An ah-ha moment for me was learning how to use flash. It finally clicked, and it has definitely improved my photography already. I've been intimidated by flash because I didn't understand which functions did what, or how, or why. All I knew was that 1/1 was really bright, and I had no clue how it related to the camera at all.
I decided that my subject was a bag. I set my camera to ISO 100, f/5.6, and SS 1/250. I adjusted the light until it was exposed properly. Then I changed my aperture by one stop, and adjusted the flash by one stop. Still exposed, but I saw the different in the background. It was getting darker. I changed them by one stop for a few tries, until I got the hang of it. Then I started changing it by two and three stops. I changed my ISO and changed the flash to suit the difference. Then I turned the flash on an umbrella to see the difference. From where I was standing, the difference between the flash and the light off the umbrella was three stops. I had to adjust my camera by three stops to get the same amount of light on the bag.
I also figured out how to use the zoom function. I now know the difference between the difference zooms, what they do to the photo. The higher the number, the more focused it is. I thought that was cool. This was really helpful when I got the theatre the next day and had to shoot in the pitch black room with a flash. I finally get it!
I am very proud of you. This is something that I can only demonstrate, but is something that the student photographer has to actually learn for themselves! Practice Practice Practice.....this skill alone will open more doors for you in the future. Especially if you can demonstrate that as a freshman you know more than juniors and seniors in college. It will open doors because your work will show you take ownership in your own knowledge and don't rely solely on the teacher or professor!
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