I have some experience taking photos, but it has been a long time since I have tried to perfect my technique. I remember in high school a photography class, and my favorite part was developing the film. I thought the process had a magical quality (minus the smell).

Now I rarely take photos, my reasons for this are two things. I do not have a nice camera to take pictures with, I prefer to use SLR cameras, and two, having the convenience of a camera built into the smartphone has taken away some of the fun aspects that photography as a hobby can provide.

I like taking pictures of nature, and it is interesting how one area changes so much during the changing of the seasons. Photography is essential because it can capture moments in time, and it is also vital for historical preservation. An image can create a narrative itself because it can convey to its viewers’ emotions and actions. These feelings help to develop a story, and a fun aspect is that without context, a picture can take any number of stories!

I believe that some steps I can take to improve my photo taking skills are:

• View the subject from multiple perspectives to find the best angle.
• Ensure the area has proper lighting and is free from any unintended shadows.
• Most importantly, have fun!

This week sounds like it will be an exciting opportunity to learn!