cailinriley - I think that you are correct about that flower being a Persian Cornflower. The flowers and foliage match the pictures on Google very closely. There was an old label saying "Scabiosa" near the base of the plant, but I think that was from 2 or 3 years ago. There is a real Scabiosa only 2 feet away, so I suspect that the plants have shifted positions a little over the previous couple of years and we forgot to move the signs! Gingers Garden - I'm just using a 2 1/2 year old, fairly basic Kodak digital camera set to take pictures of objects close in. It's actually pretty "hit or miss" as to whether I get good photos or not. The camera's focusing is automatic so I just try to maneuver it so that the flower that I want to get a closeup picture of is filling the center of the screen. Sometimes the camera makes its own decisions and chooses to focus on the background rather than the flower in the foreground. I use the little display screen on the back of my camera to try and get it into an ideal position for the close up shots. On sunny days, I have learned to set the exposure level to -0.5 or - 1.0 so that the flowers won't look too bright and washed out. Other than that, it's largely luck of the draw. I probably post about 1% of the photos that I take.

Sharon, while I haven't been posting directly to your photo tip threads, I've been following them avidly. I so appreciate all the effort you've gone to to explain in such an easy way so many aspects of taking good [better for some of us] pictures. The last week or so I've been very busy organizing and then hosting our family reunion at a local fancy diner and have not had a real chance to digest the latest installments. The macro stuff interests me very much. I've tried to use my macro recently and found when I did the camera refused to take the picture?? Odd. LOL.. I'll figure it out but I suspect I'll have to dig through the manual to see what the problem is. Your post makes me suspect it has something to do with the camera not being able to focus on what I'm trying to do or the distance, or something..heh.. and it won't fire as self preservation. Smiles. I'll figure it out and then be back to digest more of your post. Btw, I got a tripod for my birthday! Yay.. I relative I had staying with me for a while apparently absconded with my last tripod. Grrrr... Needless to say I'm looking forward to using the tripod to work on some of your 'lessons'. Thanks for all your great work on our behalf.

That would describe motion blur if, if you are on auto settings and the flash doesnt fire that means that there is enough light and the flash is not necessary. Essentially there is enough light for the shutter to actuate at speed to stop motion. Shutter speed for an object not moving can be around 1/80- 1/100. If your own hand is causing enough movement to cause motion blurr at those shutter speeds, then your hand must shake like the San Andreas Fault. If the subject is moving you should be at lease at 1/160. When using the zoom at it's extended range, take your focal length and x's by 2 to help eliminate camera shake. then work from to eliminate motion blurr of the subject. As this can be the cause of your blurred pictures, Ithink it the focusing mechinism causing probllem. Are you using on focal point or multiple? What AF is it on C, S, M? One other tip to help eliminate camera shake cause by the hand, use the 2 second timer, that way there is a 2 second delay from the time you hit the shutter and the pressure from release your finger wont cause any movement. Peace out. ZJoe

Maggie Sue, thanks so much for the encouragement. I feel a lot better after looking at the pictures in the photo shop. I didn't take anymore today but must get click happy tomorrow. I finished sewing my Bento Box quilt top. Sharon F. posted a picture of a block and I went from there. I really like it so will flick a pic tomorrow. I don't have a computer or printer... it will be getting the pictures from the camera over to Photobucket. Then I will be okay. I have to do this on my DD's computer at her house. I didn't get a user's manual but I found some info at Kodak web that is usefull so I need DD to print some of it out for me to use as reference. I had to call my Sasktel support people because of some E-mail problems. The nice fellow I talked to asked me if there was anything else he could help me with today. I said I have this new digital camera...do you know anything about them. He chuckled...no, not today. I thought it was worth trying!