Learning Curve = Less!

August 14, 2011 Update:


Took these shots on my third day out;  I've been having fun with my new Nikon D90!  These are the kinds of shots I always envied and wanted to be able to take (especially the second and third shots):

On the fourth morning I took these shots:

On the fifth morning, these shots:

(without flash)

(with flash)

Collage made from the two shots:

I'm loving this and learning alot!

Learning Curve = HUGE!

August 9, 2011:  Just purchased my first DSLR, a previously-owned Nikon D90 with a Tamron 18-270mm lens from my friend Keith (Colorado/Pullman, WA).  It arrived yesterday and I am feeling excited, anxious and frustrated all at the same time.   This experience is going to be a huge learning curve.  The one thing I've learned so far is that my previous [point-and-shoot] camera did all the work for me - all I had to contribute was my eye and timing. With this camera I am going to have to do all the work!!  Not sure how much I like that - I am basically resistant to change and resistant to having to work too hard at something -  but if I can eventually improve the quality of my photos, I guess it will all be worth it. 

It took a while, but I finally figured out how to turn on the LCD screen (duh!) and then figure out that I can't use the LCD screen and the viewfinder at the same time (duh!) and then figure out that the viewfinder may actually be the better choice.  And this enlightenment came to someone who has spent their entire digital experience using the LCD screen exclusively!  Yikes!

And all this was in autofocus too - I can see it taking a very l-o-n-g time to figure out the various manual modes!!

I did switch it into manual mode at one point - the shot is too dark because I haven't a clue yet how to change ISO, aperture, etc.  

However, all the autofocus shots I took (about 20 of them) came out way too light!    That dark manual mode shot turned out to be the only salvageable shot I took this morning.  Not that it's any good, but I felt I should keep ONE of my first attempts at least:

August 10, 2011:  Did some reading last night and cleared up a couple of puzzlements.  Took some more shots this morning:

To be continued!   This saga will be on-going, for a very long time...

Pheasant Family

August 06, 2011: Today I had the good fortune to be in the right place at the right time and saw something I've never seen before - "baby" pheasants.  Well, they are probably teenagers by now, but I'd never seen chicks of any age before, so this was a treat, despite the fact that I wasn't able to get really close:

 I thought I had them cornered against the chain link fence

  but these "babies" could fly,
and went up and over, with their mom...!

Only the male didn't fly over the fence, at least while I was standing there!  I now know, in hindsight, that this is a juvenile male, identified by the lack of the long tail feathers.  I saw him again two days later... (more photos below)

August 8, 2011:  I went back to the same place I saw the pheasant family on Saturday, but didn't see any of them in that place.  But as I turned around to leave, I came, basically, face-to-face with this juvenile male pheasant.  I am assuming he's a juvenile due to the lack of long tail feathers, but as yet have not  found any info to support that assumption.  He let me get quite close and while I stood motionless, camera ready, he felt comfortable enough to stop in a clearing and do some preening.  I got quite a few shots that way.  Actually I tired before he did, and when I moved, he finally sauntered away!  Here are  additional photos of a juvenile male pheasant:

 He stopped to preen

 but then stopped suddenly to check out
what was going on around him

 A little more preening

Always a treat to see the pheasants, and a special treat to see the whole family on a morning outing!  Gotta love Kissena Park, home to the Ring-Neck Pheasant!

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