Photo of the Day- “Waiting”…. Taking the Camera, and Life, Off Automatic and Throwing it in Manual

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"Waiting" - Tracey Capone Photography

When asked what my one piece of advice for new SLR photographers is, I always say the same thing. Take the camera off it’s automatic settings, put it in Manual and play around. You’re only playing with light… you can’t break anything. To me, it’s the best way to learn the camera, learn how to manipulate the light, basically learn photography overall.

I have the same piece of advice when asked how to get the best photographs when traveling. Sure, I pull together an agenda of places I know I want to see ahead of time. I do it because, typically, I’m seeing multiple cities or countries in one trip and want to make certain I can get key places in. That said though, my best piece of advice when traveling is, take at least one day where you put away the map, put away the agenda and just take a walk.

I have come across some of my favorite pictures simply by getting out and walking without a plan, without an agenda, without a map. (or, have a map and don’t be afraid to get a little lost ;) ) A former photo of the day, “Bicyclette” would be one of them. Another, today’s Photo of the Day, “Waiting,” is this photograph I shot of a beautiful Cocker Spaniel outside of a dry cleaners in Paris, just down the road from the Orsay.

I loved how he was just sitting at the door, patiently waiting for his mom or dad to come out of the shop. He didn’t bark, he didn’t whine, he just watched people walk by and, thankfully, took a few minutes to pose for the paparazzi.

Had I not been walking without a purpose, had I been sticking to my agenda, I never would have come across him and ended up with another one of my favorite shots from my last trip to Paris. In April, I head off to take a road trip from Northern England through Scotland and Ireland. Sure, I’ll have a basic plan, knowing I need to be in Shannon by a certain day to make my flight back to Chicago but I cannot wait to take a few trips off the beaten path just to see what I come across.

Sometimes, you just have to take life off automatic, throw it in manual and just see what happens.

Enjoy!

*tracey*

18 thoughts on “Photo of the Day- “Waiting”…. Taking the Camera, and Life, Off Automatic and Throwing it in Manual”

  2. A very good advice and this photo is really worth walking without purpose. The colours are very smooth and the blue and red make it more vivid (hope you understand my english …)
    Christine

    Reply ↓

  4. Tracey,
    I agree fully with your travel/photography philosophy. I keep a map handy only to know, more or less, where I am and where I’ve been. Streets in Europe and especially Paris can get you really turned around! Am traveling to Italy (Rome-Amalfi Coast) this summer and can’t wait to indulge my photography “habit”. Have fun in the U.K. Scotland and Ireland are especially beautiful and I’m pretty sure northern England will not disappoint. I look forward to your images…Al

    Reply ↓

    • Have a wonderful trip to Rome-Amalfi Coast Al… I know from experience it won’t disappoint :) It’s a country I could go to over and over and never get tired of it.

      Thanks!

      Reply ↓

  8. Thanks so much for the motivational article! Photo is beautiful! I just recently jumped off the automatic setting and have decided to run free on manual! I sometimes get laughed at by my friends when I take my camera everywhere I go, which is also a new thing for me! But I say practice, practice, practice!!

    Thank you..

    Mike

    Reply ↓

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