Now that I'm getting more and more exposure to photography, I think it's time to visit the Anual Exposure & Photo Video Imaging Expo coming to the west end of Toronto starting today. Now I'm no pro and have no intention of going pro in a supra-saturated market of freelance photography, but it's always nice to capture a feeling, a mood, a scenery, a moment in time, just the way you experienced it. You want to share with others exactly what your 3D vision registered on the retina of your dreary eye. Unfortunately as technologically advanced as cameras and SLRs are getting nowadays, they still cannot do all the work for you. Lightning and exposure especially is very finicky, and that Auto setting on your little point-and-shoot comes nowhere near in capturing the exactity of every light particle in the surrounding air. Things such as the sun, shadows, air particles will affect your lens and the way it captures the shot. And the old adage of "hey, I'll just take 1000 shots and later just choose the best 2" is getting old faster than the "Say what?" phrases. Alex, Say What? Well, 1000 bad shots is 1000 bad shots, good luck choosing the less bad out of a whole pile of bad.

There are exceptions of course. Last month I went trekking in the mountains and took 1000 shots of the same lake. But because I took so many, the law of large numbers dictated that at least one of them should come out great. Behold, one of them did. I think it was #857 out of 1000.

999 of the photos looked like this		But #857 somehow was different

I really lucked out eh? The one on the right almost looks like it doesn't belong with the rest like the one on the left, but I tell ya, same lake, same moment, same camera. However that was pretty rare, even by logical standards of Euclidean geometry rationalization and focalization. But I digress....

Unfortunately there are some skills when it comes to photography that you just cannot learn out of thin air (or thick air if you prefer). And let's face it, as much and as Godly photoshop has become these days (I seriously cannot envision a world where I would be unable to take my photoshop to bed with me and snuggle with it before we gently fall into a calm sleep in each other's arms), it can only take you so far. Photoshop will take a bad pic and turn it into a good pic. Photo skills will take an excellent pic and just tinsy bit touch it with photoshop to keep it at excellent level.

Expo shows like this bring in professionals with dozens of years experience to share with the public. Or if you are in the market for equipment, you will get a ton of toys to play with and buy. The Exposure & Photo Video Imaging Expo is on for 3 days, starting today in Mississauga by the airport.

Cost: $15
* Psst, I didn't really take the above photo shots myself so don't sue me for taking credit for them ok?