This week’s challenge was to do a photo of something sweet … candy. Given that today is Valentines Day, you would think it would be easy, but it wasn’t that straight forward. We’ve made a ‘no candy’ pact since Christmas and I had to go into our stash of left overs. There I found our two favourites.
I took this in natural light from the window, supplemented by the overhead light. I used ISO 100, with an F-stop of 4 and a 1/8 shutter speed, with a focal length of 16mm. I also tried it with an F-stop of 3.8, but it didn’t bring as much of the subject into focus. This photo still doesn’t have it right, but I think that has as much to do with where I chose to set my focus and I preferred the composition. I’m still uncertain about F-stops and have a ways to go in working it all out, but I think maybe, just maybe, I had a flash of understanding last night.
The other thing this challenge is doing is pushing me out of my comfort zone. I love recording the world I see. That is why I take pictures. If I can make them beautiful and interesting for other people, so much the better because I see such beauty all around me, everywhere I go. I also tend to be organic as a photographer, using the light around me and not using a tripod if I can get away with it. However, for this challenge I am having to learn to stage photos, create the setting to display the subject. Still don’t use the tripod. It feels like I’m tied down if I use one.
I have a feeling I’m going to have to get over that, too, at some point this year.
A Canuck's Eye View 