Practice Makes Perfect

Today I went to Highdown gardens to try a few practice shots and seriously I am only going to post a few. The ones I am posting here are on manual focus. I thought the best way to learn it was to forget I had auto, in my head it didn't exist, so this is how I got on with the best of the bunch.
Although the edges of the flower are a bit ragedy I wanted to capture the flower with the green bug visible.
Not sure if this works for all of you as I think it has for me, I wanted the stem at the front to be there with the one behind slightly blured with the blured flower going through the middle, it kind of makes it 3D if thats right? I also wanted to capture the Bee on the plant and I wanted them in focus so your eye goes to them but then you see the 3D effect of the stems. That may not work for you and if you have any tips I would love to hear them.

nothing clever about this shot, it was me lying on my back aiming at the sky up through the trees

Same with this one

This one actually didn't work well at all, I was trying to take the picture through these flowers and it is a bit of a DIS-AS-TER but live and learn
I am not sure what plant this is but the fruit looks really tempting, not that I tried it. The young gardner pointed it out to me and he let me carefully tread across the borders to get it.......I think someone thought I was a keen photographer
Then when I got home I thought I would try a few snaps of the animals, so heres a few of Splodge




Again I tried lying on the floor for this one

And I couldn't leave out my Black Feather Duster

Sorry that was more than a few
littlewid-x-

Littlewid. Lovely to see today's photos. You get such a good perspective being at the same level as Splodge and Nero. The eyes are always the most important feature to me, to get them in focus pin sharp is wonderful.

I love your flower shots, the colours are really vibrant. Manual is hard but good to get used to, it makes you think and obviously you're having a great time and getting to grips with your camera.

The lying on your back shots may not be clever (your words not mine ) but they give you an idea and I think it's fun to try.

Sometimes getting the background in focus at the foreground blurred doesn't work - you just have to experiment.

With a lot of photos you don't want distracting by the background so to focus on the object in the foreground is what you want to achieve.

Thanks for sharing Littlewid, I really enjoyed those, my favourite is photo 3 of Splodge - one cool handsome cat.

Lai

Love the shots looking up through the trees LW, and the Splodge & Nero pics are brilliant. I dont know what the fruit is either, but there's one of the berries, a red/pink one in the middle that looks like a Pigs face Hope you do'nt mind I cut that part out and enhanced it to show what I mean

Mrs S thinks Splode looks gorgous, and the photos could win a prize.

It is good to try manual, great when you are composing shots, but one thing I always do when I've finished shooting is to reset to Auto, the reason is sometime later, or when you next go out, and your cameras with you something unexpected can happen, and you need a quick shot, there's not time to think of settings, but if your default setting is Auto your virtualy sure to to get a shot. So the last thing I do before putting my camera away is set it to Auto.

WS

Thanks Lai and WS, glad you liked the shots from today, slowly I am learning different things and all your advice and honest comments are greatfully received so never be affraid to be honest, it helps me learn.

I did take some pictures of Tiga this afternoon on the sport mode, so I could take a few action shots but dumbo here forgot to change the shutter speed so they came out blury and not worth posting......a good lesson learnt there I think

Oops I forgot about the pig WS, I looked and could see a few that may be a pig but the ones you have posted were the first two I saw and they do look like little pigs dont they and no I surely dont mind you cropping and posting them at all

Oops again please thank Mrs S for her lovely comment about Splodge

littlewid-x-

Now these are rubbish shots......not too shy about being honest . It was pouring with rain so couldn't go out and get some shots of the roses so I decided to try getting some from my bedroom window, so these are through glass and tried to block out the rain and there was no sunshine what so ever, so rather dull pics and the pics are blurred, so the focus was all wrong, but with a bit more (lots more ) practice, the sunshine and the right focus they could have been not too bad........but I am trying.......WS would add "very" to that




The rest were worse than these, so these are the best of the naff bunch......next ones will be better
littlewid-x-

WS it does look like a pigs face, that's so funny!

Don't worry Littlewid, taking through glass can be tricky, dull days are more so and just practising is an ideal way to learn.

I'm not sure what setting you were using, do you adjust your ISO and White balance? Or do you leave them on auto?

The first photo is beautiful despite what you say, it's a lovely looking rose with the water droplets on it.

Lai

I actualy think that first photo has a nice soft focus to it, and that can be really attractive, but never give up on a photo a few tweeks with a photo editor can work wonders


Hope you dont mind just shpwong what can be done
WS

Lai the first pictures were ISO 400, I haven't learnt about white balance yet

WS thats fantastic what an editor can do it does look much better.....I need to learn to edit but I also need to get good pics as well thanks for tweeking that one.

I have just taken Nero for a walk and as it has stopped raining I went and took one from outside but I was so excited to get this little wasp in the middle of the rose I have forgotten what I fiddled with but it is a much better picture I think this time......honest opinion please

littlewid-x-

I think 400 ISO would have been fine for a rainy day Littlewid.

WB is something you can get onto later. My only advice is not to use Auto. Try all the settings you have on your camera. Not sure what your options are but possibly, daylight, shady, cloudy, flash, tunsten, etc. Try taking the same photo on each setting and see the difference, it's an interesting exercise.

Some useful links.

http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/infobank/white_balance/white_balance.do


I am told using the Kelvin scale is what we should be doing - haven't tackled this yet.

http://digital-photography-school.com/creating-moods-with-the-kelvin-scale

I love your latest photo - the main rose is in focus and you can see the petals with the water droplets clearly, the little wasp is a perfect addition.

Really enjoying your photos Littlewid, please keep sharing.

Lai

That shots lovely LW, nicely composed, it leads you straight into the centre with the wasp, and the water droplet just about to drop at the side of it. I also would'nt worry about WB yet, just get used to your camera, and as Lai say's it's a good idea to try the same shots with different settings on your camera, that way you get to know what settings to use to get the best results in the same conditions.
WS

Thanks Lai for the links they will be really helpful.

I forgot my neighbour was a professional camerman before he diverted his career, he didn't really do stills but camera work but he has also been really helpful this evening and funnily he told me all about the Kelvin scale and it made sense......not that I have given it a full work out yet, but when he mentioned it at least I could say, I have heard of that, it's all about colour temperature, inside and outside. We talked loads about different settings, shutter speeds and all sorts of things. He has lent me a book on the Canon Powershot G10, very similar to my camera but it does explain all the different settings and how best to use your camera, it's a Magic Lantern Guide and I can hopefully get one for my camera but at having a quick look through it, it does explain what I need to know and it's easy to understand.
I am so hooked on learning and find it all quite fascinating and exciting.

I decided to try and take some more pictures of the roses this evening, still had some naff ones but a couple that were not too bad.
I liked this one as it's kind of soft looking and the roses don't have hard edges to them and also the colour is darker right into the roses and you can see the stamen right in the back of the flower plus I love the roses with the pinky edges at the bottom

This one just looked very soft to me and captured the true colour of this rose
This is the same rose with another leaf brought to the front and I also put the flash on to illuminate the centre of the rose a little bit and also the leaf
This is a really pretty rose in my neighbours garden and I used a different shutter speed for this one and it's come out quite sharp but not lost the prettyness

I think these are slightly better than yesterday......fingers crossed
littlewid-x-

Cracking photos LW. The soft looking shots really suit the Roses, and a lot better than yesterday, its good to try flash assisted shots, as It gives you experience, of what happens when you do use it. Lucky having somone next door who has the knowledge, at least you can get advice when you need it.
WS

Littlewid - beautiful photos of beautiful roses. You've definitely got the idea there. So pleased your neighbour can give some advice. If you can get a book it will help, the manuals are never enough.

Some lovely photos Littlewid - you could try the roses on aperture and focus on the rose, the leaves would then be more blurred, sometimes an interesting idea. Also it doesn't distract you from the main subject of the photo if the flower is what you want to see.

Not sure that made sense

Lai

Well Done LW you are really getting to grips with your camera! Look forward to seeing more, no pressure.

SM

Lai your last post did make sense and I will surely give that a go. Glad you and WS could see an improvement in the pictures
Ooo SM asking for more pics is a bit dodgy with me.....I take loads and have to stop myself posting them on here for fear I will bore you all to death.

I did go and watch Kian in his first football match today and I thought I would practice my action shots but I got so involved in the game I didn't really take any pictures, I have three that I can post.
First action shot that didn't blur, Kian getting up from a tackle

This is not an action shot, I just love it because he had no idea I was taking his photo

This made me smile too, it's the look of disapointment when the other team score

But the good thing is...... Worthing Minors Won 10 - 3
littlewid-x-

Some of the best shots you can get is when people are not aware your taking a photograph. I have to say that my favourite is the first one, that look on Kians face says to me, I'm going to have you. he proberbly did'nt but thats what the look says. Well done for the team win
WS

Littlewid - three lovely photos, and as WS says, always better for natural shots when people don't know you are taking a photo.

Lai

I have to confess to not being a massive garden fan (that coming from the boy from the garden state ), but like the pics LW, especially the bee and those of Splodge. What piercing eyes!

LW; the modern day Michaelangelo of photography

Glad you like the pics GR it's a new camera to me so I still have a lot of learning to do with it and I must admit for a few weeks it has been dormant, which is not good but now as its getting rather frosty round here I am sure it will be out again......sometimes there just isn't enough hours in the day to practice being the next Michaelangelo

Splodge does have rather gorgeous eyes but then I am biased as she is mine

littlewid-x-

Oooooooooooooooh yes please Littlewid. Time to get your camera out again and more pics of the furries as well please

Lai

Sounds like someone is getting a hurry up

Come on! Chop chop! Hop to it!

And I think I hear a chant.

Furries! Furries! Furries!

OK, I have some more pictures of the Furries. I have taken them over the last few weeks after not having my camera out much what with work, the weather and a few other things but here is the best of the bunch although it's not a very good bunch, but here goes.
A Mug shot of my handsome boy

Two Doe eyed beauties

From this morning....Why aren't you at work Mum?

You're disturbing me!!!!

Take my best side Mum!

I wasn't doing anything.....Honest!

Just call me Cute



Mum said I always have a glint in my eye

Nope i'm not looking, i'm gonna hide in the back of this chair so you can hardly see me......stop looking!

Not brilliant but they are all there and all happy and healthy
littlewid-x-

They are lovely Littlewid, and such a handsome/beautiful selection of furries, and your niece is going to be a real stunner when she's older (she's so pretty now, sorry I can't remember how old she is?)

I have to confess that Nero is and will always be my favourite (not to be repeated as all your furries are gorgeous) but he is such a

Thanks for sharing.

Lai