This Week in the Digital Photography School Forums (21-27 Jun ‘09)

Weekly Assignment

This week we finished up an assignment that challenged you to look at an ordinary subject in a creative way. The subject was a chair. There were a lot of good entries, but we could only pick three. Our winner this week was HoosierGal’s shot of a teddy bear on a chair, titled “Waiting”. The tones and texture combined with the effective use of negative space helped to create a photo that really captured the emotion of the title. Our first runner up was srt’s “Goldilocks on the chair and the bear”. This shot has the feeling of an old hand painted black and white shot. The little girl’s expression gives a real liveliness to an otherwise static subject. And last, but not least was fost golan’s porch chair. Something about this shot is just really welcoming, like you would expect your favourite person to be sitting there, just waiting for you to come home.

We also started a new assignment this week, f/16. In this assignment, set your camera’s aperture to f/16, compose your shot, and show us the result. Often we get stuck in the mindset that certain apertures are only appropriate for certain things, like shooting only landscapes at f/16. But this assignment will challenge you to make use of that extra depth of field to create interesting shots. In order to take part in the mini-contest, there are a few rules that need to be followed. First, your shots must have been taken between 17 June – 1 July 2009. Second, they must include the words “Assignment: f/16″ and the date the photo was taken in the post. Finally, your EXIF should be intact and it helps if you can include the main points. Next week’s assignment will be B&W Portraits.

Hot Threads

• When did you feel like you actually “got it”?: As a photographer, there eventually comes a point where you feel like you actually “get it” and create the photos that you see in your head. But when did you hit this point? Or have you hit it yet? Come share your experiences and thoughts over in the forum.
• Why Shoot in RAW???: Sometimes the RAW vs jpg debate seems never ending. But there’s a reason that people continue to discuss it. Both formats have their advantages so it is important for each person to weigh them up to see which is right for them. Come read about the various benefits and why people choose to use each of the formats, then come and contribute your own thoughts.
• Best Gear for Wedding Photog?: When you’re new to shooting weddings, how do you know what gear you “must have” and what gear isn’t appropriate? Whether you’re a wedding photographer or aspire to be one, this thread offers a good discussion on what makes a good wedding photography kit.
• What Would You Do: Last week we had the 100th episode of our weekly post-processing thread where forum members get a chance to edit someone else’s photo. Come join in the fun as we count up to the next 100.