The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Photography.

To get good pictures, I have learned that not only does it take
a good camera and a good lens, but it takes a gal knowing how to
USE the good camera and good lens.

Therefore, since February, I have been focused (pun intended)

on improving my photography skills and learning how to use my equipment

to the best of my ability to capture really good photographs.

In the last 4 months, I have been enrolled in an intensive class
honing my skills and discussing things like aperture, shutter speed,

white balance, light metering,
and composition.
I even learned how to use a "scrim". ☺
It's been challenging and intense, but it's been a blast!

The day that I truly started to understand how to control

aperture and shutter speed,
and make them work together

with all the other necessary components,
I did a happy dance,
and then I took this picture of the "M" set on my camera.
That day, I transitioned from shooting in automatic

to shooting in manual
and I haven't looked back.
It was a breakthrough!

I've come a long way but I've a long way to go.
I have learned much by trial and error.
I love when my images turn out great, but
I think I learn more when they don't.

So I thought I'd share a few of the thousand pictures

I've been taking lately.

I thought it was best summarized by
The Good
The Bad
and
The Ugly.

I took these butterfly shots out on Lake Istopoga

and I couldn't have gotten them
without my fantastic photographic assistant,

otherwise known as my wonderful husband.

For nearly 30 minutes, he worked the boat back and forth,
right then left, until we finally caught the butterfly as he settled in.

Similarly, off of Arbuckle Creek we came upon this hawk,

who was patient as I took his picture

Tristan caught this dragonfly in the backyard

and ended up playing with it for several minutes.

Ok....so if those were good

(well, let's say decent),

these are

Bad.

Can you say Underexposed???? I have a ton just like it☺

and Overexposed?

{although I do like this picture}

And this, well this is just plain ugly.

What is it?

You mean you can't tell?

☺ he he

It's Kari Jobe.

I took it last night's concert

and was sorely disappointed that

after all I have learned

I couldn't reconcile my ISO and shutter speed

(without using flash)

to get a simple decent shot.

Oh well. Guess it's back to the books.