4th of July pics

Just wanted to share some pics from the 4th with you all!!

great pics.......you have your place on the Reef?

Good Times...

Yes they were....now it's back to the same old drag.......

Two words -- "fill flash." Learn it, use it! Silly beach girl... :lol: :cluck:

No, that's beachfront at Playa de Oro............and are you referring to the photography Stuart?? If so, two words -- "wasn't me". I hate that stupid camera anyway.......good excuse to go buy another one. "Honey, Stuart made fun of your pictures..........it's time for a new camera okay??" LOL, silly me!!!

There ya go! New camera ahoy! Yes, I was referring to the pictures. Most digital cameras have a setting for Fill Flash. Easy to set (generally). What it does is provide just enough flash to fill in the dark areas like the ones in the pics you posted so that you can see people's faces, details, etc. I often use it even in bright daylight pictures because it eliminates shadows. And I want all my fishing pictures to be publication quality stuff!

Most cameras are super smart these days and do a good job -- except when it comes to lighting. They sense the general amount of light coming into the viewfinder and adjust the exposure based on that. If someone has a hat on that is shadowing their face, the camera doesn't see that. So, you end up with a perfectly exposed picture, based on the background amount of light, and a very dark face under the hat that you can't see. Fill Flash takes care of that. That's why a couple of the pics you posted seem so dark.

Tell your honey to play with the camera and give it a try. You'll be impressed with the results!!

Stuart said:

There ya go! New camera ahoy! Yes, I was referring to the pictures. Most digital cameras have a setting for Fill Flash. Easy to set (generally). What it does it provide just enough flash to fill in the dark areas like the ones in the pics you posted so that you can see people's faces, details, etc. I often use it even in bright daylight pictures because it eliminates shadows. And I want all my fishing pictures to be publication quality stuff!

Most cameras are super smart these days and do a good job -- except when it comes to lighting. They sense the general amount of light coming into the viewfinder and adjust the exposure based on that. If someone has a hat on that is shadowing their face, the camera doesn't see that. So, you end up with a perfectly exposed picture, based on the background amount of light, and a very dark face under the hat that you can't see. Fill Flash takes care of that. That's why a couple of the pics you posted seem so dark.

Tell your honey to play with the camera and give it a try. You'll be impressed with the results!!

Even with fill flash, sometimes you have to take the "reading" from a darker area in the frame....hold the shutter depressed half-way to lock it in, and then recompose the shot in the frame....it all depends on whether the camera is set for spot metering, evaluative, etc. That is usually the case if you have a very bright background....I know...a lot of mumbo jumbo!!!

True that. Holding the shutter button halfway down often lets the camera automatically adjust for a better shot.

I've got two digital cameras - an older Kodak Easy Share camera and a Nikon D-80. The Kodak does the "button halfway down" thing. The Nikon does its adjusting and autofocus through the lens. It's an incredible camera and some of the shots you get with it make you feel like a master photographer. However, which one do I use most? The Kodak. I worry too much about taking the Nikon on the boat and getting saltwater on it, dropping it, etc. If the Kodak meets it demise, no great loss, it's served me well for years and can be replaced cheaply. Not so cheap to replace the Nikon.

Ours is like your Kodak Stuart, press down halfway, blah, blah, blah..........it just sucks!! I want something like your Nikon. We have an old Olympus that I thought took really good pictures, but I can't find a battery for it. I guess I'll try contacting the company to see if I can get one that way. Anyway, thanks for the info!!

Have you tried Batteries Plus? They built me a battery pack once for one of the first cordless phones that came out in the 80's. It was my mom's and it was cheaper than buying a new phone....You know the great generation...... LOL!

Ditto on Batteries Plus....they can make up just about kind of cell for you. The only stuff they don't handle is lithium rechargeables (making up new cells). I got a battery made up for about half of what the manufacturer of the device wanted. They even had a 12 volt for my jetski (it was the weekend), and Checker/Pep Boys didn't have the amp hour I needed.

Julie....head over to www.dpreview.com It's a good site for finding a camera...does evaluations of the various ones on the market....and even comparisons of different manufacturer's cameras in the same class.