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Kelly Garvey - Contributor
I'm a natural light photographer in Houston, TX. I love photographing real life connections, emotions, & interactions wherever I can. I can thank my (almost four year old) son, Garrett, for giving me the push I needed to explore something that was ALWAYS an interest to me my whole life because I desperately wanted to take pictures of him that I was proud of. I can also thank my dad (who has always had a camera on him for as long as I can remember) for his support in this. Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter My Camera Bag: D3S | D700 | 50mm 1.4G | 85mm 1.4G | 24-70mm 2.8 | 70-200mm 2.8 | 105mm 2.8 | 16mm 2.8 | Tamron 90mm 2.8
thanks Kelly! great post!
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It’s possible that it’s my browser, but I can’t see any of the photos!
Aaaaand, as soon as I posted my comment, the images appeared. Magic.
So cool!
Thanks for this tips.. I really don’t know how to fix my camera..
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Thanks you so much for the tips. This is something i’ve been trying to research over the last few days and the terminology used confused me. i have it now!!!!
Hello! I stumbled across your blog some months ago and this is the first time i have commented! I enjoy your blog so much and its one I read daily! From YOUR blog I discovered Clickin Moms which Ive now joined…and from THAT I discovered Lynne Rigbys AWESOME classes which Im currently a SA in two of
How the interwebs intertwine 
HA! Anyway, that you for all your informative posts, and the posts from your guest bloggers are great! Keep up the great work!
Im trying DESPERATELY to understand BBF….I just cant wrap my mind around it. I guess Im someone who makes things more complicated too! Ive read so many great things about it. Ive always focused and recomposed but want to give something else a try. I cant seem to find a way to make my mind grasp this though and I consider myself a fairly intelligent person!!!
Lynn
hey lynn! how awesome that you are in lynne’s class! i haven’t taken it but heard it’s amazing! just give bbf a whirl & if it’s not for you then don’t stress
i think lots of people don’t use it! i don’t usually! so glad this helped a little!
Twitter: clickitupanotch
says:
Lynn, thanks for your sweet words! You should comment more often :O) I’m so glad you are taken some of Lynne’s classes. I have taken 3 and LOVE her!! She is such a talented teacher!! Like Kelly said, give BBF a shot and if it isn’t for you don’t stress yourself out. What about it seems to be too much?? Maybe we can help :O) Thanks again!!
A great post. Once I figured out how to focus properly and not let me camera choose my pictures starting coming out much sharper and precise!
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Twitter: Blue_Montana
says:
Aaaahhhh. Love it and love you for posting it! Just what I was looking for and Nikon to boot! Now I want to leave work early and get home and play with my camera. Note to self don’t read this on breaks because I just want to go play with my camera. Do you have any more in depth or step by step instructions on how to set a back button focus on your Nikon. I have the D7000 and have been struggling with understanding how to do it. Thanks girls!!! Courtney also love you added contributing writers. And congrats on your little one yet to come.
YAYAYAYA! so glad to hear!
Twitter: clickitupanotch
says:
Thanks! I’m so glad to hear you like this post…I love that you wanted to skip out on work he he. Kelly did an amazing job of explaining the modes!! I don’t have a more in depth post on BBF but will add that to the list of topics we should write about. Thanks!!!
I think that when I shoot with a prime lens (not zoom) that my images are sharper. What are your thoughts on prime vs. zoom with regard to focus?
although i definitely agree with the fact that primes are sharper (and LOTS of photogs agree, too, and even shoot exclusively primes for that reason) i can’t help but still pull out my wide angle & zoom lenses sometimes because for certain shots they are just necessary! i’d love to buy a wide angle prime someday
Twitter: clickitupanotch
says:
I think it also depends on your zoom. I know a lot of photographers who swear that their Canon/Nikon zooms are just as good as the primes.
I always use AF-S, but I am going to give AF-C a shot tomorrow when I attempt to photograph my toddler for the third time this week. I need some shots to turn in for Shooting 201 with Lynne.
THANK YOU so much for this! You have no idea how much this helped me! I just got my 1st slr, & had no idea it was on the wrong focus mode! Geesh! I’m sure this will help me greatly. Again, thanks! PLEEEEASE feel free to share more tips, I actually “get it” when I hear it from you!
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melanie – that makes me so happy to hear that it helped
and what a nice compliment that i helped you “get it.” makes it all worthwhile 
let us know if you have any questions…
I’m always working on focus, so this is great! I got confused when I got to the bottom and you started talking about Dynamic Point…is it just because I shoot Canon? Anyway, I pretty much keep my camera on Al Servo because my toddler is ALWAYS moving, and I get frustrated trying to pick different points, but have no luck with re-composing (because he is ALWAYS moving!)…is BBF a solution to this problem? I’ve tried it, but it didn’t seem to help me much…thanks!
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you can use the continuous shooting mode & the dynamic area autofocus mode & track (meaning you will move the camera with your baby as he moves). you just need to make sure your SS is high enough to freeze the action so it doesn’t cause blur. does that make any sense? check out your manual to read more about canon’s autoAREA focus modes. this article was strictly about autofocus modes so that’s why i didn’t get too in depth on the autoareafocus modes. wouldn’t the world be a better place if all of the camera brands used the same terminology?! just seems to easy for them to do it that way
This is such a timely post for me…thank you so much. I was just researching the focus modes because when I photograph my grandsons, I always end up with so many “out of focus” shots. I’m definitely going to try your advice and use the AI Servo mode on my Canon. Thank you!!!!!!