Photo Tips: Action Shot Shutter Speed Settings

• Swimming 1/125
• Running 1/500
• Skateboarding 1/250
• Biking 1/500
• Car going at 50 mph 1/750
• Water 1/2000

*Disclaimer: These shutter speed notes are from some website online, but I do not remember what the website was. If I can find it again, I'll make sure to link it! I copied these notes from my photography journal*

Portraits: Cara Walsh

For Cara's portraits, I went back to Howard County Conservancy. This was my favorite shoot that I have done, Cara is absolutely beautiful and the pictures turned out quite lovely! She was really good at modeling, and I was able to get many different shots.

Check out my flickr for more..

Portraits: Ellie and Emily Okada... Sister Shoot!

This is the first time I've ever done a shoot with two people! I think that they had a good dynamic going, and I got a few nice shots. I liked the location (Howard County Conservancy) and with more exploring, I think I could get a little more out of the location if I ever decide to shoot there again. 

Yours Truly, 

Ginny

Photo Adventures: Henryton

The beloved gem that is Henryton is being torn down.. I am glad I was able to go on one last photo shoot here. It is seriously one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Graffiti covers the walls, paint chips off, windows are broken. It is a huge area with several buildings, but because of safety/health hazards, it is being destroyed. :'(

Check out pictures of Henryton from mostly last summer here..

I will add the film photos I took when I get the film developed and school starts so I can scan them!

xo Ginny

Portraits: Sarah McKay

For Sarah's shoot, we went to this retreat center (Bon Secour Spiritual Center). It had a beautiful garden and other scenery. I think this shoot was very successful, I got many varying beautiful shots of her, although we wore out the location after about an hour. I would probably go to the location again though!

Check out more photos in HQ! FLICKR

Yours Truly, 

Ginny

Project: Photographing 50 Strangers #2

Stranger #2

I probably would have creepy-stalker photographed this guy but I decided to introduce myself and ask him for permission to take photos instead, in the sprit of the Photographing 50 Strangers project. I just asked him to act casual, as if he didn't know I was there. Introducing myself made it easier to get closer to him, since I was using my 50mm lens and not a zoom lens, I needed to get closer to him in the first place. You know what they say.. "If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough." I live by that quote! Woo!

Yours Truly, 

Ginny

Project: Photographing 50 Strangers #1

 Stranger #1

This baby was trying to climb this sand pyramid. His mom was watching over him, so I asked her for permission to photograph her child. I like this picture because the shadow shows what's going on behind the pyramid which I think is neat.

Project: Photographing 50 Strangers

Project Rules:

• First think about why you want to photograph them, then figure out how you will portray that idea.
• Introduce yourself.
• Ask for permission to photograph them.

Project Goals:

• Broaden portfolio.
• Get comfortable with taking pictures of strangers.
• Meet new people.

**This project idea is from Secrets of Great Portrait Photography by Brian Smith. This is a really interesting book with a whole bunch of tips from a photographer that has worked with many famous people and magazines.**

Check out my project progress:

#1
#2

Photo Adventures: Hiking

I went hiking at Patapsco State Park with my friends Kathryn, Kumin, and Sean.. It was awesome! I definitely want to go back and take more photographs. 

Ginny

Portraits: Kathryn McDonald

For Kathryn's portraits, we headed to the Orange Grove/Avalon Area of Patapsco State Park. I was able to take some very nice portraits of her on this beautiful swinging bridge! 

Check out the set on flickr here!

Photo Adventures: Annapolis

I went down (or up...?) to Annapolis with two photographer friends of mine: Chris and Devin (click their names to check out their flickr pages!). It was a really fun experience although I didn't get that many great shots.. But Annapolis is really beautiful and there is so much to explore!

You can find the pictures on flickr here. Check out the photos below! 

Portraits: Sarah Fritz

Sarah's portrait session was one of the first ones that I did where someone asked me to take pictures of them and went to a sought-out location for the purpose of taking portraits. The location was beautiful (The Shrine of St. Anthony), it was a monastery with amazing architecture and wide open fields. We shot at about 2 pm due to scheduling conflicts, so the shadows and sun were too harsh.  Overall, most of the photographs turned out very nicely! 

Check out more pictures and in higher quality on my flickr!