Saturday 20 May 2017

Photography Classes and the Joys of the NBN

I mentioned recently that my son and I had booked in for a photography class so that we could learn how to use our cameras. I really really love my old Canon Point and Shoot camera as it is so convenient to use but seeing as I also have a Nikon Coolpix P600 which I bought on eBay for a discount as it was 'refurbished' ...whatever that means, I thought it was time to find out how it works properly. Our tutor, Don Hildred, was given the difficult task of combining both the basic course and the more advanced one as I wanted to do the basic one but my son already knew most of the basics so really needed to do the more advanced one. However, Don took it in his stride and was very helpful.


My Mother's Day present to myself...just because I loved the colour :-)

Don asked us to bring along some photos we had taken and he showed us how to.....




....sharpen the photo to make it look clearer.





 This was the photo I took recently of the mural painted last year in the First Coat Festival.





Don showed what could be done in Photoshop by making the colours more vibrant, not that we have Photoshop but it is interesting to learn what can be done. I dare say that painting would have faded over the past year as well. By the way the First Coat Festival is on this weekend and I saw some of the artists painting in the CBD this morning when I was walking to our Simple Living Toowoomba workshop on decluttering which incidentally was just great. Only problem is I should have taken the CEO. LOL! This is the last time the festival will be held in Toowoomba as I believe it will be going to the smaller regional areas in the future which will be wonderful for them as it will attract tourists. 




How to take a photo from a different angle....this was the photo I took a couple of months ago of the Hitching Rail at Picnic Point.



Don took it from this angle which looks more interesting. I can highly recommend Don's classes if anyone in our region is interested in attending a class. Just email Don and I am sure he will be only too happy to help you out. Just go to the link in the first paragraph for the details.




So now I am trying to discipline myself to get the camera out of the bag and use it each day to become familiar with the settings. 

 


I am always fascinated by seeing the sun shining through leaves so tried to capture that effect but it is all a bit hit and miss at the moment till I learn a bit more. It might help if I read the notes Don gave us as well.



As my camera has an amazing zoom I used it to zoom in on this unsuspecting cockatoo sitting at the top of the huge pine tree next door....a long way away from our back yard. I have been watching out for other birds that might visit in the afternoon but there don't seem to be a lot of birds around at the moment.  You can always count on the odd cockatoo though unless you are doing the Aussie Backyard Bird Count and then they seem to disappear for the week for some reason.  

Oh yes, I was going to write about the joys of being connected to the NBN this week. Unfortunately there aren't any. Enough said :-) 





16 comments:

  1. I was wondering how your photography class was. Your photos are so clear. I hope you continue.
    The decluttering workshop sounds like a success too.
    Sorry to hear you're having issues with NBN. We've had it for a few months now and all is well, fingers crossed that continues.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kylie, the workshop was great. I just wished the NBN and Telstra call centres weren't overseas as I have trouble understanding the accents when I contact them.

      Delete
  2. Your last sentence made me burst out laughing! (sorry)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha, I know you have had your NBN issues too :-)

      Delete
  3. OOOOH I love that first flower and what a great pic!! So glad you are enjoying your classes. Sounds like a lot of fun. Internet issues at our house too and totally different providers - my sympathy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought it was only in Australia that there were internet problems, Kathy. LOL!

      Delete
  4. Oh nannachel, that chrysanthemum is the same shade I bought my mum, I don't think I've ever seen that colour before and I just knew it was the one. Will you plant it in the garden later? I will be planting mums and hoping it takes in the garden.
    Lavenderlass

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will put it into a larger pot for the time being as the chooks dig everything up. I have been waiting for a new chook cage and run to be built for some time now and daresay I will be waiting even longer.

      Delete
  5. Your photos are wonderful, it's amazing how changing the angle can make such a difference. I love photography too and taking a class sounds like fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Julie, we were given notes as well which I really should read as I forget things I am told so quickly.

      Delete
  6. Your photos are stunning.

    As for the NBN, we've had it nearly 12 months and it's the pits! Slower than our ADSL2 with an ugly box on the outside of the house and even uglier box inside nowhere near we wanted it located! Thanks Australian Government (NOT!!)

    Janine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janine, our area is 'fibre to node' so apparently we are connected to the NBN somewhere but nobody comes to the house to connect up anything. We were sent a modem in the mail and had to install it ourselves.I hate the idea of the phone being connected to the modem as I always turn our modem off at night...so no modem on means no phone during the night :-)

      Delete
  7. I have a thing for sunlight through foliage as well! Only,I always seem to catch the glare, and it looks over exposed. I keep trying though. Sometimes I strike it lucky.

    Does your Nikon camera have a flip viewing window, meaning you can move it to see exactly what you're taking? I heard it makes all the difference. Because if you can't see what your picture looks like, due to glare on the viewer, then you're shooting in the dark.

    I enjoyed reading about your course and seeing your pictures. It's nice to challenge the mind and do things differently.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes Chris it does. It is a pretty good camera that's why I really need to learn how to use it properly. It is all a bit of trial and error I find.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the photo of leaves and how sunlight shines through. It's so beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm a wee bit jealous of your zoom, Chel. I just have an old "point and click" camera so zooming in on distant objects never really amounts to much. The colour of your flowers are lovely, such a deep red. Meg:)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for leaving your comments as I love to hear from my readers. As soon as I check them they will be published. If for some reason you have trouble leaving a comment feel free to email me directly by filling out the 'Contact Me' form on the sidebar at the right.

Printfriendly

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...