Now is the month of Maying

There is an old saying that goes something along the lines of “April showers bring May flowers.” While this is generally a principle that holds true, in the photography world, it is also the time when things start really hopping. Below is a list of just some of the activities that drive the photography industry as we move into late Spring and early Summer:

  1. Wedding season kicks into high gear (wedding photographers)
  2. High school and college graduation parties are scheduled (which is great for portrait photographers)
  3. Engagements are announced (with anticipation of #1 the following year) (portrait photographers again)
  4. Family portraits are planned in conjunction with all of the above (portrait photographers yet again)
  5. A new season of sports swings into gear such as baseball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and countless other summer leagues (great for sports shooters)
  6. Mating seasons begin for birds (nature photographers)
  7. Rivers, streams, and waterways are teaming with new life (landscape photographers are just ecstatic)

Yeah, we’re all pretty much chomping at the bit to get out and shoot all our favorite subjects as May approaches. So, now is the best time to make sure you’ve brushed up and kept apace of things in the photography world. That means dusting off your equipment, taking a few dry runs, refreshing on the technicalities, and testing your gear to make sure everything works.

What’s my point in all of this? Well, the best piece of gear (your eye, and by extension, your brain) also needs testing. So, stop over to the TOP test, as I’ve rounded out the questions for the Photography 101 – A Primer! It’s a test bank of 25 questions, ranging from the basics of composition, to the technicalities of focal lengths, some basic Photoshop, and a little more. After first releasing the beta version, I’ve gotten some great feedback, adjusted some wording, added some elements, and tweaked some scripting issues to make a fully functioning test to rate your skills in the category of “PHOTOGRAPHY 101 – A primer”. Stop over today, and see how you score! After you’re done, stop back over to the blog to share your comments, or email your thoughts to me directly via the form fields at the bottom of the page.

Finally, I’d also like to point out the new poll again – just started over the weekend, and I would like to see if there is any interest in adding just an audio component to the blog. Thus far I’ve stuck with video as photo people do tend to be visual in nature, and a few penned articles and essays for your reading pleasure, along with occasional photos to share. (Anyone notice the change in format there for photos posted to the blog? A big ‘ole “atta boy (or atta gal) for the first that can tell me what the change was…) But, since I do enjoy listening to the occasional podcast myself, thought that others might enjoy an audio format that is possibly more portable than a video tutorial. The options should be pretty straightforward.

Since there is an option for a “dialog with fellow photographers” I should also mention that the floor is also open for anyone who would like to either take part in a weekly or monthly episode either as a fellow commentator, or as an interviewee. So if either of this sounds appealing to you (would possibly help increase your own photography site’s traffic and visibility – not sure how much though as I only have a PR of 3). Anyway, just opening the possibility for some dialog with others in the community if they are interested. Drop me an email if you are…would love to hear others thoughts on it!

As a bit of Canon trivia and as kind of a PSA, I also would like to share the news of their National Parks Contest, which started back on April 22nd and will be going through September of this year. I suspect I might get an image or two in, so if I make it to the finals, you know I’ll be pumping the vote here! (That’s a big IF though – look at what they’ve got online already! The link for contest info is here.)

Anyway, so much for keeping things short after my diatribe last week, eh? Until tomorrow:  Happy shooting and watch those apertures! 😉

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