Camera?
.... check
Tripod?
.... check
Everything was all set up and ready to go for the dance competition. I snapped random shots of different performances, checking them on my tiny viewscreen and everything looked to be perfect. Our group's number was called and the music cued up. I began snapping away, trying to capture spins and twirls and, most of all, the sweet little dancer I was rooting for most. The number came to a close and the troupe walked to the wings while another group took to the floor.
We stayed for a few performances more and then headed for home, my camera and tripod safely packed away and all waiting to see what images I had captured.
Imagine my horror this morning when I downloaded the images from my camera only to find many of the shots were hopelessly blurry. With a sinking heart I reached for my camera, already knowing what I would find.
I had left the setting on Automatic, instead of changing it to Sports. The camera wasn't operating at a high enough speed to capture constant motion, so arms and legs became meaningless streaks and blurs, instead of the graceful lines and movements that had taken place before me.
Since I had never used my camera with the tripod before, I spent too much time making sure it was set up properly and securely, and then trying to set up my remote control (never before used, and not figured out in time for the competition) that I completely overlooked my camera setting. I was certain I had already changed it and foolishly did not double check before the competition began.
Thankfully the group will probably perform the same number again at next weekend's dedication to the new Springville Town Hall building, so that is where you will find me, valiantly try try trying again.
The most embarrassing part will be explaining this to my friend and her daughter. Just a few weeks before I had offered to take photos of another daughter and her friends the next time they went to a formal dance, and have also been asked this fall to take this other daughter's senior photos and then I massively screw this up. Not only is it a blow to the ego, but I feel so stupid about making such an obviously rookie mistake.
I guess I should seriously spend more time learning the ins and outs of photography... and always double and triple check my settings as I go.
Luckily I was able to salvage some of the shots...
We're only human, right? Has anyone else made this same, stupid mistake when shooting an event?
1 comment:
Knowing the title of the post, I was cringing all the way through the first section of the post (about being at the competition), dreading what was coming.
I'm glad you didn't lose the camera, like I was worrying. Though I suppose your wouldn't have had quite so philosophical a title if that had happened!
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