Ron, I have the same "problem" and rarely get into any pictures. Last year I was at a party at a restaurant on the Potomac while visiting Washington and gave my F5 to a friend, with a 20-second lesson on the autofocus, and looked forward to a shot of me with the Kennedy Center slightly out of focus in the background. I have a beautiful picture of the Kennedy Center draped for Christmas with a very out of focus shot of me in the foreground. Here's my solution: 1. Set all controls and focus, composing with the prospective photographer in the shot. 2. Change the focus and, if necessary, exposure, to manual. 3. Switch places, handing the camera over carefully while admonishing the newbie not to touch anything except the shutter release. 4. Suggest composition to the newbie. 5. Pray. Have two shots taken. You'll be more relaxed in the second shot. Good luck! SLS Samuel L. Stern Stern & Anderson, P.A. 247 Third Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55415-1003 612.333.0102
