Shooting in the Dark (Figuratively AND Literally)

The camera is up and running, and I'm trying to sprint to catch up.  DSLR cameras are no joke, and there's SO MUCH to learn!  (Hence the sparse blog material of late.)

Last night I gave up on trying to get through more of the 365+ page manual and went outside at dusk to take photos.

I still have no clue what the heck an aperture is.

ISO what?

Shutter speed-ometer?

Depth of field.

Lenses.

Light.

Lions, tigers, and bears... OH MY!

There's SO MUCH to learn!  Have I mentioned that yet?

Well, there is.  In the spirit of showing you my manic attempt to learn by doing (while having no clue what I was actually doing), I'm going to pony up and show you the awfulness the true meaning of being a beginner.

Tomato plant #1

Tomato plant #2 

BIG BERTHA, also known as "Tomato plant #3".  She's so GI-NORMOUS, she's eaten the tomato cage that once supported her and is now leaning (heavily laden with unripened tomatoes) into the fence.

Then I got crazy and started playing with the "effects" element of the camera.

So bad.

By the way, this is near our back yard.  What a perk, am I right?  Wait...

By this point I got over my need to be outdoors and headed back inside to harass B.

She's cute even when she's not in focus.   Maybe I'll read more of the manual tonight so I can figure out how to remedy that.

Maybe.  Maybe not.

Beginners, man.