Gorgeous fall day and all is well.  Sitting comfortably in the sun, sturdy twin-seat andirondack chairs beneath us, favorite beverages in hand, we are enveloped by nature.  Babbling brook, stellar jays and magpies flitting about, congregating three abreast on a branch high above, wildflowers and tall grasses slightly swaying in the warm autumn breeze.  Perfect venue for playing with my camera, inspired by two new photography books I picked up at Barnes & Noble earlier this week.

Bill and I took a class when we bought our first SLR almost fifteen years ago.  The assignments were fun and we learned a lot.  However, while I ‘got’ it at the time, working the manual dials on my camera is a bit of a challenge for me.  Bill retained pretty much everything and so is a good mentor.  My brain just can’t think that fast.  But I know practice is key and this is something I’d love to master.

Auto mode is easy and, for the most part, a no-brainer.  From my perspective, composition and subject selection are what I enjoy most but as Bill and I played around today stuff was starting to click.  The books I purchased include assignments to complete to help drive home the concepts.  I’m looking forward now to becoming a student again and photography is one subject I heartily look forward to studying any time, any place!