IF

Posted byTara 163 Comments on IF

and thats IF people!

IF

i taught a photography class with big picture, what kinds of things would you want me to teach?

mind you-i will not be teaching photo shop techniques. anything camera related only. lay it on me. i would love to know.

(oh and a little shout out to stephanie, who ran into me at target today, recognized me and my kids and came up to say hi. so cool! HI STEPHANIE!)

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163 Comments

  2. Oh honey, don’t tease us like this!!!! youSOOOOOOOOOO need to teach a class on Big Picture, infact many of them! We’d like to know more about your camera setting preferences, about your posing choices, about tips for improving so so photos, we’d love to have assignments from you on different things to shoot and feedback from you for improving our own photos….are you on yet????

  3. I’d like information on

    1) affordable lighting ideas (I don’t think I can afford expensive fancy stuff and I’m having good luck with natural light but would like some more input.

    2) Composition and mainly creative composition

  4. I would just like to know how to take better pictures. How to capture life’s moments, they way you have in so many. I know it takes more that just pressing the button…like lighting or whatever else it may be… I think you have a natural talent that my not be able to be taught..but I think any advice you give will be so helpful. My goal is not to be a professional photographer, just a Mom who wants to take better pics of her family.

  6. your hypothetical question is enough to bring me out of hiding…

    A class to help me make the most of my digital SLR would be fab. I too would love to learn all the aforementioned technical stuff.

    You certainly can’t teach “it”– which is what you’ve got. I’d just be nice to capture what I see in the camera and everyday life, and not have pics be over/under exposed, grainy, blue, etc.

    just waiting for IF to transform to YES!
    that’d be just dreamy.

    ps… Glad to see you supporting the local economy. San Clemente is home for me– and the mexican food is grand! Maybe I’ll see you strolling Del Mar Street one of these days ;)

  7. wow, i guess you’ve hit upon something, just a few comments posted here! I have a point and shoot digital, I love it and I would like to know how to take better photos. I can’t afford a digital SLR, so I need to take awesome photos with what I have. I absolutely love your photos and your layouts in SS!

  8. OMG! You have got to do this. You are such a talented photographer. I follow your work like crazy. I would love to learn everthing from you. I would love to know how you make your clients seem so relaxed. I luv how you capture everyday little moments. YOU ARE SUCH AN INSPIRATION!!! Please…Please…you must teach this class!

  9. Tara, first of all, I would be one of the first ones to sign up for your class! (I live in Tennessee but I would get there.) Second, I have the same camera that you have and what I want to learn is what settings you use to get all those wonderful shots you take! I’ve had mine since Christmas but I don’t quite have the combinations down yet. I can’t quickly go from inside settings to outside. Also, I don’t have the lighting thing down so that I get a good shot every time. (Sometimes I get shadows across the faces or a washed out look from to much direct sun.) If you can, please give us advanced warning so we can be sure to get a spot in your class!

  10. everything!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ha! ha!
    i have taken a photography class, but i still don’t get it! i really struggle with manual mode and AV/TV mode for that matter. i would also like to learn more about composition.
    oh, how i hope you teach this, tara!

  11. I would love to know what kind of lenses and aperture I should use to get that “blurred” effect. I would like my kids pictures to look somewhat like the ones you take, not just regular snapshots. Your blog, your pictures, YOU inspired me to buy a digital SLR (Nikon D50). I’m so excited with the idea that you may teach this class!!!!

  12. Would love to take a class…any class with you! I love your down-to-earth style of scrapbooking as well as how you find the beauty in the naturalness (is that a word?!?) of families, faces, the everyday that your subjects live.

    I love the info you posted at 2Peas, and refer to it pretty often. You could delve deeper. Maybe if it was a month-long class, you could use the different modes on the point and shoot digital cameras, too. The 20D is on my wish list, but my hubby isn’t seeing the need for it yet!

    One comment that I would like to make is that since I have been scrapbooking, my photography skills have improved one hundred fold! I want to scrap great photos so I am patiently learning to take better photos.

    Whatever you decide to do about a class, I’ll be there with bells on girl! Love your stuff and want it to rub off on me, even if it does have to be through the computer!

  13. Oh Tara! Please teach a class! You are such a fab photographer – I would definately take your class IF you were teaching one! I would love you to teach me how to better shoot in manual, when/why I need certain lenses – and oh so much more! Just bought a 20D and I have a lot to learn. Thank, Tara! Tracy

  14. oh – oh – OH! Fabluous! IF….
    I know alot of what you do is just you, but I would absorb anything you would put out there about a class. I agree that getting to know my camera (and then remembering it when I’m shooting) is a challenge. I think just having prompts rom you that serve the getting to know it part would be advatangeous. Kinda like a course – I guess, not haveing taken one – where you give us an assignment!
    Will be watching to see if… :)

  15. absolutely wonderful! I’m still clueless about bracketing! same with white balance! How do you make shots look natural if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain and very little sunshine? advatages of digital vs slr cameras?? do you use flash and when to use it?? differences btwn digital point-shoot vs digital slr in terms of creativity? what colours to wear in order for the photos to stand out like yours! do you alter much of your photos through a software program and how much modification/enhancement do you do? how to fix a blurry picture? these questions what I need in a class. Tara.

  16. I’d love to know how to take better low light pictures, like at events and such…

    I’d also love to know what the differences in the settings on the camera really are…

  17. From the other posters, it seems as though there are 2 audiences here: those who need direction with the very basic functions of their camera, and those who are past that level and would really like to know the things that only YOU can teach. Like your particular brand of “casual-artsy” composition, your use of natural light, and of course your use of depth of field. So much of your talent is innate instinct, one of those wonderful things that can never be taught, but FELT and understood. I would LOVE any class that features Tara’s portraiture!

  18. You previously posted a hint that changed my photography forever. “get closer!” “get the details”
    Those are the types of things that normal photo classes don’t teach. And it’s doesn’t matter what camera you have either. Technical stuff would be great and a huge help, but learning to look through my lens in a different way is the best lesson you could teach. I guess that’s technically shot composition.
    It would be great if you could give assignments to help get us thinking!
    Thanks for being willing to even think about this on top of everything else you are busy with!
    I’m so there, if you decide to do it!!!

  19. I might be redundant – cause I don’t have time to read through all the replies, but I would be all over a class taught by the one and only Tara Whitney.

    My main struggles right now are Focus and figuring out the whole WB thing. I would love to learn more about seeing creatively, capturing spontaneity without ending up with snapshots, making subjects feel at ease.

    I would love a class that had specific homework, opporunity for critique and interaction….

    Please keep us posted.

    Jeanette

  20. i have a nikon d200…but am just a novice with a good eye…i’d love to take a class…can you teach me…even if i have the “other” camera?…ditto on all of the above…i feel like a groupie!!!!

  21. oh my GOSH! i am totally overwhelmed at the comments. never thought this one would be a big one. okay, now i guess i have to do the class! :)

    thank you thank you thank you. i have an idea already in my head, i wanted to make sure it would fly, that people would like it, and from what everyone is saying i think you guys would.

    you guys rock. seriously. thanks for the input. appreciate it.

  22. Um, yes. You have to teach the class! And then you need to take the class to CKU! Can’t you see it…a group of girls following your around some random city cameras in hand??? The world would never be the same :)

    I’m fired up about the feedback you’ve received and I can’t wait to register for your class when it’s offered@!

  23. I too would be interested in a class. Mostly just how to use the digital SLR and basics like f stop and shutter speed and how to overide the flash and use a more automatic mode.

  27. i am not stephanie from target, but i did lift your mom LO from the SS designing scrapbooks 2, the day it came out! i really loved the design and have been crazy about squares ever since.

    a photog class, anything would help a novice like me. i may check it out if a class is offered!

  28. I want to know what the other half of my dial is all about. P, Tv, Av, M, C all look like letters of the alphabet to me. What do they mean???
    When I have trouble sleeping at night I pick up the manual to my camera, read a few lines, and I’m out like a light!

  33. me too! me too! I would totally take a class from you. I am sure these gals have come up with plenty of ideas. I bought a Nikon D70 a year ago and I am ashamed to say I am still in auto. I really want to learn more. I just get so confused. I even took a class at the camera store but they didn’t deal with any portrait type issues. I CAN HARDLY WAIT!!!! PLEASE DO IT!!!
    maureen

  34. Well, I would definitely LOVE to do a class of your’s with Big Picture. If you were to do one, I’d love you to teach how you get the such great angles on your photos like you do and how your photos have such great focus on your subject … you never get distracted with background. Please please please do a class!!

  35. I’d love to hear your thoughts on non-posed posing, how you come up with those fabulous relaxed happy shots. I’d also love to hear some of your color process theory. This would be SO exciting…IF!! LOL

  37. I am trying my best to catch candid moments. It seems I’ve trained my family to turn and say cheese over the years… everytime that camera comes out.
    Since taking BIG PICTURE classes and really looking at my scrapbooks… (and getting older), I’m ready to change my ways/scrapbooks/picture taking.
    Bring on the class… I’m there!
    Blessings.

  38. Well so far you have 137 people interested ;) and I am sure millions more that just are not repeating what we all said ;) lol.

    Come on girl…you rock and I would love it.

  39. Well so far you have 137 people interested ;) and I am sure millions more that just are not repeating what we all said ;) lol.

    Come on girl…you rock and I would love it.

  42. I would LOVE to learn in SIMPLE terms about apeture, f levels and the like. I have books, I play around but I am not understanding it all! Some of the technical stuff – taking the same photo at different levels etc….

    This would be awesome T!!

  43. Hi Tara:
    I would be in CA in a heartbeat to take a photography course from you. I would love to learn more about capturing those “Catchlights” in people’s eyes and exposure help. I don’t want my pictures to look like I used a flash even if I have to. A class on learning about the different camera lenses and when to use them would be a huge help. Thanks so much, Lauren

  44. Right now I’m lucky enough to be taking good pictures because my camera never leaves AUTOMATIC! (thank god) but there is so much more and I just drool over your photos. They catch that “something” that I want to catch. That moment. I’d be so IN.

    On my blog I have your site as a link and it says I aspire to take photos like yours. So GO FOR IT. Tell me when to show up!

  45. please Tara please do!

    I’d like your thoughts on composition. And getting the everyday shots look FANTASTIC like you do! Also indoor shoots low light etc.
    Oh and seeing extraordinary in the ordinary.
    how many shots do you take in an everage day?
    Cropping advice. Plus everything mentioned above (even nude advice for CZ! cos you never know when you’ll need it *cough*)
    The photo a day thing sounds great but I fear that when 500 of us Tara hungry scrappers sign up you’ll wonder what you got yourself into!
    hugs
    *pleads once more for good measure!*

    Di

  47. I would love to take a photography class at BPS. Please teach one! I think that what everyone else said basically covers what I would like to learn.

  48. Tara, gosh I can’t believe that over a hundred people have posted a comment so I’m sure you will probably get tired of reading everyones posts but it the small chance that you read mine. I would absoulty take a online course from you and would love to learn anything you would be willing to teach. thanks so much, Sarah~

  49. I would love to know how you get the amazing, vivid, deep colors in all of your pictures. How to best use a camera and the settings…

    And I would TOTALLY take the class…because my pictures just aren’t that great at all…

  50. YES! YES! YES – I WOULD TAKE THE CLASS! WANT TO KNOW HOW TO DO ALL THOSE CAMERA SETTINGS FOR EACH SITUATION WITHOUT MY FAMILY STANDING AROUND SAYING “WILL YOU HURRY UP AND TAKE THE PICTURE ALREADY!”

    I READ THE MANUALS, UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTIONS BUT JUST CAN’T SEEM TO GET THE DIGITAL REBEL TO TAKE GOOD SHOTS! (IT IS THE CAMERA’S FAULT – RIGHT!)

    I’M READY TO GET MYSELF TESTED FOR PARKINSON’S – ALL MY PICTURES END UP BLURRY!

    PLEASE SHARE!

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