11 Comments

I'm not taking the time to *really* look around me as I walk, so thanks for what feels like an invitation! I'm also curious about this, Glenn: "the phone camera forced me to focus on composition in a way I hadn’t since starting this second career". Why is that?

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My phone camera is limited in its ability to zoom or capture action, especially when compared to the one I use now professionally. If you push it beyond those limits, your images will have too much pixelation (noise) or will be out of focus.

When I started my second career, I had a low to mid-grade camera body and lenses that were average at best. Over time, I've upgraded to much better equipment, which can mask composition errors because the technology is just so damn good. But as much as phone photography tech has improved, the ability to zoom and capture action remains similar to my first camera, hence the emphasis on composition.

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That sounds like a good thing - technical constraints generating creative decisions :)

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And it has been. Since that extended exercise, I've noticed that I continue to emphasize composition more than I did pre-pandemic. And my photos — both phone and pro-camera — have only continued to improve.

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Oh, I love the shot of the public art!

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Thank you!

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Love this, Glenn! I love those walks for you (and for us, since we get to benefit from some of the beauty.) Makes me really want to prioritize that area next time I get to visit DC!

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Thank you Hope. I read your “low-cost” post about traveling with family and was hoping you would make plans to come to DC sometime! So much to do here that is free. Let me know when you decide to visit. Would love to meet your husband and family.

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Love the composition of the picture from under the bridge! The sunrise shot is the kind I wish I could make. I’ve got an iPhone, so maybe there’s hope yet. Lol.

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Thanks, Kevin. Regarding the sunrise: Play with your settings. Phone cameras are designed to let as much light in as possible, so there are times when you can drop the exposure and bring out some of those richer colors.

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I will, and thank you!

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