The trouble with learning...

Ignorance is bliss.

Have you ever heard that before?

It is true.

Remember, a while ago, when I said I was going to learn how to use my camera? 

I remember.

How I wish I hadn't said those words.

I believe the day after I wrote that I mentally retracted those words and made a new vow: 

To only shoot in AUTO for the rest of my life.

Then along came The Pioneer Woman.

Now let me sidetrack you for a minute.

I banned The Pioneer Woman from my reading list sometime last year, not too long after I discovered her.  Yes, BANNED her.

I just couldn't take it.

The green-eyed monster inside of me just couldn't allow this woman into my computer or my life.

I mean, really, how can one woman cook, home school, photograph, write,

and update her website multiple times a day, everyday,

and not collapse in a heap of exhaustion? 

I am convinced she has an army of elves to assist her that are in need of some recognition. 

Alas, I have fallen victim to her charm once again.

Elves or not, she does have some good information

and has achieved a level of perfection I can vainly try to emulate. 

She can provide a role model of sorts for me...at least until I've had enough of her again.

Now, back to the subject of learning.

P-Dub

(as she calls herself) 

has devoted an entire section of her website to photography, including information to help us hopeless beginners try to figure out what all those settings on our cameras mean. 

Since I publicly declared my desire to learn, I figured I should start somewhere. 

It just so happens that when I visited her website, she was re-running a series of posts dedicated to explaining aperture and shutter speed in "real words." 

Then she challenged her readers to go out and take some pictures demonstrating a shallow depth of field (oh my, photography-ese I'm speaking). 

So, I did. 

I ran outside and started clicking away, in (gasp!) MANUAL. 

About three minutes into playing with my camera settings I was horrified to realize that my kit lens just isn't good enough. 

How silly is that!!! 

I shoot in manual for the first time ever for only three minutes and I already think I need a better lens. 

Thanks P-Dub, for bringing to my attention that my kit lens just isn't fast enough. 

Well, first, I had to run inside and visit my other favorite place for photography information: I Heart Faces. 

It is here that I learned that the problem with the kit lens is that it is too "slow" (more photography-ese).  

Thanks I Heart Faces, for explaining lenses to me.  

And for putting the idea in my head that I need a new, FASTER, and of course, much more expensive lens to produce those tack sharp photos with the blurry background that I was aiming for. 

I confirmed the expensive part when I visited B&H Photo, found the desired lens, and fought the urge to place it in my shopping cart.

So that is the trouble with learning.  I was perfectly content to just shoot in AUTO with my lame-o kit lens until I got the wild idea that I should actually LEARN something about photography.  Of course, I know I have plenty to learn and I will push that kit lens to its limit.  And I'll try not to complain, because really, my abilities hardly warrant more expensive equipment.  Deep down, though, I'll know that a different lens might get me those results that I see in my head but just can't seem to capture.  Even deeper down, I'll suppress my desire to return to blissful ignorance, because, obviously, there is no turning back now.

I included these pictures as documentation of my first attempt at shooting in manual.  The subjects aren't all that interesting and I'm sure they have about a million flaws that I'm blissfully unaware of, but when you're rushing outside to shoot between diaper changes and loads of laundry, you're kind of limited.