Knowing your camera and setting will help you capture fleeting moments like the sun lighting the forest floor.
What does that button do?
Have you ever looked at your camera and asked this question? How about a computer program like photoshop? It’s a common question filled with curiosity.
What does this do?
This question, this thirst to know more, this curiosity often reminds me of my friend Karen. An avid hiker, Karen would stroll down the trail with camera in hand gazing at all the wonders. We would wait for her at junctions as she investigated one plant after another. When she joined us she would ask which way we were headed, then stare down the opposite trail and ask “I wonder where that goes.” She would stretch her neck up and to the side as if she could see the destination just by stretching her neck far enough. After a moment, she would turn away to continue the original hike stating she would check the map when she got home.
Maps are amazing. On a flat piece of paper are depicted the shaped and sizes of the country: distance, elevation, steepness. When you get familiar enough with reading the contours on a map, you can envision what the scenery looks like.
Often when planning an adventure, I start with the map. I look for my destination, then my starting point. I’ll trace my finger along the route, imagine what the terrain will look like as I go. As I approach my adventure, I’ll double check my route to make sure I have an expectation of what will happen on the trip. While I’m hiking I refer to my map and my understanding of the route often. I check in to make sure everything is going as expected and if not, I have a reference to help me adjust.
What does this have to do with cameras, gadget buttons, and Photoshop? Everything.
Pull out your manual and place it next to a map. They are both guides for your adventure. Think of your manual as your map to your gear.
What is your destination? Likely, it’s to become proficient with using your new price of equipment or software. Define your destination.
You also know where you are starting from - where you are right now - looking at your new gear in wonder and maybe a bit of fear.
Open up your manual, grab your new gear, and begin charting your adventure. Refer to the manual often to make sure you are on the right track. When something doesn’t look right or go as planned, come back to the manual. Start with the basics and expand, then come back to the basics to keep building on your tautological foundations.
Going back to your manual once in a while helps you make your destination. When confronted with something new, heading back to your manual can shed light on the landscape of your photography.