Dgusty3 Loc: Illinois

OMG, sorry now i get it yes my does screw onto the end of my camera, and i do think it is a circular polarizer, just not real sure how to use it. I was looking at it this afternoon taking a photo of a frog in the water in a lake in bright sunlight, i turned the filter and could see the difference looking at the water, so is the polarizer just on half the lens?

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

It has the most effect when it's 90 degrees to the sun and less and less effect as you become more in line with the sun. It will suppress reflection off of about anything but unpainted metal. It's great for darkening skies and even foliage, it can deepen colors by eliminating reflections, experiment. If it's daytime it's on my lens 75% of the time.

MIKE GALLAGHER Loc: New Zealand

You say it was to bright to see the review of the shots. Does that mean you were looking at the panel on the baqck of the camera? If so you'll have a hard time. Use the viewfinder - no reflections and sun there.
If you can set your EV (Exposure Value) to zero - ie no compensation - try bracketing your shots +/- 1/3

MIKE GALLAGHER Loc: New Zealand

You say it was too bright to see the review of the shots. Does that mean you were looking at the panel on the back of the camera? If so you'll have a hard time. ALWAYS use the viewfinder - no reflections and sun there. You might then get your proofreading right.
If you can set your EV (Exposure Value) to zero - ie no compensation - try bracketing your shots +/- 1/3 to 2/3 of a stop and the resulting photos will give you an idea of whether you need to compensate one way or the other. The instructions for doing that are in your manual. If so set your EV to that + or - value for the job, But DON'T FORGET to change it back. By next shoot you'll have forgotten for sure.
'Manual' will probably be too complicated for now so use 'Aperture Priority' or 'Shutter Speed priority' according to which of them you think is more important for the job. The camera will adjust everything else accordingly, so it's really only semi (rather than fully) automatic.
As has been said - if the sun can possibly shine on your front lens element use the lens hood. If possible don't shoot toward the sun - away from it or side on is best. Judge by the shadows you see. Or shoot further from midday.
Hope you can nut it out from there.
Now I'm off to teach Grandma how to suck eggs!
Mike.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

You shouldn't need all these add on's just to get good exposure in bright sun, expirment... just lower the "exposure compensation" in your camera one or two stops should do the trick.

FilmFanatic Loc: Waikato, New Zealand

If you are shooting in bad light, lowering your exposure will just block up the shadows even worse, but it is certainly better than blowing highlights

Dgusty3 Loc: Illinois

Thanks everyone for your input on exposure. I will be working on it and hopefully get better. I was practicing today shooting in manual mode and at different settings. I was getting a little aggrevated because Everytime u move one click to the left or right depending on what u are focusing on it keeps changing. Ahhh!! I guess it just takes practice. But thank u all!

Dgusty3 Loc: Illinois

Mike, no i wasn't looking at the back of the camera taking the picture, I always use the view finder. I was looking at my pictures after i took them to see if i needed to adjust anything, but you can't really see it anyway in such bright sunlight.

MIKE GALLAGHER Loc: New Zealand

Dgusty3
Yes. It can be frustrating and it can make you impatient for results. Do what I noted above if you can. Make the EV changes even greater, and the differences will be more marked. And realize that everything changes. That's what you fiddle with knobs for!
Once you can see what result (in the ensuing photo)you get from which adjustment, lessen the differences so the results are more subtle. But don't do the experiments on photos you want to keep 'cause you won't want to take the risk. Give yourself an hour and just waste it on learning a little. You can do exactly the same using f stops or Aperture settings. It's all exposure. Hope you wind up smiling!
Mike.

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

Yep, practice and experiment, experiment, experiment. The great thing about digital is it costs nothing to practice and experiment! There are no mistakes, only lessons learned.

Reinr Loc: Staffordshire. UK

It seems to me that your camera is exposing for the sky. Two things you could do are: buy a set of neutral density graduated filters or take a burst of two or three images (preferably on a tripod), one underexoposed, say by one third, a second image as 'normal'and maybe third overexposed by one third and then merge the images in your software program.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Not bad light, bright light.