#5/ ARTICLES AND BOOKS NEED PHOTOS, TOO

Roe basking in the Canadian sun before going off to research Columbia Lake.

So far I have talked about writing a book. In today's world a writer needs to become proficient with photography, too. In my case, I took lessons in Los Angeles and Hollywood in how to take good photos and also adjust the film in Photoshop or the program that comes with your camera's picture storage. In more advanced photo adjustment one sometimes wishes to take out a tree or some object on the image, .One time I photographed a horse and did not notice until I printed the image that he had five legs because of a post behind him. Obviously , this was OK, but -- in some cases -  clients (magazines, newspapers,some books and contests) view tampering with your image not popular or simply to be prevented, especially images with scenery. Color and saturation matters, straightening the image, and such are often desirable. It's sort of like cleaning your house before the guests arrive.

Today's cameras are so universally excellent that one can scarcely take bad images, but do take some instruction in the ART of pictures, the mood of the images, is the scene to stay far off or should you take a closer view. If so, you may need to use a tripod or set the camera on a fixed surface. Adjusting our camera to move in on an image with more detail can result in fuzzy images if you do not  control all movement of the camera.

The old saying is that a picture is equal to a thousand words may be the case, especially for moving subject such as a train, sports figure, animal flight, and you should be sure to set your camera for the intended image -- even though many cameras, even inexpensive ones, do include an anti-motion factor.  Sometimes control of the movement helps the image. I recall a photo taken in Patagonia of a closeup cow and calf running past me very fast, where leaving a modest blur of speed across the printed image was a plus.

In this section of the Columbia River we are now researching, grizzly bears are common but the rushing water of the river itself may be the close focal point to match its deep canyon, very swift passage.  Try it both ways. Why not -- all you need to do is delete a digital image if you don't think the image "says anything."