Photog

I love to look at beautiful photograhs. You know the ones -- they speak to your heart. It seems to me, a really great photograph has power.

Power to make you laugh, despite yourself,

try to swallow that lump that has suddenly appeared in your throat,

feel inspired to be so much better than who you are,

or simply to be grateful for the beauty that surrounds you,

whether it be your natural surroundings

or your own gorgeous children.

I long to be that kind of photographer. Alas, I'm hampered by my own lack of confidence and my super-nice but simple, point and shoot camera. Regardless, I AM the family photojournalist and relish the responsibility. And I have found a great book to help me improve my picture-taking abilities.

"Expressions" by Donna Smylie and Allison Tyler Jones is a great book for aspiring photographers. Although it is geared somewhat for cameras a little more sophisticated than my point and shoot, I still absorbed lots of great tips.

The authors go into detail regarding the "five 'S's of Compostition":

See the Possibilities

Subject

Simplify the frame

Setting

Share the Story

And the "four 'M's of Lighting":

Main Light

Meter

Mood

Modify

Each section was written in a simple manner, so that I could understand the technique, even as an amateur, without being condescending, which I appreciated. Scattered through the pages were also "photo notes" and captions, that helped clarify things a little more.

Admittedly, perhaps the best part of the book are all the striking pictures that not only illustrate the technique, but inspire and speak to you. It is a quick read and very worthwhile to those of us who long to take beautiful pictures, even if it is with a simple point and shoot camera.