Took my first actual step beyond auto everything

[brockgs]

Today, I took absolutely garbage pictures, HOWEVER, I watched 4 hours of YouTube videos, followed along on the camera, and <GASP> actually tried to learn some very basic photography concepts WELL. My ultimate goal is birds which has to include the dreaded birds in flight. I set aside my ego, put on my humble-learner cap and studied.

I know this is a sort of nothing post, but look, for the couple other people out there like me who bought an AMAZING camera, but were too nervous or anxious or having difficulty wiping our memory cards and starting to learn from the beginning, I am here to tell you, YOU CAN DO IT!

Absolute basics focused on today:
1. REALLY understanding Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO. The blessed triangle.

Instead of watching videos and just nodding. I methodically iterated through all of those variables independently and then in combination, taking my own pictures at each step to force my brain to re-learn this fundamental set of relationships.

I now TRULY understand why I can’t just buy my way into great pictures…well…entirely

Onward and upward.

 

[garuda]

.... Instead of watching videos and just nodding. I methodically iterated through.....

I now TRULY understand why I can’t just buy my way into great pictures…well…entirely

Brock, they look pretty good to me! That one black bird (near the beginning) doing the straight-up vertical climb must have had the after-burners at full throttle. Impressive shot.

Sounds like you are meticulously learning the ropes, good for you. But honestly most of your shots are looking good. Learning curve is working for you.

And remember, your Riv — with that big sensor — may blatantly accentuate (or highlight) your minor mistakes, along with cranking out beautiful pin-perfect sharp successes when you’re on the beam. So don’t get discouraged. Keep on truckin.

 

[brockgs]

I appreciate that. I do tend to be very hard on myself, which I don’t want to be, I want to just focus on having fun and enjoying the whole experience of hunting down and capturing moments in time.

You hit the nail on the head with regards to the sensor. My mind was thinking wow, 61MP, faster AF system, every shot should be magically pixel perfect. I’m trying to adjust my frame of thinking now to focus more on capturing the feeling of the scene and the animal, and less on some notion of technical perfection.

 

[garuda]

I do tend to be very hard on myself.....

Yes, we must be careful with that. Sometimes new members are slightly intimidated when joining, thinking that all of those on the forum are seasoned experts in this craft — wrong!! We’re all doing our best not to embarrass Sony after they have provided us with their high-tech tools that serve only to humble even the most skilled, with all the new bells and whistles they throw at us. I for one, admit to my own village idiotdom status, and just try to have fun with this magnesium black box that defiantly tries to embarrass me on every turn. My goal is to tame the beast!

.

My mind was thinking every shot should be magically pixel perfect. I’m trying to adjust my frame of thinking now.... and less on some notion of technical perfection.

And on this forum, there’s no need to apologize for your less than perfect imagery. Of course, I personally have no worry about over-flexing any of my nonexistent muscle-bound photographic talent. My bar is set pretty low.

 

[Magnus129]

Yay! Can totally remember the moment I decided to take the camera off "auto". Of course, I still keep it available for when I am being lazy or when I want to get a few "backup" shots in case, oh, I don't know...I screwed it all up ;-)