Play Time

I have a Nikon D40 camera, and I've had it for awhile, but I've never really played with it. I tend to just leave it on automatic, aim, and click. I've been happy with the snapshots I take this way considering my last camera was a point and shoot. However, I have been wanting to play with the settings, but I'm the type of person who is so afraid to mess anything up and not able to get it back to the original settings that I've never done so. But this afternoon, I decided to play. I mean, if nothing else, I can just click it back to automatic, right?

The first thing I discovered was the black and white section. I had no idea I could shoot black and white pictures with my camera! I love black & white, but I usually upload my pictures to Shutterfly (because I have no editing software. I would love some, but that stuff is expensive!), convert it to b&w, then download to my computer. This is SO much faster! I probably should have written down what settings I had this on, because I also managed to blur the background, which I also love, but have no idea how to do it again. Oops.

Super cute picture, right? I'm in love. That white spot at the top was a smudge on my lens. I didn't notice it until after I played with my camera. Boo.

In this next section of photos, I was playing with the ISO function trying to determine which one let in the right amount of light. I don't know that I ever found a good one. I also had Quinn in front of the window because the flash was turned off, so I'm not sure if the sunlight complicated things.

This one I think is the best, but there's still a lot of shadow on his face.

I like this one, but I would not like it if Quinn was facing the camera. Definitely too much shadow. Plus I need to clean that window. Please ignore the smudges and child handprints.

Too much light.

Too many facial shadows.

I think this one would work if he was sitting down. Maybe.

Not enough light.

 The next two pictures are comparisions of different settings. I love this first picture of Aidan although there are lines on his face from the blinds.

This is the portrait setting.

Just for comparision sake, this is the same picture on the automatic setting. I like the first one a lot better.

 And this is not playing with camera, but a random picture I found on my memory stick. Mama Love!