Remember the days of your old point-and-shoot? See something of beauty: point and shoot. In general, everything was in focus and clear and beautiful. Then we spend a lot of money and get a "real" camera along with our visions of graduer of great pictures.

I didn't take great pictures, right away; in fact, as I look back on them, the pictures were often blurry. It wasn't until I read, Bryan Peterson's book on Understanding Exposure, that things began to "click" for me (sorry, though cliche, it does fit). For me it was January 18, 2009. From that point my pictures are rarely blurred, although other technical complication abound. At least I wasn't so frustrated with my new purchases.

The pros say you have to practice. I agree. I hope that I can encourage you to do the same: no practice, no gain in technique. Take this advise from Scott Borne, internet/mac/photography celebrity. Here is answer a question for one of us newbies:

My usual shooting time is during travel. Any tips for subjects around the house so I can practice more?

That’s easy. Shoot ANYTHING and EVERYTHING around the house. One of the things I constantly run into relates to people going on workshops with me only to find that they are completely unfamiliar with their gear. They only break out the camera when they take a trip. To avoid getting into that rut, make a pact with yourself to handle your gear every single day. Even if it’s just to take a picture of a beer can on the porch, handling the camera regularly leads to more success when it counts. So set up all your gear, practice with your tripod and changing lenses. Read your manual and know what you’re doing BEFORE you get out into the field.

Also, check out this video by Marc Sibler

So, my friend, get out those manuals, surf the web for technique tips (some are here); remember, we are playing in digital media (I am old enough to remember the cost of film development!), so play, play, play.