back about seven years ago, there was a learning challenge facilitated by the more experienced photographers of this site called camera settings challenge. one of its very first "lessons" was the f/5.6 and i remembered trying to shoot a photograph with my canon powershot set to the f stop of 5.6. brendan mauer (spelling?) was very patient in explaining and making suggestions on how i could get the best result; i felt frustrated that i couldn't create a more blurry background no matter how far i got my subject from the background. that incident was my motivation to buy my first dslr. it didn't take me long to shoot in manual, even though i had only very little understanding of the technical aspects of photography.
i always tell people that everything i know about photography, i learned from 365 project. and it is true, and i'm sure most of you feel that way. things are explained here in terms that are easily understood. everyone is supportive and no one judges you for the efforts you put in. on top of that, i have "met" some wonderful people who have become friends. and someday, i shall meet them all in person.
You have definitely mastered 5.6 here- I pretty much shoot in that all the time. That was my go-to setting in my 35mm days and I guess I just haven't gotten away from it. Anyway... your words about the 365 community are spot on and I can say with absolute certainty that there were three 365ers that made a tremendous impact on my photography. I forget the tag of the first one, but she introduced me to the "macro" setting on my little point and shoot. The second was Bonnie Lusted who introduced me to seeing beyond the ordinary and recognizing the extraordinary in the simple things and the third was you! Every time I pick up my T3i I think of your generosity and how it moved me forward when I never thought I'd be able to go any further than where I'd already come.
Here here. So true about 365. Well you certainly learned how to get a great shallow depth of field photo of a flower. And it isn't just that, it is rather classy too.
