About the author
This blog is the work of Patti Beadles. I’ve been an amateur photographer on and off for my entire life. I’m a software engineer by profession, so I really enjoy learning about the technical side of what I’m doing. I’m a pragmatist, though, and I would really rather simplify concepts than to draw whiteboards full of equations about them. I also like experimenting to see how changing a setting affects the resulting image. “Hey, what happens if I do this?”
I often find myself drawn to technically-challenging shots– reflections, night photography, macrophotography. Because of that, I very quickly figured out that I had to control my camera rather than letting it have its way. Much of what I’ve learned about photography has come more from my own experimentation than anything else.
You can contact me by email at pattib (at) pattib (dot) org.
And finally, here are some of my favorites from among my own photos.
Hi Patti:
Great job. I’ll be sending people to your site rather than explaining this stuff in my more wordy fashion, when people ask. You explain things in a clear, concise fashion.
One thing I didn’t come across on your site, although maybe I just missed it, is that smaller apertures (in DSLRs, meaning smaller than say, f16) mean less overall image sharpness, due to diffraction from the aperture blades. More DOF, but lower overall image quality. Of course, you may not want to add yet another factor for people to consider. :o
Best,
Steve
It’s true. I actually did an extensive test of this one night, since I learned it by trial-and-error. I’ll get there, but diffraction is sort of an advanced topic so I want to layer it on later rather than confusing people earlier. In reality, most people never have to worry about diffraction very much.
I really appreciate your kind words, and sending people to the site.
Thanks so much for writing this stuff, patti. I love my Nikon dslr, but just like your friends, don’t have a clue how to use its more advanced features. Your articles really really help! Thank you!
Hi there, i seen your site on facebook and i must say it is great i will be sure to share this with my mom whom has the same cam as me the canon reb XT i have had mine for just over a month and she has had hers for 18 months and she knows just about nothing on how it works so this is going to help her lots too, the only thing i wish you had here is a list of everything you talk about so that we could pick witch order to read it in, mind you the order you have it in is great its just so much info that i could never read it all in one night and remember it all so if i could just click the subject i left off at next without going though it all every time that would be alittle better. o and please keep posting things on here and i will look back offten to see whats new. i am not to sure if you have a spot on here that talks about some of the many different lanes you can get and what they are all good for or not but if you dont maybe that could be an idea for you to add also filters i am so lost as to witch ones i should get if any and what kind of pics would i want to us one for. well i just wanted to give some ideas to maybe help keep you going at the great site.
Melanie, if you look at the left you’ll see a link to go through the lessons in order. Does that help?
Thanks for the comment on posting you on my D40 blog. Yes and that is why I point them to http://www.nikondigitutor.com/index_eng.html
It is a flash-based interactive teaching on using your Nikon camera. Better than I could do on my blog. And I bounce it to the top of my blog from time to time with other Tutorials and HowTo’s on photography.
Personally I do not think many people actually spend the time to get intimate with the controls and menu’s on their camera’s. So that it becomes second nature to select menus’s and push the right buttons without a need to have the camera leave their eye.
I hope it was alright posting your informative information on my blog? If not send me email and I will resolve the issue.
And thanks for sharing your Time and Labor on your blog. It is appreciated.
Orlin saying Hi! from PDX,Or.
I have just come upon your wonderfully informative blog. I’m in the process of learning all there is to know about digital photography and taking classes in a continuing ed program at an art school. I’ve enjoyed point & shoot for many years and feel more comfortable with my composition abilities in my photography than my technical know-how. Upgrading my camera(s) has me wandering off into f stops, shutter speeds & ISOs, exposure and much more than I ever dreamed of doing–I’m hooked. I need all the help I can get to understand some of the nagging beginner questions I feel too embarrassed to get answers for. Lots of good information at your blog that is helpful! Thank you.
I saw someone mentioned a facebook site for you! What is the group called?? I tried to find it but but couldn’t! Thanks in advance!
Facebook? I’m not aware of a Facebook site for me. I have a Flickr set– http://www.flickr.com/photos/whipartist/sets/72157600741206998/
Thanks so much for responding so quickly! I am really enjoying your site and I hope you continue to write. It’s amazing what I have learned just by reading your site today! I took your recommendation about the photography books and I went to my local bookstore and picked up Learning to see creatively! I can’t wait to read it! Again thanks for taking the time to write this blog and I am really enjoying it! Keep up the great work!
Hi Patti,
First of all, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge about photography with the world. I love photography and was able to take a few interesting photos with AUTO. But now it’s time to get out of the AUTO mode. Your site has been a blessing for me. Please don’t stop posting more stuff, of course when you’re not busy coding. :) I am a computer engineering, so I enjoy your content. And I appreciate a lot of your humor as well.
Great site! Keep it up~
Hi Patti,
This is a wonderful site. Someone posted in the review Q&A Section on Amazon.com about how your site has helped them learn to use their camera. I just got my Nikon D90 late last week, my first DSLR, and I am so excited to try the exercises you posted with my new camera. You have a great way of breaking things down and keeping it simple. I appreciate your work and the time you have taken to create this blog.
Thanks!
Thanks Monique! That’s *exactly* the target I was trying to hit.
Wow, what a great set of lessons! I took a photography course many, many years ago and enjoyed using an old film SLR as a teen. In recent years though, I’ve been using a digital point and shoot and just upgraded to a dSLR. So, I’m not particularly afraid of manual mode, but I am terribly, terribly rusty! Thank you very much for a much needed refresher and set of lessons to help orient me to the new camera.
great information, and i sent a link to my brother, who is just starting out in photography…he read the entire camera manual (“computer guy”), and is being very methodical in his approach.
i just shoot, and hope… at least there’s no wasted film/money.
this will be fun.
thanks.
You are correct Patti, for a DSLR newcomer like me, all those jargons are giving me loads of headache. I have NO IDEA what is whatever, your tutorial is good, simple for non pro like us. The photography is FANTASTIC, I will be back to go over everything again. Thank you so much for sharing.
Patti: Mail to you is bouncing off of the pattib {at} pattib {dot} org address.
Hi Patti, I wanted to say I’ve enjoyed your common-sense decriptions, humor and how-to examples which obviously provide help to many. Having enjoyed photography for 25+ years (most of them with a Canon AE-1) it’s apparent that the dive into DSLR requires some new thought patterns. On a recent outing with my Canon 40D I completely forgot the ISO speed can be changed! In 35mm days that roll of Kodachrome 400 ASA stayed put until the last bit was pulled out of the little can so you only had f-stops and exposure times to mess with. All those settings on a DSLR can be daunting but it really comes down to practice practice practice. Head knowledge only translates into great photos by pressing the shutter in various situations and settings over time.
I’d like to share a web site that does a good job of visually exploring the relationships between ISO speed, f-stops, shutter speed and exposure compensation in different lighting conditions. http://www.pixelpoppin.com/camera/
Thanks!
It’s such a good site that I actually linked to it a while ago:
http://stopshootingauto.com/2008/03/09/a-really-cool-utility/
Hi!
I have to say I really love your blog, and I will read all the articles. I’m an amateur photographer with relatively little experience, so I’m sure it will be worth while!
Personally, I’m particularly into HDR. I upload one photo everyday (since October 1st) to my stream at Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualideas/
Hi Patti – I just came upon your site today – Just what I needed! I recently purchased my first DSLR, love it, and have so much to learn. I have already read several of your lessons which have already cleared up several questions that I had -Your site is wonderful!
Yay! I’m glad I can make it easier to learn about your camera.