Just Foto Fun with the Point-and-Shoot

Historically speaking, I've never been good at filling out forms or reading directions on how to assemble something or to make it work. 

Almost invariably, my completed forms have two or three items crossed out and the correct information inserted above the cross-out OR I end up filling out a second form.

With directions, I generally read enough to get started.  Then, it's trial by error with a whole lot of errors before giving up and going back to the direction book. 

Along those same lines, I'm pretty happy if I get the basic stuff out of a computer or a camera, knowing that if I'd do some reading that computer or camera may do a whole lot more for me than basic word processing or just taking a picture. 

Well, these lifelong traits came into play once more yesterday when I had to take my main camera to the fix-it shop, knowing I'd have to rely on my basic point-and-shoot with the neat telephoto feature for the next few days. 

Only problem there was that the eagle pictures of a bird sitting atop one of the neighbor's trees were all washed out.  

Nothing wrong with the camera, just the operator.  More than likely, I thought, I must have twisted that one knob to the wrong place. 

I was kinda disappointed about those eagle shots and equally disappointed that such things could happen again while the Panasonic substituted as my main camera. 

So, I went to the camera manual and discovered that a whole world of fun awaited me if I would just read about and learn what those magic dials on my camera actually do. 

I was energized by all this new knowledge and realization that I could finally get some of my photos to look like those neat Instagram shots I often see on Facebook made me just plain giddy. 

I experimented with a few shots and then told Bill of my discovery.  Turns out my husband who generally reads details to the max hadn't read much of the manual either. 

"This is what you can do with those trout you catch," I noted while showing him the "impressive art" setting under the icon that looks like a palette. 

Bill was impressed, asking me later what setting that was.

This morning he had taken the camera manual to the bathroom before I arose.  He reported to me that we could also find a setting on our cameras, which we gave each other for Christmas, that would enhance that 300 mm lens three more times. 

Of course, the more enhancement, the less detail, which I said was okay if we saw some unusual creature like maybe an elephant walking across the Meserve Preserve. 

Anyway, I should know from past experience and from yesterday's camera epiphany that reading directions should be foremost with any new toy.  That doesn't mean I'm gonna change as I'm pretty set in my ways.  

And, as for filling out forms, I don't know of anything in any manual that's gonna help me tackle that personal deficiency. 

For now, though, I'm just thrilled with yesterday's discoveries, and you can see just how thrilled with all the stuff below where I experimented around the yard and out on the road while enjoying a gorgeous February afternoon. 

Twas a fun day, and I do appreciate the time spent learning about most of the potential in my new camera.  And, heck, I have yet to experiment with the 17 features in the "scene mode." 

Fun times ahead. 

Enjoy.  Happy Wednesday. By the way, Schweitzer at the bottom was taken just a few minutes ago.  Another gorgeous day ahead. 

That's my neighbor Janice from up the road and her pal Lucy.  Last week Janice had eye surgery which has opened up a whole new world of vision for her.  That's really great, and I'm really happy except for one thing.

That means she's gonna have an added advantage in this year's neighborhood "Beautiful Yard" contest.  She usually wins, but this year she'll, no doubt, run away with the prize.  

Liam's a little snooty now that he's The Graduate. 

Oh, the places you will go now that you are a Graduate. Yay, Liam.