Upon completing high school, I acquired my inaugural genuine camera, a Canon T50 that relied on traditional film. This device preserved significant memories from my university period and documented the adorable nature of my infants and young children. I was genuinely fond of it, up until the moment it ceased functioning… It introduced me to the realm of photography, and I held it in high regard.
I also consistently kept it set to the “Automatic” mode.
Several years back, my spouse presented me with a Nikon D3100. One of my objectives was to master operating it beyond the “Automatic” configuration. I had formerly attempted to grasp the technical aspects of cameras by perusing articles on the subject. However, genuinely comprehending the practical implementations of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and histograms nearly drove me to distraction…and rendered me feeling utterly incompetent.
Consequently, I enrolled in a course led by a local photographer.
This established the essential foundation and provided me the bravery to disengage that button from the “automatic” mode.
I have been engaging in consistent practice ever since. Blogging is exceptionally beneficial for this purpose. It provides me with a motive to utilize my camera almost weekly, at times daily! The sole complication is that, most of the time, I am capturing stationary objects or interior spaces. When requested to photograph individuals, I discover I must suppress an overwhelming feeling of apprehension. I have made a genuine effort to practice and implement what I have learned while capturing indoor stills, but I find the scenario with actual living persons unnerving. I do not wish for them to be lingering while I attempt to determine the appropriate aperture…or the shutter speed…or the ISO…
I frequently find myself easily unsettled and inclined to revert that dial back to “Automatic”! {Yikes!}
I determined that it was once again time to return to education and learn from the experts. At times, knowledge is precisely what we require to vanquish fear and foster confidence.
I have been considering an online course ever since its inception last year.
Kevin and Josh have developed two Photography courses presented via video! This is essential for my learning approach. I do not merely desire to read about it; I wish for it to be demonstrated to me. Photography 101 serves as an exposition of the fundamentals of shooting in manual mode. Each concise video expounds upon a distinct subject. As I observed their expositions of aperture, shutter speed, and exposure, numerous additional concepts became lucid to me. Moreover, the advantageous aspect is that, if I ever require referencing something, I can consistently select “rewind”!
One of my most favored “segments” is when they actually illustrate the procedure of how to designate a favorable location for an outdoor photo session. They escort (and transport!) you through the cognitive process of the significant “where is the optimal light for this image?” dilemma.
Photography 102 constitutes an expansion upon the fundamentals presented in Photography 101. It delves deeper into the specifics of shooting portraits, indoor photography, landscape photography, histograms, white balance, and shooting RAW. It encompasses so many of the precisely topics that I had inquiries about!
Shoot Fly Shoot currently has a unique promotion where a discount is available if you acquire both Photography 101 and 102 together (priced at only $99!). If you possess a DSLR and genuinely are uncertain how to commence using it, or if you desire to learn more, I wholeheartedly recommend *this course:
The other morning, I resolved to attempt a few tips I had observed. The sky was merely awakening.
We had become accustomed to the dark gray skies that frequently accompany winter on the West Coast and anticipated it to be another one of those days. To our pleasure, that morning, the sun chose to reveal its face to us. Encircled by a dense layer of gray sky, the sun was shining vigorously directly upon the mountains. I retrieved the tripod and camera and there on the deck {in my bare feet and checkered bathrobe!} I captured a few shots…
{Both are SOOC ~ “straight out of camera” ~ untouched}
Now I must locate some willing subjects to serve as my guinea pigs for portrait practice!
**I have enrolled in the affiliate program of Shoot Fly Shoot. Should you determine to undertake a course from them and select the button above, I will receive a portion of the fee.
