Saturday, December 27, 2008

Camera Love

On a recent episode of The Office, Oscar the accountant tells his boss Michael Scott that they have a surplus.

Michael attempts to look knowledgeable and says, "Just for fun, why don't you explain it to me like I'm an eight year old."

Oscar says, "We have an extra 4,300 dollars. We need to spend that by the end of the day so it won't be deducted from next year's budget."

Michael nods and says, "Now explain it to me like I'm five."

"Your Mommy and Daddy give you ten dollars to open a lemonade stand......"


******

With my new camera, I'm Michael Scott. I've read the manual, but I need someone to explain it to me like I'm five.

Thankfully, in auto mode my camera does good things. This was one of my first pictures, taken Christmas day over at our friend's home.


Baby Elizabeth was a willing subject and at my house those are hard to find.


And then I got crazy and turned off the flash. I kind of like it.

Here is lovely Madeline in portrait mode


And I can't remember what I did here, but I know it was right after this photo that Lyle glared at me and told me to stop.

So I moved onto the dogs. This was taken without the flash. When I don't use the flash, I like the colors better, but the picture is more likely to be blurry. Someone needs to explain that to me like I'm five. Maybe four.


I believe this was in portrait mode. I think it really captures that the dogs were getting annoyed with me too.


So I moved onto inanimate objects. You can actually see the stitches on my quilt. I'm giddy.

And look at this. I've been trying unsuccessfully to get a picture of this for years. Back during my HGTV obsession, Hildy on Trading Spaces painted a board red and then laid lace over it and spray-painted it gold, making a stencil effect that was really quite ghastly. I saw potential though and tried it on the closet door panels in the little girls' room. My old camera would just flash and you could never see the stenciling. No problemo for the new camera.


This was taken with the old camera. Boo, Hiss. That's as much area as I could fit in the picture. Check it out with the new camera.

I'm sure towel-head Madeline is thrilled with the wider angle.

And the colors. Oh, what a difference. With the old camera.

And the new

I sensed that the inanimate objects were getting annoyed too, so I'll just leave you with a picture of the new wood floor. The floor which I told Lyle numerous times (with at sigh) would be completely and totally acceptable as a Christmas present. Really, truly. And Lyle wisely saw through the sighing and didn't buy any of my act. He just bought the camera.
He's so smart that way.

10 comments:

akwebb3 said...

Eileen,
I too have figured out that I prefer to take pictures without the flash. I also discovered that my camera takes one hour worth of video. So then I began playing with that feature yesterday. Aidan is sick and the girls were gone at their friends. Pretty soon Callie stopped coming when I would call her. Apparently I was getting on everyones nerves as well.
Anne

Jen Bay said...

I, too, need a tutorial. I told David that I wanted to schedule my first photography class (with him) so he could help me know how to use my camera. (back in the day, before digital, he was WAY deep into photography, with all the filters and lenses, and stuff, back when it was HARD) and he started in on the "Sunny 16 rule" and I could literally feel the information dribble out of my ears moments after he spoke it. Knowing none of it stuck, I said, that we needed to sit down, when I had a notepad, and talk to me like I'm five years old. He smirked and agreed. I'm going to make myself cheat sheets, and lamenate them and put them in my camera bag. I'll make you a copy, too.

Katie said...

One thing I immediately did was go to Barnes and Noble and buy a more in depth manual for my camera that was WAY easier to understand. They are small and in the photography section. Then I immersed myself into the internet, googing explanations on aperture, focal length, etc.

I hate the look of on camera flash photography, so I invested in lenses that could shoot in low light. In the next few months I'm going to learn more about off camera flash for when I REALLY need it, but I'm in love with natural light and to get good exposures you need lenses that will allow that. All us photography enthusiasts in the ward should get together and learn from each other :)

Eileen said...

Jen,

PLEASE send the laminated cheat sheets!

Katie,

I sense that you're wanting to head up a new enrichment group! I'd join.

Amy said...

Merry Christmas, Eileen!

I am so impressed with your skills(as Napolean Dynamite would say..."Camera Skills...Decorating Skills...Parenting Skills...")!

My Christmas present this year was also an awesome fancy high-tech camera. I LOVE it! (But I don't get it.) Chris is reading the manual for me so that he can give me a tutorial. I couldn't get past page 9 on my own...you are LIGHT YEARS ahead! Keep up the good work!

rachel said...

That's one awesome camera! I am like Michael Scott in a lot of ways. I need MOST things explained to me like a five year old :D

Jen Bay said...

Lesson #1. After meeting with Dave today for about 45 minutes, the biggest lesson I learned was, I love Auto Mode... More to come.

Danae said...

I agree with Katie! I have three books that are all about my camera. I have read and reread them!

I am also not a huge fan of the flash on my camera, and I think the more you learn the less you will like it as well. Once you have more control over your ISO, shutter speed and aperture you will find yourself needing it less. Have fun and keep posting all the pictures you are taking!

Diane said...

Love your photos, but I especially love your computer room! It's beautiful.

Lisa said...

YAY! You got your new camera! Oh, I'm so happy for you, E!!!! Yes, when someone can explain all that camera biz to you, please explain it to me....like I'm four. Cause I'm confused too. Think my fancy schmancy camera might have been wasted on me and my feeble mind. :(