Every time I walked into Best Buy, I'd mosey on over towards the camera section to see what they had in stock. First, I'd see the DSLRs and then walk around and check out the compact cameras.
Of course, these are pre-iPhone days, so there were more cameras to try out. These days Best Buy's camera section is sparse, replaced by a larger iPhone section.
So I'd pick up a camera and snap a few photos. Some of the cameras would hold an image for a second without a card. I was solid on Program mode. I could get a picture.
Then, I would throw the camera into Manuel mode and snap a photo. I was lucky if I could get an image with blur. Other than that, the picture was black. I'd fiddle with the dials a little until I could get something. At times I'd get a blurred image.
After a while, I'd give up and walk away sad. Photography was for those other people that could figure it out.
I was convinced that I just needed a better camera. I needed more money to get a better camera.
So, of course, despite my inability to use a camera, I ended up buying a couple.
And even when I bought them, I'd mainly stay on Program mode and seldom venture into Manuel. So I tried other camera modes, like Aperture Priority, with mixed results.
Still, I knew I had to figure out Manuel mode. Not out of some artsy notion using Manuel to "control" my image, but that if I could figure Manuel out, then maybe I knew more than I knew.
I saw this video by Sean Tucker that broke down using the exposure triangle that broke it open for me. And for awhile, I was good, but still getting mixed results.
The other thing is that my photos looked flat. I've seen other images taken by photographers with the RX100 M7, and the color in their photos seemed better.
I started watching videos on picture profiles. I tried to match the picture profile in both my still and video, but nothing was working.
I was missing something but couldn't figure out what.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I downloaded an hour-long webinar from Full-time Filmmakers, an online course that promises you'll be shooting better videos in no time. Provided you shucked up the eight hundred bucks and dedicated yourself to the program.
One of the tips Full-time Filmmakers mentioned was to stop using Auto White Balance. So I stopped the video and rewound it. Now, Full-time Filmmakers were talking about video.
And I remembered from my old moviemaking days that we used to white balance the camera before shooting with slates. But that was video. That couldn't apply to film, or could it?
The next time I took my camera out, I changed the White Balance. That was the Birds, Birds, Bird's post. Then, yesterday, I changed the white balance again. And my photos came out better than I imagined.
Holy cow.
I was eager to shoot Rock Rugby's practice with this newfound knowledge but had to run to drop Marcos off at the Slipknot concert.
Damn.
Still, I had to drop off some business flyers. As I raced back to practice, I could see the setting sun, watching my best source of light set for the night.
Crap.
By the time I got to the park, it was too dark. I remember oodles of YouTubers telling me that for all the RX100 M7's pluses, it wasn't a low-light camera.
But then, I saw Jennifer, Rock Rugby's team mom holding court with two knew Rock Rugby recruits. Her son Nico was in the car and had the headlights on.
Just maybe --
I was on Manuel. I kept my camera at 24mm, opened up my aperture to 2.8, raised my ISO to 2500, and set my White Balance to Daylight, and took the shot.
And I got the shot.
Somewhere in my head, I could feel a doubt demon slayed. The one that sat on my shoulder during all those visits to Best Buy.
I got the shot, and there's some color in there, and yes, it could be better, but I got an image.
And that's all that matters.