The best part of being a member of a local guild of Professional Photographers of America is that it pushes you as a professional to continue to improve and try new things and it provides the creativity that is sometimes so very hard to find!
INPPA
In March I led a meeting at INPPA (the Tulsa affiliate of Professional Photographers of America) on photographing motion using a local West African dance troupe as subjects and models.
My incredibly talented and charismatic cousin Deena leads this group and I have photographed them many times and I always have fun! Photographing motion is tricky, largely because of focus. You as a photographer have to decide what you want to be in focus before the action happens. When photographing a performance you typically do not have control over the lighting. This typically limits your choices dramatically. As a photographer it is nice to have had a chance to learn these lessons in a controlled environment where you can ask questions and also learn how to overcome these obstacles. Do you want to freeze motion or leave in some crazy blur to depict just how fast your subject is moving?
Deena and Luis were ideal subjects because they are so in control of their bodies. As the photographers were taking turns capturing them, they danced at a steady rapid heartbeat only to pause and hold a single pose for what seemed like 15 minutes! As models they were up for anything! The bright and fun costumes were filled with texture and color and photographed beautifully! Some of the images wowed me so much I am holding them in reserve to work on for Print Competition! I cannot wait to see how they are received by the judges!
By competing in competition I am taking advantage of a space where my work is evaluated by well-respected photographers. This provides valuable insight into how I can improve as a photographer. This information translates into client work, and I am continually learning and honing my craft to capture the very best memories for my customers to treasure for years to come!
