Big Tick!

So at the start of the year I put on my bucket list that I wanted to do a Digital SLR Photography Course. I had no idea how on earth I was going to accomplish this, as the closest course was 100km away and ran for 6 consecutive weekends. There was no way I could guarantee Muddy Hubby would be around to look after the kids, let alone that I'd have the energy to commute the 200km for six weekends in a row.

One weekend after a day of fencing we stopped in at the local pub (5km down the railway line) for an ice cream with the kids. A special treat for Muddy Preschooler's last day as a 'preschooler'. I noticed a sign on the back of the pub door with a beautiful photo as background. They were running a Digital SLR Photography course at my local pub! A one day course that covered everything I wanted, run by the same person who runs the ones 100km away - SCORE! I signed up Muddy Hubby for Daddy duties with 2 of the tribe and organised a friend to look after the other 2 kids, and signed myself up for the course.

On Saturday morning I was so excited, I'd charged my camera batteries, made sure I had my lenses ready, packed my notepad and pen, just like starting school! As usual it was a morning rush, and I made it to the pub with just seconds before start time.

I wanted to know how to make the photos that I take better, what makes a 'nice' photo into a 'great' photo? How do I give a photos like the one below the 'wow' factor?

I know I expected miracles in a one day course! But that's the kind of person I am, I expect the best and want to know it all at once. I didn't learn absolutely everything there is to know about SLR Cameras or everything there is to know about taking photos. I did however learn what a lot of the buttons and dials on my camera do, as well as what the numbers on the display all mean (a good start really). I learnt a bit about the composition of photos, taking portraits and landscapes, the photos I would take the most of. We are trying to talk the presenter into coming back one night and presenting on night photography, and maybe doing a refresher.

The most important thing I did learn though was the best way to work out which settings work best for your camera and what makes a good shot, is to get out there and take photos, thousands of photos. When you take a photo that has that 'wow' factor, right down the settings you had on your camera so you can remember them and use them again (I actually think my camera saves them with the photo, so I can go back and look), rather than forget what dial you changed or button you pressed like I usually do!

To help with this I'm aiming to take more photos EVERY day and I'm going to put them up on here so you can let me know what you think, what works, what doesn't, what you like about a photo or don't like, what it's missing!

How are you going with your Resolutions or Bucket Lists for 2012?

Have you ticked any off yet?

How do you take photos, do you snap away like me or sit waiting for that perfect sunset for 2 hours like our instructor?