Tag Archives: self improvement kick

Skill of the Month: Taking Better Pictures

A quick diversion from the Derbycentric postings: It’s 1 May! I am still utterly committed to self-improvement. April went pretty well! I can now top off the fluids, add air to my tires, and understand the basic mechanics of changing a tire.

This month, I want to learn to take better photos. I have a copy of Food Styling, which should help, but do any of you have pointers? I need a heap of help. This is probably the only good photo I’ve ever taken:

Mr. Cook, a 4th-generation sweet potato farmer, and the subject of a little chapbook I wrote.

Mr. Cook, a 4th-generation sweet potato farmer, and the subject of a little chapbook I wrote.

I took this for a documentary photography class I took in graduate school, but I otherwise have zero training. Who wants to help?

Skill of the Month: Taking Care of My Car

True story: each month, I teach myself a new skill. I do. I invite you to do this too! I won’t be upset at all at all if you just latch on to mine.

Note: This is not my car. I drive a Volkswagen.

By the close of the month, I want to teach myself some basic car skills, like checking fluids, changing a tire, and a few other easy, you-should-be-able-to-do-this skills.

Let’s learn how to do this together! Can you teach me? What are you learning right now?