Camera settings, asking about

[Full Frame]

When I cook a new dish I typically follow the recipes to the letter.

The second or third time I just do it because by then I have a good idea on how to .

Possibly ,in the same vein, for many would-be photographers knowing the technical details can give them a good start.

If you are talking about printed matter that is another story. But actually asking in the field. I have been out on hundreds of shoots with groups averaging from 6 to 50 people. Discussion of settings rarely came up. Now when I went out shooting with a "Canon explorer of light" that is another story. I tried to suck out every little piece of information i could on why certain settings were chosen. He would even tell you what kelvin to use.

I see nothing wrong with asking about settings but I think people might be bashful or feel they are being intrusive.

 

[stevo23]

If someone is asking "what settings should I use to do x...", it means they don't know or think they know but want confirmation.

If someone wants to see EXIF, it just means that they want to understand the circumstances of the capture. Of course we can all guess at the settings and may have a good idea. But why not supply it if someone asks? I personally think all posted photos should have the information supplied.

And why get offended or aggravated if someone asks for it? I think you need to get over it and move on. There are two types of people - those who want to know camera settings and those who don't. Enough said.

 

[JDC1958]

Yes, the question "What were your settings?", absent of context, might be of little value. But the question, "What exposure settings did you use, and what was the thought process that led you to choose that type of exposure?" is entirely relevant. For novices or people who are still trying to understand how exposure works and what the different settings do, the question can be simply an opening to explain how and why you elected to shoot the way you did and how the lighting, subject, and circumstances guided the choices. If the questioner just flatly isn't interested in hearing about the thought process involved in choosing how to set up the camera for a specific shot, but thinks the numbers you dialed in can be used as some kind of magic one-size-fits-all formula, then I would shrug the matter off; people who refuse to listen cannot be taught.

I am about to start trying low key photographs and what you describe here is pretty much what I am "looking" for. I am not asking these questions but instead looking at online material that covers the basics.

Almost all the material I find states shoot at ISO 100 to keep the noise down in my blacks, use a black background, and since we are talking about a indoor controlled environment, I can mimic some of the examples. There will be some tweaking due to my camera, lens, and flash being different; but I will get a good starting point.

Other than asking for opinions on equipment or software decisions, I do not ask a lot of questions on forums. But instead, I look for answers. Google is my friend; and with all the good sites for photography around, I usually find something close enough to my answer within a hour or two.

My point to all this is, I am old school in that I search for my answer before I ask the question on a forum. I think if more beginners would do this first, then veterans would be less annoyed with us.

strong point. I also think if folks are like me the research done may teach them more than just settings. Maybe even add to their retention of the information.

 

[SpiltMilk]

Yes, the question "What were your settings?", absent of context, might be of little value. But the question, "What exposure settings did you use, and what was the thought process that led you to choose that type of exposure?" is entirely relevant. For novices or people who are still trying to understand how exposure works and what the different settings do, the question can be simply an opening to explain how and why you elected to shoot the way you did and how the lighting, subject, and circumstances guided the choices. If the questioner just flatly isn't interested in hearing about the thought process involved in choosing how to set up the camera for a specific shot, but thinks the numbers you dialed in can be used as some kind of magic one-size-fits-all formula, then I would shrug the matter off; people who refuse to listen cannot be taught.

I am about to start trying low key photographs and what you describe here is pretty much what I am "looking" for. I am not asking these questions but instead looking at online material that covers the basics.

Almost all the material I find states shoot at ISO 100 to keep the noise down in my blacks, use a black background, and since we are talking about a indoor controlled environment, I can mimic some of the examples. There will be some tweaking due to my camera, lens, and flash being different; but I will get a good starting point.

Other than asking for opinions on equipment or software decisions, I do not ask a lot of questions on forums. But instead, I look for answers. Google is my friend; and with all the good sites for photography around, I usually find something close enough to my answer within a hour or two.

My point to all this is, I am old school in that I search for my answer before I ask the question on a forum. I think if more beginners would do this first, then veterans would be less annoyed with us.

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

Even if they find the info and just need someone to explain to to them.

A google search for the tips to do the soft misty water:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+do+i+take+misty+water+photos

Has all the answers on the first page, the first few links. It might not say WHY it works, but that can be explained.

I'm a regular on "Helpdesk" in a few software and hardware (PC) forums... I so very ku8ch prefer to help people who have tried to help themselves first.

 

[stevo23]

Yes, the question "What were your settings?", absent of context, might be of little value. But the question, "What exposure settings did you use, and what was the thought process that led you to choose that type of exposure?" is entirely relevant. For novices or people who are still trying to understand how exposure works and what the different settings do, the question can be simply an opening to explain how and why you elected to shoot the way you did and how the lighting, subject, and circumstances guided the choices. If the questioner just flatly isn't interested in hearing about the thought process involved in choosing how to set up the camera for a specific shot, but thinks the numbers you dialed in can be used as some kind of magic one-size-fits-all formula, then I would shrug the matter off; people who refuse to listen cannot be taught.

I am about to start trying low key photographs and what you describe here is pretty much what I am "looking" for. I am not asking these questions but instead looking at online material that covers the basics.

Almost all the material I find states shoot at ISO 100 to keep the noise down in my blacks, use a black background, and since we are talking about a indoor controlled environment, I can mimic some of the examples. There will be some tweaking due to my camera, lens, and flash being different; but I will get a good starting point.

Other than asking for opinions on equipment or software decisions, I do not ask a lot of questions on forums. But instead, I look for answers. Google is my friend; and with all the good sites for photography around, I usually find something close enough to my answer within a hour or two.

My point to all this is, I am old school in that I search for my answer before I ask the question on a forum. I think if more beginners would do this first, then veterans would be less annoyed with us.

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

Even if they find the info and just need someone to explain to to them.

A google search for the tips to do the soft misty water:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+do+i+take+misty+water+photos

Has all the answers on the first page, the first few links. It might not say WHY it works, but that can be explained.

I'm a regular on "Helpdesk" in a few software and hardware (PC) forums... I so very ku8ch prefer to help people who have tried to help themselves first.

If that's all we do around here, how useful is this forum? Interaction is what it's all about and I think a lot of people are looking for that.

 

[SpiltMilk]

Yes, the question "What were your settings?", absent of context, might be of little value. But the question, "What exposure settings did you use, and what was the thought process that led you to choose that type of exposure?" is entirely relevant. For novices or people who are still trying to understand how exposure works and what the different settings do, the question can be simply an opening to explain how and why you elected to shoot the way you did and how the lighting, subject, and circumstances guided the choices. If the questioner just flatly isn't interested in hearing about the thought process involved in choosing how to set up the camera for a specific shot, but thinks the numbers you dialed in can be used as some kind of magic one-size-fits-all formula, then I would shrug the matter off; people who refuse to listen cannot be taught.

I am about to start trying low key photographs and what you describe here is pretty much what I am "looking" for. I am not asking these questions but instead looking at online material that covers the basics.

Almost all the material I find states shoot at ISO 100 to keep the noise down in my blacks, use a black background, and since we are talking about a indoor controlled environment, I can mimic some of the examples. There will be some tweaking due to my camera, lens, and flash being different; but I will get a good starting point.

Other than asking for opinions on equipment or software decisions, I do not ask a lot of questions on forums. But instead, I look for answers. Google is my friend; and with all the good sites for photography around, I usually find something close enough to my answer within a hour or two.

My point to all this is, I am old school in that I search for my answer before I ask the question on a forum. I think if more beginners would do this first, then veterans would be less annoyed with us.

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

Even if they find the info and just need someone to explain to to them.

A google search for the tips to do the soft misty water:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+do+i+take+misty+water+photos

Has all the answers on the first page, the first few links. It might not say WHY it works, but that can be explained.

I'm a regular on "Helpdesk" in a few software and hardware (PC) forums... I so very ku8ch MUCH (damn typos) prefer to help people who have tried to help themselves first.

If that's all we do around here, how useful is this forum? Interaction is what it's all about and I think a lot of people are looking for that.

We can explain how and why the setting do "x" or "y".

People who know nothing but also don't bother educating themselves are barely worth helping; especially the ones who act all "entitled to an answer".
I'd MUCH rather try to help someone who searched for themselves and either couldn't find it or didn't understand the answers.

I do agree with the "interaction" - but, to me, that's explaining how and why the answer works, not just telling them the answer.

 

[JDC1958]

Yes, the question "What were your settings?", absent of context, might be of little value. But the question, "What exposure settings did you use, and what was the thought process that led you to choose that type of exposure?" is entirely relevant. For novices or people who are still trying to understand how exposure works and what the different settings do, the question can be simply an opening to explain how and why you elected to shoot the way you did and how the lighting, subject, and circumstances guided the choices. If the questioner just flatly isn't interested in hearing about the thought process involved in choosing how to set up the camera for a specific shot, but thinks the numbers you dialed in can be used as some kind of magic one-size-fits-all formula, then I would shrug the matter off; people who refuse to listen cannot be taught.

I am about to start trying low key photographs and what you describe here is pretty much what I am "looking" for. I am not asking these questions but instead looking at online material that covers the basics.

Almost all the material I find states shoot at ISO 100 to keep the noise down in my blacks, use a black background, and since we are talking about a indoor controlled environment, I can mimic some of the examples. There will be some tweaking due to my camera, lens, and flash being different; but I will get a good starting point.

Other than asking for opinions on equipment or software decisions, I do not ask a lot of questions on forums. But instead, I look for answers. Google is my friend; and with all the good sites for photography around, I usually find something close enough to my answer within a hour or two.

My point to all this is, I am old school in that I search for my answer before I ask the question on a forum. I think if more beginners would do this first, then veterans would be less annoyed with us.

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

Even if they find the info and just need someone to explain to to them.

A google search for the tips to do the soft misty water:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+do+i+take+misty+water+photos

Has all the answers on the first page, the first few links. It might not say WHY it works, but that can be explained.

I'm a regular on "Helpdesk" in a few software and hardware (PC) forums... I so very ku8ch prefer to help people who have tried to help themselves first.

If that's all we do around here, how useful is this forum? Interaction is what it's all about and I think a lot of people are looking for that.

Most of my google searches end up with links to post right here. They are not the only things I read but there is material on the subject already here 80% of the time or more

 

[stevo23]

Yes, the question "What were your settings?", absent of context, might be of little value. But the question, "What exposure settings did you use, and what was the thought process that led you to choose that type of exposure?" is entirely relevant. For novices or people who are still trying to understand how exposure works and what the different settings do, the question can be simply an opening to explain how and why you elected to shoot the way you did and how the lighting, subject, and circumstances guided the choices. If the questioner just flatly isn't interested in hearing about the thought process involved in choosing how to set up the camera for a specific shot, but thinks the numbers you dialed in can be used as some kind of magic one-size-fits-all formula, then I would shrug the matter off; people who refuse to listen cannot be taught.

I am about to start trying low key photographs and what you describe here is pretty much what I am "looking" for. I am not asking these questions but instead looking at online material that covers the basics.

Almost all the material I find states shoot at ISO 100 to keep the noise down in my blacks, use a black background, and since we are talking about a indoor controlled environment, I can mimic some of the examples. There will be some tweaking due to my camera, lens, and flash being different; but I will get a good starting point.

Other than asking for opinions on equipment or software decisions, I do not ask a lot of questions on forums. But instead, I look for answers. Google is my friend; and with all the good sites for photography around, I usually find something close enough to my answer within a hour or two.

My point to all this is, I am old school in that I search for my answer before I ask the question on a forum. I think if more beginners would do this first, then veterans would be less annoyed with us.

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

Even if they find the info and just need someone to explain to to them.

A google search for the tips to do the soft misty water:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+do+i+take+misty+water+photos

Has all the answers on the first page, the first few links. It might not say WHY it works, but that can be explained.

I'm a regular on "Helpdesk" in a few software and hardware (PC) forums... I so very ku8ch MUCH (damn typos) prefer to help people who have tried to help themselves first.

If that's all we do around here, how useful is this forum? Interaction is what it's all about and I think a lot of people are looking for that.

We can explain how and why the setting do "x" or "y".

People who know nothing but also don't bother educating themselves are barely worth helping; especially the ones who act all "entitled to an answer".
I'd MUCH rather try to help someone who searched for themselves and either couldn't find it or didn't understand the answers.

I do agree with the "interaction" - but, to me, that's explaining how and why the answer works, not just telling them the answer.

It's all rather vague at the moment, but there are apparently two kinds of requests. One is when people want to know - "how did you do that?". And then people like me want to ask, "what camera, what settings, what lens?" I like to see EXIF - I like to know what people did. Everyone should include EXIF in their photos.

Now, with EXIF in every photo, a beginner would see this and also not have to ask, "how did you do that?" But now will be able to ask, "why did those settings cause that?" And then we'll have another thread that complains about people asking why certain effects happen at certain settings. Oh well, we'll never win here.

 

[SpiltMilk]

Yes, the question "What were your settings?", absent of context, might be of little value. But the question, "What exposure settings did you use, and what was the thought process that led you to choose that type of exposure?" is entirely relevant. For novices or people who are still trying to understand how exposure works and what the different settings do, the question can be simply an opening to explain how and why you elected to shoot the way you did and how the lighting, subject, and circumstances guided the choices. If the questioner just flatly isn't interested in hearing about the thought process involved in choosing how to set up the camera for a specific shot, but thinks the numbers you dialed in can be used as some kind of magic one-size-fits-all formula, then I would shrug the matter off; people who refuse to listen cannot be taught.

I am about to start trying low key photographs and what you describe here is pretty much what I am "looking" for. I am not asking these questions but instead looking at online material that covers the basics.

Almost all the material I find states shoot at ISO 100 to keep the noise down in my blacks, use a black background, and since we are talking about a indoor controlled environment, I can mimic some of the examples. There will be some tweaking due to my camera, lens, and flash being different; but I will get a good starting point.

Other than asking for opinions on equipment or software decisions, I do not ask a lot of questions on forums. But instead, I look for answers. Google is my friend; and with all the good sites for photography around, I usually find something close enough to my answer within a hour or two.

My point to all this is, I am old school in that I search for my answer before I ask the question on a forum. I think if more beginners would do this first, then veterans would be less annoyed with us.

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

Even if they find the info and just need someone to explain to to them.

A google search for the tips to do the soft misty water:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+do+i+take+misty+water+photos

Has all the answers on the first page, the first few links. It might not say WHY it works, but that can be explained.

I'm a regular on "Helpdesk" in a few software and hardware (PC) forums... I so very ku8ch MUCH (damn typos) prefer to help people who have tried to help themselves first.

If that's all we do around here, how useful is this forum? Interaction is what it's all about and I think a lot of people are looking for that.

We can explain how and why the setting do "x" or "y".

People who know nothing but also don't bother educating themselves are barely worth helping; especially the ones who act all "entitled to an answer".
I'd MUCH rather try to help someone who searched for themselves and either couldn't find it or didn't understand the answers.

I do agree with the "interaction" - but, to me, that's explaining how and why the answer works, not just telling them the answer.

It's all rather vague at the moment, but there are apparently two kinds of requests. One is when people want to know - "how did you do that?". And then people like me want to ask, "what camera, what settings, what lens?" I like to see EXIF - I like to know what people did. Everyone should include EXIF in their photos.

Now, with EXIF in every photo, a beginner would see this and also not have to ask, "how did you do that?" But now will be able to ask, "why did those settings cause that?"

And that's the question to answer - the "how did you do that" is just too wide and open (and then requires explaining to fit their maybe=limited understanding).

But someone who finds out what but doesn't know why/how - and is willing to try to learn - THAT person deserves help.

Willing to search = willing to (try to) learn. Unwilling to search for themselves, help themselves = often only want the answers, not the understanding.

And then we'll have another thread that complains about people asking why certain effects happen at certain settings. Oh well, we'll never win here.

 

[stevo23]

Yes, the question "What were your settings?", absent of context, might be of little value. But the question, "What exposure settings did you use, and what was the thought process that led you to choose that type of exposure?" is entirely relevant. For novices or people who are still trying to understand how exposure works and what the different settings do, the question can be simply an opening to explain how and why you elected to shoot the way you did and how the lighting, subject, and circumstances guided the choices. If the questioner just flatly isn't interested in hearing about the thought process involved in choosing how to set up the camera for a specific shot, but thinks the numbers you dialed in can be used as some kind of magic one-size-fits-all formula, then I would shrug the matter off; people who refuse to listen cannot be taught.

I am about to start trying low key photographs and what you describe here is pretty much what I am "looking" for. I am not asking these questions but instead looking at online material that covers the basics.

Almost all the material I find states shoot at ISO 100 to keep the noise down in my blacks, use a black background, and since we are talking about a indoor controlled environment, I can mimic some of the examples. There will be some tweaking due to my camera, lens, and flash being different; but I will get a good starting point.

Other than asking for opinions on equipment or software decisions, I do not ask a lot of questions on forums. But instead, I look for answers. Google is my friend; and with all the good sites for photography around, I usually find something close enough to my answer within a hour or two.

My point to all this is, I am old school in that I search for my answer before I ask the question on a forum. I think if more beginners would do this first, then veterans would be less annoyed with us.

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

Even if they find the info and just need someone to explain to to them.

A google search for the tips to do the soft misty water:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+do+i+take+misty+water+photos

Has all the answers on the first page, the first few links. It might not say WHY it works, but that can be explained.

I'm a regular on "Helpdesk" in a few software and hardware (PC) forums... I so very ku8ch prefer to help people who have tried to help themselves first.

If that's all we do around here, how useful is this forum? Interaction is what it's all about and I think a lot of people are looking for that.

Most of my google searches end up with links to post right here. They are not the only things I read but there is material on the subject already here 80% of the time or more

I think the DPR owners would be happy to know this.

 

[lilBuddha]

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

A person has to start somewhere. If your image is their inspiration, why is this such a burden?

I have never met anyone who felt they deserved an answer or lessons from me. Rather, they are curious and generally very polite. And I feel good if one of my images inspired another to become more interested in photography.

 

[stevo23]

I wish more people would try to help themselves THEN ask people.

A person has to start somewhere. If your image is their inspiration, why is this such a burden?

Right - you don't have to answer either.

I have never met anyone who felt they deserved an answer or lessons from me. Rather, they are curious and generally very polite. And I feel good if one of my images inspired another to become more interested in photography.

Same here.

 

[jboyer]

You are right, I don't know if people want to learn photography properly. I do know from the questions on here that a lot would not be asked if people had managed to. It truly was not meant to disparage, it was meant to encourage. I've seen much more caustic opinions on here.