Disclaimer #1: I’m not a graphic designer. You’ll see why momentarily. And agree.
Disclaimer #2: I’m not a read-my-manual-from-cover-to-cover kinda gal {like some gals I know}. I’m more of a refer-to-the-manual-when-absolutely-necessary kinda gal, which explains and yet doesn’t explain why I didn’t already know what I’m going to share.
Disclaimer #3: Photography is a journey.
Disclaimer #4: You don’t have to know it all right away. Ask questions. Practice. Fail. Read. Practice. Ask questions. Fail. Try again.
Disclaimer #5: Don’t automatically assume your camera is male. {That’s another story. For another time.}
Disclaimer #6: I like disclaimers.
Disclaimer #7: I’ll be done with disclaimers now. You’re welcome.
Disclaimer #8: One more and then, I promise I’ll be done. I’m sharing this because there might be someone else out there wondering the same thing. {Please? Anyone? Anyone?} If you think I’m a dufus for not already knowing this, be kind. I’m fragile.
Last weekend, I stepped outside to do some shooting with Darcy’s Handyman. Their oldest was the volunteer model. I was very carefully going to practice with their 70-200 mm 2.8. I chose my aperture, adjusted my shutter speed and started shooting, but immediately became frustrated. My camera was doing the same thing to me that it had done countless other times. It kept focusing on his belly and not his eyes. I’m pretty sure I growled. Handyman asked me what I was growling about {or something like that}.
I explained to him the constant power struggle I had with my camera. Me – wanting it to focus in a certain spot. It – wanting to focus somewhere else. He looked at me with an “Are you really this much of a dufus?” kinda look {not really} and said, “Let me see your camera.” He adjusted some settings, handed it back to me and gave me a quick tutorial.
I was ecstatic. I believe I said, “This is going to revolutionize my shooting!” and “Thank you!” and “Oh. M. Geeee!” about a gazillion times.
I was able to focus exactly where I wanted to. I could choose. I was in control. I had the power! {insert evil laugh}
Allow me to demonstrate.
This is how you set your camera.
-> Menu
–> Custom Setting Menu {Pencil Icon}
—> AF – area mode
—-> Single Point
Now, three things: (1) On the back of my Nikon, I have a circle that says OK in the middle and four small circular buttons at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. (2) When looking through my viewfinder, I see three squares. Whichever square is lit up in red, is where the camera will focus. (3) Pressing either the 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock buttons on the circle will move that red light to a different square and thus, change the focus.
Example: Central Focus
Darth Vader is in focus in this photo, while Leia and Obi-Won are bokeh. I pressed one of those buttons until the center square was lit up red.
Example: Left Focused
Leia is in focus in this photo, while Darth Vader and Obi-Won are bokeh. I pressed one of the buttons until the left square was lit up red.
Example: Right Focus
Obi-Won is in focus, while Darth Vader and Leia are bokeh. Again, I pressed one of the buttons until the right square was lit up red.
Such a simple thing, yet revolutionary, no?
This is the coolest tutorial i ever saw! I’m going to play with this today. I had no idea – which really is not surprising.
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Funny thing is . . . . I didn’t even think of it as a tutorial. *snort*
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Okay that was incredibly easy! I’ve had the same problem a million times and did not know that was possible! Thanks for the lesson1!
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Woot!
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**wispers** I never knew that either. We should start a I-Didn’t-Know-How-to-Focus-My-DSLR-Until-Now club. I’m not really a read the manual cover-to-cover kinda gal either. I’ll refer to it if I need to, but it’s kinda hard for me to get the picture [heh.] when everything is in black and white. I prefer tutorials online with lots of example graphics, pictures, and a simple explanation.
Thank you! Mwah!
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Me, too. I love lots of photos, graphics and videos.
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hahahaha! I wouldn’t have known either.
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Are you back in school yet?
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Tonya Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Schools starts here next week but I didn’t pick up the contract this year. I recommended someone else I think will do a wonderful job. I’m trying to build a new business and things are starting to look up. *crossing fingers*
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Is that what it’s called? Toggle focus? {I. have. no. idea.}
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mrs.magoo Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Yes, toggle focus
I learned this from some of my nerdy photography friends…because you are toggling where the focus point is – plus I just like to say “toggle”
mrs.magoo´s last [type] ..That Kind of Day
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Wow!! I had no idea! What a great little tutorial. But, I still have no idea what I am doing!
Kellye´s last [type] ..Survivedand thrived- well sorta
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Practice, practice, practice.
It’s the best way to learn.
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Your points are well heard my friend. Last night I kept trying to focus on something and my focus kept moving. I essentially did what Handyman did and checked my settings. I’d changed them for another purpose and didn’t remember to set them back to this mode. Your description of the focal points is really good. I actually prefer the compose recompose approach simply because I don’t like to spend any time on messing with additional buttons but it is really helpful. Photography is certainly a journey.
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
It would bug me the most with portraits. I wanted the eyes in focus ~ not the chest!
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Great tutorial! Now, will you share one on lighting your food? That’s my hard spot! Oh, and night shots. And, well, probably action. And of course I really could use some help with post processing and workflows. Will you be my manual?
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Laugh. Out. Loud!
I’ll see what I can do for ya. ;D
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Oh.em.GEEEEEEE! Ruthanne – you’re my only hope.
LOVE this, I might could try this. Maybe. And I {heart} your subjects.
(and I’m not a read the manual kinda gal either. I’m a google it or beg someone to SHOW me, kinda gal.)
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
What is it with Melissa reading the manual? Such a nerd. *snort, slobber*
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you crack me up. Oh my gosh. and thank you thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
I crack myself up, too.
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And on a Canon, there is a little button in the upper right with a square above it that shows focus points. Push that button and then toggle your menu buttons around the set/ok button to change your focus position. (In case someone was wondering about the canon). You may have just figured that out, but I have no idea how you found/made the illustrations for this tutorial. (the ones that are not your photos). So you are a smarty pants!
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Thanks for adding the Canon info., Susan. You *know* I’m even more clueless when it comes to Canon. ;D
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seriously? I learned this very same lesson this week! My husband is a read a manual front to back kinda guy, so I just let him read and then teach me
Manuals confuse me. So, I thought that the camera was automatically set up to do this (focus where you want it to) My d40 does it, the d90 does it…..or it did until I was taking a senior photo this week and my camera went all kinds of crazy. I wanted to focus on the boys head and the silly camera wanted to focus on a stinkin’ tree. I called David and he walked me through it just like you have it up there. And once again I was in charge of those little squares 
(come to find out he reset all the settings and forgot to change this one back)
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Yes, manuals are for last resorts. Aren’t they? ;D
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Ok, you’re NOT a dufus (because that would mean I was too
, and that is so cool! Thanks!
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
You’re so welcome!
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HA HA! Thanks Ruthanne! I’m not a read my manual cover to cover kind of gal either. I tried…. but I have the attention span of a peanut! Also, thank you Susan. I was wondering about how to do it on the Canon.
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
I like that. Attention span of a peanut. I might use that line.
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You are too funny! Good for you for sharing an AH HA moment!
Every photographer has a different view point (no pun intended) on focusing. Some prefer to center focus and recompose and some like to more their focus point for every shot. I’ve played with it both ways, but have found that on a fast moving shoot, I’d prefer to focus and recompose. Maybe it’s because I’m lazy, who knows! ; )
I’m proud of you for sharing this with the class!
(And also a little jealous you got to play with Darcy and her Handyman!)
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Different point of view. Har har. Snort.
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Okay, I just had a “duh” moment hit me … make sure your Focus Switch is not set on L (locked) when trying to change focus areas. I spent the morning trying to get my Nikon to move the focus point like you did with no luck. I just couldn’t figure out why and thought maybe because my camera is ancient. So I put it down and forgot about it. While shooting a few birds at the feeder, a few minutes ago, I just happened to glance at the back of the camera, noticed the L with the dot over it and that the switch was set to L – DUH!!!!!! It’s a wonder how I can even remember to press the shutter button.
LaurieS´s last [type] ..Bye-bye Lazy Summer
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
I wonder if my camera has that. Off to check.
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Thank you so much for this. Numbers 2,3 &4 really apply to me right now. I read an article yesterday about photography that really shook my confidence and since then Simon & Garfunkle’s song ‘Cecilia’ has been running through my head on continuous loop. “You’re breaking my heart. You’re shaking my confidence daily”. I hate when I question what I am doing and if I know what I am doing. So I am taking your “photography is a journey” mantra and am going to start trucking………to my very first wedding shoot tomorrow. I think this wedding thing has un-nerved me enough that it has allowed these confidence breakers to seep in. But I have gotten where I am by sheer determination and a vision for what I want to be doing. I am going to embody #4 tomorrow and hope for the best. thanks Ruthanne. I feel like Darth Vader now……..all powerful and strong…….and focused. very focused.
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Ruthanne Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
You’ll do fabulous! Get in the zone, girl.
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I started doing this when I got my 50mm 1.4 lens…with the shallow depth of field, I could no longer afford to let the camera focus by itself!
And now I always manually choose my focal points. It gets easier with practice.
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Psst. I didn’t know that either. *don’t tell anyone*
I did try to start reading my manual the other day. I learned a few things and have already forgotten it. I suppose that means I have to start all over now. *le sigh* My manual is 403 pages. And it’s ALL in English, they printed the Spanish one separate. Glad I only have to read one of them! Esta bien, no?
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OY vey! Dont get me started! THIS is why I teach Mommytography!
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The surprise for me here is that it’s not just you, but lots of folks who weren’t able to focus their cameras. I switch back and forth between letting the camera pick the focus (good for action or groups of people) or picking it myself (for instance if I want it on the eyes). Also be careful because you can lock the focus where you can’t move it with that toggle button on the back. I learned this week that I have a habit of accidentally doing that at Braves’ games. I did the same thing last year, only the camera was new and I couldn’t figure out how to change it!
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Oh, and congratulations! You’ve been liberated!
Dawn Camp´s last [type] ..Images I Love from Today
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OMG. Thank you so much. My husband and I just recently found a little extra money [thank you, old gentleman for backing into my little jetta with your big truck while we were both stopped at a red light. The dent isn’t worth fixing when I can use your check to buy a new camera. Yay!). Anyway, we got a Nikon D5000 and I’m trying to learn how to use it. I read the manual, read a book on basic photography, and now I’m working through the Nikon D5000 for Dummies book. This is wonderful, thanks!
PS. This is my Freckled Nest comment
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