First Silhouette 365/3

Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi
Exposure: 0.1 sec (1/10)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 55 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program: Shutter speed priority AE
Date and Time (Original): 2010:01:06 19:29:45-05:00
Date and Time (Digitized): 2010:01:06 19:29:45

Thank you to everyone who recommended the book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson.
All Silhouette and Sunrise pictures I tried were failures. I got the book yesterday, read it until late last night and then tried again to take a Sunrise shot at 5:30 this morning. First attempt and I had a Sunrise/Silhouette shot!

This is the best of 20 shots :o)

To anyone who is starting in photography..This book is the one you need!

More shots from 1/1/10

A few more shots from yesterdays outing:

Starting a journey

Digital Photography School Assignment: New Beginnings

Starting a journey, originally uploaded by BabsS.

New Beginnings...
This bridge is about 5 min from my house and crosses over the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
This is the place I'm going to start learning techniques. Learn to catch the ripples of the water going over the rocks in Manual Mode, Learn to compose in shade and light, take a photo, study it, go back the next day and take it again.
A really beautiful area place to begin my journey into photography )

Day 5

Last night I set up my tripod and played. I have some red lighted balls that everyone makes fun of. Though, for some reason I just adore them. One of my favorite Christmas Decorations.
Here is a picture of how I have them decorated:



As I was playing around with my camera I thought I'd get a good photo of my lights.
Whenever I've taken Christmas Light shots they've never came out. So..I thought before I take the decorations down I want to see what I can do using the Manual Mode on my camera.

Having no clue what settings to start with, I just kept moving settings and see what it would look like.

Here is an example of my first attempts:



Manual Settings were:
Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 24 mm
ISO Speed: 1600
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did no

I kept playing around with the manual settings to see if I could figure out a setting to capture just the lights..no luck!

So I posted the picture on the group Canon EOS 450D (aka Rebel Xsi) on the flickr website and asked for help.

Michelle (a member of the group) gave me great advise. Lower my ISO and use a tripod.

I was already using my tripod so I tried lowering my ISO:
Whoolaaa!



Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 35 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire

If you look closely there is noise. But for my first attempts at manual mode. I'm pretty pleased!

I think..reading, reading, reading...is getting me no where. Playing and being not afraid to move settings is at least getting a few results!

Day 4 - Midtown Atlanta on a cloudy day

John and I had planned on going into the city and I was going to experiment with my camera. Wake up and it's a very cloudy day. So being that I had been looking forward to this I decided we were going anyway.
We started off eating at a new BBQ place on Roswell Rd. Pigs and something or other..I have to admit..it was really good!

So after we finish a great lunch off to midtown we go. First off, very cloudy and 2nd..nothing really interesting to take pictures of!
With the thought of any good photographer can find a great shot anywhere..I decided I was going to try.
Guess we can now say I'm not a great photographer..not even a decent one! I did find one interesting thing...


Now I loved the colors of this..but my shot doesn't show the great colors, or even draw you in..it's boring..boring..BORING!

Here is a picture of our famous Fox Theater



Nothing really exciting about this one either!

Finally, after freezing I told hubby let's go..We stopped at Whole Foods and I decided to take a few pictures of the food. For this I used the Pre-Set close up mode..these turned out ok I thought..
Not very encouraging.. (the only pictures that turned out even close to OK..was taken with a pre-set mode!




Now though I am discouraged..I'm not beaten.
I am one of those stubborn people..who doesn't believe in the word quit.
I am going to learn to take awesome photos if it kills me!

Day 3 - Oh lord...I'm not getting any better

So day 3 and another day of PunkyT avoiding me like I was a terrible person. No greats shots to post..I do believe that I'm already getting discouraged! This is not good seeing I'm only into Day 3!
Here is a shot that describes what my once lovable dog now feels about me.



She is getting good at avoiding me and the camera!

Day 2 - Close Up Shots

I thought I'd start out using the Close up Basic Mode, take a picture, and then see if I could better the picture. I really need a book that says..put your settings on this, this, and this. Since I don't. This is the best way I thought I could learn.
After taking 50+ pictures here is the one I liked the best.



I thought wow, this is a great shot! Very excited and so sure of myself I uploaded the picture to the Digital Photography School and asked for critique.
Sure that I would hear..great shot! I was surprised and a little bruised when I heard "this is
boring"
boring?

Here was her advice...
1) You need to get on the dog's level. - Try putting the camera on the floor
2) Try to focus on the nose.
3) Get rid of the flash and try natural light
4) Try a wider aperture = smaller f-number

After the initial shock. I gave myself a prep talk..if you don't want someone's opinion ..don't ask for it..Then I started to see things from her angle..she's right..it is like 100 other shots of everyone's pets..

I thought I was at the dogs level by bending down. Her suggestion put the camera on the floor.
Ok..so with my bruised feelings taken under control I decided I'm going to work on this and wow her with the next one.
100 shots later and a dog that now avoids me like the devil! Here is my best one.


Now..this is a much greater picture! I love her suggestion on focusing on the nose..Such a better shot!
But will it wow her?

I know it won't..The background is way to busy.
I really need to get PunkyT outside, but outside the crazy dog will not stay still long enough for me to snap
So back to work on day 3!
Never knew photography could be this hard!

oh, and as I was playing around I just have to share this shot..blurry..out of focus..but so so funny!