So I've had instagram for a while now....like it's been years. Anyways, I've decided to start posting some of my photos on both Instagram and dA!

Follow meh on Instagram at IanBphotos.

There are two photo-taking experiments I have yet to try but really want to. 

The first one is to help you sharpen your understanding of your camera and photo-taking skills. The idea is that you use your DSLR as you would an older SLR film camera. If your camera has a swivel screen (like my T3i) then flip it around so you can't see the live view. If not, then just cover it up with a some paper and tape. Then, limit your self to only being able to take up to 36 photos just like you would have to do with a roll of film. Now, go and take those max 36 photos using only your view finder and camera meter and do it all in manual mode. You will now have to rely on your knowledge of exposure, composition, and any other photo taking techniques you know to take up to 36 good photos.
Pro challenge bonus: Choose one ISO to use and take all 36 photos on that ISO. Just like you would pick the sensitivity of the roll of film.

The second experiment was one I learned in my photography class. They call it "The Chair". The idea here is to take you "back in time" when you first got a DSLR. You know, back then, you made a lot of photographing mistakes that you look at now and think "why in the world would I do that?". For example, I didn't understand the distortion effects focal length had on portraits and I took a lot of them at wide angles such as 18mm. You might have also started out shooting in JPEG since that's most camera's default setting. So, what you do in this experiment is: you have 20 minutes to take as many photos as you would like. Be it 5 or 50. You must pick ONE subject to photograph. For example, the guy in the video I saw did it using a wooden chair (hence the experiment's name). Now, within the 20 minutes you have, take a different photo of your subject every time. That's it....well that's not entirely it. Your restrictions are, other than having to take a different photo every time, that you MUST shoot in JPEG and you cannot edit your photos in an external photo-editing program. Not even a simple program like iPhoto. You are allowed to use your in-camera settings to edit the photos though. Such as changing the contrast, saturation, overall exposure, etc. This experiment will put you in the same position you were when you first starting using a DSLR. But now, with the knowledge you have gained ever since, you can put that said knowledge to use on the photos you would have taken back then, with the same nooby restrictions as before.
Pro challenge bonus: if you can, only use the kit lens you had when you first started out. Most likely an 18-55mm.

These are two challenges/experiments I have to try out soon. Once I do them both, I'm thinking of doing a third experiment that is an Expert challenge bonus! Where I do a combination of the two experiments. One subject, 20 minutes, shooting in JPEG, minimum and maximum 36 photos, no live view, no post processing, and each of those 36 photos must be different from the others. *phew* That's gonna be difficult...but I look forward to it and maybe even submit some of the good photos to dA.

How many artists can't stop self criticizing themselves after they share their artwork even though people tell them it's fine? According to this very accurate illustration, it is called "The Creators Curse". This annoying phenomenon is one that affects me deeply. I literally have thousands of photos in my library to choose from and some of them I feel like i'd want to share them. But I can't find the strength to post them due to the fear of it being a bad image in my eyes. I have seen many photos, that I at first thought were fantastic, being critiqued afterwards and then making me realize there can be many factors in an image that can hurt it. Factors I seem to find in every single photo of mine. On some days, I feel just good enough to post some photographs and then regretting it the next day.
I ask of you, fellow dA artists, how do you overcome such an annoying problem?

I have been tagged by

Obligatory Rule Posting:

1. You must post these rules.
   
2. Each person has to share 10 things about themselves.
   
3. Answer the 10 questions asked to you and invent 10 questions the people your tag will have to answer.
   
4. Choose the 10 people and put them on your journal.
   
5. Go to their page to inform them they are tagged. (Don't have to, since there are notifications)
   
6. Not something like "You are tagged if you read that."
   
7. You have to legitimately tag 10 people.
   
8. No tag-backs.
   
9. You can't say you don't do tags.
   
10. YOU MUST MAKE A JOURNAL ENTRY, NOT COMMENT.
    

Facts:

1. My future plans are like my cookie jar, not that the jar is empty, but I have no cookie jar...
2. I try to type without looking sometimes.
3. I hate the school system and public education in general but I like knowledge/learning.
4. I am mischievous and I can't stop myself.
5. I love cute things (e.g. puppies) but have a lower empathy level than most people...psychopath much?
6. Laughing is fun.
7. My 'personality' depends on my mood and who I am with.
8. I'm a good liar.
9. I'm pretty random...ok fine, I'm REALLY RANDOM.
10. Bananas.

Answers to The-Moon-Eevee's Questions:

1. Do you ever want to fly? Do you mean have the super power of flight? Well, yeah, although I'm scared of heights because of falling...but since I can fly I guess I can get over it.
   
2. What are you afraid of? What I can't see/What I don't understand. (E.g. The deep ocean.)
   
3. Do you look forward to your birthday? I'm not a big fan of my birthday.
   
4. Ever met anyone with the same birthday as you? Don't think so. I have met people with birthday's close to mine though.
   
5. Introvert or extrovert? A little bit of both.
   
6. What pokemon do you think you are? I like Eevee but I also like the classic Charizard/Charmander. So probably one of those two.
   
7. *Holds up a mouse* What do you think? *Stares at wireless computer mouse. * What's so weird about that?
   
8. *Picks up a gecko* What about now? ಠ_ಠ PUT THAT DOWN!
   
9. Do you think of me as a purple eevee? Of course.
   
10. Did you test out the free premium? Yup.
    

My Questions:

1. Can you draw well?
2. Favorite type of art?
3. What would you like to do for a career.
4. Do you sing?
5. Do you dance?
6. What do you think about movies in general? Do you like watching them?
7. What is something you like about yourself?
8. What is something you dislike of yourself?
9. What do you think of your parents?
10. How did you find dA?

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