Steps of learning after getting a camera

bosco0633 said:

I purchased some amazing books.

2. Understanding Exposrure Brian Peterson, the best book I ever read
for photog

Click to expand...

I second that, it is a great book for learning about exposure.

Also, don't get bogged down with too much information. Just learn the basics first.

Read the camera manual a couple of times and keep it handy until you're used to the camera's controls.

Learn how to use the camera's light meter to get your exposures right.

Then go out and take some shots.

Canon's website has some very good beginners guides to get you started make sure you check it out.

http://web.canon.jp/imaging/enjoydslr/index.html

Take pictures!

Get one l ens. Most start off with short zoom or fixed Focal Legnth lens.

Fixed Focal LEngth lens means only one distance lens. you want to get more, or les, in the picture, move your body.

Zoom Lens is just that, you want to add or remove somethign from the piucture, you move the lens. It ZOOMS, in and out.

Best method, IMO, is fixed focal length, say a 35mm for DLSR, and learn to take pictures!

Nice thing about a fixed focal length is they tend to be of very good qulaity, Image wise. So, once you do learn how to edit, tweak, crop, etc, you have good image to work from.

Some zooms(most) are genarally pieces of junk which are lokked down upon by those "in the Know"(BTW

Good step is take your camera and out and experiment. Dontl always stand with the camera at eye hieght and take your pictures. Squat, lay down, bend over, change your viewpoint.

Next, visit museums, see how the Master Painters painted, before film. What did they do? What about that picture looks to wonderful?
Ask yourself what do the images that please you have in common.

Try to look for something more than just "Jeesh, I like looking at hot young girls"

--
Dave Patterson
---------------------
Midwestshutterbug.com

hi mbrowne,

mbrowne said:

And you haven't even started yet to explore image processing

Click to expand...

Agreed, i have not even started, but i am using my imagination to learn now before i get my camera...hmm... still remember what Albert Einstein quoted : "Imagination is more important than knowledge." .....hehehe, kidding

I know what you mean, what you're trying to imply is once i have got in touch with the camera, i will flip and learn according to the pages, right?

Yeap, certainly. But i always have this habit, that is to start everything from the the beginning of pages, but it seems like my beginning of the pages will never be ending, that's my problem.

Anyway, as you said once i explore it, i know where to find the page

Thanks anyway!

best,
gim

Gim CN said:

hi guys,

Me again

Now is another question. So, after getting my camera, which is the
best way to learn and pick up skills - technically. What are the
steps or websites i shall visit when it comes to learning the steps
of handling my camera and the way of photographing?

What are the most important basic steps which the beginner shall not
ignored and shall learn from before getting into depth.

You've heard the xpression"there ain't no such thing as a free lunch"

Click to expand...

Well learning the craft or art of photography is just like that. There ain't no free lunch. Learn the camera, get some books, read alot then shoot alot, make mistakes and learn from them.
OR! sell your camera and hire someone to take all the pictures for you.

Gim CN said:

The contribution of your opinions, ideas, and advices are the plus to
me

Thanks in advance!

best,
gim

Click to expand...

good advice to just go out and start taking pictures.

Well start by using the rule of thirds.

http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition_rule_of_thirds.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

Also check out the Photography Tips & Tutorials on the page above. Also check the other stuff on the first link.

I have that grid pattern set on my Fujifilm F20 LCD screen.

My Pentax ist DS has the center square in the viewfinder. I use the 4 corners of that square.

You can do a google search for more examples of the Rule of Thirds.

Remember the old saying rules are made to be broken?

Well after you have mastered and understand the rule then you can go ahead and break it occasionally for a certain effect. For most of your pictures use the rule.
--
Norm

bosco0633,

Thanks for your advice.

Noted

best,
gim

bosco0633 said:

I started reading and reading because it was December when I bought
and very tough to get outside.

I purchased some amazing books.

1. Digital Photography 1 and 2 Scott Kelbey. Great start to photography
2. Understanding Exposrure Brian Peterson, the best book I ever read
for photog
3. The moment it clicks, Joe McNally. Such a great book
4. I also got the Adobe Lightroom book by Scott Kellby which is a
great guide to learn about PP.

Pick a program and get good at editing with it. I recommend Adobe
Lightroom, the best of the easy programs

I also purchased 3 books on my specific camera, Thom Hogans e-book
was the best.

I also bought some instructional DVD's,

I shoot as much as I can with a photography friends to guide me.

I am taking a college night school course teaching the basics, really
informative.

Websites, I enjoy this site, dpreview.com, I like the strobists
website for lighting needs, and many more in my favs.

I have downloaded and watch several photogrpahy podcasts as well.

And I ask questions as they come about.

Hope this helps you out a bit.

Click to expand...

Gim CN said:

So, after getting my camera, which is the
best way to learn and pick up skills - technically. What are the
steps or websites i shall visit when it comes to learning the steps
of handling my camera and the way of photographing?

Click to expand...

I think the best way is to follow a routine like this:

Start:
Look at some photos/scenes
Take some photos trying to incorporate what you liked in those photos/scenes
Review your results
Figure out how to better your results by asking/reading/experiment
Go To Start.

Re-reading is always beneficial; each time I read my user manual I find something I had previously missed or misunderstood. The same is true of these forums & websites.

Dave

hi bill,

bill henry wrote:
You've heard the xpression"there ain't no such thing as a free lunch"

bill henry said:

Well learning the craft or art of photography is just like that.
There ain't no free lunch. Learn the camera, get some books, read
alot then shoot alot, make mistakes and learn from them.

Click to expand...

Yes, i agreed with you that 'there ain't no such thing as a free lunch', but if i am able to learn from people who have made mistakes before, and from here, if i am able to hear out, perhaps, the process of making mistake can be minimized and i would know what shall i take note of through the process of learning & shooting...

As I still remember the saying stated : if you work hard only, you are only surviving, and if you work smart only, then you're maintaining.....but if you work hard and smart, you're progressing!!

My implication is : yes, nothing is free in this world, and there's no free lunch, but if i am able to learn while getting advices from those who fall before, i am actually making my progress effectively. Some people learned from mistakes, but some can learn from people's mistakes and minimize his/her own mistakes...so, i would prefer to go for later one

bill henry said:

OR! sell your camera and hire someone to take all the pictures for you.

Click to expand...

oh, I would prefer to sell my skills, than my camera in future

thanks anyway

gim

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

bill henry wrote:
You've heard the xpression"there ain't no such thing as a free lunch"

bill henry said:

Well learning the craft or art of photography is just like that.
There ain't no free lunch. Learn the camera, get some books, read
alot then shoot alot, make mistakes and learn from them.

Click to expand...

bill henry said:

OR! sell your camera and hire someone to take all the pictures for you.

Click to expand...

Thank you Norm.

best,
gim

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Norm Neely said:

good advice to just go out and start taking pictures.

Well start by using the rule of thirds.

http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition_rule_of_thirds.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

Also check out the Photography Tips & Tutorials on the page above.
Also check the other stuff on the first link.

I have that grid pattern set on my Fujifilm F20 LCD screen.

My Pentax ist DS has the center square in the viewfinder. I use the
4 corners of that square.

You can do a google search for more examples of the Rule of Thirds.

Remember the old saying rules are made to be broken?

Well after you have mastered and understand the rule then you can go
ahead and break it occasionally for a certain effect. For most of
your pictures use the rule.
--
Norm

Click to expand...

The most important things I've learned over the past year with photography as a new hobby:

• enjoy the physical experience of taking photos with your cam. I had another one earlier that didn't do much for me in that sense - the clunky cam stays in the closet
• enjoy your photos, even the technically not so hot ones. I'm often more pleased than not in what comes out of my cam - gee, didn't that turn out well!
• yep, experimenting is fun. For example, what difference does it make if I meter off the blue sky, the grass, the palm of my hand - those old socks over there? What do all these buttons and dials on my cam do?
• finding out what I like to photograph. People, birds, trains, planes, landscapes, wildlife, macros, B&Ws...
• reading the fun manual is surely important, but it tells you what your cam can do, not how to get the best out of it. For that I read many of the old threads on the relevant DPR forum. Very helpful indeed, and especially seeing what people are passionate about in their photography
• enjoy doing creative PP, ie the non-repetitive kind, and see how you can turn a good photo into a very good one

Best of luck!

--
Richard

EffZedThirty...AFiveSeventyIS

You need not (and cannot) learn everything before you start.

I suggest an iterative process involving trying, researching, retrying, re-researching, etc. Because trying will raise questions like "how can I make the background fuzzier?" then research to answer such questions will likely be productive.

It is tough to get answers if you've no questions and it is hard to ask meaningful questions without experience. Sources with answers to old questions often contain answers to new questions you were not even aware of first time through.

Dave

Dave Martin said:

Gim CN said:

So, after getting my camera, which is the
best way to learn and pick up skills - technically. What are the
steps or websites i shall visit when it comes to learning the steps
of handling my camera and the way of photographing?

Click to expand...

I think the best way is to follow a routine like this:

Start:
Look at some photos/scenes
Take some photos trying to incorporate what you liked in those
photos/scenes
Review your results
Figure out how to better your results by asking/reading/experiment
Go To Start.

Re-reading is always beneficial; each time I read my user manual I
find something I had previously missed or misunderstood. The same is
true of these forums & websites.

Dave

Click to expand...

dave,

Thanks. I will do what it's told and take heed on those inputs from all the kind contributors in this thread.

Yes, trying is a key, making mistake is also a must go-through process.

Ok. will share my shot of pics in my next thread in this forum to seek correction.

And i will grow from here

best,
gim

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave Martin said:

I suggest an iterative process involving trying, researching,
retrying, re-researching, etc. Because trying will raise questions
like "how can I make the background fuzzier?" then research to answer
such questions will likely be productive.

It is tough to get answers if you've no questions and it is hard to
ask meaningful questions without experience. Sources with answers to
old questions often contain answers to new questions you were not
even aware of first time through.

Dave

Dave Martin said:

Gim CN said:

So, after getting my camera, which is the
best way to learn and pick up skills - technically. What are the
steps or websites i shall visit when it comes to learning the steps
of handling my camera and the way of photographing?

Click to expand...

I think the best way is to follow a routine like this:

Start:
Look at some photos/scenes
Take some photos trying to incorporate what you liked in those
photos/scenes
Review your results
Figure out how to better your results by asking/reading/experiment
Go To Start.

Re-reading is always beneficial; each time I read my user manual I
find something I had previously missed or misunderstood. The same is
true of these forums & websites.

Dave

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Gim CN said:

dave,

Thanks. I will do what it's told and take heed on those inputs from
all the kind contributors in this thread.

Yes, trying is a key, making mistake is also a must go-through process.

Ok. will share my shot of pics in my next thread in this forum to
seek correction.

Click to expand...

Often self-criticism is sufficient.

It is also very useful to try to figure out (or ask) how someone else got a particular result (like a photo of a car at night with the tail-lights leaving streaks behind the car.)

It is your pushing your own envelope that's the key thing I think.

Best of Luck,

Dave from Iowa