Thanks, Joe. When I'm off the field, I have a passion for photography. I truly can't get enough of setting up various shots and then sharing the pictures with friends, family, and occasionally former New York Jets co-workers. I have a few tips for making your photos better than you thought that they could ever be.
1. Know your medium
When I first experimented with photography I did not consider the medium. What I mean by medium is how your snapshot will be seen. Is it going to be a massive photograph or a little blip on a cell phone screen. Knowing this will help you choose your camera and how you want to set up your shot.
2. Subject
After you know your medium, you need to have something to take a picture of. For beginners, I recommend something still that you will have complete control over. The more comfortable and familiar you are with the object the better. Make it unique. Take a picture of something that not everyone has seen that is uniquely you.
3. Scale
It is important to set up something in the picture that will show your viewer how big something is. A good photographer can trick the viewer into believing that something is quite large or quite small. For example a quarter next to an object will show how big a thing is in relation to that quarter. "Wow that thing is equivalent in size to 11 quarters!" The smart photographer also knows that having a smaller trick quarter can make things look bigger. "I would never have guessed it was that big but there is a quarter right next to it so it must be [that big]!"
4. Lighting
Lighting is important for maintaining accurate color. For skin tones, shadows can provide a creepy effect or make wrinkles more pronounced. The older you get, the more care you want to take because you always want to display your object in the best light.
5. Depth of field
Wikipedia says that depth of field is "the portion of a scene that appears acceptably sharp in the image." By mastering depth of field, you can make an object appear to come at you by making part of it in focus and part of it out.
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| It's hard to tell exactly how far this wall goes on for. |
6. Practice
I didn't get to be Brett Favre just by doing nothing. I had to work hard. Oftentimes when I'm alone I will photograph whatever is around. Sometimes it is something I'm holding. Sometimes it's an activity that I'm doing. Sometimes it's a freaky combination of the two. The point is practice in a variety of different positions and with or without the lights on.
7. Feedback
When you think you have a picture worthy of critique, it is time to show it to the world. Some people would display their photographs and invite people to see them if they so desire but I'm much more forward. I send my photos directly to people that I think want to see them. I go through my phone and address books, deciding who would appreciate the nuances and subtly of the picture. Then I force it on them to get their true reactions. Don't get discouraged. Some people will not appreciate your art. They may think it's harassment and not something a married man should do. Screw 'em. You are Brett Favre. You can do whatever you want.
There you have it. It's not hard unless you want it to be (hard). Enjoy this picture of my balls.
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