got new camera but picture skills are not up to it

[skipskip]

I got a new digital camera since my old one used an abacus for computing things.

I use the auto setting, since I am unable remember what settings to use for what situation.

the auto on the new camera seems to fail me a little and I'm not sure why.

this pic is a good example, it seems that the white background is fooling the  camera into a  wrong setting.
As you can see from the second pic the pulley is a nice rusty brown.

what am I doing wrong?  thanks

Oh and it's a pulley from a Hunt Helm Ferris hay trolley

DSCF0455 by Skip Albright, on Flickr

DSCF0452 by Skip Albright, on Flickr

[Papaw]

Until you learn to get off Automatic, try getting the object you are shooting in focus and exposed properly. Looking through the viewfinder watch for the focus points to light up on it. The camera wants to equalize everything. You need to get the exposure on the dark stuff right, otherwise the camera will try to balance it all, and the white stuff will overpower the dark.
Use Center Weighted Metering, you'll have to place your subject in the center of the frame, press the shutter button half-way so the camera can focus and meter on the subject, then change the view to include all the subject, while holding the shutter button halfway down, then press it all the way down.

[Stan D]

Hopefully, the flash settings have a way to flash in every situation.  Forcing flash will fill in the dark areas. This is even called "fill flash".   Having a light back drop is good, but I think white gives off a somewhat "snow blind" theme.

A Flickr tip; When you select the BBcode, delete everything before and after line, "http........jpg" after you paste it in to the img brackets.  This keeps extra words along with the picture.