I usually don't write journals, but one of my friends wanted to learn some of my techniques. So here they are. I'll be happy to answer any questions, too.

Making photos is something that has a lot to it, and has many different ways to create pictures, and look at them. Please note that I'm not a professional, and I've only had practice, and gone to one photography camp. My dad got me inspired, and my interest grew from there. I usually work with nature, making pictures of plants, landscapes, and animals. For the first step in photography, you need to pick out a topic, or a few topics, to work with. There's countless things, and you can do what ever you want. How to make the picture is a whole other process. You might want to make a picture of something behind something else, or maybe frame it with another object. Keep in mind, people look at one thing many different ways, so find the best for you. The lighting is also another factor. Do you want the photo bright or dark? Do you want light in a specific area? Find what works best on the picture, and try making it with a flash, and then another without flash. I found pools of light, peeping through trees, very nice in my prospective. If you're photographing a person, suggest different ways in which to pose, stand, or look towards. The most common way, and most natural, is a strait face, but relaxed, looking towards the camera. Also, try getting closer to the object or person, or maybe farther away. Photography is all about prospective and lighting. The last step is getting the camera focused, making sure that the picture won't come out blurry. I've done that many times, and I then regret not having the patience to let the camera focus. For cameras other than the point and shoot, you'll have to adjust the focus yourself. There are also many other cameras, some that I don't know about. With these tips, I suggest using a digital camera, but the film cameras will work too. I'm not the master at those though. Now, take your camera with you somewhere, and start making photos!

So that's a little bit of what I've learned in the past year, and believe me, my photography is getting much better. I hope these tips have helped and I'd be happy to answer any questions, so don't be shy to ask.