Advice to a newbie Photographer (first post)

[cali]

I just bought the 20D because I want to learn about photography. This is my first post in this forum so I thought I'd start with a basic question. What do you thin is the best way to learn about photography? Should I take a class? Watch a video or read books?

[SuzyView]

Go out and play with it everywhere, anywhere, in the dark, in the light, over the water, near a mountain, during a game, across the lawn . . . .

Then take a course when you've done all that. :)

SuzyView
20D, 10D, EOS 3, 550EX and great stuff

[SuzyView]

Oh, forgot. WELCOME to the FORUM!

[Ricko of Fla]

all the above and read books and this fourm That is how I learned and did not take a class.

[Mark_H]

Cali, reading a book or two is an easy way to start if you are totally new to photography. If this is the case you want to find a book or two that gets into general photography topics such as exposure control, what an "f" stop is, depth of field and how to control it, relationship of shutter speed to lens aperture, the meaning of iso settings, etc.

Mark

[liza]

Mark has given you very sound advice. Once you learn what ISO, shutter speed, and aperture are and how they are connected,everything else will begin to fall into place. Composition is also a challenging area for new photographers, so learning the basics about that and practicing what you've learned would be another good thing to consider. The more you shoot, the better you'll get.

[chris clements]

Welcome aboard.
The beauty of digital is that you get immediate feedback on your mistakes, and your mistakes don't cost you anything. Load up a 1 or 2 gig card and get shooting.
You won't learn much leaving it on the green square - Try every aperture and shutter combination. Remember that all the settings for each shot are recorded alongside the picture (EXIF information), so you can check afterwards why a particular combination did (or didn't) work.

Any problems, come back and ask here. Your first answer always be " RTFM" (read the manual), but most of this lot don't actually bite!

[cali]

Wow thanks for all your helpful replies guys!! As some of you said, I have really learned a lot just shooting away. The other day I was at the park and some teenagers let me photograph them riding their skateboards. When I get the courage I will share some of my photos with you guys so you can give me your helpful feedback.

[aam1234]

I always refer people to this site (http://www.shortcourses.com/), it very helpful especially when someone is just starting out.

[pprrad]

Cali, I'm in the same boat. Just picked up the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. I enjoy it. Seems helpful. Any other book suggestions would be appreciated. Also, anyone use Apple's new program "Aperature" for pp? Thx.

[ajbalazic]

Most importantly- go out and take lots of shots.

To really learn you have to understand what is going on with your exposure. Ask yourself: Why does a small aperature give me a long DOF (depth of field- more in focus from front to back) and why does a large aperaute give me shallow DOF. Understanding exposure is the most important starting point- this information is found in any beginners books. Find out what text books are being used at your local college for photography and get it.

Once you get exposure under control, study the art of composition. From there, read up on the elements- line, shape, form, texture, patter & colour and see how they apply to the shots you've taken. Evaluate what you have in your shots and try to incorporate the other elements too.

Go to the bookstore and pick up Practical Photography & Photographer Monthly: http://www.photographymonthly.com
http://www.photographymags.co.uk

These are UK mags that offer lots of tutorials, project ideas, and examples complete with technical information on nearly every shot (shutter speed, aperature, camera type, etc.)

Most importantly- participate in THIS FORUM. We all learn so much here. (and it's lots of fun)

Good luck and welcome!

[cali]

Most importantly- go out and take lots of shots.

To really learn you have to understand what is going on with your exposure. Ask yourself: Why does a small aperature give me a long DOF (depth of field- more in focus from front to back) and why does a large aperaute give me shallow DOF. Understanding exposure is the most important starting point- this information is found in any beginners books. Find out what text books are being used at your local college for photography and get it.

Once you get exposure under control, study the art of composition. From there, read up on the elements- line, shape, form, texture, patter & colour and see how they apply to the shots you've taken. Evaluate what you have in your shots and try to incorporate the other elements too.

Go to the bookstore and pick up Practical Photography & Photographer Monthly: http://www.photographymonthly.com
http://www.photographymags.co.uk

These are UK mags that offer lots of tutorials, project ideas, and examples complete with technical information on nearly every shot (shutter speed, aperature, camera type, etc.)

Most importantly- participate in THIS FORUM. We all learn so much here. (and it's lots of fun)

Good luck and welcome!

Thank you for your helpful advice. I haven't purchased any books yet but I plan on doing it soon. It can be a bit daunting trying to completely understand the technical aspect of photography but I find it very fascinating. From what I've learned it seems like it all revolves around light. What I find most interesting is that even though camera technology has changed so much it seems like one thing hasn't changed namely it's use of and need of light. Pretty cool. I'm really looking forward to learning about this wonderful art and technology with you guys. I'm glad I found this forum!!:)

[wiselion]

Welcome. Read the 20d manual,and play with the camera as much as possible. Don't be afraid to experiment, remember it's not film. Go to the library and internet and read about phtography. Also,I learned the most from the people on this forum, as well as Fred Miranda's site. Just write your questions out in a new thread, and you will get more help than you can imagine.


Mike

[Scottes]

Experiment! A lot!


And here's a list of POTN-member-recommended books & web sites all about photography: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=53846

And another list of sites & info & tips on photography: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=52418


PS: Have fun, too.

[crn3371]

Welcome to the forum. Get a decent sized CF card and shoot like crazy. Of course, read the manual, experiment with different settings, nothing cheaper than digital film. Lots of good books out there. Go to your local bookstore and browse the photography section, see if something strikes your eye. Most importantly -- use this forum. Without a doubt, one of the most knowledgeable, friendliest, user groups out there!