I Learned Things!

So I’ve had a few days to practice some more and learned a few things.

First

I looked back at my edits of my other photos and noticed that they lost some of their definition, which is also what I liked about the photos. I will have to return to the scene of the crime to see if some adjustments (or fewer adjustments) will fix that.

Second

My Christmas tree photo study– I went back and tried the settings that that random blog recommended and realized the key issue with his advice: motha fucka don’t have kids. 1/2 shutter speed works when you are photographing an adult. It most certainly does not work with children, bahaha.

Stats:

Aperture: ƒ/5.6
Focal Length: 18.3 mm
Shutter Speed: 0.5
ISP: 400
Flash (off, did not fire)

Thoughts: Christmas tree looks awesome. Henry is blurry because no way does a babe sit still long enough for that shutter speed. I also learned I need a tripod for that speed; I don’t own one yet, so I used Joe’s djembe, to which I already know he’d tell me “that’s not a table.”

Here’s another fairly terrible attempt:

Aperture: ƒ/10.0
Focal length: 18.3 mm
Shutter Speed: 0.5
ISO: 400
Flash (on, fired)

Overall thoughts: The flash is too heavy here. I chose a tough assignment man! I think this may be a fairly advanced shot to get; but I’m determined to nail it. I also didn’t get the other settings quite right, so I will do some more practice. I also recognize that perhaps I don’t have the lighting quite right. Maybe I’ll try a lamp in front of Henry and then no flash. Gahhhh I don’t know.

Edited to Add: I think this lady knows what’s up and I will try this. I’m comforted because this is what I was thinking about– speed up the shutter, increase the ISO and decrease the Aperture quite a bit. Note that I took these photos before I learned the below VERY IMPORTANT info.

Third

On reddit, a user shared this image and it helped me so so so much to understand what was going on with focus, focal length, and aperture.

So helpful

So, I practiced deliberately blurring the surroundings a bit:

ƒ/3.5
18.3 mm
1/30
400
Flash (off, did not fire)

ƒ/3.5
18.3 mm
1/40
400
Flash (off, did not fire)

Thoughts: I actually really like these photos, mostly because I felt like I had greater control over what they looked like. I would like more light on Ellie’s face in the up close one, but outside of the insane mess that the den is, I dig it.

How I’m feeling right now:

How I Feel

Fourth

I learned to link my damn images rather than upload them.

Conclusion

Hawaii is coming up, so I’m glad I’m nearing where I can somewhat understand what I’m doing on the camera.

First Photo Attempts

Warning: Kid pictures ahead. Gotta practice on something!

First photo I took with the new camera (raw and edited):

I used Flickr to edit it because baby steps… I’ll buy Adobe if I end up actually keeping up with this hobby. The date on it is wrong because I had not yet set it up… I also don’t know how to remove it from the photos… that’s next I suppose.

Details:

Aperture: ƒ/4.2
Focal Length: 30.8 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 1600
Flash (auto, fired)

Initial thoughts: The first one looks a bit flat or maybe slightly overexposed? It has really good clarity though (my definition of clarity, not the photography one). Ellie is a beautiful little girl :).

Christmas tree attempts:

ISO 2800; 30 mm; f/4.2; 1/60 (not sure of mode)

Initial thoughts: I guess I’m looking for a combo of the 2 but with more of a blur effect with the tree. The glow of the first photo without washing Henry out too much. Also, he does not like the light that goes on to help the camera focus, thus his confused face.

Ways I’d like to adjust: ISO 200, 30 mm; f/4.5, 1/2 because this guy said so. Will try tomorrow.

Last photo (raw and edited):

A scared Pepper dog (story of her life)

Aperture: ƒ/3.5
Focal Length: 18 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/200
ISO: 100
Flash (auto, fired)

Initial thoughts: I just like how clear the details of Pepper are and how it captures her demeanor (poor leeeeetle dog).

The reason for the blog

I had my first “real” job at a fairly large and predatory shipping reseller. The CEO was in town and asked what I liked to do on the weekends. I panicked. My stint working in Yellowstone was my proof of being an interesting person, but that was a year ago at that point. Truthfully, I didn’t have any recent hobbies besides getting overly drunk with my friends in the neighborhood I’d lived in for 20+ years. So obviously I stretched the truth a bit and responded with “hiking.”

It was the wake up call I needed. I needled Joe until he said he’d join me on a hiking trip to a forest preserve. One trip was all it took to reconnect me with the peace that I find when walking through the woods and get me off my lazy butt more often.

(image credit)

After regularly hiking the local forest preserves, we planned our trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. We followed that one up with Channel Islands shortly thereafter. I was a woman with a hobby again!

So how does this all tie in with learning photography? Well, when one goes to national parks, they take photos. It’s been pointed out to me that I could take far better photos with a real camera, and that our frequent trips meant we’d also have interesting subject matter on a regular basis. So we purchased a Nikon D3200 off of some guy on Facebook who didn’t murder us at all.

This blog (ugh, makes me feel like such a douche nozzle to even say that) is to track my journey through learning to use the camera. I promise I won’t become one of those moms who thinks they’re a professional camera after 2 weeks with a DSLR (UNLESS OMG I’M THE BEST EVER). Really, it’s about putting my thoughts on paper, becoming a better writer, and tracking my progress. Odds are that no one will read this, so I can say things like “poop” or “fart” all I want.

I took the photos below, which I think are good, but with this new camera, hopefully I can take it to the next level.

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Wish me luck! Cheers!