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wubbiebear Aug 17, 2011

At the first of the month I'm going to hopefully get a point and shoot digital camera.  I'm told that they have cameras now where you can point it at whatever you're taking pictures of and click and it will focus and everything for you.  If I can do this, where should I take pictures at?  Should I carry the bear outside or do it in the house?  Also, how should I hold the bear?  I'll probably post pics of some of my collection when I get it for y'all to tell me how I'm doing if that's okay.  What do you guys think about this?  Joanne, would you mind helping me crop them because I'm not even going to try that.  The last time I did that it just looked like a blob.  If you join Teddy Bears Forum and look for my post about Prot, you can see why I won't even think about messing with editing pics.

Us Bears Aug 18, 2011

Point and shoot cameras are, pretty much, just that.  You point and press the button and out comes a picture.

For you, I think this is the perfect thing.  :)

If you don't mind me asking, how well can you see?
The reason I ask is because many digital cameras work on a system of menus, etc.  You often have to press a certain button in order to download the pictures from the camera.  Can you, at least, see well enough to navigate through the menus?  Or, will you have to learn from memory?

I'm guessing that you use a text-to-speech "screen reader" program on your computer to use websites.  No?

One trick about digital cameras:  Press the shutter button half way down but don't activate the shutter.  Hold it in that position and you can temporarily "lock focus" on your subject.  Then, when you want a picture, click the button all the way down.  However, if you move the camera too much or your subject changes, be sure to release the shutter button and press it half way down again so that you can lock focus on the picture again.  If you don't remember this, you are likely to get a lot of pictures that are slightly out of focus.

I have this problem a lot.  I have a tendency to lock focus then move the camera before shooting.  I get a lot of blurry pictures because of it.  I don't have this problem when I use a manual focus camera because it forces me to pay attention.  This probably isn't an option for you, though.  Just remember the half-way-down button trick and you'll be all right.

Y'know, I have heard stories about blind photographers working in darkrooms and film labs.  It sounds funny at first but, when you think about it for a second, a darkroom is a DARK ROOM.  Where normally sighted people are at a disadvantage in a dark room, blind people are right at home!  :lol:

I might be able to offer some limited help in getting your photos edited and posted on the internet.
Had we been talking about this a month ago, I would have had a lot of time on my hands to help but, now, work is starting to pick up for me.  Although I can't do it all the time, I might be able to help, occasionally.

dangerbears Aug 18, 2011

Of interest to some: Information here about an exhibition of photographs from 12 blind photographers. http://www.cmp.ucr.edu/exhibitions/sightunseen/

Becky

wubbiebear Aug 18, 2011

Cool.  I hope I don't have to use menus.  I'd like to be able to hook it to my computer and get the photos off that way, but if it's the same keystrokes every time, I'll be able to memorize it.  And cool about the blind photographers.  I don't think I really want to be a photographer, but if I'm going to sell bears, I better learn how to take pictures or else have to depend on other people to take them for me, which is a pain.  I guess I was dragged kicking and screaming into getting a camera.  I'll probably get a cheapy right now because all I need to do is show you what my bears look like.

Us Bears Aug 18, 2011

Go to a real camera store, not Walmart or Best Buy.  At a good store, they'll let you try out a camera and see how it works before you buy it.

That's good advice for anybody but, for you, I think it's even more important.  I can read reviews on-line before I buy and I, pretty much, know whether I'll like a particular camera before I ever consider buying.  I have used several different types of cameras and I know what to expect when I use them.  You, on the other hand, probably won't know whether you like a particular camera unless you can get your hands on it and fiddle with it first.  You wouldn't want to pay all that money for a camera only to find out that it's too frustrating to use after you get it home.

If you have a friend who owns a camera, ask them to borrow it and let you play around with it for a day or two.  I borrow and try out different cameras all the time.

My favorite camera is a 1950's vintage Zeiss Ikon.  Totally manual.  Doesn't even have a meter but it takes great pictures!

lapousmor Aug 18, 2011

Jessie, I would say, try to take photos of your bears outside as often as possible.

What I often do is sit my bear against my house wall and take a few photos. Or you can bring a chair outside and install your bear in that chair.

Better have it displayed against a quite uniform "landscape" so as the viewer of the photo will only focus on the bear. A plain wall is a good idea. I think it is better in a cloudy whether so you will not be bothered by the sun.

I guess you could also be able to take photos in a conservatory if you have got one. Any place very well lighted, but daylight is the best.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

wubbiebear Aug 20, 2011

Thanks, guys.  I'll probably have to go to one of the cheaper stores right now because we're really having financial trouble.  Maybe later on down the road, once I've sold a few bears and can scrape the money, I'll get a nicer one from a camera store, but right now I'm going to have to be cheap unless someone wants to swop one of my bears for a camera they don't use anymore, lol.

Us Bears Aug 20, 2011

I understand about the financial situation.  Even so, at least visit a camera store and check prices.  You never know.  They might have something on sale.  The ability to get your hands on a camera and try it is worth the extra money. 

Besides, a good salesman would understand your problem and wouldn't push you to buy something when you're not ready.  He could rake you over the coals and get a few bucks today but, then, you'll probably never go back there again.  He could talk to you and show you some products even though he knows you're probably not going to buy something today but the benefit comes later when you return to the store, over and over, to buy even more stuff than you would have on the initial sale.

Good salesmen know that it's best to delay a sale, today, in favor of making a lifetime customer.

Regardless of whether you go to WalMart or the camera store, don't be afraid to stand up for what you want.  Don't buy something just to have it.  Buy what suits you but don't buy until you find a camera the suits you.

It is also wise to try before you buy.  Ask your friends and family their opinions about the cameras they have.  Friends and family know you better than a salesman would.  They'll let you try out their cameras and, maybe, even let you take one home for a day or two.  Even if you decide that you don't like any of the cameras you try, you'll know what features you like or don't like.  Maybe one camera is easy to use but it doesn't let you download pictures very easily.  Maybe another one will be too "fiddly" to use.  Even if you don't buy a camera like your friends' you'll be able to walk into a store and say, "I want a camera that has 'X-feature.'"

I would love to sell or trade you a camera but, unfortunately, I own only one digital camera and almost all the rest of them are totally manual.

However, if I come across something that I think will suit you, I'll send you a message.