Photo of the day

Hey Richard, I love the tools shot. Very unique. Great use of depth and angle.

I have to agree with Dean on the bypassing the sunset for total darkness though! Sunset is an AMAZING time to get some beautiful pics. Also I don't know what your rain situation is like but think outside the box in regards to reflections too. You can do some amazing stuff like that.

Dean, that gorilla shot should be on display somewhere!

I'd suggest that you get up somewhere high as high as possible and start taking some scenery shots of smoke in the background, etc. Not pictures of just that haziness that comes with bush fires but get up high enough to see the billowing smoke on the horizon.

Although bush fires are not a "fun" subject, they are a part of your life right now and even the pro's are out there taking snap shots as it is a gift from the gods, so to speak when mother nature gives us a subject to photograph.

PS....... Appreciate the comments on my pic's but they were only used as a reference for Richard. The main thing to remember is always keep checking your settings. I check mine as soon as I take my camera out of the bag. If you do it every time, it soon becomes habit.

I'm sorry, just realised I never answered your questions.

I have been snapping away for about six years, when my son started playing footy (AFL or Australian Football for non Aussies reading this)

I had some people ask "do I sell the photos" and I said no at first but people kept on asking and I kept on telling them no. I started with just an average point and shoot camera (Panasonic with 10 times zoom)

I was asked if I could produce something with my photos for my son's coach. I did and everyone loved it.

The next year I researched cameras and lens and I decided I wanted a canon 40d for it's frame rate and price at the time.

I read all that I could and more importantly I got out and took pictures, a lot of them.

I have always been artistic in one way or another.

I have been drawing since I could hold a crayon.


This is a drawing of my son when he was under a year old and he is nearly 15 now.



I have been using photoshop for about 12 years. Not for commercial use, just for fun and learning new tricks. But have made graphic designs for websites down to facebook banners for companies.

So, I have taken no courses. I have just taught myself.

It can be a bit daunting learning something new. If I could suggest one thing to make your learning curve easier, it would be to make yourself a cheat sheet. You can keep this in your camera bag and refer to it every time you open your bag to get your camera out.

I don't know if you mean you were hoping to get a suggestion from here. I now you did say you were following another forums idea's on this.

If you want some idea's thrown up, just let us know. It usually is easier for people not doing this to come up with multiple idea's as apposed to someone doing it.

It just depends on how you look at it mate. As I posted earlier, easier for someone not doing this to come up with heaps of idea's and that's why it's always good to ask for fresh input.

You stated you really weren't great at being artistic but here you are doing photography, seems quite artistic to me bud.

Here is your list.....

10. one o'clock
11. Water
12. Surprise
13. Circle
14. Something Yellow
15. An ordinary moment
16. Two Things
17. Ready
18. Shadow
19. Delicious
20. Something you saw
21. What you do
22. Corner
23. Electric
24. Stripes
25. Landscape
26. Together
27. Sun
28. Through
29. Grow
30. Down
31. Yourself


and here is how I see it...

10. one o'clock / Picture of your lunch, even a sandwich with a bite out of it.
11. Water / Water dripping from a tap.
12. Surprise / A cake in focus and balloons out of focus in the background.
13. Circle . Close up of your eye, specifically your iris.
14. Something Yellow / banana
15. An ordinary moment / reading the paper
16. Two Things / salt and pepper shakers
17. Ready / mirror shot of you in the morning ready for work.
18. Shadow / The old classic, place a ring in an open book and play with a flash light until the shadow of the ring makes a heart shape.
19. Delicious / cake (use the cake from above, cut off a slice and take a bite)
20. Something you saw / sit in your car, preferably somewhere with some scenery and take a picture looking into the side mirror
21. What you do / obviously keep playing with your tool shots.
22. Corner / I thought of street corner, I think a night shot of somewhere lit up
23. Electric / While out shooting for the above, look for a neon sign
24. Stripes / Find a fairly dead and unused road that has a bit of curve to it and painted white lines.
25. Landscape / Being as you are in Tasmania, if you can get some shots of the ravaged landscape.
26. Together / Get your boys playing cricket or something outside with you, go inside for something (what ever, make an excuse) and take some pictures of them playing through a window. So they don't know, hopefully you get some great happy snaps. Rememeber to wash the windows first and have your camera ready to go.
27. Sun / Never point your lens at the sun. Unless you have a cheap one that is just for that. I'd do a silhouette shot in the evening.
28. Through / I would take a picture looking through your letter box.
29. Grow / Your tomatoes
30. Down / Get up on a ladder and take a portrait of someone.
31. Yourself / I's set up your camera to take a picture of you on timer. Hold a frame (20cm x 30cm roughly) hold on an angle. Take another holding the frame on a different angle, and keep doing this about 10 times. If you aren't any good in photoshop, send me the pic's and I will give you a great shot back. This is also a great way to take family shots.

So these were just my first thoughts on these subjects, I'm sure if I looked at the list tomorrow I'd come up with some different idea's.

None of them seem a bit obscure/challenging/girly to me, it is how you look at the set task bud. The hardest thing for you is to start thinking outside of the box. This is going to be another challenge for you as your mind is racing as it is trying to remember all you are learning and trying to come up with new idea's.

Make a cheat sheet bud. As you take photos, write down settings. This not only helps you create your own personal cheat sheet for future reference to see what works in different situations. It also helps you to remember to to check settings before shooting.

Have fun bud.

Awesome that you are keeping notes bud. You are totally right, you will keep them for now and adjust them as your experience grows.

As for your one o'clock shot, I love the angle you took this on.

I haven't been home all day and I am still a couple of hours away yet so I have taken today's pic but just can't post it at the moment. Sorry it will be posted ASAP