2018: Year of Learning

2018 Learning Goal: Shoot even when the lighting is less than ideal and learn to work with it in the field and in post-processing.

A very belated happy new year to all. As is customary after coming out of the haze of the holiday season and looking a new year straight in the eye, I have resolved to do some things. Goals are always a part of my photography, but 2018 is going to be very different in many ways, the least of which is more time will be devoted to photography.

If there is any take-away message from my 25+ years of teaching at a university, it is that continuous learning is the most essential ingredient to teaching. The second most essential ingredient is knowing how to simplify your explanations. I earned a Ph.D in physiology and can talk circles around a student's head about "gobbledygook" that had very little meaning to him or her. But students will be students and therefore, will ask questions because they want to find the meaning behind something. And that's when I realized that while I thought I had a practical understanding of physiology, I was struggling to explain it to students.

2018 Learning Goal: Experiment with landscape compositions using the telephoto lens; and study the masters. 

It occurred to me that in order to provide a simple answer to a simple question, I needed to somehow connect the basics to my convoluted understanding of physiology. In other words, I had to dig through all those confusing concepts and find the basic foundation underneath them. And then rebuild my understanding with a simplified version in order to convey its practicality to others.

2018 Learning Goal: Master the use of neutral density and polarizer filters and understand how they work!

And that is exactly what I wish to do with my photography this year, I want to get back to the basics. Only this time I will play a dual role, as student who asks the questions and the teacher who answers them.

2018 Learning Goal: Practice shooting fast subjects and master the camera's tracking focus.

So I challenge you to do the same. For example, you may have recently started using manual exposure. What do you really know about exposure and your camera's meter? Do you have a clear understanding of how the camera's meter works? Do you know when and why you need to stop up or stop down? Do you understand how the lens's focal length affects exposure? Make believe you are a teacher and that you have to explain exposure to a student. Do you have a deep enough understanding to do that in a meaningful, yet simplified way?

That will be my approach this year. And if I can't give myself a correct and simple explanation, I will hit the books until I get it. Ask questions and learn the answers. Do it because you love it.

2018 Learning Goal: Master the use of selective masking in Photoshop.