Monday, May 01, 2006

I finally took the plunge!

After two years of using my digital camera, I finally took the plunge and changed the setting from automatic point & shoot, to a manual setting. I changed the shudder speed to a faster one to be able to capture action shots…and what a difference it made!!!

I’ve always been afraid that I might screw something up, so I didn’t want to mess with a good thing, but many of my pictures have often turned out blurry, especially if someone moved, while I was taking the picture. And do you know how difficult it is to get a cat to sit still, or a two year old? Well, now I don’t have to anymore.

I was looking for a new digital camera, but I’ve decided that I may not need one after all. I may just have to pull out that manual and read up on the capabilities of this one…or maybe just experiment with it and see what happens….After all, it’s not like you have to pay to have the pictures developed…you can delete what you don’t like. I really would like to have a better zoom, for those faraway shots…but I’ll guess I’ll just wait until I can find a still camera with a 20X zoom.

Here are some pictures of Daisy & Jybow that I took while they were moving.


Now don't get alarmed and get your panties all in a bunch...they're only playing. These two females really like each other and are very playful. Daisy, the white cat is teaching Jybow how to hunt for moles...not in this picture, but that's what they did today...hunt for moles together.

This is Jybow acting ferocious because of an approaching tomcat named Ferbie. Ferbie is sweet, but the females don't think so...at least not all the time.

This is Ferby who is leaving the pond disappointed again, after another failed attempt at catching a fish. If you click on the picture you can see an orange goldfish on the right.
My water plants are doing pretty well this year and the pond is finally self-sustaining and, the only intervention it needs from us, is the occasional mosquito tablet dropped into the water.

I set my camera to magnifying mode and also pushed on the little flower icon, for this shot. I like the way you can see all the little ridges on the flower petals of this climatis. You may have to enlarge the picture to see it better, that is, if blogger will let you.

16 comments:

Susie said...

I have always enjoyed your pictures. I especially love seeing your kitties!
Your pond looks great and from what I can tell is about the same size as ours.
Ours is in the sun and very very green right now, but the fish are thriving as are the water lilies.

The Four Bears in the Woods said...

Glad you got brave and decided to explore your camera more because these pictures are good. I too enjoy those kitty pictures.. and that flower is so pretty.


Loved the pictures!

Renee said...

Beautiful pictures and beautiful cats!

Anonymous said...

Boy, do I know what you mean by taking the plunge from auto to manual! LOL
But iv'e got to say, it was sooo worth it! your cat picts had laughing, especially Jybow, boy did he look mad! Looks like my cat when he gets all fired up like that.
here's to more great picts to come!

Ava said...

Your pictures are great!!! Glad you gave it a try. Jybow sure can look mean!!!!

The flower picture is beautiful!!!

You're awesome!!!!

We want more!!!!!!

Ava

LZ Blogger said...

Sometimes you just have to step out of the AUTO MODE! See what can happen? ~ jb///

TUFFENUF said...

Your photos are great. I love digital, you don't have to worry about wasting film to experiment. What kind of camera do you have? It probably does more things that you need to try! PS/ I like that name - Jybow

doubleknot said...

Great pictures. Glad you went exploring on your camera. I usually explore then read the manual. My new camera is better then my first one but I plan on saving up to get one of those with the long zooms.
More pictures. I saw the gold fish. I am totally spoiled by this digital stuff.

Susan Tidwell said...

I am having the same problem, blurry pictures etc. Guess I will have to step out of the AUTO MODE also, thanks for the advice!

Jellyhead said...

I'm sorry, but I'm still grinning over the phrase you used, "don't get your panties in a bunch"!! (here in Oz, we say, 'don't get your knickers in a knot' - which probably sounds very odd to you, too!)

Your photos are looking sparkling clear. Just lovely.

Peter said...

Very nice photos, I loved the potato story too.

Finn said...

Morning Sandy, love the post! Great pictures..*S* So happy you got brave enough to try it..that's what I'm waiting for also...courage! It took me so long just to get the "hang" of using the digital, and then to get the computer and the camera to speak to each other..LOL. I'd really hate to screw it up now, so I just limp along with what it will do automatically. Great job!!!

bornfool said...

Nicely done. Maybe I'll step out of the auto mose myself.

BTW, glad you submitted your story. I really liked it. See, you can write fiction without cucoo in it.

Hunter said...

What a great flower photo. The texture of the petals is amazing and beautiful.

Darilyn

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Sue...the pond is just beginning to green-up after winter, as everything dies in winter time here. The pond will get morning shade and afternoon sun in the hot summer days. Right now it's in full sun.

Four Bears...thanks for your nice comment and I'm glad I got brave enough to push the menu button and see what this little camera has to offer. Can you imagine what your camera can do if you start using different settings? Your camera takes great shots on auto.

Kelly...thanks for stopping in and for the nice comments.

Laura...I've really admired your pictures and you are probably the one reason that I decided to take the plunge. Your pictures are fabulous. Thanks for the compiments on my pictures.

Ava...I love to post pictures, unfortunately I sometimes post too many...but Hey!...it's my blog. Thanks for the nice comment.

LZ...you're right about that, sometimes we just have to take chances, and if we screw up...so what....we try again or go buy a new camera.

Tuffenuf...that's right about digital...all you have to do is delete if you don't like the picture.
My camera is a Sony DSC-T1 Cyber-shot, 5.1 megapixels with a 3x zoom.
My husband picked out Jybow's name and it took me a while to remember it...I was always getting it wrong, calling her Jaabo, Gibbo.

Doubleknot...I still want to get a camera with a larger zoom, but they don't make the zoom I want yet. My camera can be carried in my pocket and that's why I got it, so I could carry it on the motorcycle.
I read the manual, but it was just too big...it's larger and thicker than the camera.
I only have 2 goldfish.

Susan...You just have to do it one day and hope for the best...after all, you can delete.

jellyhead...I like your saying, but I may not have understood it, if I had heard it somewhere else, because I'm not the sharpest tac in the box.

Peter...thanks for the nice comment and I thought that the potato story was hilarious too especially how it ended.

Finn...you take great pictures and whatever works best for you is what you need to stick to. I sure wouldn't want you to screw anything up after you worked so hard to get your computer & camera to cooperate with each other!!!

Bornfool...you're already out of the auto mode. *LOL* Love your humor.

Darilyn...Thanks...I really liked the way you could see the veins in the flower petals. I first took pictures of my hand and my husbands and they were tooo scarey to post.

manababies said...

Nice photos! The nice thing about digital is you can delete the shots when you're just tinkering or trying to figure out new settings. I always shoot in Manual mode, but on occasion I have to switch to Automatic, especially when the lighting situation keeps changing and the subjects just won't sit still. :)