Photography Portfolio
Ansel Adams
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
About My Photography
Overview
I’m an amateur photographer focusing on landscape, street, and travel photography. This note showcases my best work and documents my learning journey.
Equipment
Current Gear
- Camera: Sony A7III
- Lenses:
- 24-70mm f/2.8 (main lens)
- 70-200mm f/4 (telephoto)
- 50mm f/1.8 (prime)
- Accessories: Tripod, ND filters, polarizer
Camera Settings Cheat Sheet
| Situation | Aperture | Shutter | ISO | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | f/8-f/11 | 1/125+ | 100-400 | Use tripod for long exposure |
| Portrait | f/1.8-f/2.8 | 1/200+ | 100-800 | Wide open for bokeh |
| Street | f/5.6-f/8 | 1/500+ | 400-1600 | Zone focusing |
| Night | f/2.8+ | 1-30s | 1600-6400 | Tripod essential |
| Macro | f/8-f/16 | 1/200+ | 200-800 | Focus stacking |
Photo Series
Japan Travel (2024)
Fushimi Inari
Day 3: Fushimi Inari Shrine
Fushimi Inari
Famous for its thousands of vermillion torii gates. The full hike takes about 2-3 hours.
The hike was both physically demanding and spiritually moving. I reflected on the concepts from Book Notes - Thinking Fast and Slow about how environment shapes our experience.
Link to original
Urban Landscapes
Technique
For city shots, look for:
- Leading lines (roads, railways)
- Reflections (puddles, glass)
- Symmetry (architecture)
- Golden hour light
Nature & Landscapes
Locations
- Mountains — Sunrise shots work best
- Forests — Look for light rays
- Water — Long exposure for silk effect
- Desert — harsh shadows, minimal subjects
Editing Workflow
graph LR A[Import RAW] --> B[Culling] B --> C[Basic Adjustments] C --> D[Color Grading] D --> E[Local Adjustments] E --> F[Export]
Lightroom Presets
My Go-To Settings
Landscape:
- Exposure: +0.3
- Contrast: +15
- Highlights: -40
- Shadows: +30
- Clarity: +20
- Vibrance: +15
Street:
- Exposure: 0
- Contrast: +25
- Highlights: -20
- Shadows: +15
- Grain: 15
Composition Rules
Rule of Thirds
Place key elements at the intersection of thirds lines.
Breaking Rules
Once you learn the rules, break them intentionally. Centered compositions can be powerful.
Learning Resources
Recommended
- The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnbaum
- YouTube: Peter McKinnon, Thomas Heaton
- Practice: Shoot daily, even if just with your phone
Photo Statistics
| Category | Count | Best Shot |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | 45 | Mountain sunrise |
| Street | 32 | Night market |
| Portrait | 18 | Environmental portrait |
| Macro | 12 | Dew on spider web |
| Architecture | 28 | Modern vs traditional |
| Total | 135 |
Goals
- Complete Japan photo series
- Create a printable photo book
- Enter a local photography contest
- Learn film photography
- Shoot a wedding (as practice)
Technical Notes
Common Mistakes
- Over-editing — keep it natural
- Ignoring white balance — shoot RAW
- Not cleaning the sensor — dust spots
- Using too many filters — simplicity wins
See Also
- Travel Journal — Where I took the photos
- Web Development Basics — Building the portfolio site
- Quartz Blog Setup — Publishing the portfolio
*Tags: photography portfolio camera editing