Getting Snap Happy

A few years ago when Bryn and I upgraded our camera, we opted for one that was a little more than a point and shoot, but not quite as fancy as a DSLR.  We wanted one that had a manual mode so that we could play around and see if we did want to invest in a DSLR someday.  We had all these good intentions (we always do), but the camera always seemed to stay in automatic, occasionally picking one of the fun modes to make a picture blurry or old timey looking.

Well, all that has changed!  I came across a 2 week photography crash course online, all about how to take pictures in manual.  I didn't hesitate to sign up.  Photography class is a grand term for it...basically this photography instructor has taken the four basic lessons from her more intense month-long class, and made them available to the crash course takers all at one time (for 2 weeks).  She doesn't give feedback on photos like she will for her more intense classes, but is around to answer questions.  Honestly, it's all information I probably could have found on my own with some online research, but she has packaged it all very nicely in one place, and made it very easy to understand.  I do think it's a bit more thorough than some tutorials I have seen online...none of them have ever mentioned using the light meter, they only explain what aperture and shutter speed are.

I've been snapping away for the past couple of days.  Most of the pictures I take are terrible - blurry, over-exposed, too dark...but every now and then I get the exposure just right and get a fun one!  I only have the kit lens that came with the camera body, so I'm finding that there's not a whole lot I can do with it.  Of course all the sudden I am antsy for a real DSLR or at the very least a lens upgrade for our camera!  (I will need to stay away from Yodobashi Camera, haha...)

All of my pictures so far have had to be indoors since it was gross outside yesterday, but today is beautiful, so I am hoping to go get some practice in.  I'll try to keep y'all up to date on my progress, and hopefully in time I will have some really cool pictures to post!  Here are a few of (what I think) are the better ones so far...

 

(Random.  Very random, but when you live in a shoe box apartment the range of subjects is limited so I had to get creative!)