My Camera and me

 

I am not a particularly tech-savvy person but I do usually try to read instructions for a new item/appliance.  Once I know how something works for me, such as the washing machine, I tend to keep using the same few settings.  I seldom explore menus/settings on things.  However, sometimes, this is not such a good thing.  (Photo above is Salvia Cherry Lips.) 

Recently my camera setting changed (due to me inadvertently pressing the wrong button - of course) and I was messing about with it, trying to put it back to the familiar. You may remember that I have said in the past that it is a good camera for daylight and it can take some lovely pictures; however, it is rubbish in low light, or with fireworks, or the moon etc. (Photo above is Salvia Peach Melba, bought earlier in the year as a plug plant).

Looking at the settings menu, I discovered that it has a multitude of settings for portraits, fireworks, low light conditions etc. that I have never seen or used.  (This is probably due to the fact that I am a 'point and shoot' photographer and also that I have not downloaded the (no doubt) big instruction manual... ) (Photo shows my agapanthus Navy Blue with the shorter Flower of Love below.)

So, no more maligning my camera until I have tried these settings.  I will report back in due course... (Photo is of Rose Olivia Rose Austin in her second flowering this summer). 

Playing with a new camera

Unfortunately, my Kodak camera which I have been really happy with for a few years, has decided to start letting me down over the battery charging.  If I charge it the night before I need it or the morning I need it, it is fine.  However, after that day, no battery.  I bought a replacement battery but it has proved to be the same, so I am thinking there might be something wrong.  It has taken some lovely photos and I have enjoyed using it, but I decided to buy a new camera. 

After a lot of research, I ended up with the Canon Powershot SX420 IS.  It is different, but it has recognisable buttons and functions.  It has mixed reviews online, but for the price I was happy to pay, it was one of the only options.

This photo is from the Canon website.

 So, I went into the garden to have a practise with it.  Cyclamen Hederifolium looking rather glamorous.

 The changing colours of  Blueberry Goldtraube...

...and again.

 One of the final blooming roses - Gertrude Jekyll.

 Lovely Hydrangea Arborescens Annabelle, fading elegantly.

Miscanthus Silberfeder I think, alongside Rose Gertrude Jekyll.  So far, the camera seems to be OK, although more practising is needed I think.  I'm not sure that the photos have quite the clarity of the Kodak, but time will tell.

Camera shenanigans

(Just in passing, I really like the word 'shenanigans').  I have been having some problems with my camera recently.  It is a little point and shoot Kodak M23 which has been really reliable, easy to use and takes lovely photos.  I am not a photographer by any means (although I do enjoy taking photos) and need something easy to use.  My camera still takes good pictures, but the computer bit inside (you guessed it, I am not au fait with technology) decided to go completely mad and not do anything I wanted it to.  In fact, although I told it not to, it decided to delete all 340 photos on my memory card, much to my horror.  You know that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach - well, I definitely had that.  Once I realised that, luckily, I had saved most of the photos onto my computer, it wasn't so bad.  However, I decided that a new camera purchase should be made.
I did my research, waded through loads of reviews, got completely baffled as I trawled through all sorts of technical descriptions and then I bought this one, a Sony W800:

photo from http://www.sony.co.uk

It was like my old Kodak, in that it was small and would fit in my pocket.  However, once I had charged it up and tried it, I found that there was a delay between clicking the shutter button and it actually taking a photo.  This wasn't great as I do like taking the odd photo of wildlife now and again.  I also found it took a while to bring the photos into focus on the screen.  Whether this was a problem with just this particular camera, or across the range,  I wasn't sure, but I knew it wasn't the one for me, so took it back.

I have now bought this one (another Kodak - FZ201 - but a little bit bigger and with more zoom than my previous one). 

image from https://www.ephotozine.com/

I have been having a practise with it in the garden...

 I rescued this little cyclamen from being swamped by a self-seeded astrantia and verbena bonariensis.

It looks much happier now.

 I challenged the camera with a back-lit blueberry branch.  I think it managed pretty well.

 Deep shade and brilliant sunshine (and the shadow of my arm!).

 Using the zoom...

 ...and again...

 ...and again.

 Beautiful cosmos flowers (they were really late to flower this year).

 My favourite aster 'Little Carlow', which helpfully tells the bees which flowers have been pollinated (they are the ones with the reddish centres).

 Magnolia Susan with buttery yellow leaves against a blue autumn sky.

 Vivid pink aster 'September Ruby'. That colour just sings out, doesn't it?

Finally, my replacement hanging basket, still flowering and looking good (until the first frosts come, which can't be too far away now).

So far, I am really pleased with my new camera.  I hope it lasts for a good few years.

Fabulous Fireworks!

As we live near the local football ground, we are treated to a free show of the City Council's Firework 'Spectacular' each year around 5th November, and this year, it was held last night. I like to try to challenge myself and my camera and see whether I can capture any of the explosion of colour.

I was really pleased with these photos - for a little 'point and click' digital camera, I think it has done a really good job.

All I have done to the photos is to crop them down using Photoshop; other than that, they are as the camera took them.

These last two really show the explosion of the fireworks and the bright colours.

I particularly like the red firework to the right of this image and I think it is quite amazing that photography can capture and hold that split second. Fireworks are one of the most ephemeral of things - they last for such a short time, but we can now relive the moment. Where would we be without photography?