My First Attempts at Using Manual Camera Settings ...

 

Hello there! Many "Thanks" as ever for your kind comments on my last post.

For those of you who follow my ramblings here on this blog you will know that I am now two weeks into a Beginners Photography Course at the local Adult Education Centre - two hours a week, on a Thursday.

Last week it seemed to me that everyone on the Course was understanding what the tutor was saying about ISO's and shutter speeds apart from moi - who sat there with a blank look on her face.

 

When I got home from last weeks lesson I was all doom and gloom - I told the OH, "There's little point in me going, it's all in one ear and out the other!" And then he gave me a compliment, "You'll get it, you just have to perservere - you're intelligent, you know!" I sat down and thought about what he'd said and thought "He's right, I'm not a complete bozo!"

 

Anyhow, this led me into remembering that the tutor had said to just take photos of things around your home, your family, your pets, things in the garden - try different ISO settings and then look at the photos on the computer and if they're rubbish, just delete them - you will only learn by experimenting.

 

 

So here are my first attempts! Ruby was a willing participant in this experiment. The other cats had scarpered out of the house realizing the mad woman with the camera was on the prowl again!

 

Here is Ruby, in about her sixth collar this year - she just keeps loosing them!

 

 

My next willing participant in the experiment was KP.

Although I don't think these photos are too bad considering they were taken inside, I still need to practice more with the ISO settings and shutter speeds.

 

 

Although the next two photos are similar they are taken on different ISO settings. I think the second one is better for skin colour and texture but there's still something not quite right. I'll have to practice some more!

 

 

After three photos my guinea pig had had enough and so it was back to the cat!

 

 

Who didn't look too happy about being disturbed a second time!

 

 

However, getting a ribbon out of a drawer captivated her for a bit!

 

 

Before even that bored her too!

 

 

I perservered and got her attention again!

 

 

Thank You, my beautiful Ruby!

 

 

This photo I include only because it made me smile. KP likes helping out with the cooking. Last week we were making mushroom soup. I just can't chop an onion for the life of me, I start crying almost immediately, my eyes sting and I have to stop. So I left the room whilst the OH was supposed to be chopping the onion with KP watching. I went and sat in the lounge whilst the onion chopping was taking place. The OH came into the lounge and said, "Quick come into the kitchen with your camera. KP went upstairs after you'd gone to the lounge. I thought she wasn't interested in cooking the mushroom soup but she came downstairs and is wearing her Mr. Magoo dressing up box glasses and is chopping the onion!"

 

I'll give you the recipe for the mushroom soup as it is ever so simple but very delicious!

Ingredients:

350g. / 12oz. mushrooms, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

25g. / 1oz. butter

25g. / 1oz. flour

450ml / 3/4 pint chicken stock

Salt and Pepper

Double Cream

 Put the mushrooms into a saucepan with the onion and butter.

Cover and cook gently over low heat for 10 minutes.

 Stir in the flour, then add the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

 Liquidise.

 Reheat and serve with a swirl of double cream!

Well, that's it for today.

Until next time,

June.