I'm on my company's newsletter editorial staff and next week we have what is called Employee Appreciation Day. Actually this year it's more than just a day because 1 of the events is scheduled to be conducted Wed. night from 5:30-7:30 p.m. - a basketball shootout. I've been asked to photograph it and have yet to use a digital camera. Any tips from you digital camera users so that I can try to get some decent action shots of the game? Also Thurs. when most of the activities of Employee Appreciation Day are going on, I'll also be going around and photographing then, too. Some of the activities are raffles of some pretty big prizes (employees don't have to do anything - H. R. puts their names in) like a 19" tv, dvd player, gift certificates to restaurants, etc. There's also a "guess how many" are in the jar thing for a prize, rollout of new benefits presented, a little gift for everyone, ending with a make-your-own sundae thing where the bosses dish up the ice cream and people have an array of toppings to choose from. I've been promised photo credit on any that they publish in the next newsletter, so would really like to do a good job with them. Granted it's only an employee newsletter but it will go out to the other locations in San Francisco, NY, Toronto, Dublin, the Cayman Islands and Boston where our corporate offices are, so it would still be exposure!

So anything you can give me for info. to help me would be greatly appreciated!!

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Terry (Only my mother, brothers & sisters call me Teresa) Forrest

Can't help you much on the Coolpix, Terry, but I'd hold out for some photo (as in solar) exposure in the Cayman Islands if you can trade that for the photo credit!

Gary

I bought a Coolpix 995 1 day before the Reunion and Bus Tours and I'm damn lucky to have gotten useable photos.

Get the manual and TRY to go through some of it. It's not really a 'how to take pictures' kind of guide, it's more for the Technie.

The Coolpix has both an "A" for automatic and "M" for manual choice. Choose "A" on the top on/off switch. Otherwise you would have had to adjust all the choices under "M".

With the control set to "A", note the 3 buttons below the view screen. Leftmost is "MFOCUS" by successively hitting that button, you'll see icons appear in the upper left of the video screen showing a 'mountain' - distance a 'tulip' - close up or a tulip with a clock like symbol - the self-timer so you can get in the picture.

The final push of that button removes all those 'focus icons'. That's the auto-focus positions. You probably want that. When you press the shutter button down, gently at first, the camera focuses; then press all the way to take the picture.

The middle bottom button is labeled ISO which in the "M" mode allows you to set the "ISO" or ASA of the 'film'. You can't control this in the "A" mode. But the button itself has a 'lightning' symbol for the flash. This controls whether the flash goes off or not. In order for this button to control the flash, the flash must be opened. You do that by using the slide next to the popup flash above the lens. As you press the button, you'll see an icon in the upper right of the video screen. First is an EYE, then a flash, then the word 'SLOW'. Generally you'll want the flash symbol if you're taking indoor photos that aren't well lit. The SLOW setting can be used for outdoor fill flash.

When you take a photo, it will appear in the video window a few seconds after taking the image. It appears for about 5 seconds. During that time, you can use the left bottom button to delete this image (you have to confirm you want to delete it.) If the image goes away, you can make it appear again by presssing the QUICK button above the screen. The QUICK button allows you to check the quality of the image you just took. While that image shows up, use the T button (Telephoto) to zoom in on the image to see if it is in focus.) Press the W button once to zoom all the way back out.

The right buttom is labled "QUAL" and determines the 'quality' of the saved image. As you press this button, you will see three choices of 'Basic' 'Normal' and 'Fine'. The numbers below that label on the screen will tell you how many images at each setting can be saved on the remaining memory in the Compact Flash card at that setting. I'd choose 'Normal' for what you are going to shoot.

Make sure the battery is fully charged and that the Compact Flash is empty when you begin.

Do a trial run around the office if you have the opportunity tomorrow or take the camera home this weekend.

Good luck!


P.S. I re-read your post and see that a major part of the assignment is shooting the basketball free throws. I'd NOT use flash for that, most gyms are well-lit. Focus and zoom in on the employee as they are shooting, don't try to get them making the basket itself. But if they make it and react, get photos of the reaction.

Leave the camera set to "A". It will automatically turn off after 30 seconds to a minute. Gently touch the shutter button and it will come back on.

Keep in mind that with Digitals, your picture isn't necessarily going to be taken the millisecond you touch the shutter button, unlike a 35mm. You may need to anticipate the slight time delay.

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 03-28-2002).]

Thanks, John. I'm going to be able to get the camera Monday so that I can practice a little bit with it. But also I bought the same camera for my husband for an early Christmas present last year after he told me in August when we met some photographer acquaintances who all shoot digital, that he would return to photography if he had a digital. I bought it and gave it to him early so he would have it to take to Michigan when we went there and met Gary for the 1st time. You might ask did he use it then? (No!) Has he used it since? (No!) Has he used it at all? (No!) Anyway, I'm borrowing it this weekend to practice!!

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Terry (Only my mother, brothers & sisters call me Teresa) Forrest

John, thanks again for your info. I got some good photos that they'll be able to use. Some, because of the time delay, have motion blur in them - even with trying to anticipate the action, but they might be able to crop them somewhat to still use them if they want to. That automatic shutoff every few seconds, though, is a real pain!

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Terry (Only my mother, brothers & sisters call me Teresa) Forrest