Patriot’s Day Reenactment

These photographs are from the patriot’s day reenactment from Lexington-Concord area.  I always like going to these events because it gives you an inside look into how the battle got started and what happened when the Americans fought the British.  It’s also cool going to these events when you’re a photographer because it gives you a unique perspective on things. I started to go this event two years ago. These pictures are from the first time that I went. Last year I could not go because they closed up the parks due to the government shutdown. This year, I was so Psyched to go to this event but they really did not have many things set up as they did the first year that I went to the event. I’m hoping that next year they will put things back to normal and have the same displays they had as well as more reenactment scenes.  They had many displays such as a medical tent, canon demo, they also showed you how they made bullets for their muskets. Everything that they had though you can certainty take pictures and be creative.    

Respect wildlife

When out doing photography, respect for the environment that you’re in is huge. One my favorite wildlife photographers by the name of Michael Mauro said, when out shooting wildlife he tries to leave the area that he’s in untouched as much as possible. When in the woods, you’re basically in in the home of whatever creature you’re trying to shoot. Photographers should definitely show respect for the wildlife when going on photo shoots.  When your first starting photography and you go out and shoot whatever, you don’t have much equipment and you don’t have that nice telephoto lens! You see your subject but it’s across the field that you’re standing in. First thought in your mind is going to be to move closer to get a better shot. While moving close is okay, you need to make sure you leave a good amount of distance when trying to photograph your subject between them and you.  If you’re too close, many times the creature will become very uncomfortable and be less likely to stay in that spot for a long time.  Many photographers say that when your shooting you should be “like a shadow” you don’t want the wildlife to focus on you. 

Location and Timing is Key!

When out doing photography, location is one of the biggest factors when photographing a particular subject. When doing wildlife photography it’s even bigger. If you don’t know where to look and know the environment that the creature you’re trying to photograph lives then chances are, you’re not going to have much luck getting the shot. Your biggest job before you go out into the woods or wherever is to research your subject and location. Checkout the environment that the creature is in, prepare for what type of conditions you’re going to face. Is it going to be warm? Is it cold? What do you need to pack to keep you and your gear safe? Find out what time of day you’re going at and find out how long you’re going to need to be out there for to get the shots you need. These are just some of the basic facts about the location and timing that you need to capture some great shots.  

Creating a Basic Web Portfolio

Your Portfolio is one important aspect when doing photography. Without one, you would have no way of showcasing your work. Making your site look well organized and professional is critical when constructing your portfolio. You don’t need to be a pro at coding HTML to create a site. Web hosting services such as SmugMug, Zenfolio or Squarespace are great starting points for creating your portfolio. These services usually have drag and drop features, plus they have 24/7 support networks. Many, such as those I've mentioned, will ask you to pay for your account, but it’s worth paying to have a professional looking site rather than trying to make a free site that is going to surround your work with distracting advertisements or pass viruses to the visitors of your site.

                When you start building your website, you want to sort your content among multiple pages. You will want a home page, a Bio page, and at least one gallery page. You may add more if you wish, but those are the key pages you will need when creating a site to display your photography. 

Homepage

                This page should display either a photograph or a collection of them that you have taken. You want to be able to grab the attention of your visitors. Normally I try to avoid putting text on the home page besides the title of the site. The home page will act as your main page for your site. It should include links to the other pages as well as having some of your most liked works. The home page should provide user links to any social media you use for your photography business specifically. I would avoid using any of your personal social media accounts when creating links.

Bio Page

                The bio page should be a small blurb about you as a photographer such as what you do in the field and what other jobs and/or credentials you might have or have had. You might also enter additional information about yourself, such as hobbies, where you are from, or even where you live (Note: Don’t put you’re your home address or any specific personal details your not willing to give out. State and Town are fine.) . The bio page is typically written in the third person.

Gallery

                This is the area in which you will showcase your work. Everyone has to make their own choices on how they upload and organize their gallery when putting it online have my own system I use to organize my work. Some people like using adobe Lightroom and such when uploading to their site.

Introduction

Introduction

This blog is intended to share my knowledge about photography with people. I do not claim to be some kind of expert in the field. I’m still learning myself. I do want to become a semi-professional photographer when I’m done college. I hope you enjoy my blog!

My site is

http://jdoyleimages.smugmug.com