Epping Forest 22.8.2018
The first time I took out my new Canon M5 I struggled a bit with the settings. With a mirrorless camera like this (and DSLRs of course) and when not shooting in automatic mode, you have to keep your eye on settings like - Aperture - Time value (speed) - ISO (sensitivity) - White Balance It's like driving a car, at first you have to really think about every setting to work out sharpness, lighting and composition. But the more you do it, the easier it gets until it becomes automatic and you do not have to think about it so much. I have taken better pictures than these in the past but it was real fun following the squirrel around in the trees and catching him just as he started to fly. By the way, that was my last shot and I have often found that the last picture I take is a good one. So don't stop until you have taken that last shot - you will know when that is.
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Hollow Pond Whipps Cross Road, East London
Yesterday I decided to get up at 5.30am to try out my new Canon M5 on my first sunrise in decades. It was not easy getting out of bed after a late night, and I did not really wake up until I was out 'in the field' and started pressing the shutter release. But it was well worth it, and here are some of the things I learned: - GET READY: get your equipment and outfit ready the evening before and have an early night (not like me). - WRAP UP WARM: even though it was only end of August, mornings can be quite cold, and this one was! - BE EARLY: set up your camera a few minutes before the sun comes up. Once it shows on the horizon you only have a few minutes to take the glorious colours. When the sun appears fully, it is too bright to get a decent shot. - TAKE A TRIPOD: for long exposures in low light conditions your really need a tripod and possibly a remote release to avoid camera shake and blurry pictures. - TAKE ENERGY BARS: if you are not an early breakfast type, take some energy bars to keep you going. Focused thinking does not go well with an empty stomach. - WAIT: When you have taken at least two shots, wait a while. The scene will change and you might take even better shots after a few minutes. - CAMERA CONTROL: Keep your camera on Aperture priority, but also keep your eye on speed, ISO and Whitebalance as well, for the best exposure - TURN AROUND: when walking along, frequently turn around. There may be a great shot behind you. When I was 8, my father gave me my first camera – a simple little box that took black and white pictures on a roll of film. I was delighted and started taking photos of my friends and countryside straight away. Various cheap cameras followed and were mainly used to take holiday pictures. Many years later, when I turned 21, I got my first ‘proper’ camera: an SLR with tele lense, wide angle and loads of other equipment. Now I was really hooked! With my father’s advice and support and a course in photography, I started experimenting and finding my own style. When I met my husband, who had been interested in chemistry and developing pictures in the past, we set up a darkroom (honestly, not what you think, we really developed photographs!). Then I developed an interest in studio photography and lighting, and we even ran our own portrait studio for a short time. The appearance of digital cameras really fanned my flame of passion. Suddenly it had become more affordable to take as many pictures as I liked and the instant gratification of seeing them on my computer screen minutes later, was this photographer’s sheer bliss. I have a special interest in nature photography, landscapes and looking at the world from very close up. With my pictures I am trying to capture and convey moods, emotions and the beauty of nature. Now, 50 years later (really?), I have just started investing more time (and money!) into this passion. I joined a local camera club and enrolled in an online course to get myself off Automatic and learn to use my Canon G5X more fully. A few weeks ago I also bought a Canon M5 with 18-150mm zoom lens to extend my skills and take my photography to the next level. From now on I will share my learning, successes and mistakes in this blog and do hope you will enjoy reading about my excursions, experiments and excitements and be able to avoid some of the mistakes I made in my photography. I also hope that my images will lift and inspire you. Birgit x |
AuthorI love taking pictures, particularly of nature, flowers, landscapes, close-ups and architecture. I enjoy travelling and exploring and finding creative ways to capture the world as I see it. Combining my pictures with my inspirational articles gives the reader, I feel, a more holistic experience. A Thoughtful Gift
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