Photos by Bob Crum.
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The weekly topic is frequently derived from a reader's question. Such as this weeks topic, “I bought a new camera: Now what?” Now what indeed! Well sir, my normal camera instructional fee is $427.67/hour. But, having just enjoyed a strawberry margarita, I'll discount the 67¢.

Politely said, this column is about photography, not camera instruction. There are too many brands and models. It's OK to dread reading the camera's instruction manual. Instead, YouTube is a great resource. In the search box enter your camera brand and model and voila... a tutorial! CreativeLive.com and Lynda.com are also great resources. They cost some jingle, but a small price to pay for knowing how to operate your camera. I cannot overemphasize the importance of knowing how to operate your camera! Get intimate with it!

Then utilize Psalm ISO 200. Three Wise Elements of the Mighty Trinity of Exposure; Aperture, Shutter Speed and the Holy ISO. Memorize it! It's the escape from the entrapment of “Auto” mode where your photographic creativity is held captive. No more “P” mode shooting.

Also, the three camera modes that will greatly enhance your “creative” photography are Tv (shutter priority), Av, (aperture priority) and the dreaded “manual” mode. Practice! Practice some more!

With summer well underway, another frequent question: “How to take interesting travel photos?” After all, you're going on perhaps a once-in-a-life-time trip to the Antarctic, Machu Picchu or Spistbergan, so certainly you want some magnificent photos. I get that!

First, regardless of where you go... even Albuquerque... PLEASE do not put yourself in every shot! Put a Post-It note on your camera: ONLY two SELFIES per day! Your travel photos will improve exponentially. Believe me!
If the scenery is recognizable, we'll know where you went. Also, posing for a selfie down at the Antarctic and blocking the view of the mermaid sunning on the iceberg behind you is a lousy shot. We only want to see the mermaid!!! Got that?

Besides shooting tons of photos of the abundant scenery and special points of interest, of course it's appropriate to take a few shots of family or friends traveling with you. Note, however, that candid photos of you and/or your traveling companions admiring the landscape, or the mermaids chilling on the icebergs in the background, is usually better than posed photos. Motto: cheesy is sleazy.

If your vacation is taking you to a place with interesting culture, like Mali, Fiji, or the Bahamas, consider shooting photos of the people involved in local events or occupations. This is story telling with photos... photojournalism. However, to avoid spending your vacation in jail, first learn about photo taboos of the locale. Don't ask how I know this!

A gazillion photos have been shot in our nation's national parks. So what? You're there so why not collect your own photos? Secret: Get away from the crowd... hike a little... even brave bushwhacking... find your unique angle of the iconic topography. Remember: Light is paramount! Set the alarm clock for 5 a.m. for scrumptious blue light photos... the light right before sunrise and after sunset. Also, golden hour photography... the time right after sunrise or before sunset should always be considered. BTW, experience dictates that mermaids look stunning during the golden hours. Just sayin'.

Shoot a lot and don't don't delete photos in the camera while shooting. It discombobulates the memory card. Delete at home. Take plenty of extra memory cards and fully-charged batteries. I do not want to hear that just as you were about to shoot the rarely seen freckled mermaid at the Galapagos archipelago... your camera battery died. The mere thought is horrendous!

Happy photoing.

Send comments, suggestions and/or questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

On Tuesday, July 18, the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) will close one eastbound lane of Highway 126 at Hopper Creek, just west of Piru, overnight to make repairs to a railroad grade crossing. VCTC’s contractor, J.A. Placek Construction Co., will begin installing temporary traffic control devices and light towers at 7 p.m. One eastbound lane of Highway 126 is expected to be fully closed in the area from 8 p.m. on July 18 through 4 a.m. on July 19.

On Wednesday, July 19, VCTC will repair the railroad crossing at Highway 126 just east of the El Dorado Estates neighborhood in Fillmore. This work will also require an overnight closure lane closure. Temporary traffic control devices and light towers will be installed starting at 7 p.m. One eastbound lane of Highway 126 is expected to be fully closed in the area from 8 p.m. on July 19 through 4 a.m. on July 20.

During the closures, eastbound traffic will be reduced to one lane. Drivers should expect delays. See map below for location details.

“We will partially close Highway 126 to make needed repairs to the Santa Paula Branch Line,” said Darren Kettle, executive director of VCTC. “By scheduling these closures during nighttime hours, we hope to minimize the inconvenience to motorists and businesses in the 126 corridor while ensuring the railroad crossing remains in safe, working condition.”

The Santa Paula Branch Line, owned by VCTC since 1995, is a stretch of railroad track running from east Ventura through Santa Paula, Fillmore and Piru to the Los Angeles County Line. It crosses Highway 126 in two locations between Fillmore and Piru. During the closures on July 18-20, VCTC’s contractor will repair and replace a defective concrete railroad-crossing panel.

About the Ventura County Transportation Commission
The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.

California Highway Patrol

In support of the California Highway Patrol's (CHP) responsibility to keep California's roadways safe by reducing collisions, and related to the current Independence Day Weekend Maximum Enforcement Period the CHP's Moorpark Area office deployed three officers and one sergeant this morning to partner with the crew of "Air 73," a CHP airplane, to patrol State Route (SR) 126 between Fillmore and the Los Angeles/Ventura County lines. "Air 73" was staffed by two CHP officers, one a Pilot and the other a Flight Officer. The aircraft and crew are based in Paso Robles with another CHP airplane ("Air 71") and a paramedic staffed rescue helicopter ("H-70"). These three aircraft primarily support both CHP and allied agencies within the CHP's Coastal Division (Santa Cruz to Moorpark).

Typically, on these types of missions the aircraft's Flight Officer observes a violation, radios the information to a ground officer who then makes contact with the violator.

This morning's mission occurred in a posted 55 MPH speed zone on SR 126 between 8:58 AM and 10:50 AM (1:52). During this time ground officers made 22 total enforcement contacts. Eighteen drivers were issued citations for driving between 68 and 80 MPH, and an additional four drivers received warnings.

The CHP Moorpark Area wishes to thank our partners at Caltrans for working cooperatively with us in the installation of appropriate signs and roadway markings making it possible to conduct aircraft mission in support of improving roadway safety and reducing collisions.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone who shares the road: drivers, motorcycle riders, bicyclists and pedestrians to take just a moment to reflect how delicate life is, how delicate our bodies are when compared to the energy of a collision.

R. D. COHAN, Lieutenant Commander

Bob Crum

Faithful readers of this column (thank you) know that I shoot straight from the camera, so to speak, to help you improve your photography. Accordingly, I'm going to present a mnemonic acronym that originated with fellow photographer K. Rockwell reconstituted with my embellishments.

Composition, again, is the topic because it's the heart and soul of a compelling photograph. Ignoring the principles of composition almost always results in lackluster photos.

The acronym for better photos is: F.A.R.T. Seriously. As soon as you collect yourself let's see why... ahem... F.A.R.T.ing will improve your photography. Let's begin.

F = Feel. As you arrive at a photogenic scene you'll immediately think: 'Wow, I need to photograph this'. Amateurs promptly take the shot...click... and move on. That's a snapshot... not a photograph. Ponder why you're “feeling” compelled to shoot the photo.

A = Ask. Ask yourself what's special about what you're seeing that creates the itch to photograph it? Spectacular colors? Unique light? Something bizarre? Mentally define what is 'most' compelling about the scene.

R = Refine. Refinement is challenging! As you begin to understand why you want to shoot the photo, refine whatever the specialness is that demands to be photographed. To the degree that you can refine the specialness you 'feel' compelled to photograph is the degree that your photo's wow factor will increase. Lastly...

T = Texture. Is the specialness that you feel urged to photograph involve 'texture'? If so, capture that 'texture' robustly. Or is the compelling attraction a unique color or combination of colors? Fill the 'whole' frame with the special color(s). If the scene includes unique leading lines that attracted your attention refine that and fill the whole frame with that specialness.

As you mentally refine the image, eliminate everything that doesn't relate to or enhance the image. Everything! Creatively composing your photos will produce a strong image. Let's look at an example.

The greatographer (me) arrives at a waterfront and looks... a vivacious mermaid sunning out on the breakwater. My dream photo! Frolicking dolphins all around her. Delicate teal-colored translucent sunlit waves lapping at the rocks. Photogenic aplenty. As I slowly raise my camera... whoa... instead of “you-know-what”... you know that I can't take the photo until I first invite the mermaid to swim over and join me for lunch at Neptune's Seafood Buffet. But I digress...

What first caught my eye? The attractive color of the translucent waves? The frolicking dolphins? The vivacious mermaid? Before I raise my camera to take a photo, I remember to first... ahem... “you-know-what.”

Obviously, the major attraction is the mermaid. As I look through the viewfinder (holding up a sign saying: SMILE) I'll fill the whole frame with only the mermaid's specialness. Eliminate the frolicking dolphins & the appeal of the teal-colored waves. I'm going to zoom in and fill the entire frame with the mermaid. Aaaaaaah!
Wait. As I recall the acronym, I'll Refine' the image. By zooming out just a little I can add some context to the photo. A teal-colored wave would add a 'splash' of color and liveliness. Showing just a little of the rocks (key word: little) adds a touch of texture. Voila, with a little Refinement I just “created” a great photo.

Now that you know how to achieve great compositions, thus great photos, nothing left to do but practice F.A.R.T.ing. Besides, you'll feel better as your stinky photos improve. Just sayin'. But when you see me in Vons, probably not a good idea to yell: “Hey Bob, I F.A.R.T.ed!

Photo of the Week, and other fireworks photos at fillmoregazette.com are included now because too much to do last week on a short deadline.

Happy photoing.

Email your comments, questions and/or suggestions to bob@fillmoregazette.com