Dick's Hideaway:

How to take a picture?

Dick MacKenzie - www.dickshideaway.com

It's a Jingle Belly day out here at camp, snowy and pretty as a Christmas morning. Hard to know whether to sing Jingle Bells or Marshmallow World, though Mary assures me, as she clicks on the satellite radio, that if I don't sing anything she'll be just as happy, knowing that it's the thought that counts.
For the first time I can ever remember we have not seen a single chickadee for two days. I think they must be out in the trees doing romantic spring chickadee things. The other birds are still coming to feed so I know they haven't been fooled by the calendar.
I decided today would be my learning to take pictures of the falling snow day. Seemed like a fun project and worthy challenge. As I mounted camera on tripod I smiled almost uncontrollably, dreaming of the soft wonderful pictures soon to be bursting beautifully on my Facebook page.
The lesson was a lot like many others I've known. It was quick, a dismal failure, and has left me asking friends for advice.
So, Friends, please give me a simple primer of the very basics. I'm an amateur at photography (and that's pretty much exaggerating my ability) and my camera is the Canon SX70.
I thought a slower shutter speed would be just the ticket. But that wasn't the secret. I tried experimenting with focal adjustments but that wasn't the answer either.
Any suggestions?