DAVE WROTE:  Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. We went to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge one day last week. The refuge is in western NY. There were lots of Snow Geese there. Probably 15 or 20,000 or more. Snow  Geese breed in the high Arctic. They are on their way back north. Took lots of pictures here are a few. The first two shots of the large flock  was about a third of the flock. I had on too  much lens to get them all in.   Dave

I WROTE:  Dave Cesari is a great photographer. I did not ask him, but I bet he has done most of my 10 steps to become great.  Read on, I will try to explain what I am talking about.

Photography is undoubtedly the art form of the modern day – everyone has access to a camera. We are all in the “Hobby photographer arena.”  So, how do we become better photographers.  Well, first we gotta’ know what we consider a great photo to look like. 

The best way for you to figure that out is to take a group of photos, study them all, and then remove 1/2 of them that are least great to your eyes and mind. Keep doing that until only one photo is left. Now study its composition, subject, center of focus, story, color, tone, eye control,… etc. If you do that often enough, you will get a clear definition of what elements of a photograph you uniquely think creates a great photo.  Now you know what you want to accomplish in your photos.

That is only step #2 in my list of 10 steps on how to improve the photographs that you take:

1. Answer: What’s the purpose of your photography?

2. Answer: What do you consider a great photograph?

3. Know your camera.

4. Practice, practice, practice.

5. Have a bucket-list of subjects to photograph.

6. Present a selection of your photographs to others.

7. Develop your own style and be proud of it.

8. Travel to where the subjects of your bucket-list are.

9. Experiment and make mistakes.

10. Photograph what excites you – photograph your passion.

I will talk to each of these steps over the next postings. 

But, for now, look at Dave’s photos (below). Eliminate three, then eliminate two, the one left is your choice for the greatest – it is the one that most grabs you.  Now write down the elements that make it grab you.  If you did that, you started doing my step #2. We will need to do it many more times – pretty soon it will be more fun then you ever expected – and you will be learning to be a better photographer because you will know what elements you want in your next great photo.

  

03 18 2021 Dave Cesari

03 18 2021 Dave Cesari

03 18 2021 Dave Cesari

03 18 2021 Dave Cesari

03 18 2021 Dave Cesari

03 18 2021 Dave Cesari

As you swing thru life – Keep coming back to this blog – let’s  follow my 10 steps and become better photographers – and enjoy sharing our photos with someone throughout the summer