November 24, 2026
Michael Farnham
My View of My World

The images represent my experiences in photography. They are in order from early in 2000 to May of 2026. There is no special theme or unifying subject. They are images that I like, and they show how I have changed or maybe not changed as a photographer.

 About Michael:

I bought my first DSLR in 1999. Before then the only cameras I had owned were inexpensive point and shoots and Kodak Instamatics. As a result of that, the only things I could do with a camera were point and shoot. I did not know what an f-stop was and had only a vague idea of what exposure was. I had never heard of ISO or ASA. Knowing my complete ignorance, I started researching books and local courses offered by the Dallas Community College System. These were helpful but I realized I needed something more. After a little hunting on the internet, I discovered that there were two camera clubs that met relatively nearby. Since I needed so much, I reasoned that meeting twice a month was better than meeting once a month so I joined the Dallas Camera Club.

The lessons before the meetings of the Dallas Camera Club helped me learn the mechanics of photography and introduced me to some of the artistic theories. I learned more about composition, and I began to understand the exposure triangle and the effects each leg had on the photograph. It was also extremely helpful to go on field trips and enter competitions. I had mixed success in the competitions, but I quickly learned that like Ricky Nelson said "You can't please everyone so you've got to please yourself." I focused on taking pictures I liked and adapting the rules/suggestions to my taste.

One of the main reasons I bought my DSLR was to be able to take higher quality pictures of the birds I saw on my walks. As it turned out I never took my DSLR on my walks. but I still enjoy taking pictures of birds. The field trips enabled me to try different subjects. I eventually learned that I most enjoyed wildlife, landscapes, and sports. I am still not very good at taking photos of people. I do not get a lot of practice doing that because unless they are playing sports people do not pull me in. I can appreciate other people's portraits but only after the fact.

To those DCC members who came out, please send 7 - 10 of your images, plus any images of members in action, to me before Wednesday, December 2.  Send them to me at rwsntx@gmail.com.  As always, feel free to put your watermark on each image, and your name in the saved file so I can know who they belong to.  The digital size should be the same as for competitions (1920w x 1280h).  Additionally, Prestonwood Polo & Country Club invites all photographers to share their images with them for consideration to be added to their media.  If you'd like to share your images, please send them to:  info@prestonwoodpolo.com  You will retain your copyrights to any images they choose to share.  For more infomation about sharing your images with them, please go to their website, Photography Notice.

Robert Shafer