First Baby Steps Taken With Great Trepidation!
Well, here goes! I finally got the cable for my camera and USB port. These are my first attempts ("attempts") being the operative word). I think I should repeat this phrase again until you have memorised it!
The photos of Remy (black and white male cat) and Shama (his tabby sister) were the first photos I attempted to take the day my camera arrived. I hadn't, at that stage, read anything about how to use the camera. I just pointed, shot and hoped for the best. I didn't get the 'best', but at least I managed to get the camera working.
The photo of me, talking with my hands, as usual, was taken by a friend when I was visiting he and his wife. It's my Italian influences coming out! David, the husband, is quite an expert at all thing computerised and I wanted him point me in a few right directions. So from this disclosure, you know who the writer of all these ramblings is! I'm the one in the striped top, glasses perched on my nose, looking like a professor of nothing! Glasses are an evil necessity in the art of reading...and talking with my hands.
All I have to do now is become an expert photographer! Oh! Dear! This is a challenge I'm not sure I'm up for, but I will certainly give it a good try. I'll be fumbling around, cursing, throwing my hands in the air in desperate frustration. The air in and around my cabin will turn deep blue-black often, of that I am certain! First, I have to find out how to initially organise the sizing of the photos as these ones are up, around and over 3MBs! They took me a year to upload! Slight exaggeration, but I think you get the picture...pun most definitely intended.
I guess this is one problem in living alone, along with having to put the garbage bin out...trying to teach myself the ins and outs of this camera, with little or no guidance. It is a terrific camera...now I have the duty to serve it well and become a terrific photographer. Please don't hold your breaths...this will take some time.
Hey! There you are! LOL! It looks like you are reaching out to choke someone, as opposed to talking with your hands.
ReplyDeleteI have cable so I don't worry about resizing my pics much any more. They load pretty fast with broadband. But, what you could do is resize them in a picture editing software instead of trying to figure out how to do it inside the camera. I haven't even tried that one yet, but am thinking wow that you can. :-)
Hi there Robbie...I probably was mentally trying to choke someone! lol
ReplyDeleteI'm on broadband but not cable...these took forever to upload. I know there is a way to re-size them within the camera...I've just got to study the manual further...one tentative step after the other! Thanks for popping in...it's nice to catch up with you. :)
Take your time, we'll wait!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lee...you certainly have more patience than I!
ReplyDeleteI won't be beaten, though...battered and bruised, maybe...but I will win the battle!
Hi Lee, if you find the section in your menu that sets how many megapixels your photos will contain this is where your pic size comes from ie, 3.5 or 5.0 MP are probably the most used you also get nearly twice as many pics at 3.5 as you do at 5.0.
ReplyDeleteThe only place you really need the HIGH MP (say 7.0) is if you are printing A3 or larger prints, your manual will explain all this once you know where to look.
Lee, my friend Ken has an excellent photography blog, if you go back in his archives there is tuition on all aspects of photography, he is on my sidebar as Ken.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that information, Peter. I have to get to know this camera and what it is capable of producing...and more, what I can do...as I have to start taking professional-looking food pics for a food article I write for a newspaper. What is expected of me is the best, if you know what I mean. It's not quite as easy as it sounds and I have a lot of learning to do. Would you, again, give me Ken's site, please?
ReplyDeleteGood photos for a beginner, Lee, much better than I would do. However, you show me yours, because I've shown you mine. Bigger photo of you, looking at the camera and smiling, crying, scowling, whatever!
ReplyDeletelol...you don't ask for much, do you, Robyn! Any larger, I would probably scare all my readers off!
ReplyDeleteNahhh Lee... no worries there mate - at least you pushed a button and NOTHING in your house - BLEW UP!
ReplyDeleteThumbs up there matey! ;-)
Bought my mum-in-law (mil) a dig camera for chrissie... she's experiencing the same things you are - and is living by herself - so we had a crash course in "point and Shoot" techniques before we left Ballarat. As it's digital - we got her a big memory stick so she can silly with it and not worry to much about what she 'shoots'. She's having a great time with it and has 'shot' all her three grandson's - and anything else that stands still!
We just told her to go for it... have fun and don't stress - so hopefully she won't let such a petty thing such as technology frustrate the bejesus out of her (too much)!!!
Hope all's well over your way mate... take care and don't get to close to the snakes with your camera! lol
Cheers ;-)
Lee...I have the same Hutch (next to your stereo) LOL
ReplyDeleteThe simplest thing for resizing the photos ios to find 'Microsoft Picture Manager' on your PC (If you have MS Office that is.
You right click on the photo and select 'Open with' then select thew apllication (in this case MS picture Manager) when the photo/s open up you can select edit from the top of the screen and then 'comprss' from the right hand menu. You can then select from a number fo presets. I usually select 'Document' and the photo will be resized from the large Meg number down to sopmething manageable by blogs and email (usually under 200kb). Its easy after a while. Doing this also lets you view your pics quicker and without having to scroll across the screen.
The second thing you can do is READ the manual (Tiresome, I know) and see if your camera will allow you to take smaller pics. The large Meg size is great if you want to blow your pic up to a poster size (A4 or greater) but not needed if you just want normal pics. All of the pics in my photo blog have been resized to around 150 kb...endeth the rant and lesson LOL
PS: You can also log onto 'Photobucket' and this allows you to store all of you pics (in you own site) for use in your blog. It will resize them for you too.
ReplyDeleteI have also downloaded a really good storage program for my PC from Google called 'Picassa' it is how I do those special effects on my blog :)
Hi Belongum and Scorpy...nice to see you both. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your votes of confidence and your advices...I will follow what you have advised carefully.
Scorpy...the hutch you mention in the pic with me in it, actually is in the home of friends of mine...my hutch is the cane with with Shama, my cat sitting on top of it. My cabin is about the size of that wooden hutch so it wouldn't fit in it! ;)
I really do appreciate both you and Belongum for your help...thank you both. :)
Btw...Scorpy...I have downloaded Picassa...I did that just before I got the camera...but I got lost in it today...don't ask me how! lol
ReplyDeleteHey, Lee. Those shots show you are heading in the right direction. You've had lost of advice on here, so I'm not going to add to it and cause confusion.
ReplyDeleteJust enjoy the camera, have fun, make lots of mistakes and laugh at them, then admire the finished article when it turns out better than you expected.
You could try my principle of "I wonder what happens if I do this, what does that do and how the hell did that happen?"
Not very professional, I know, but fun just the same. It's a different way of learning, that's all.
Hiya, Pete...thanks for your vote of confidence! :)
ReplyDeleteHi lee ~~ The photos look very sharp and clear and you wil get used to the new camera. Thanks for posting a picture of you. Take care, Love, Merle.
ReplyDeleteUSB port? What's that? Something tells me you know more about computers than I do.
ReplyDeleteI had a problem with the picture from my previous blog. It was too large to fit on a floppy, and I had to put it on a floppy to take it to the library to upload. Ended up cutting the picture in half just so I could save it to a disk and upload it later. Don't think that would work for you, though.
Sad story about that baby in your GB & U blogs below.
Hi Merle and Dave...I'll get there, slowly...one step or two at a time and it will be fun in the process...until I can't get something to work right! ;)
ReplyDeletelee,
ReplyDeleteWell yes of course I'm still breathing, and working.
Thanks for the wake up call. I did sleep in this AM because I had the day off after call (DOAC).
After reading your last two posts, since I've been in a multi-lwalled cocoon, I'll make a comment or two.
Men: We're real easy, much easier than women, we're one dimensional.
You really do understand us. Come-on, be honest. Anyway, one day soon (relative word) we'll discuss it face to face.
Camera: mistakes are the best teachers. No wasted film, a handy delete button, just click away.
Blogging unpleasantness: I think it's agreat venue for laying out pent up exasperations. Gives us a chance to see our feelings in print. Seems easier sometimes.
Photos:
You countenance is worthy of contemplation. Wearing the make-up of your words (pun intended) projects a pleasing image. ;-)
See you in the morning?
rel
Cool! Now you can show us pictures of all the reptiles you find in your bed!
ReplyDeleteLee, they are fabulous photos and it's so nice to see you at last! You look great and so do the beautiful cats. I'm glad there is someone else like me, who likes to do things by trial and error first. "When all else fails, read the instructions", I say - but not until then! Happy snapping!
ReplyDeleteYou're full of spark, goodwill and good humour this morning, Rel! I thought my comment on your blog would get you stirred into action! This sleeping in of yours is becoming a habit!
ReplyDeleteHey! Cut that out, Gto...don't go putting any ideas into my head...or bed!
Hi there Welsh...once I downloaded the manual for the camera the study began...there's *only* 180 pages in the manual! My mind is fuddled with technology! That's my excuse and I'll stick with it for now. ;)
Oh Lee, your children are adorable!! I'm so happy to finally get to see them and you of course too. The kitties are marvelously cute. I wish I could stroke the sides of the cheeks. Thanks a million. You made my day.
ReplyDeleteThey're both little characters, Corn Dog...they certainly keep me amused with their 'carry-ons'...they are a funny pair and spoiled rotten, of course!
ReplyDeleteHi Lee, you've had lots of advice, all of it good, I am not so far ahead of you in learning to use my camera, my vote goes to those who advised - reading the manual - and I do mean read, grab a glass of wine and start from page one.
ReplyDeleteThat way you get the idea of what your camera can do, don't try and learn and absorb, just read - then when you go to shoot something, you have some idea what it can do, go back to the maual and find the place that tells you how to do it. My manual lives in my camera bag, it is a constant source of reference.
The other thing, also mentioned before, is about file size, most camera's give you different sizes, (resolutions) and unless you arev planning to print A4 pictures, it is better to go down a size or two for everyday snaps.
The size I use most commonly, because they are a good size for seeing on the computer is 1600 x 1200, and this will also print a reasonable 6 x 4 photo.
It's time-consuming, but fun, I sometimes take several photos of the same picture, changing the settings to see what each does...
Happy shooting - you have made a good start...
Oh! Don't worry about my reading the manual, Della...I've been doing that...lots and lots of reading. The manual didn't come with the camera but I downloaded it to my pc...I've been studying like crazy! Thanks for your advice. :)
ReplyDeleteLee,
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you have the focus select on MF instead of AF (manual focus instead of autofocus). I used to have a camera just like your new one, and I did the exact same thing. Also, if you hold the button about half-way down, it'll "beep" to let you know you're in focus. After the beep, you can fully depress the button to take the shot, or move the center somewhere else (for a different framing), but the focus won't change unless you release then re-half-way push the button.