ClickinMoms Class Starts Monday!!

[alotofyarn]

I'm so excited! I'm taking Shooting 102: Mastering Manual Exposure. I feel like I've gotten good at manual with portraits either inside or outside in certain lighting, but I'm pretty crap otherwise, and even my "good" shots have room for improvement. I can't wait!!

Here's my baseline, so we can see how I improve over the next 4 weeks.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

My speed light course finally starts in Aug. I'll be interested to see what you get out of the manual course. I'm the same level- I've gotten pretty good but definitely not in all situations.

[alotofyarn]

I'm halfway through the reading material that was posted tonight, and I've already learned a ton. I knew the exposure triangle and everything, but I've learned a lot about metering that I didn't know before. I still have the rest of the reading material and 2 videos for this week, plus assignments and feedback! I need to make sure I make time to actually shoot, because otherwise the FP vs the SA is going to be wasted money.

[Ladybug]

So exciting! I've always learned a ton in their classes. Wanted to take the speed light class but have gotten so busy with moving. Post your weekly submissions!

[Ladybug]

What are you shooting with?

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Ladybug, take the speed light course with me in August!! It starts the 18th.

ALOY, hmm, without giving anything away, what else are you learning? I'm trying to decide whether to take it but I feel like I've read a lot about metering already. Can you share one nugget you think is the most hopeful?

[spaz]

Those are incredible pictures.. Is this an online class?

[alotofyarn]

Post your weekly submissions!

Will do!

What are you shooting with?

I've got a Canon 70D with an assortment of lenses, though I primarily use my 35mm f/2.

ALOY, hmm, without giving anything away, what else are you learning? I'm trying to decide whether to take it but I feel like I've read a lot about metering already. Can you share one nugget you think is the most hopeful?

One thing that was helpful so far was for specific situations, you'll want the meter to be +1, -2, etc. instead of zeroed out. I know how to use spot or partial metering and zero the meter, but I guess it never really dawned on me that sometimes you don't want to zero the meter to get proper exposure depending on what you're metering on (i.e., different skin types, colored objects/backgrounds). I tend to do a bit of trial and error anyway using the LCD, but when it's super bright outside, the LCD is kind of worthless, so I thought it was helpful to know. That's just from the reading - I haven't watched the videos yet. We're learning more about histograms this week too. I think a SA instead of FP would still be worthwhile, so far, but I am looking forward to getting feedback from the teacher.

Those are incredible pictures.. Is this an online class?

Thanks! Yes, it is online.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Oh interesting! I thought the Mastering Natural Light Indoors class looked interesting too. Honestly though, I think I need a better camera body before I take that class - my highest ISO is 1600 and it's just too low for many situations to keep my SS above 125 or 250 (required for pictures of moving kids). Hopefully in a year or two...although I guess I could rent a better body for a week or two just to see if it would help...maybe I'm telling myself my house is too dark and I'm just incompetent.

[alotofyarn]

I pretty much always keep my SS between 125 and 250 when taking pictures of E, so I've had to go up on ISO a lot, since I try not to open my aperture wider than 4 with generally being pretty close to E while taking pictures of her.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'd like to keep my settings like that but my house is SO dark. How high does your ISO go? Mine peaks out at 1600...and even that is pretty grainy.

[alotofyarn]

Mine goes up to 12,800.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Oh yeah, that would give you a LOT more ability in low light situations. I do the best I can with my prime lens shooting wide open but I basically cannot take photos in about 90% of rooms in my house during the day. Perhaps I should rent a better body just to see the difference...

For those in the know, what ISO should I be shooting for if I go up on my camera body? Like is there a point past which it's not necessary?

[Ladybug]

I shoot at 6400 most of the time in my house. I usually shoot wide open too. I expose to the right because i like bright, airy pictures. I bought a used canon d60 body through CM. I've sold expensive lens on there too. I feel like its a safe community for financial transactions. Not sure I would trust another forum for used equipment. TS you would love The natural light indoors class! It will help you embrace you shadowy house!

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

They're offering the natural light indoors class in Nov - I think I'll plan on taking it as a SA then. It'll motivate me especially with the winter months coming.

I'd love something with higher ISO - I love bright and airy but I can't even get many without motion blur unless it's a complete miracle moment. I'll have to look in the forms. I feel like I saw Amazon carrying the bodies for ~$500 (and it included lenses that I don't need). That's not in the budget but maybe I could find something on CM...I feel like craigslist is too sketchy to try there.