I have no idea what I’m doing but the picture I took is on the 3rd page of Reddit with 255 upvotes.
If you don’t follow Reddit this probably means relatively little to you but just know that getting upvotes isn’t easy. I’ve probably been following for 2 years and unless it’s original content, it’s challenging to get credit (previously I probably posted 20 times with a total of 42 upvotes). Amazingly, the 2nd time ever I’ve tried to use my new camera it worked like a charm.
How I Took This Shot
The other picture I shot of the marina.
I rarely wake up before 7am but for an inexplicable reason I rose around 6:15 am and decided to try and take a picture of the sunrise. I’d never tried before but figured there is a ball of sun somewhere in the east and I know how to point a camera and hit the button.
As I drove down Delaware Ave I saw a glaring circle coming over the horizon. This is it! I made a U-turn and pulled over to the side of the road and took about 4 pictures with different zoom levels. Another car stopped to check out the horizon and I felt uncomfortable with a camera around my neck that I made sure I snapped the shots as quickly and nonchalantly as I could. As luck would have it, I actually took a good picture from a great vantage point.
All aspects of the shot are dumb luck. Having the bridge and pier encompassing a cool looking sun was not planned and just worked out. I believe that if I took my time and figured out how to shoot this (which is what I expect professional photographers do), I don’t think I could have done a better job. Getting upvotes, likes on Facebook, and the feeling that I took a neat picture makes me want to do it again. However, I have this sinking feeling that this “success” is more beginners luck than being a good photographer. Either way, it’s fun to believe.
I also think that the ability to add the image to imgur, make a title that states exactly what the picture is, and posting it in the Philadelphia subreddit rather than the pics had impact on the picture’s visibility. New redditors may not do this properly.
Try applying this when composing. Simple concept people have been using for ages.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds
Thanks.
Alex who actually uses Reddit and commented on my self advertising needs to know that I’ll self pimp my chump blog at any chance I get. More eye balls equal more potential money. Once I get that, prepare for the ads to be unleashed and me to be swimming in money ala Scrooge McDuck.