| The photo safari is above all else an opportunity | | | | balance, repetition of form is good design. Does |
| take photographs. It can come in many forms. A | | | | your eye follow a natural path viewing the |
| vacation to Thailand or Jamaica. A cruise to the | | | | picture? |
| Bahamas. Taking the dog for a walk. Any of | | | | Is the photo safari a good idea that will improve |
| these become a photo safari if you have a | | | | our skills make us better photographers? Yes it |
| camera with you. South Florida is a beautiful place | | | | certainly will improve your skills. I will even tell you |
| to live. Hollywood, has beautiful houses and great | | | | how and why it works. Artists and photographers |
| looking seascapes near the water. Riding around | | | | are visually oriented. After they learn color and |
| Hollywood on a motor scooter taking pictures | | | | design, composition and color balance. They start |
| was one of my favorite pastimes. Then I had an | | | | using these elements in their work. Every photo |
| idea. All these beautiful scenes and houses could | | | | we take, or picture we paint adds to our body of |
| become a Photographic essay that a local | | | | experience. I learn something from every picture |
| newspaper might publish. It became a project. I | | | | I paint and every photo I take. |
| spent many afternoons riding through the | | | | The painter is criticizing the painting all the while he |
| neighborhood searching for beautiful photographs. | | | | paints it. What does it need? What should I do |
| We moved to a house 17 miles from Hollywood. | | | | now? Sometimes he will just look at a painting for |
| The Woodlands had beautiful landscaping | | | | half an hour or so. Eventually, the painting tells him |
| throughout the development. I rode the motor | | | | what should be done. The photographer works a |
| scooter around and started photographing foliage | | | | little differently. He works while setting up the |
| and tropical flora. There was even a waterfall a | | | | shot. He is moving around, looking for the right |
| mile and a half away. I started tweaking these | | | | place to shoot, set his composition by zoom, |
| photos and some of them are extraordinarily | | | | camera height, angle, and optimal setting for |
| beautiful. These safaris were spontaneous. I put a | | | | exposure. |
| camera and a bottle of water and a tripod in my | | | | Then he pushes the button and it is done. He |
| pack and out the door I went. You could do it | | | | does the same thing for every picture he takes. |
| differently. Plan a sightseeing excursion and involve | | | | The photographer goes back to his studio, and |
| the family. They would love it. How about a trip | | | | uploads his photos to his photographic software. |
| to Butterfly World or a picnic by the lake. | | | | Then he will criticize and tweak every shot he |
| Any adventure is an opportunity to find | | | | took. This self criticism by both the painter and |
| interesting subject matter. It could be people | | | | photographer provides a new learning experience |
| working, the street you are walking down, or any | | | | with each new work. Your body of experience |
| of a thousand things you find visually exciting at | | | | and knowledge grow with every work you |
| any given moment. Always keep in your mind the | | | | complete. How could you possibly do anything but |
| elements of a good picture. Composition, color | | | | improve your skills and results. |