Finally used the camera!

One of my first photos... literally. I have walked my first mm on a journey of kms. :-) Used the camera on manual but ended up using autoflash. It was morning light coming through the window...overcast day... I just couldn't get a shot without the flash? I am so thrilled that a picture has been taken and that it captured my daughter before she awoke.

That is a cute photo and shows just how good modern camers are when they are set on automatic. You did a good job of composition (I might crop a bit off the top above her hair and from the bottom up to that black and white thing by her wrist) which is the first required skill for a new photographer.

Read the owners manual several times and keep fooling with the features and shooting until you get a "look" that feels right to you.

BTW I am sure there is a way to turn off the flash-read the manual until you find it......

They always look so angelic when they're asleep.

Thank-you. Is it still shooting on manual if I ended up deciding to use the autoflash? I tried to set up my aperature and ISO and , but the picture kept coming out dark, so eventually I used the flash. I have no idea how to edit yet... I am only using the program that came with the camera and it seems to be competing with an different program I have on the computer that came with my P&S camera. Is Elements worth purchasing at this early stage?

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Originally Posted by 40piggies

....I have no idea how to edit yet... I am only using the program that came with the camera and it seems to be competing with an different program I have on the computer that came with my P&S camera. Is Elements worth purchasing at this early stage?

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You have plenty of hardware and software now to get the job done, just start by fooling around with what you have and learn how to use it very well.

You probably will end up purchasing PhotoShop and Elements is more than enough for most photo uses. I'm just thinking that there is no good reason to take the next step until you have some mastery over the first step.

BTW FWIW I don't bother with/use Photo Shop at all and I sell lots and lots of my images.

Thank-you again. Great point about Photoshop... I didn't think you could get away without it. I am so new to this, but I would prefer to take a pure picture (real, soft, natural)... does that even make sense? Natural lighting... is that possible? My example here came out so dark... maybe I didn't have a good choice in settings. Is the flash nearly always necessary indoors? One thing is for sure... this is great fun! And since this little monkey of mine is #3 of 4 monkeys in the house when one tires of me another steps up. :-)

What you need to do is learn how to use your editing program that you already have and to remember look at the histogram in your cameras playback function. Also you can boost your cameras sensitivity to light by increasing the ISO.

Still, all this stuff is just details that you will pick up pretty fast if you keep shooting. The main deal is that again you posted a pretty good composition that has some merit and composition is the most important part of being a photographer using a modern camera.

check this out i know you have a canon xti not an xt but there ALOT alike!
some tips and techniques for your camera
http://images.photoworkshop.com/rebe...interface.html

Your 'too dark' shot looks like it would be a very good compositon.
For those dark shots, if you want to try some manual, remember you will need a wider aperture,(small number), and/or slower shutter speed which may require the use of a tripod. The higher iso that MB1 mentions will also help and the xti does well with high iso numbers.

Thank-you Frog. lol, I was using a high aperature trying to blur out the background... will try your suggestion the first chance I get. :-)

40piggies i sent you a pm!!!