Photographing for blog

I would really like to have a good manual camera for taking blog pics and someday buy the Shoot Fly Shoot instructional videos. 

I like taking pics and I have a decent camera. It is a CanonSX40 with a manual setting.  But I dare say I don't know how yet to take pics with the manual setting.  I just tried and they all came out black!!!

So here are a few pics of my last project that I took with different settings. 

Do you like any better than the other?  Any suggestions? 

I find when i try to get a close up shot I lose out on the corners of the piece of furniture!  I will keep working at it though. 

bureau ready for delivery!

 

 

Finished the bureau I have been working on.  I like the way it came out.  It is Paris Grey with Old White accents in Annie Sloan chalk paint. 

 

 

I cleaned the bureau really well with mineral spirits and then de-natured alchohol.  It was very dirty!  I cleaned inside the drawers too as it was a little musty smelling.  Probably had not been used in a while. 

 

I then sanded it lightly as it had some minor gouges and scratches on the top.  I then gave it two coats of Paris Grey and highlighted the raised areas on the front of the bureau in old white.

I also gave it two coats of clear wax to protect the wood.  I gave the top a good buffing a couple of days later as I tend to like some shine on the top. 

A lot of people like to use the paintbrush in random patterns but I do tend to paint in straight lines....my type A personality maybe!!

  It has great detail and is ready for delivery!  Had a nice note in the mail today from my son's girlfriend thanking me for the prettying up!