Podcast: Getting the feel

I don’t actually think we’re going to have a spring or a summer this year. I think we’re going to just fluctuate in temperatures for the next several months, frosts and snow killing off all the things that start to grow when the temp is higher, until eventually the sun just gives up entirely and stays down.

[There – now I’ve established an excuse not to post too much and the pressure’s off.]

But life goes on, and so does my droning voice, which means it’s time for another podcast. This time, it’s an extension of the earlier equipment monologue. And yet, I wouldn’t do these if I didn’t think there was some redeeming value to them.

Walkabout podcast – Getting the feel

Not a lot to link to or illustrate with this one. I mentioned exposure compensation, and also white balance, so there are those links. Most of what you want to be familiar with, however, will be found in your camera manual, and if you don’t have one, typically they can be found online.

A quick note, something that I tell my students all the time: don’t worry about not understanding what some particular function or option on your camera is for. Manufacturers are now trying to make just about every body useful to any shooting situation, and not only is it not necessary to understand all (or even the majority) of these functions to use the camera effectively, in many cases you will never use them all, regardless of your experience. Some are only for very specific techniques; some are even virtually worthless. Remember, not that long ago there were just a handful of primary controls on any camera, and these are still the ones that have the greatest impact on your images (for the record, that’s shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.) So don’t think that you have to read the manual cover-to-cover to know how to use the camera. However, it’s not a bad idea to flip through it occasionally, and if there’s something in there that you have questions about, the webbernets is a handy resource. Even plugging the term into that search bar over to your right might generate a useful post that I’ve done in the past.

Nothing else that I’m thinking of right now, so here’s the first Copes grey treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) of the year, at least for me – this came from April 3rd when the weather was normal for this time of year. By the way, the snow/sleet mentioned in the ‘cast never did come to pass, though the temperature dropped very close to that. Definitely a weird season.

Copes grey treefrog Hyla chrysoscelis looking at me as if I was responsible for this wacky weather