Random Pictures to Date

My Very 1st Picture:

I took this Christmas morning after opening the box.

Location: Inside

Light: daylight filling the room

Lens: 55mm

ISO: 400

Aperture: 5.6

Shutter Speed: 1/60

Another Christmas picture:I took this Christmas morning while reading the manual.
Location: Inside
Light: automatic flash used

Lens: 55mm
ISO: 400
Aperture: 5.0
Shutter Speed: 1/60

I do like the looks of the tree lights in the background. Randomly...I used slow shutter speed. I might have enhanced it a bit if I had even lowered the speed to 1/25...but, it was close enough.

My first Cutie photo shoot:

Location: Outside, bright sunny day

Light: natural sunlight. Taken in open shade.

Lens: 55mm

ISO: 1600

Aperture: 9.0

Shutter Speed: 1/160
I love this picture. To me it looks very nice. But, I've learned I did a LOT wrong. The ISO was WAAAAY too high for the bright sun. It should have been 200-ish. Because I wanted the whole photo to be focused...the aperture is not too bad - I definitely wanted to stay with a big number there vs. 1.2 or 2.0. And last, the shutter speed not too bad. Pretty fast shutter and it is at least double the focal length (which I've learned is pretty much a MUST.)

Canon for Christmas

I take a lot of photos. For years I have been admiring blogs and their photos. I have put "camera" on my wish list for long time. This past Christmas, Bryan set me up with my very own professional-like Canon DSLR - the T2i.

I'm lucky. So, very lucky. It was pretty much my best Christmas ever.

I was naive. I think I expected to open the box, admire my camera, read the manual, and be an expert. Well, maybe not an expert...but, you know what I mean. So, I opened the box, admired my camera, read the manual and immediately forgot everything I read.

Definitely NOT an expert.
Soooo much to learn.
Me = So lost.

I am now on a mission to master my Canon. I have been researching DSLR tips. I have been reading all about aperture and shutter speed and Image Sensoring. Some of it is making sense. SOME of it.

I have a friend that has offered to teach me some basics. I have scheduled a 3 hour training class. I would LOVE to take a longer, more thorough class...but, boy oh boy - they are EX-PEN-SIVE! So...self-study and mini sessions will have to do for now. Hopefully...hopefully I will just have a little natural skill. But, I'm not sure I'm that lucky.

Here's to me and my battle with my Canon. Let's see who wins!