Tried using Aperture Priority mode for 1st time this morning (D7200). Outdoors, overcast sky but not super dark; windy. Wanted to isolate some swans from the background & foreground. Set aperture at f/5.6; zoom at 140 mm. Camera set shutter speed at 1/250 & ISO at 3600 (seems way high??). Used Auto focus. Shot a (& another 10 like it) are well out of focus (but no tripod, so some camera shake) and too dark but subject is visible. However, with just a few seconds between shot a & shot b below, no change in conditions or light and no changes to camera settings by me, the ISO dropped to 125 & every shot from shot b onwards is almost completely black. Same thing taking next 8 shots of the swans, and a shot in a room with 2 large windows (only the window aimed at is visible, the room is pitch black). Auto mode with flash shoots OK. So, back to drawing board studying up on aperture, the Aperture Priority mode & the whole exposure triangle?

shot a


shot b

Hi, thanks for the book tip. I did order a D7200 book, but 2 weeks later, nothing. I was hoping to see how well that would help before ordering Understanding Exposure. I may have to ditch the order & try to order the Dummies (sounds perfect for a beginner) & UE.

Hi, struggling with blur & glare in snow - never really shot in snow before. It's -2F here now, going to -14 tonight. Not so bad, not Aussie sun & sand either!!

Just posting for fun; all are poor shots (working on that) but the story was fun.

Oops, typical Aussie, forgot shoes!


OK, let's go.


Oh, snow's coming sideways, not hat, no coat, no gloves, maybe later!


Hey, you're kidding, you're leaving me out here!!??

[quote=backroadgirl]My clubs annual print show competition is coming up.


Don't know enough about the technical aspects, and all look wonderful. However, I use photos to tell a story, so I love Farmer with Body best: the lines on his face, his brow, his eyes and the way he is looking away, far away, would have to have a compelling backstory. Prefer to close up on him. For sheer beauty in a picture I love Umbrella and last one.

[quote=dsmeltz]Good advice. The difference between a snapshot taker and a photographer is thinking ahead and being prepared.

Hi & thanks for your time & ideas, they sound like many years of experience. I'm copy / pasting everyone's tips into a single doc I can go thru without using up internet (it's not mine!), and I just re-read this. Be prepared. Everything on a sailboat adventure has this one mantra (after Safety First I guess) at its core. I'm lucky in so many ways; it seems natural to me to move away from a crowd, take a shot from a totally different angle, or height, or spot, even if it means scrambling through rocks & mud & trees (pretty usual), or lying on the ground; I've never wanted the shot everyone else gets - I'd rather not shoot at all. Shooting when cycling about is super fun & I use the little Nikon (AW1) as it's light & doesn't frighten people away & its waterproof. But, it only has electronic setting changes (Portrait, etc). Time to grow a little. Thanks again.

Hi to all. I've responded privately to Tinwhistle's post. He may or may not share. I want to say thank you to everyone who has been so generous with your time and knowledge. I very much appreciate both and I posted pics only as thanks and because many of you who have been so kind asked for some. I wish you all to know you have NOT wasted your time on some dumb hoax. I have so many posts to collect advice from, it's amazing (to me, as it's the first time I've ever used a forum); but then everywhere we travel, people are kind and generous. I'm happy you liked some of the pics; I have to sit down now & figure out how to proceed, but I feel for sure I'll be back after a while with far too many questions. Thanks again to all.

Thanks to all; definitely a beginner tho, as I've no idea what a good eye means in this context and I have no clue why a photo is good or not so great (ie, whether the things many of you refer to (exposure, composition, etc) are right or not, in any photo. I only know what I like in a photo - what grabs me, moves me; and, what will help me remember the people & places I've been so lucky to see. All this is up to now though. In Japan, I went to a photo exhibition of B & W images of people in various poses. The effects of light, wow. It just plain blew me away; I'll keep taking pics as I travel, but I need to learn how to take pics that blow me away (and anyone else too, as a bonus!).

These are pics from south & north Pacific (all Nikon AW1 snaps). If anyone likes any, I can post another time. Gotto go read that manual!!

Tongatapu, Tonga


Ponhpei


Butaritari Island, Kiribati


Dione, off Eden, Australia


Waiting for the bus, Tarawa, Kiribati


Kelefesia Island, Tonga


Ponhpei kids


Nukufetau Island, Tuvalu


Maneaba Meeting House, Abaiang Island, Kiribati


Nukufetau Youngsters

Hi and many thanks to all of you, such a generous bunch! UTube is definitely out for me, but I will order the most recommended books if the library here has none (I'm in Seward, Alaska, few hundred people, no college, completely awesome place in every respect - snowy mountains, salmon lakes, bears, glaciers, eagles...). I am sailing around the Pacific Rim on a small 30 year old sailboat (much of it home built), with no income - just savings. Started in Australia, wandered thru Sth & Nth Pacific for a year, Japan for 18mths, Aleutian Islands & Alaska for 4 mths now), will continue on around the US & BC coasts to Mexico next year then re-cross the Sth Pacific. No blog as boat has no internet, TV, radio, phone, hot water.....! But, I'm recording the adventure with photos: all with Nikon AW1 until March this year, mix of AW1 & D7200 since (won't take the D7200 into the dinghy or in the rain, using the AW1 for that). I'm creating photo journals of various places to give as gifts to the many incredibly kind people I've met everywhere long the way. I only have snapshots but will collect some & figure out how to post as thanks to all of you for your kind advice. I maybe won't put all the shot details in as everything's been shot on Auto, Scene or a low light setting someone put in P mode for me. On this last point, I love shooting in dim or nearly no light with this setting but I've not been able to figure out how to un-set it to use P for anything else, as what I see on the screen when I follow the manual doesn't yet match the manual. This will be me, not the manual. So much to learn - I find the new camera exhilarating (to use) but too intimidated to change anything in case I stuff things up or I can't un-do it! Still, winter is coming, so I have time!! Thanks again all & I will pick some pics of the adventure so far.

Thanks amfoto, I'll check it out also.

Thanks Longshadow - I'll check it out.

Hi Robertjerl, I am blessed to have a new Nikon D7200. Also, Chinese-made entry-level 18-140 DX VR & 55-300 DX VR lenses. No tripod, no ext flash, no QR shutter, no Photoshop. The camera most likely will always be better than I; the "glass", not so much maybe. Until a couple of months ago I had only ever used a point & shoot (a good one tho; Nikon AW1 with I/C lenses, which I love, especially when cycling around and I always use it in the sailboat's dinghy, as it's waterproof). I find the D7200 manual a challenge but still working on it! No way to watch YouTube as normally, no internet on the boat; I'm on land for winter, in Alaska, now though so have limited net access & hoping to learns loads before spring. Am usually on the boat, cycling or walking, so a tripod is a challenge. I love shooting wildlife, flowers, glaciers, temples & shrines, kids, people having a blast at parades & festivals, rock bands and anything low light with no flash. I've been known to wait a long while for a wildlife shot, or even for an empty temple or building view, so it makes sense to make it a good one! Not so much interested in making videos.

Hi jaymatt, thanks for the tips. I find the manual a challenge but still working on it! No way to watch videos tho - normally, no internet on the boat; on land for winter, in Alaska, now though so have limited net access & hoping to learns loads before spring. I am blessed to have a new Nikon D7200. Also, Chinese-made entry-level 18-140 DX VR & 55-300 DX VR lenses. No tripod, no ext flash, no QR shutter, no Photoshop. Am usually on the boat, cycle or walking, so tripod is a challenge. The camera most likely will always be better than I; the "glass", not so much maybe. Until a couple of months ago I had only ever used a point & shoot (a good one tho; Nikon AW1 with I/C lenses, which I love, especially when cycling around and I always use it in the sailboat's dinghy, as it's waterproof). I love shooting wildlife, flowers, glaciers, temples & shrines, kids, people having a blast at parades & festivals, rock bands and anything low light with no flash. I've been known to wait a long while for a wildlife shot, or even for an empty temple or building view, so it makes sense to make it a good one! Not so much interested in making videos.

Hi all, first thanks to the site people for providing this great service. My camera is vastly beyond my photography knowledge & takes incredible (to me) pics despite my ignorance & I've had a great time shooting nature, people & the built environment all over the world, often from the sailboat or bicycle I'm seeing it from. Trying to capture images that show the fleeting, un-creatable beauty of nature is my zen. But it's time now to learn how to get sharp images that do justice to the beauty out there. I'm totally new to using a forum (1st time ever) so I don't know how to find info that's no doubt already been posted many times. What info: well, shocking, but I don't know ISO from f stop and when the shot is right in front of you this second and gone the next, finding settings on the camera is challenging, especially when you don't know what to set. So I need to start from scratch. Is there a place on this site rank beginners can get started learning the basics?