even meet up for local get togethers and go shooting.

Strobist

Strobist began as a blog written by photojournalist David Hobby in Baltimore, MD.  Since then it has grown to become one of the premier photography sites on the Web, specializing in off-camera lighting.  Hobby draws on his years as a working photographer to produce excellent tutorials and articles that cover every imaginable aspect of lighting; his trademark is lighting via Speedlight-style flashes.  The site is so popular that Hobby has since retired from photojournalism and dedicates his time to a mixture of personal work, seminars, and adding to his site.  If you want to learn to light, this is the place to go.

FredMiranda

FM boasts an expansive and dedicated forum of its own that is comparable to DPC’s.  The real gem, however, is the Reviews section.  Member generated, the reviews cover Canon & Nikon systems, as well as Sigma, Tamron, & Tokina lenses, and an assortment of accessories.  The reviews are easy to navigate, list the pros & cons of each model, as well as a detailed account of each user’s experience and opinion.  If you want to know what other photographers think of a particular lens or body, this is the place to go.

DIYPhotography

Photographers are cheap – or perhaps we’re just major geeks.  Either way, we hate to spend money on something that we can make ourselves out of velcro, duct tape, cardboard, and foam sheets.  The best part is, most of the DIY projects listed work just as well as the manufactured item, if not better.  Home Depot is your friend if you hang out here and you don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty.

Flickr

Yahoo’s photo-centric site.  It’s much talked about and has a huge number of users that cover every possible skill level.  User groups help draw together photographers with similar interests.  Be forewarned, however, that they are one of the primary targets for image theft.  Personally, I use them for inspiration – there are amazing photographs buried amid the mediocre, and sometimes the photographer was even kind enough to leave a few notes for the curious.

B&H Photo & Video

The Holy Grail of photography stores, located in New York City.  They are often listed as the most trust-worthy and dependable, especially when the Web is filled with scammers.  Their prices are usually pretty good and their staff is extremely knowledgeable and helpful.  They’re also a good source for equipment reviews.  Even if you don’t end up buying gear from them, they are an excellent resource for research.

MPIX

A professional print lab with a wide range of products, ranging from regular prints to specialty photo items.  Everything I’ve ever ordered from them has come out looking just right.  They offer tools and simple options for the casual user as well as advanced options for the professional photographer.  Shipping is fast, quality is top-notch, and customer support is on the ball.

More than a source of income, being the Assistant University Photography was yet another course in the College of Hard Knocks.  It gave me access to venues I’d never have gotten into otherwise and gave me a place to practice and further develop my skills – I did some really neat shoots while I was there, had some great successes, and really screwed up a time or two.

The point of this nostalgic little trip is this – none of it would have been possible without the internship I did while a student there.  For anyone who wants to learn photography, there is no better way than to work with a professional photographer, and an internship is the best way to get the hands-on experience you need.

I contacted the Department of Communications & Marketing and made the request for an internship soon after buying my first DSLR – I knew that books alone wouldn’t teach me what I wanted to know, so I took the initiative and ended up partnering with Jonathan Cohen, the new University Photographer, who had just taken the job after working as a highly successful photojournalist since graduating college himself.  He’d been published in the New York Times, among other well-known publications, which is certainly the kind of credentials you want in a mentor.

I’m not going to lie – it was not always glamorous.  I spent a lot of time setting up and breaking down lighting gear.  I learned a lot about carrying bags and maneuvering towering piles of gear through narrow doorways.  I spent more time acting as a human light stand than I did holding a camera, at first.  But I also got to listen to the internal dialogue of a professional, I got to ask questions, and I got excellent instructions regarding every step of the process, from packing gear to editing the final photos.

I interned for two semesters.  At the start of each I sat down with Jonathan and the editor of the University’s internal newspaper and chose a topic for a photo essay, which I spent the semester shooting.  Both times my photo essay was printed in the newspaper and distributed across the campus, which aside from being very cool, made for excellent portfolio material.

And since I had formed a friendship with my mentor, I continued to stop in every week or so to see what he was working on or to ask questions or to help out.  Which is why I was able to land a long-term freelance position when the previous assistant quit unexpectedly.

I tell you now, and firmly believe, that whatever successes I have as a photographer, they are a result of my internship, and subsequent friendship, with Jonathan Cohen.  And I do not believe that he was unique in his willingness to share his knowledge; there are plenty of other photographers out there who are just as willing.  Photographers learn from other photographers – there is no better way to learn photography than to work with a professional – if you hold any dreams of being a photographer yourself, do whatever it takes to find a mentor.

And when you have the chance, show that same willingness to share what you know and help a struggling photographer make a start.

 
All of the above photos were taken within 20 miles of my home.  Starting at the top left, the Great Blue Heron was photographed in a cemetery in autumn, where he was hanging out around a heated pond.  I photographed him from my car, using a Canon 70-300mm lens while hanging out the window.  You might think that a cemetery is and odd place to find wildlife, but think again – it’s peaceful, there are never many people around at once, and the grounds usually include spacious lawns, a variety of well-tended trees, and often sources of water.    

The baby fawn appeared in my back yard during the summer; his mother must have felt it was a safe place and left him there on two consecutive days, hiding at the base of a tree.  I photographed him using a Sigma 70-200mm lens and was able to get quite close.  My place at that time was hardly in the country; I had a state highway out front.  But there was a wooded hill behind the house, separating it from the next subdivision, and that was all it took to encourage everything from foxes to turkeys to pass through.

The penguin hardly required a trip to the Antarctic; I went to the local zoo with my girlfriend and took this shot with my Canon 28-135mm lens through an underwater window.  Zoos are perfect for wildlife photography; you get a wide assortment of critters (including some exotic varieties), they are all on clear display, and they are used to people staring at them, so they’re less likely to spook.

Finally, the duck, who is living at a nearby park this winter for reasons we can’t quite figure out.  We’ve named him Frederick, and he’s a bit of a ham.  To get this shot, I was almost within arm’s reach of him, lying on my stomach in the snow.  He’s putting on a display of dominance least I try to invade his corner of the pond.  I photographed him with my Canon Powershot SX100.  Local parks always have at least a few squirrels, and if there is a lake or pond, you have instant access to migratory birds.

Four photos, four seasons, four interesting subjects, and no exotic travel required.  In fact, photographing the local wildlife will likely get you better results than an African safari – no, you won’t likely have any photos of a lion taking down a gazelle, but you probably be able to get better shots, since most of the critters you’ll encounter have some familiarity with humans.

Do NOT approach any of the animals you encounter – it’s not safe for you or them, and the more nervous they are, the less likely they are to act normally.  A telephoto lens (or a P&S with 6x+ zoom) is a must, and the longer the better.  I now have a 2x teleconverter that turns my telephoto into a 140-400mm lens, which is sometimes sill too short.

If you’re using a P&S, turn off the digital zoom feature – digital zoom is really just the camera cropping in on the photo.  You’re better off doing that yourself using software on a computer, as you’ll get better results.

One last thing to keep in mind – always have the eyes (or at least the eye nearest you) in focus.  Just like with people, a critter with out-of-focus eyes will not engage the viewer, and your image will look rushed and amateurish.

The real trick to good wildlife photography is patience – be prepared to spend a while getting the shot you want.  Sometimes you’ll have to wait for the animal to appear; sometimes you’ll have to wait for it to behave the way you want.  Even when at the zoo, be prepared to be there a while.  And be sure to study your subjects and try to learn something about them – the more you know about an animal, the better you can predict how it will behave, and the better your photographs will be.

Landscapes take on an entirely new look during the winter; trees are bare, grasses and brush is generally knocked down, and a lot of contrast is replaced with subtle shadows and textures in the snow.  Creeks and lakes freeze, giving access to everything from icecles to leaves and twigs encased in solid ice.

The light is different in winter; sunrises and sunsets show different palettes.  The blue of twilight compliments winter scenes very well, accenting their feeling of cold.  Alternately, the golden light at sunrise/sunset adds a warm touch to frosty scenes.  Even mid-day, which is usually considered no-man’s-land for photography, is more accessible in winter.  Super-blue skies mixed with brilliant sun-lit snow can make excellent images (especially with a polarizer on your lens).

While I’m somewhat of a landscape person myself, I can’t overlook the other side of the nature coin – wildlife.  Winter brings a whole new set of critters out and about; actually, in mandy cases it’s the same critters, just with a new look.  And the farther north you are, the more diverse this selection is likely to be.  Even if you don’t have many animals that change their looks for winter, there’s no doubt that behaviors do change – foraging deer amongst the trees, a fox diving into the snow while hunting, owls on snowy limbs – all are shots that you might have done before, but are worth capturing again during winter.

Sometimes it’s the harshest conditions that really make the best captures.  The hour just after a major snowstorm, when the sky is still in deep overcast and the roads are still a mess, is the best time to find trees loaded with snow and landscapes that are still free of tracks.  Or twilight on exceptionally cold mornings, when the sky is clear and the twilight is extra blue.

The fact is, winter is full of photographic opportunities, you just have to be willing to brave the elements to find them.  And most of the time you already know where to look – return to your favorite places and experience them in a different season.

I was never very happy with the Blogger engine; it’s interface and setup never struck me as being ideal for a photo blog, but at the time it was the only option I had any experience with.  Now that I’ve moved over to WordPress, I feel that I have more creative freedom, which means I can better accomplish what I set out to do.

I make a real effort to keep the information presented here as non-technical as possible, in hopes that I’ll attract not only serious or aspiring photographers, but also hobbiests – pretty much anyone who likes to take photos, be it with a DSLR or a little point & shoot.

Sometimes it isn’t so easy to keep the techonobabble out entirely – there will always need to be mention of f-stops & ISO numbers.  But really, photography is not about the numbers – it’s about the art.  You do have to learn something about the numbers, but they should not be your primary concern.

So far I’ve done a lot of “how to” style posts, giving tips and simple instructions for handling a variety of scenes or techniques.  I’d like to continue that, but I’d also like to add more “idea” posts, where I can put up a shot (or even the concept for a shot) and go into a bit deeper discussion about why a photo works (or why it doesn’t).  I’d also like to talk about my own experiences as a working photographer and how I got there.

There are a lot of blogs and websites out there that show pretty photos and give basic (or highly specialized) help.  I’d like to make this one stand out as being different.  To that end, I gladly welcome any questions or comments from readers.  I learned photography from other photographers; I’d like to teach it now and share what I’ve learned.

Part of good wedding photography – of all photography – is the ability to be fluid. Be loose. You’ll always need your posed shots (bride, groom, wedding party, both sets of parents, grandparents, and your little dog, too) but the real rewards come from candid shots.

Candid photography can’t be scripted. And it doesn’t happen on any schedule. The trick is to pay attention, not only when you’re shuffling through the posed shots but especially in between, when the bride and groom are mingling, or relaxing for a moment.

Eyes open – moving between formal group shots got me this shot at the last wedding. One minute everyone’s pretending to be serious and the next we’ve got genuine smiles and the groom is adapting to his new role as Official Carrier of Heavy Things.

In addition to posting photos I’ll be writing about the process of building Brent Pennington Photography. It’s one thing to take up a camera and learn to master shutter speeds and apertures. It’s another entirely to take on professional photography in a business setting.

As I take on the mantle of professional photography I hope to have a lot of successes, but I’m realistic enough to know that there will also be follies and problems to overcome. There isn’t enough time to make all the mistakes, so if someone is able to learn from mine and avoid the same pitfalls, then this blog will have served a purpose (other than giving me a place to talk photography).