Ok, so here I am, embarking on a journey to take my 1st shot with my new DSLR. I got my camera just now, and super excited to start using it. So I referred to the quick start manual, typically comes in a easy to read 1-2 pager leaflet with equipment like this.
I knew a little or two about electronics and I knew that the battery was the first thing to ensure it's charged, so I quickly glanced through the manual whether I needed to charge it first. Some batteries come charged nowadays, but mine had to be charged. I quickly set it up, then proceeded to finish reading the leaflet. I inventoried the contents of the box and attached the strap to the camera. Then I proceeded to set aside all the unnecessary plastic pouches and boxes. I was eager to take my first shot, but had to wait for the battery to get charged. I spent a little time exploring the camera buttons and tried to figure out what they are. I could decipher half of them, but others felt alien.
I figured that I could not wing it, and had to read the users' manual. Shoot! I could not get away with it! Ain't we all like that at times? We want to do the short cut :-) But handling a DSLR isn't as easy, and you will need to know your camera in and out, to be able to maximize it. Remember the behavior that the point and shoot cameras affect us? It urges us to be lazy, to not think and just click. Well, I found myself being a bit lazy there.
Anyway, I can't do anything with the camera anyway, since I don't have power yet. So, I decided to read the manual. As I read through several pages, I start to be bored. This is just so technical. But I forced myself to go through it. Then later, the manual refers to some menu on the camera. I was eager to turn on the camera so that I can walk through while reading the manual. I am a bit of a graphic person and I would like to see the real thing versus reading some words to describe it. I still have no choice, so I skipped that section and went to the next one, which seemed more interesting and easier to read. Oh well, after the first 3-4 chapters, which is less than halfway through the manual, I couldn't take it anymore. I watched TV instead.
After a few hours, the battery is fully charged. Finally! So eager to start, I took out the battery from the charger and put it in my camera. I turned on the power button, and there it is! The screen shows a filter cleaning process is in progress. Seconds after, the camera is ready, and I aimed at the photographs on the wall and took my first shot. Well, not too bad, but it was too dark. I turned the program to Auto, and took the shot. Wasn't happy as well as I wanted a warmer color. I knew that I had to adjust the white balance. I tried to tinker with the settings but failed to do it. I've never handled a digital SLR before, and neither have I tinkered with these settings on my point and shoot, so really no idea how to adjust the settings. Ok, I admit I probably skipped that section in the manual. So I had to go back to the manual to read that part. I looked at the index page and went directly to the page that talks about white balance.
I took a couple more shots, and I now I couldn't get the lighting right. I started with Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes, since it was easier. I only had to adjust one setting. So I peaked into the viewfinder and tried to find the middle ground by turning the dial for the shutter speed or aperture. That part, I had at least read earlier. Ok, not bad.
After a few shots, I was tired. I figured that I had to do more reading, but it was late. So I headed to bed. The next day, I had to go to work, and when I got home, I was too tired to do any reading. The day after was a Saturday, and I realized that I had run out of time to finish the manual. I did a bit of reading the night before, and I focused on the basics. I ignored the advanced settings like ISO, White Balance, etc, for now.
Saturday came, and I had to head out to do some sightseeing in Washington DC. I haven't been back since the first time years ago, so it was nice to go around and explore. I brought out my new camera hoping to get some shots. The weather was great, so most of the shots were easy. But after a few hours, clouds start to get darker and the rain came. I found myself at the base of the Washington Monument waiting for my turn to get up to the top. The rain stopped a bit, but the clouds were dark, so I took out my DSLR and tried to capture some shots, which I failed at. I wasn't prepared to take these types of shots. I did get some shots, but my lighting was not good. I begin to feel frustrated. I was finally able to go up top and got some good shots, but I wish I had a zoom lens.
Anyway, I just focused on enjoying my Saturday out in Washington, DC. I went to see the White House as well, was able to get some average shots of the White House, and also of the squirrels running around the garden.
Overall, my photos weren't that bad, given that it was my first time to use my new camera, and also that I wasn't able to read the manual in full. But of course, it was opportunity wasted. I could have gotten some good shots had I known how to use the camera. I knew what type of shots I wanted, but I just didn't how to work the camera to create those shots. Oh well!
I'm sure we all had situations like that at one point or another. Half-baked learning is such a waste. You spent hours reading up, but really, this is time wasted, as nothing got absorbed. I was lucky that I knew how to take pictures so I could wing a couple of things. I probably got only 50% of my shots right, and none of them really stood out as great shots.
Learning requires commitment, nothing is easy, and you can't always take short cuts. You see this when you were in school before, and you see this also in any type of learning that you do. And even if you're doing something that you're extremely passionate about, you will need to find the motivate to push you ahead. You will find excitement, but you will also find frustration and discouragement. That's all part of the journey. From time to time, I still do a bit of this half-baked learning, but now that I am aware of the consequences, I try to find inspiration so that I get excited about it again, and this really pushes my motivation level up. Learning then becomes more interesting.
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