2018 Capture Your 365 Feature
Behind the Lens with Danette Badger
Posted by Emily on Mar 13, 2018 in Behind The Lens Blog | 22 Comments
Some people just have a gift for capturing the everyday in such a real, beautiful, and creative way.
And Danette Badger is just one such photographer in our midst.
Some people just have a gift for capturing the everyday in such a real, beautiful, and creative way.
And Danette Badger is just one such photographer in our midst.
Her self portraits always capture my attention as do her pictures of her kids doing life. Her pictures are relatable to me, and I connect with both her and her family through them. Because that's what photography does. It connects us to each other through amazing, real images. So let's learn what makes Danette click. |
How many years have you been with CY365?
This is my 4th year with CY365. I was successful in 2014 with a complete project, took 2015 off to try something else (which failed horribly), and then completed projects in both 2016 and 2017.
What equipment do you use the most in your project?
To be honest, I typically use my iPhone 5c (which I hate)! But it’s the easiest thing to grab in my busy life and I am grateful that I have it to document life when my DSLR isn’t available. My goal for 2018, however, is to NOT use my cell phone as often and use my Nikon D7000. A couple of my favorite lenses are my Tamron 24-70mm or my Nikon 50mm.
What made you decide to do a 365 project?
I have loved photography since I was around 9 years old. I had gotten a camera for Christmas that you plugged a tower of bulbs into the top of it that died when you used them one by one.
Ever since then I was hooked!
So, with this love of photography, my obsession with scrapbooking, and the upgraded equipment I moved up to, I thought I was a natural which was NOT THE CASE AT ALL!
I was not producing the images that I had in my head and would be continually disappointed with my photos.
I shot in auto mode on my nice DSLR and even though I did get some nice photos I still wasn’t happy.
I was frustrated with myself that I had this beautiful camera and I had no idea to use it.
So, I joined CY365 in 2014 and switched my camera to Manual mode on day one and never looked back.
Ever since then I was hooked!
So, with this love of photography, my obsession with scrapbooking, and the upgraded equipment I moved up to, I thought I was a natural which was NOT THE CASE AT ALL!
I was not producing the images that I had in my head and would be continually disappointed with my photos.
I shot in auto mode on my nice DSLR and even though I did get some nice photos I still wasn’t happy.
I was frustrated with myself that I had this beautiful camera and I had no idea to use it.
So, I joined CY365 in 2014 and switched my camera to Manual mode on day one and never looked back.
Now, I can say with confidence that I know my camera inside and out and I am pretty proud of that! It took me an entire year to do so but I was finally able to navigate that big camera with confidence and pride. Not to mention, my scrapbook pages really became beautiful with the awesome photos that I was taking!
What is the hardest part of doing a 365?
This is a hard question!
Some days I really have no ambition or no inspiration but I have been taking a photo a day for so long that my day is just not complete if I don’t take a photo.
So, on prompt or off prompt I will take a photo and I will use it to document my day no matter what.
Some days I really have no ambition or no inspiration but I have been taking a photo a day for so long that my day is just not complete if I don’t take a photo.
So, on prompt or off prompt I will take a photo and I will use it to document my day no matter what.
What do you do when you're in a slump and you don't want to pick up your camera?
I pick it up anyway!
It may not be my DSLR – it’s any camera that I have within grasp and I will capture whatever I can.
I am lucky to have three kids at home and a dog and cat so there is usually something I can document for my day.
It also helps to have a family who is so used to my obsession so they usually ask me the prompt for the day and that helps out so much.
It may not be my DSLR – it’s any camera that I have within grasp and I will capture whatever I can.
I am lucky to have three kids at home and a dog and cat so there is usually something I can document for my day.
It also helps to have a family who is so used to my obsession so they usually ask me the prompt for the day and that helps out so much.
What has been your most favorite prompt?
I love the prompts that make me get in front of the camera.
Those are my favorite.
I am my family’s historian so I am always behind the camera. I think that to be pushed in front of the camera here and there is a good thing. Sometimes, all we have are photos of the memories we have shared with special people so I want to make sure that my family has me documented too.
I am my family’s historian so I am always behind the camera. I think that to be pushed in front of the camera here and there is a good thing. Sometimes, all we have are photos of the memories we have shared with special people so I want to make sure that my family has me documented too.
What prompt, when you see it, makes you cringe?
Food photography hands down
I usually go off prompt with these actually.
But, I always love to see the creativity and beautiful photos that the community members share with these prompts. I wish I could have a garden of my own which would probably help me with these prompts and some day that may happen. I do like to bake but the time for that is hard to find.
But, I always love to see the creativity and beautiful photos that the community members share with these prompts. I wish I could have a garden of my own which would probably help me with these prompts and some day that may happen. I do like to bake but the time for that is hard to find.
What have you learned about yourself and about photography through doing a 365?
I guess the most profound thing I have learned about myself is that I do enjoy being in the photos. I have lost so many special people and even pets in my life and sometimes all we have left is a photograph and I want to be sure that my loved ones have memories of me too. Photography has taught me to slow down and enjoy this beautiful life we live. Photography has given me a passion for life that I always knew was there – I just know how to express it now! I love getting those prompts that make me step out of my comfort zone. Even if that comfort zone means I need to wake up earlier than normal to get a photo of a sunrise ~ I’ll always be happy that I did push myself to do so. There isn’t one photo that I regret taking. It’s those photos that I don’t take that I will regret forever.
What do you love about photography?
I have learned to look at things! To really slow down and just observe! Even with a camera in my face, I have been able to learn how to see things that others may not notice. I have learned to move MY body to create a point of view that others may not think of. I love how it’s so subjective – how one image can mean something completely different to you than it may mean to me.
I love how I am capturing life – EVERY DAY! I am capturing the good, the bad, the great, and the mundane. I love knowing that in the future – 20, 30, 40 years from now - I can look back and see a collection of work that I created and look at an image and remember what we did that day. I love knowing that through my photos I can bring back memories that we may have otherwise forgotten about. As a scrapbooker, I literally remember my life in photos. I have had many people ask me things like, “Who was at Christmas last year?” and I can pull out my albums and tell them exactly who was there and who missed coming.
I love how I am capturing life – EVERY DAY! I am capturing the good, the bad, the great, and the mundane. I love knowing that in the future – 20, 30, 40 years from now - I can look back and see a collection of work that I created and look at an image and remember what we did that day. I love knowing that through my photos I can bring back memories that we may have otherwise forgotten about. As a scrapbooker, I literally remember my life in photos. I have had many people ask me things like, “Who was at Christmas last year?” and I can pull out my albums and tell them exactly who was there and who missed coming.
What is a piece of advice you'd like to share to those doing their FIRST 365?
Don’t compare yourself, as a photographer, to anyone else except the photographer you were yesterday! (I hope that makes sense)! I remember early on in my project, I was posting photos next to some extremely creative and perfect images and I was COMPARING mine to theirs. It was an extremely unfair thing to do to myself and once I got over that, and really started to see how I was growing as a photographer, I found that I enjoyed it much more. Currently, I still post my photos next to extremely creative and perfect images and love those images for what my CY365 friends are sharing. I don’t always have a perfect image to share – some are not as in focus as I would like, some are a quick cell shot that I usually dislike, but no matter what, I am documenting my day in some way and that is the important part. No matter what I shoot for the day, I have learned something and tomorrow I will do better. As for today, I have captured something meaningful that I will have forever.