Ethan Barton, Photo #1, Gas Outing

Getting gas in Bethesda, Maryland, May 29th, 2013.

     In this shot, I tried to focus on the gas pump, while still including most of my car.  I had to get to a lower angle in order to line up the camera with the tank.  Additionally, I tried to use the rule of thirds to center the nozzle near a crosshairs.

Stuck in traffic in Bethesda, Maryland, May 29th, 2013.

     This picture proved to be kind of difficult, as I was the driver.  I definitely got some funny looks from the nearby cars.  This was taken over the steering wheel, which made it difficult to exclude streaks from my filthy windshield, the hood, and the wheel itself, while still paying attention to any movement in traffic.  I only used the auto features in photoshop, which I think made the color a little bit too vibrant.

Listening to D.C. 101.1 en route to a gas station in Bethesda, Maryland, May 29th, 2013.

     Don't worry, this one was taken while the car was stopped, with no other vehicles nearby.  This one was tricky to get the angle right (it's still a bit crooked, even after cropping).  It was also hard to photoshop it well, as the sun made the glare pretty nasty, which wasn't present to the naked eye.  Overall, I spent the most time on this picture editing and re-editing, and still ended up being pretty displeased with it.

     Overall, I really enjoyed the experience.  As a perfectionist with little artistic ability, I'm pleased with my first outing.  The editing was definitely the trickiest part for me.  Additionally, I found myself taken dozens and dozens of pictures of the same shot, trying different angles and functions.  I tried to meticulously focus on the rule of thirds.  The most difficult parts were taking the shots in the community I'm staying in and at the gas station.  The community is fairly well to-do, and I'm a complete stranger, so I felt a little uncomfortable snapping pictures in front of this house.  The gas station was slightly crowded, so I felt like I was intruding and wasting other customers' time.