I've discovered that the best way to improve my photography skills is by taking photographs. It came as a shock to realize that there was no Youtube video that could turn me into a pro. In particular, I wanted to learn more about handling light. They say (don't ask me who) that the best light is actually overcast because it's diffused throughout the scene. The golden hour is famous because you can get some far out shots in the morning and afternoon. Worst light is the one directly overhead, searing down with its white hot beams on all your cool shots. I hadn't been using the exposure feature in my Olympus tough, so I decided to test it in the midday sun.
I decided to tackle one of the most visually stunning displays of natural beauty in Spring. Cherry blossoms. The city is full of trees that every Spring burst in the most extravagant shades of pink. I don't feel unmanly at all saying that they're very pretty, and the perfect subject for my photographic endeavors. Fortunately, there's a map online that shows all the places where trees are located. Without it, what I was about to attempt would've been impossible.
My companion and I covered some ground in this neighbourhood. The light was harsh, being directly overhead, but I think some of it is unique.
In this shot, I set the exposure dial to -1, making the image darker. Without it, the tree looked just like a blob of white light without any detail.
The petals on the ground get me every time. So full of the aesthetic feeling the Japanese call Yūgen
As you can see, the light being overhead created almost like a halo effect on the top blossoms. The light also changed throughout the day, so I had to constantly adjust to the varying conditions. Of course, I'm not showing the ones that didn't turn out so good. Those ones looked washed out because of the bright light.
We must've covered about one percent of the map, and as the day continued, we finally had enough of the blossoms. We made our way to Chancho, where we had tacos and horchata. Not a bad way to spend a beautiful sunny spring day.
Images by @litguru