Photography Class with Sears Grilling {Pt. 4} #SoFabU #GrillingIsHappiness

We just ended our 4th week of the Photography Class with Sears Grilling and I can't believe how fast it is going by! This week was information overload - but certainly not in a bad way. Questions I had on the manual settings of my camera were answered, from aperture speed to ISO to f-stop - I now have a clear understanding of each element. Using auto-mode is easy and it works great, but to be able to have full control over each individual photo is a dream come true.

We also learned about taking pictures outdoor and what type of lighting is best. It is best to avoid taking pictures in the direct sunlight because it could cause shadows to be too dark and bright areas to be almost white. Since our BBQ is under a covered patio, I didn't necessarily have to worry about direct sunlight but more so that there would be enough light to take pictures. This is where having full control over my camera settings came in handy. Since I really hate using my flash when photographing food, I could instead alter the setting on my camera to allow more light to enter when taking a photograph. Pretty exciting. :)

We were to practice our lesson by taking pictures of food on the grill we recently purchased from Sears Grilling. The picture of Grilled Dessert Bananas above and the Stuffed Baked Potatoes below are two of my favorite pictures from this week using these new techniques. I am really starting to feel like my pictures are getting better!

We also learned about the different angles that can be used to give photographs a variety of looks and feels. The angles we covered this week were straight on, from above, tilt towards, above with perspective, diagonal and gentle tilt.

Although the picture above is not necessarily a bad picture, it could use a little help. Instead, I got closer to my subject and tilted the camera back a little to create a photo that is inviting. It makes me want to grab one of those grilled taters off the page! ;)

Sidenote: Everybody should own a slider basket - it ROCKS!!

Here is some more of practicing angles. Although it wasn't necessarily taught in the lesson, I have learned to take many, many pictures. When using a digital camera, it is so easy to delete all the pictures you don't end up using - it's worth taking extra shots because you never know when that gem of a shot is going to happen.

Which angle do you like more?

I must mention that we absolutely love our new bbq! Buying a bbq is a big purchase and it is awesome to be completely happy with our selection. My Papa always told me I could trust Kenmore. :) There isn't really a set date on when "grilling season" ends, right? ;)

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Sears #CBias #GrillingIsHappiness. All photos and opinions are my own.