When the Button You Didn’t Know Existed Changes Everything

Thomas returned for his second photography lesson, this time bringing his friend Cindy for her very first session. Cindy mentioned early on that she had owned her Sony camera for several years, but never quite liked how one part of the lens operated. I asked to see her camera as I knew the exact button to switch to address the issue! She did not even know that button existed. I was glad to be able to instantly solve the issue that had been frustrating her for years. Those are the kinds of small but powerful adjustments that can completely change someone’s relationship with their camera.

Even though this was Thomas’s second time hearing my 5-step process for shooting in manual mode, the review helped reinforce what he learned during our first one-on-one session. We wrapped up with hands-on shooting practice in the studio. I guided them through applying the 5-step process step by step, then changed the scenario and asked them to create a well-exposed, sharp image completely on their own. Watching that moment when everything clicks is always the best part.