Picture perfect

When Debi Steadman raised the camera to her face she said she didn’t take a picture, but captured a moment.

Steadman said she doesn’t have much photography experience; if anything, it’s more of a hobby. She usually takes random photographs, which she said works out sometimes. She wanted to take better pictures so she took part in a photographer’s workshop hosted by Barry Wojciechowski at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park Saturday.

Steadman attended an earlier workshop but wanted to refine her skills even further. She said Wojciechowski’s workshops were positive experiences and with a small class size of seven people she said she got a lot of one-on-one time with a seasoned pro.

"I’ve been doing photography for a couple of years as a hobby and I don’t know many of the details or how to use the camera properly," Steadman said. "What interests me about photography is trying to capture a moment and trying to get that image that you’re looking for."

Steadman said she enjoys taking photographs of places she’s been and of her family and friends.

The first tip for amateur photographers is to read the camera’s instruction manual, Wojciechowski said. With new gadgets and abilities offered on digital cameras, he said it’s important to know what a person’s camera is capable of.

Wojciechowski photos focused on landscapes and wildlife but he later changed his focus to involve more people in his photos. He started to take photos for weddings and other social events.

"There isn’t a camera in the world that is going to take a better picture, no matter how expensive it is, unless you know how to use it," Wojciechowski said. "You don’t need the very latest and the very best; you need to learn how to use your camera."

Wojciechowski said with digital cameras people are able to get immediate feedback from the photos they just took.

Film cameras required a roll to be developed before the photographer knew whether the image taken was taken properly.

However, no matter what camera is used, a good photographer makes all the difference.