Wow, I am seriously intimidated by my new camera. It's like buying a new Porsche when my most common destination is the grocery store . .
I was a complete camera novice as of a year ago. I never owned more than a point-and-shoot, and typically relied on my traveling partner (thanks Margo!) to handle the photography duties. Then, when I came to France equipped with a newer point and shoot, I suddenly discovered the joy of photography. I took a couple of classes here in Paris (thanks Meredith) and the more I learned the more I realized there was to learn. However, Meredith gently reminded me that I would be frustrated with additional classes - the topics covered would be impossible for me to achieve with my limited equipment.
Sooooo, the new camera. And while it takes fabulous photos on the Automatic setting, it would be a real shame not to take advantage of its many capabilities. Besides, now I want to take more sophisticated photos. And so I am plunging into the world of ISO settings, Aperture and Shutter Priority, White Balance, Depth of Field, Bracketing, and Flash Modes - not to mention struggling with the latest version of Photoshop Elements . . .
Patrice keeps trying to teach me the basics and the physics of photography. Afterall, he had a darkroom when he was 15 years old, and these technical aspects are as natural as breathing for him. I keep looking for the angle or the color or the story behind the scene I'm trying to create, while he wants to teach me about focal length and ISO setting. Furthermore; he thinks, works, and explains in French, and his camera controls and documentation are in French, while my camera controls and documentation are in English - not to mention that it's hard enough for me to learn a new vocabulary such as "aperture priority" without trying to figure out how it's called in French . . . .
So please bear with me as I learn how to drive my new Porsche ;-)
In the meantime, here are a couple of recent photos . .
This is the Invalides dome behind the Assemblée Générale
as seen from the top of the Grande Roue (ferris wheel) in the place de la Concorde.
I was a complete camera novice as of a year ago. I never owned more than a point-and-shoot, and typically relied on my traveling partner (thanks Margo!) to handle the photography duties. Then, when I came to France equipped with a newer point and shoot, I suddenly discovered the joy of photography. I took a couple of classes here in Paris (thanks Meredith) and the more I learned the more I realized there was to learn. However, Meredith gently reminded me that I would be frustrated with additional classes - the topics covered would be impossible for me to achieve with my limited equipment.
Sooooo, the new camera. And while it takes fabulous photos on the Automatic setting, it would be a real shame not to take advantage of its many capabilities. Besides, now I want to take more sophisticated photos. And so I am plunging into the world of ISO settings, Aperture and Shutter Priority, White Balance, Depth of Field, Bracketing, and Flash Modes - not to mention struggling with the latest version of Photoshop Elements . . .
Patrice keeps trying to teach me the basics and the physics of photography. Afterall, he had a darkroom when he was 15 years old, and these technical aspects are as natural as breathing for him. I keep looking for the angle or the color or the story behind the scene I'm trying to create, while he wants to teach me about focal length and ISO setting. Furthermore; he thinks, works, and explains in French, and his camera controls and documentation are in French, while my camera controls and documentation are in English - not to mention that it's hard enough for me to learn a new vocabulary such as "aperture priority" without trying to figure out how it's called in French . . . .
So please bear with me as I learn how to drive my new Porsche ;-)
In the meantime, here are a couple of recent photos . .
This is the Invalides dome behind the Assemblée Générale
as seen from the top of the Grande Roue (ferris wheel) in the place de la Concorde.
The pictures look pretty good so far! Love, P
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