Food for Thought

Today’s Post by Mildred Alpern

If you are reading this, in all probability you are a photographer who loves taking pictures and looking at what others shoot. As you import your images onto a computer, you relive that moment when you took that scene—where you were, who was there, what you framed and envisioned. It is always a surprise to see whether the computer screen image match your expectations. Sometimes you are pleased; other times disappointed. So be it. But whatever your response, the next phase is to try and verbalize what you see and check your settings.

We know the old saw, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” but words that we use to describe the image are worth something too. They sharpen our ways of seeing and help us become more literary in expressing our thoughts.

For example, a recent family dinner served traditional Chinese food. The dishes were beautiful and I took some pictures. On screen, the food glistened as it did on the table—curling greens, flat noodles in broth, a Lazy Susan with the varied dishes. The meal was memorable for the joy of sharing and for the knowledge that these dishes took preparation time. These were quick candid shots, fun to take and fun to share with the family at a future date.

For this blog’s readers, perhaps the most important information is how I captured these images, quickly and simply, using an Olympus M-5 Mark II with the M. Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 lens in aperture mode at f/5.0, ISO 320. I let the camera, set the shutter speed and used spot metering.

Let me see what you are shooting with your mirrorless camera and what lens you are using. Inspiration breeds inspiration. Tell us at Mirrorless Photo Tips a bit about your experiences outdoors and indoors as well.