Dogwood berries, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. October 5, 2010.
I’ve been trying to learn more about my camera, and how to use the manual settings rather than using the automatic functions most of the time. I would like to learn more about photographic techniques, although I’m not sure that it will help me get better pictures.
I did some reading on the relationship between shutter speed and aperture and, since Tuesday was a gorgeous day, went outside to do some experimenting. I was trying to see if I could find manually settings that would produce a pleasing photo.
I first experimented with trying to capture the berries on the dogwood tree in our front yard. The results of that experiment is the picture above.
Sumac leaves, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. October 5, 2010.
I then walked down the street to some sumac trees in the vacant lot below our house. The leaves of the tree were a beautiful red, and the sun was shining directly on them. Those conditions resulted in this picture.
Senior Moments 
October 7, 2010 at 3:48 am |
Good Morning George, They are both wonderful pictures. The first thing I noticed about photo 1 is that I can see the sun shining on each berry! Just beautiful.
October 7, 2010 at 4:34 am |
p.s. I am including the link to a blog friend of mine who shares tips and websites on photography. She is just a delightful young lady – browse back through about a week’s worth of her posts and see what you think.
http://ashleysisk.blogspot.com/
October 7, 2010 at 4:39 am |
George: Very cool captures, certainly signs of a Fall in the making.
October 7, 2010 at 5:27 am |
Both are beautiful.
October 7, 2010 at 7:24 am |
The crisp, vibrant red is just wonderful. Love that one can see the tiniest details in the leaves! Have fun experimenting with your camera!
October 7, 2010 at 7:28 am |
the settings worked beautiufuly. these are gorgeous and what color. none here except for the flowers. it makes my brain hurt when i read and try to understand all the shutter speeds and other settings, periodally i play with mine also.
October 7, 2010 at 8:46 am |
Excellent shots, George.
Our leaves are turning–mostly Japanese and Big-leaf Maples. The Sumacs –not yet.
Your reds are very vibrant. So whatever you are doing looks good. MB
October 7, 2010 at 9:22 am |
I, too, should be learning more about our camera. I’m a bad ‘read the directions’ kind of girl. But, I’m just going to have to buckle down and do it!
October 7, 2010 at 9:50 am |
Very nice, you have captured the red perfectly. Signs of fall..
October 7, 2010 at 10:13 am |
These are great pictures, I LOVE the red leaves. But would they have been just as good with the automatic setting?
October 7, 2010 at 10:24 am |
Beautiful photos George…I keep wanting to do the same thing but then I get in a hurry and put that little knob on automatic and just start snapping, do you think there is any hope for me???
October 7, 2010 at 10:30 am |
http://mykindofblog.blogspot.com/
http://whatkarensees.blogspot.com/
http://scottygraham.blogspot.com/
Some of these are just eye candy but Karen actually gives really good advice!!! She is super nice also!!!
October 7, 2010 at 12:03 pm |
Fall is in the air for sure. Beautiful red leaves.
October 7, 2010 at 4:41 pm |
George, I am doing the same thing as you are. Testing out using manual over the auto function. Lots of fun
October 7, 2010 at 5:54 pm |
What a gorgeous shade of red! Looks like fall is settling down in your area for sure.
October 7, 2010 at 7:06 pm |
great captures. nice splashes of reds.
October 7, 2010 at 7:47 pm |
I like to take pictures manually. That is the way I always use to take them before. One thing I wish they would put in digital cameras is an option that my film camera has….it focuses where you look. You have to calibrate it to your eyes but from then on you can look at an area in the picture and that is where it will focus.
October 7, 2010 at 10:40 pm |
I commented on this on your other blog and by the time I finished reading this I was really smiling.
I’ve been reading some photoblogs lately and manually is what they say to do. My son says so too.
I actually read the blog Mildred is telling you about. I was trying to follow a tutorial she posted today but I have too much to learn about Photoshop. 🙂
These are gorgeous and I like your depth of field in the last one.
October 8, 2010 at 3:35 am |
Your photos are brilliant and I personally think that you did a great job. I am not a photographer and I have a simple point-shoot camera but sometimes a photo is better than usually. I think yours are always good!