One small step for Dan, one giant leap for Dan's mind

"Keep it simple"..."Take it one step at a time"...

This is what I keep reminding myself to do whenever I begin using my new digital camera...

"Screw that! Lets see what this bad-boy can do!"

And this is what happens 5 minutes later...

I know I should learn to walk before I learn to run but sometimes it pays to push your own boundaries. Most of the time I approach my new camera much like Mr Bean would, if he were stood alone in the control room of the Mir space station. Now though, I'm starting to absorb what I've read and I finally feel like I'm thinking a little more like the photographer I want to become.

Coming away from film-photography and freely being able to take as many shots as I like has made a huge difference. I still find myself being selective over the photos I take, which I think is a great attribute earned from starting out using film cameras, but now I am able to practice different skills once I've chosen a subject. Seeing, instantly, what effect adjusting the exposure, shutter speed or ISO has on my photos is very liberating indeed and it has helped accelerate my learning 10-fold. There are still tons of features I've not yet utilised, like the selective metering or the AEL/AFL functions, but their time will come and at this rate that wont be too far away.

For now, I have been making the most of the Macro-focus features, which gives me up to 10x magnification and the ability to fine tune the focus point. Also, I've been making good use of the increased shutter-speed range, which goes from 60 seconds all the way to 1/8000th of a second! The slower shutter speed is brilliant for my light-painting and the faster speeds have enabled me to snap away at some of the more active subjects life has to throw in front of me.

As you can probably tell, I am more than pleased with my Olympus E3 DSLR. I purchased it, 2nd-hand, for £175 and already I can say it has paid me back in its own special way.

So, here are a few pictures I've taken over the weekend and I have to say I'm quite proud of them. I hope you like them too and if you've enjoyed reading this post please come back again as I'm certain there will be lots more to come.

See you next time folks!