Removing My Camera's Training Wheels

I attended my very first photography class this weekend, and in two short hours, I learned so, so, so much.  I read a whole lot of blogs, and some (read: Pioneer Woman) have some amazing pictures featured daily.  And some (read:  Pioneer Woman) do explain camera settings and how the amazing photos were captured.  I've read all those explanations and camera lessons.  And.. Yeah.  Not happening in this brain of mine.  So, I didn't have high hopes for a group class that was only 2 hours long.  But learn, I did. 

I went to the intro class by Kate Byars Photography - "What Does This Button Do?"  Love the name, right?  She explained three concepts - ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed - in plain, funny English, and I left the class understanding how to play nicely with all three.  I'm now proud to be a straight-up Manual Mode only user.  Yee-haww!

Here are the before and after pictures I took during the class.  The first was a guess at settings or leftover settings from the previous shot.  After some mucking around, I was able to capture the second photo.  Pritty!!

 I'm slowly, but surely, becoming a big fan of f/1.4....

 

I love how the sunlight washes out the RH side of the photo.

 This is my Cupid's Arrow photo :)

Voila! A door!

M is for my friend, Mischa :)