{"id":2332,"date":"2019-03-07T07:08:45","date_gmt":"2019-03-07T04:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/?p=2332"},"modified":"2019-03-07T07:09:32","modified_gmt":"2019-03-07T04:09:32","slug":"what-i-learned-from-doing-an-alphabetical-photo-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/2019\/03\/what-i-learned-from-doing-an-alphabetical-photo-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"What I Learned from Doing an Alphabetical Photo Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"450\" src=\"http:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Light-Bulb-Shot.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Light-Bulb-Shot.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Light-Bulb-Shot-300x180.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption>I found this light bulb in my husband&#8217;s car and it was just begging to be shot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Photography has always been something that interested me. When I was ten, I spent weeks saving up my pocket money to buy a camera. It was a terrible camera, but I thought it was the best thing in the world. I would forget to move the film and would double expose it. Without a screen to show you what you were doing, my fingers would make appearances in the photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-instagram wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BudnQZZFZF2\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BudnQZZFZF2\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BudnQZZFZF2\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Yasmin Gamal (@jessyzz)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When digital cameras came out, I saved for one and it was probably even worse than the analog. It still didn&#8217;t have an LCD screen and the resolution was probably 128&#215;128, yes, this was decades ago. I still loved it and used it but my photography skills never got any better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BudYqSdleut\/\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And then smart phones came about and better digital point and shoots, and I started taking more pictures. A couple of years ago I got my first DSLR and it was NOT a game changer the way I thought it would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn&#8217;t until last year when I finally decided I needed to hunker down and learn the ropes for real. And suddenly I started to understand what things like composition, ISO, aperture and shutter speed really meant. And yes they don&#8217;t always apply to the little camera in my pocket, but the knowledge explains why and how things happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-instagram wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BuJ9SSLFIEy\/\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And then I went for a smaller lighter mirrorless camera which now lives in my bag. It is easy to whip it out for shots whenever I feel like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few weeks ago I wanted to do some sort of photography challenge\/series for fun and to get more practice. The Alphabet seemed easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>WRONG!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had already started with Airplane when I started questioning if I should be literal or more abstract. Should they all be square, since I was posting on Instagram. Should it be a coherent collection? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since I didn&#8217;t overthink it, I just did whatever I felt like. The only constraints were that the photo needed to represent the letter and that they had to go in order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I learned that <strong>too few choices are difficult but so are too many<\/strong>. I was elated when I found an X on the ground because I had been thinking for days what to do with that stupid letter. And then there were letters like B, do you go with Ball, Balloon, Beach, or Building?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Constraints are actually good<\/strong>. When you keep some things constant, it helps you become more creating in other directions. There is also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=v5FL9VTBZzQ\">science<\/a> behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I need to think some things through<\/strong>. I am an over thinker, but I am also a leap and figure it out kind of person and I can easily swing between both sides. Which is sometimes a problem. Now that I have completed one of these, the next time, I will have a better plan. I would love to do a black and white abstract themed challenge. The constraints and rules are clear, so there will be much less agonizing over each picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I <strong>need more directed creative work<\/strong>. I do this for a living, I create content. And I do it for fun. But I grow the fastest when I have clear direction to go in. Focusing on one or two areas helps me hone one skill at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am definitely doing this again, maybe just not right away, because I love the randomness of my Instagram feed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"641\" height=\"637\" src=\"http:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Screen-Shot-2019-03-06-at-6.58.52-AM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Screen-Shot-2019-03-06-at-6.58.52-AM.png 641w, https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Screen-Shot-2019-03-06-at-6.58.52-AM-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Screen-Shot-2019-03-06-at-6.58.52-AM-300x298.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 641px) 100vw, 641px\" \/><figcaption>A snapshot of the pictures.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photography has always been something that interested me. When I was ten, I spent weeks saving up my pocket money to buy a camera. It was a terrible camera, but I thought it was the best thing in the world. I would forget to move the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2333,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"What I Learned from Doing an Alphabetical Photo Challenge (hint: X was really hard)","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[341],"tags":[337,340],"class_list":["post-2332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photography","tag-photography","tag-pictures"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Light-Bulb-Shot.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p10SDt-BC","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2332"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2341,"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332\/revisions\/2341"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chocolatemintsinajar.com\/craft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}