I have been wanting to go to the zoo for ages and ages - and finally, along with a friend, went this past monday. It was amazing! Especially the turtle shell.

My camera was with me, of course, and I am still trying to learn to use the manual settings on my camera. I had run across the "sunny 16" rule and read the camera's user manual - so I thought I was ready to go.

Man OH man was I wrong. Let's just say that I not once needed an apeture as small (large?) as F16, and I could never get it right. It took me no less than a dozen photos each time before I got a histogram, and photo, I was okay with. Not to mention, every step you take at the zoo means a new setting - it's never the same twice! I got frustrated after a while and would try once, shoot an "auto" and then compare and adjust - I thought it was an okay compromise.

It was a fun day, though frustrating photography wise. I'm not sure what I learned - or if I will remember anything.

No... wait... I did learn that when indoors I shouldn't even bother trying to shoot because I don't have a decent flash.

We've all got to start somewhere...

M.

Everyone keeps telling me that I can't start with macro photography. That I need to know the basics in order to jump into that particular boat. You can't do it, no one can. You shouldn't start there - you need to learn more first. The basics are essential.

As it turns out, all of these people who are trying to help are really just making the whole thing seem like a giant scary monster. How am I supposed to "see the light"? Am I really supposed to pick apetures and shutter speeds and pose things and all of the above all at once? Is this the right angle? I can't reach this with my tripod! I really wish it looked better.

I have no idea where to start!

The basics... Figuring out the lingo is hard enough. F-stops, micro, DOF, 1:1, 4:1, 1:4, AF, MF, NEF, bokeh, noise, artifacts, iso, HDR, and so many more!

I've figured this much out : With my macro lens, I like the product - and I learn from it. I don't get as frustrated as easily (except that I can't hold the camera steady). With my other lens I hate the outcome, everytime. I can't frame those pictures, I can't find interesting subjects, I don't know where to start or where the finish line is.

For now, I'm going to stick to macro. I know I don't know the basics - but I'm trying to learn. I will keep taking out my other lens (see - I don't even know what to call it!). I will try to learn with it as well.

I will try.

I will succeed. Eventually.

I WILL prove you wrong, I am going to start with macro. Because macros make me smile.

M.

I've been exploring with my point-and-shoot, but I wasn't getting very far with macro photography. As it turns out, my favourite person in the whole wide world got me the most amazing Christmas present ever. As such, I spent this afternoon playing with the light coming through my living room window and my new D60 and macro lens.

I feel as if some of the pictures could use some post-processing, or maybe it's just me wanting to hurry along my learning curve. I am eager to post them however, and will post them sans-post as soon as I am able to convert them.

Lots of love!

M.

Art is about expressing oneself. Ones feelings, thoughts, paradigms, opinions, self. Art is about using any medium to share and to free what is in a soul.

Expressing oneself is hard sometimes, it is very hard. Art makes it easier. More than art however, the community here on dA makes it easier.

The people here on dA are such good eggs! You are such good eggs! You are amazing people with such hope and wisdom and support. You do not discriminate or harass, you accept each artist as themselves. You support each and every person with enthusiasm and pride.

I love you all so much, and thank you all for being who you are.

M.

So as a child I was always very click happy. In the age of film cameras - this upset my parents, but I always had to have at least ten pictures of each angle of every mountain. Just imagining the piles of photographs I used to sort through after every vacation still makes me laugh.

My camera is more and more enticing these days, I often get distracted when doing field work. Measuring the diameter of trees is far less interesting than the fuzzy bummed bug (that looks like a seed) that we found over on the tree. And of course spending half an hour trying to get a decent shot of that bug is a common occurrence.

Of course my only camera at the moment is still my point and shoot, good as it might be - it really annoys me when I can't get it to focus just right. Add to that my lack of understanding of lighting, and you might be able to imagine just how frustrated I keep getting when hours of picture taking yields not one decent shot.

I'm trudging along though, struggling to master my point and shoot (which I will master) and looking into getting my first "real" camera.

We'll see where this road takes me... Hopefully somewhere with vivid images and amazing memories.