I Love “iPhotos”

Confessions of a shutterbug

By Ken FendleyPublished 5 years ago • 2 min read

Sunrise in the Ouachitas

Growing up I wasn’t much into photography. But all that changed in 1971 when I was reassigned from the command of a rifle platoon to the command of the battalion motor platoon. This assignment meant that I would spend my days and nights on the fire base, instead of out in the boonies. Hence, I was finally able to purchase a decent camera, specifically a Mamiya Sekor 1000dtl, 55mm, f1:4 SLR. Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Prior to this purchase, all I had were Instamatics and Polaroids. Now, I wanted to shoot everything in sight. Somewhere I have a collection of shots from 1971-72 which I’ve not been able to locate.

For you millennials, this camera actually used what is called film, (I apologize if that sounds condescending. It’s just that I’ve been around for quite some time and have millennial grandchildren.) and photos had to be developed in a darkroom. This probably seems like ancient history to many of you, but there was a certain anticipation in not being able to have the immediate gratification of looking at your device and seeing how your picture turned out. I mean, it worked for Ansel Adams. Besides, we didn’t know the difference, because back then we had never heard of digital photography or cell phones.

All that changed in 2007 when I was dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. That was the year I bought my first smart phone. I soon discovered that it could take some pretty decent photographs. I have a very nice digital Nikon with several lenses, but I still tend to default to my smart phone because I have it with me more often than I do the camera.

However, good photography isn’t dependent upon the quality or expense of the equipment, but rather the eye of the photographer. Most professionals will tell you that a good picture is comprised of three parts: subject, composition, and light. Speaking of light, allow me to elucidate.

Subject: almost anything can make for a good subject. When something of interest catches your eye, drag out your phone and snap a photo. I was sitting and reflecting this morning, and this clown fish caught my eye. His name is Sid Fishus, and he lives in my wife’s saltwater tank.

This beautiful elk I saw beside the road on the Cherokee reservation in western North Carolina. He obligingly posed as I rolled down my window and grabbed a shot with my phone.

This is one of my all-time favorites. These three crosses stand in front of a Methodist Church in Morganton, North Carolina.

I shot this rosebud at night - in November.

Composition: most often I like to place the subject near the center of the photo with items of interest around it. This tobacco barn is framed by leaves in the foreground. Trees, walls, rocks, can all be used to frame a subject.

Light: When taking photos outside, early morning or late afternoon are the best times. You get a more colorful sky, and nice long shadows that give a lot of texture to your subject. I snapped this photo of a veterans’ memorial in a cemetery near where I used to live. I pulled my phone out and took this picture as I was walking my dog late one afternoon.