Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(Before I got started, I just had to say it! ;) 2014 awaits. Seize it)

QUOTE:

"Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still." - Dorothea Lange

That is one of my favorite photography quotes, and it's very true. I've been thinking about photography more and more, and decided that I should start up blogging again. After all, it's a new year, and I can have a new beginning in blogging, right? I plan to do things a little differently. I am hoping to blog once a week, posting one or two pictures in the blog, and making it more of an actual blog. So, I guess I'll start out with the pictures.

Okay, so this is one of my favorite shots I've gotten so far. It's a stunning sunset in Missouri (we have quite a few of those it seems) and I was shooting on "sunset" mode for this shot. I took it, straightened it (didn't have my tripod at this point), and added a few edits. Taking this photo and running it through so basic editing, I was able to get more of the true feeling that I felt when I got this picture. The sun was beautiful, and with the tree and barbed wire in the forefront, it was a perfect photo opportunity.

Some people have asked me why I edit photos. This is my answer for them. When you take a picture with a camera, you don't get what you really see. My camera isn't all that good in the first place, so editing my photos makes them look better, and more realistic. I try to edit the pictures to fit what I really see or want to see. My opinion, I'm sure, isn't the same as everyone else, but that is my stand on the subject. Now then, next picture.

I've realized that I take a lot of pictures, but I mostly use the "Auto" setting. For this photo, I decided to try my hand at manual photography, and I think it turned out well. I wanted something that would pop, and get attention. I decided to use macro, and get this fescue in focus, but blur the background. This was a very amazing breakthrough, as I've had trouble accomplishing that aspect of photography in the past. I really like this picture as well.

Well, there you have it. Two pictures on the new year blog post. I am going to change the look of my blog as well, as you may now see. :) I've been having a lot of fun this Christmas time, and into the new year. I'll have some winter pictures on my next post, which will probably be sometime next week. 

Photography-wise, there has been a pretty big thing that happened since I last blogged. I got my first photography job, and had my first shoot. It was very fun, and from what I've heard from my "clients" (feels funny saying that ;) I had a real job!), they really liked the photos I took for them. That was exciting and encouraging, and I'm glad I was able to have that experience. I also got a tripod for my birthday, and it's really nice. It helps to steady my hands to make the pictures clear. 

I've been trying to take more pictures, and explore manual photography. I am learning how to make a picture look good without a device doing all the work. It's been fun and yet challenging. We had an ice storm, and I was able to get some pictures of the icicles. Winter is a great time to get photographs, and I got a few.

Also, I would like to request feedback on what I should do with my blog. More pictures, more blogging, more photography stuff, or whatever you want me to incorporate with this. I hope this will be a good experience for me. Please feel free leave comments or contact me personally with your thoughts about my redesigned blog. Thanks! ;) That's all I have, so thanks for reading. :)

- Brett Cole ♦ Photography

Find and Contact Brett Cole ♦ Photography:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brettdcolephotography?ref=hl
Website: http://deanmail099.wix.com/brettcolephotography
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/brettcolephotography
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/100589357@N08/ 
Email:  deanmail099@gmail.com