In the Square on a summer's day

As soon as I saw the sun shining early this morning I knew it was going to be the day I headed out to practise using my dslr. No point having an expensive camera I am not sure how to really use properly! I needed to try out different things with the aperture priority and shutter priority settings, so I could grow to be in charge of the camera, rather than the other way around....The Square in the middle of town was where I decided to go: there is an abundance of different inspiration for the camera here.

There is an old fountain that has been restored, and now the lions really do squirt out water again.

This sculpture is almost 'outside' my brief, as it is just beyond the pedestrian's 'square'. There is a group in Palmie that is placing more sculpture in the city. And there are some pieces I love- one day I will have to do a post on some of them- but this one is not amongst them- seems awfully 'puerile' to use a polite word.

In the heart of the Square is an area of 'peace'. I loved the cloud behind this Maori sculpture today- the colours all spoke of summer.

This is one of a group of sculptures carved by a visiting group of international sculptors. (I think it is in andesite, but would have to check that...)

I always love finding 'reflections' and taking photos of them... this one is on the Council building.

Again, colours of summer, in the view looking across from the Marae of peace to All Saints church.

When 'they' re-did the Square at horrendous expense a few years back, there were some things that were done that I think are simply ugly. Fortunately they had more sense than to remove the fountains in the corner where the ducks and the families hang out... It was a great place to experiment with varied aperture and shutter settings, and then to see the results back at home...

And Palmerston North has always been famous for its roses... here is just one example...

So, did I learn what I wanted about the camera? Yes, I grew in confidence. I realised there were times I made the aperture too large in landscape shots. And often I was nervous of making the shutter as fast as it could be on this sunny day... It was instructive when I got home to compare the settings the camera had used as 'normal' when I used the automatic settings. I will have to use this as a 'control' for every shot next time and see what I learn....