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It’s a dirty little secret. I shoot in Auto mode. It’s not like I’m a great photographer. I don’t sell photos and it’s not my livelihood. I just enjoy it as a hobby. But I’ve got a bad-ass camera (Nikon D7000) and several lenses and if the dial on my camera isn’t set to the green Auto button I panic.

I'm so in love with the Auto mode.

I’m so in love with the Auto mode. (And even this picture isn’t sharp, though I took it with my phone and probably got a little too close.)

But I’ve resolved to change that this year. It’s my New Year’s Resolution to start learning how to use my camera in a manual mode. I’m determined to understand ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed even though it terrifies me like math terrifies me. Plus, I need to make sure I’m worthy enough to carry this guy around with me:

This is my D7000 bad-ass set up with the awesome AF-S TC-20E III lens.

This is my D7000 bad-ass set up with the awesome AF-S TC-20E III lens. (And I don’t even know what all that stuff means)

So, I took yet another photography class, this time at local shop, Pictureline and I think as long as I try to practice in Manual mode I think I might have a shot at this whole manual thing. (Sorry, didn’t mean for the pun.)

After class it was kind of warmish outside (it was only 48° Fahrenheit outside—it’s all relative folks) and so I thought I might try to get some shots of backyard birds and wouldn’t you know it, I think I just might be getting the hang of this.

Okay, don't count this shot. I'm just getting started.

Okay, don’t count this shot. I’m just getting started.

And this one sucks too. Ignore this.

And this one sucks too. Ignore this.

Awww, nuts!

Awww, nuts!

Hey, not so bad! Hello Scrub Jay.

Hey, not so bad! Hello Scrub Jay.

And hello to you too, Mr. Downy Woodpecker. I don't seem to suck as this so much.

And hello to you too, Mr. Downy Woodpecker. I don’t seem to suck at this so much.

So there you go. My first attempt at trying to shoot in Manual. To be honest, I think I’ve shot in Manual before, but I’m sure it was an accident. I think my finger inadvertently turned the dial to manual.

I’ll report more on my progress as time goes. I’ve got another class in a couple of weeks. We’re going to be talking histograms. Scary!