Monday, July 27, 2009

Gratitude Monday - Playing

Miniature pond forest. A great spot on a hot day.


I was playing with my camera the other day. I don't do it that often despite it being the kind that allows me to select my own shutter speed and/or aperture width and a whole whack of other stuff if I want. Rarely do I want. It is so much easier to set it for fully automatic operation and press a button. It's best when it comes to focussing as my eyes are not the greatest. I frame pictures and focus with the right eye and it is the weaker of the two.
But I miss messing with settings. I can't help myself. I used a Nikon FM professionally for 20 years and I like to play. So on occasion I fool around with the settings on the Pentax K20 and see what I get.
Above, an aperture priority gave me F16 at /1/60 of a second and the camera used the equivalent of 400 speed film. The smaller hole kept most of it in focus while the slow shutter let in light.
I am grateful for the chance to use a camera that lets me play while still being able to set it on auto and not have to think. I am also grateful that I can still remember what those settings mean.

11 comments:

solarity said...

F 16! I've never had a camera that went that high. (Er, all two and a half of them.) I never take my Canon Powershot off manual, but I'm waiting to find a Minolta compatible DSLR I can afford. (After I got my first Powershot, which died after a year of use, just after the warranty ended ( : I shot one roll of film with the Minolta S1 I'd used for 25 years.)

I love depth of field, but I shoot mostly in low light for some reason.

Mary Anne in Kentucky

Leah J. Utas said...

Mary Anne - Not familiar with the Powershot but it sounds like fun.
I've got an Olympus 850 and a Fuji Finepix which are great, but it's so much more satisfying holding the lens and playing.

the Bag Lady said...

I don't know a thing about that stuff - I just have a little point and shoot Kodak. But it works fine for me. Except when I want to photograph something far away. Or really get up close. :)

Leah J. Utas said...

Your point and shoot does you proud, Cousin.

Barbara Martin said...

Your post is Greek to me, as I rarely take photos. The only camera I have is a Polaroid.

Jason said...

This is a great site that you have. I have a paranormal site myself and I would like to exchange links with you.

Jason

Leah J. Utas said...

As long as it serves you, Barbara. That's what counts.

Hello Jason, thanks I'll check your site later.

Reb said...

I love the photo Leah.

I am glad my camera allows me to play a bit with settings too, but usually leave it on auto.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, Reb. Playing is fun, but auto is easier.

Hilary said...

Very cool shot. I try to keep away from the auto settings, so that I can figure out all this aperture and shutter speed stuff. It's a slow process. Also, auto settings occasionally have trouble interpreting what you want to focus on.. and so they don't.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, Hilary. Good for you for using your brain instead of the camera's. Autofocus can be frustrating at times. I've used manual override more times than any other manual setting.