The perfect place for camera trials

A friend of mine told me that the worst time to buy a new camera is right before a trip. As I mentioned in my last post, my new Kodak did not come with an ideal instruction manual. I suppose the ideal photographer would mash every button and figure out every mode by taking photos of something in the backyard. But I had the unprecedented opportunity (after a few days of practice) to figure out my camera on the space shuttle Discovery, at the launch pad during a press photo session. The good photos (from many attempts) are here on my travel blog.

Admittedly, I just couldn't work the manual modes, partly because I needed a flashlight to see the switches and dials. We were out there quite a while, and I tried several of the other modes (P - programmed usually worked the best). I also could have used a tripod. But the photos still turned out nicely.

So, practice would have helped me find the switches in the dark, but I don't think I could have imagined the exact conditions of trying to shoot photos of a large, brightly lit shuttle, at night.

Incoming weather blocks the sunlight as busloads of photographers set up their equipment.

On a side note, I didn't know they still made large format cameras! One man was using one, complete with black curtain over his head. It was modern, not an antique.