Digital Photography 101

Eight years ago I graduated with a technical diploma in Film & Television from Orange Coast College. For a community college, OCC has a superior film program boasting a state-of-the-art TV studio that is sure to rival many of the more expensive art schools in the southern California area. I bring up the fact that I graduated eight years because eight years feels like yesterday (to me). However; in the day and age of advancing digital arts, I may as well have studied film, television, and photography in the Roaring 20's. I assembled my first film by cutting and taping it back together using a flatbed editor, and I used a linear editing system (VCR to VCR) to piece together my video projects. It's hard to believe this was state-of-the-art technology eight years ago, huh? This sounds like film school from the 40's and 60's not the early 2000's.

More recently, there have been increasing opportunities for me to put my film and television background to use with some projects at work. My department recently invested in a fancy pants digital SLR camera and agreed to send me to a photography class so that I could learn how to use it.  This camera is seriously amazing, it takes such beautiful photographs; however, it also comes equipped with a serious learning curve. The most frustrating part is that I know how to fix problem images, I just do not know how to tell the camera to do it. If a photo comes out too dark, I know I have to up the ISO or increase the aperture. I know if a photo comes out blurry, I need a faster shutter speed or more light. Yet, for every good photograph I take, I have taken about 20 bad ones and adjusted the settings numerous times. I know it is just a matter of practice and that eventually I will get used to it, but I wish I could take photos like this every time:

or this:

or this:

The photograph of the jellyfish was taken in almost complete darkness. The only light was the light from the tank and it is not Photoshopped at all. I wish my everyday digital camera were as nice as this one. Do you think is is possible for technology to advance to that level quickly? I'll have to check back on this post in another 8 years :)