Hello everyone!

My name is Cindy and I live in Las Vegas. I subscribed to this forum a few months ago and have been sitting quietly in the wings admiring all the absolutely beautiful photography, reading the many comments, and trying to absorb all the incredible shared knowledge that flows so freely here!

I have always loved looking at and taking pictures, and have had various "beginner" point and shoot cameras in the past. I currently use a point and shoot Nikon CoolPix P520 that I have had for several years. Up until very recently, I have only used the auto settings and never even considered using manual settings. I have been experimenting with them (manual settings) as of late and have discovered there is SOOOO much to learn! I have been reading my owners manual to get better acquainted with the camera (after so many years!) and how to use its manual settings and quite honestly, it is very confusing and very difficult for me to comprehend and retain what I have read. Even when I read and then apply what I have read and use the camera simultaneously, I still feel like I am in the dark.

I often watch videos on YouTube, Udemy, and Skillshare and I feel that helps quite a bit. Next month I plan on signing up for some live classes at a local camera shop to get some hands-on education.

I eventually want to "graduate" from my current camera and move up to a DSLR but wonder if I should do so before I am completely familiar with the manual settings on my point and shoot. I guess my logic behind that is, if I have mastered the basic manual settings on the P520, maybe it will be easier for me to learn the DSLR settings on a more advanced system. Or maybe I am wasting my time by trying to completely learn my current camera, knowing that I will eventually upgrade! I am very open to your thoughts on my issue! Sometimes I have a tendency to overthink things!

Here are some photos I took with my P520. Most of them were taken using auto settings, and some were taken as I started experimenting with manual. Thank you for taking the time to read this long introductory post and for looking and perhaps critiquing my images. I hope I did not go overboard!!

Cindy

P.S. After doing hours of research on my possible next camera, I have pretty much settled on the Nikon D5600. As you can probably determine from my photos, I love photographing flowers, landscapes, wildlife, birds, animals, nature and would like to learn more about macro. Thoughts?

Hello everyone!

My name is Cindy and I live in Las Vegas. I subscribed to this forum a few months ago and have been sitting quietly in the wings admiring all the absolutely beautiful photography, reading the many comments, and trying to absorb all the incredible shared knowledge that flows so freely here!

I have always loved looking at and taking pictures, and have had various "beginner" point and shoot cameras in the past. I currently use a point and shoot Nikon CoolPix P520 that I have had for several years. Up until very recently, I have only used the auto settings and never even considered using manual settings. I have been experimenting with them (manual settings) as of late and have discovered there is SOOOO much to learn! I have been reading my owners manual to get better acquainted with the camera (after so many years!) and how to use its manual settings and quite honestly, it is very confusing and very difficult for me to comprehend and retain what I have read. Even when I read and then apply what I have read and use the camera simultaneously, I still feel like I am in the dark.

I often watch videos on YouTube, Udemy, and Skillshare and I feel that helps quite a bit. Next month I plan on signing up for some live classes at a local camera shop to get some hands-on education.

I eventually want to "graduate" from my current camera and move up to a DSLR but wonder if I should do so before I am completely familiar with the manual settings on my point and shoot. I guess my logic behind that is, if I have mastered the basic manual settings on the P520, maybe it will be easier for me to learn the DSLR settings on a more advanced system. Or maybe I am wasting my time by trying to completely learn my current camera, knowing that I will eventually upgrade! I am very open to your thoughts on my issue! Sometimes I have a tendency to overthink things!

Here are some photos I took with my P520. Most of them were taken using auto settings, and some were taken as I started experimenting with manual. Thank you for taking the time to read this long introductory post and for looking and perhaps critiquing my images. I hope I did not go overboard!!

Cindy

P.S. After doing hours of research on my possible next camera, I have pretty much settled on the Nikon D5600. As you can probably determine from my photos, I love photographing flowers, landscapes, wildlife, birds, animals, nature and would like to learn more about macro. Thoughts?