Looking for advice from all, Pro's, Amatures, and Begining Photographers

[lost]

I have been hesitant in posting this until I felt comfortable with my new Camera.(300D)

Sorry for the long read but trying to answer as many questions up front as possible.

I am just starting in photography and would like a little direction. I have been taking snapshots since I was 10 with a P&S but this is my first attempt with a SLR (Aside from a few failed attempts with a SEARS KSX).

Goals -- Take beter pictures (obviously). Shooting situations and subjects will vary until I find something that really strikes my interest.

Equipment -- Canon 300D, Stock Lens, Cheapo Tripod, PC and Photoshop CS, and EF 50 1.8 MKII

Budget -- gone after the EF 50

Time Frame -- Most of my free time is after work, between 5:30pm and when my eyes slam shut.:eek: I have a Full time job, 7month old son (Inspiration for learning Photography), and a wife finishing college. So I figured it was time to find something to do with all my spare time.


Knowledge -- Little to none. (Reading is not my strong suit, but not out of the question) I think I understand the concepts behind shutter speed and ISO speed. I am a little Vague on apature settings, DOF, and ?Stopping UP or DOWN? and their relationships. Little or no knowledge of anything not listed above. Also fairly confused on Digital Workflow and Photo Enhancing.


I am looking for practice techniques I can use in my home during non daylight hours. Also looking for the uhhhm... easiest way to learn how to take good pictures.

Thank you all for your time. I will appreciate ANY help you could give along with stories or anticdotes on how you started in Photography.

P.S. I can't wait to take a picture with my DRebel and not be supprised (like a child opening his birthday present) as to what pops up on the LCD. :lol: I know some of you out there can help me.

[pcasciola]

I would start out by playing around with the "Creative Zone" modes. Av mode (with no flash) is the best way to learn about aperture and how it control DOF and exposure. Adjust the aperture values and you will see immediately in the viewfinder how it affects shutter speeds, which will be determined automatically by the camera. Opening it all the way up to f/1.8 will give you the fastest shutter speeds, but will give you the shallowest depth of field and background blur (aka bokeh). Stopping down is increasing the aperture number, letting less light in, thereby slowing down your shutter, but putting more things in focus.

The numbers are somewhat important to learn too, because each full stop represent half (or double) the light. The full stops are 1.0, 1.4, 2.0, 2.8, 4.0, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22. So, for example, if you change the aperture from 2.8 to 4, you are letting half the light in, but if you go from 4 to 2.0, you are letting four times the light in because each stop is double the light.

When playing around with f/1.8, try to vary the distance between you and the focus object to see how DOF works. The further away the background objects are with a shallow DOF, the more blurred they will be.

That should keep you busy for a little while.

The most important tip, keep reading these forums. I've picked up a ton of information just from hanging around here for the past year.

[lost]

I thought I had covered everything but alas NO. I will be shooting indoors so How should I setup to take pictures. I can dedicate a whole room to it but again I would not want to spend more than 50 USD setting it up. (Budget problems detailed in first post)

[markubig]

I know you said it's not your preference, but a good photography basics book is a good start.

The one I read . . . dont' remeber the name . . . gave great explanations on the importance of light, shutter speed, aperture and how they are all related.

It at least gives you a good foundation to build on, rather than guessing what does what . . . IMHO

my 2 cents.

Good luck! You'll have loads of fun . . . I know i am!!!

[CyberDyneSystems]

Lost

One thing that I have seen drive people (including myself) to spend more time and thus to improve ourselves,. is a passion for photographing a specific type of subject.

It's certianly not the only way to go about things, but it is a good training tool,.

What happens is that you are constantly trying to improve on a very specific type pf shooting,. and thus you get into the sort of repetitive ness that is similar to any kind of training. And as long as you are driven to it,. you never get bored of trying to the same thing only better or different each time.

So,. do you have a particular subject matter in mind?

[lost]

CDS,


I have been shooting competatively for years so I might start with Sporting Clays Tournaments.(Shotgun Sport) And of course my Son.

Lost

[Paul_O]

Hi,

If you don't want to read but want to learn the theory, have a look here http://www.photoworkshop.com/canon/index.html. It's got some good info that you can apply in a practical way. It's always good to learn the basics 1st (ie what the shutter speed/aperture relationship is) but most of all, get out and take some shots in Manual, aV or tV and see what works for you.

Hope this helps,

Paul

[FlashGordon]

I know you said you might consider reading....many of the questions you are asking are all addressed in a very readable book called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. The revised edition deals with film and digital photography and he explains in easy language defining exposure, aperture, shutter speed, light and special techniques and filters. He includes some good pictures and explains how different apertures relate to shutter speeds and ISO to get the right creative exposure for differing conditions.

Well worth the investment and you can probably get through it in a few hours.

Good Luck!
Gordon

[lost]

Thanks for the Replies, Keep em coming.


I will look into the books listed. I have real problems with attention span.

[PhotosGuy]

Sticky: Photography Basics - Books & Links
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=53846

[CaseyScofield]

I'm sure it sounds strange to most...but I started by checking out photo books/mags from a library and trying to copy the photo's that were in them. It gave me a good idea of how they got the shots they did - pluss it didn't cost me anything using digital.:D

[musthavemuzk]

i too am new to the game. my 20D kit and 50/1.8 showed up on monday.

so far i have been reading the manual, a couple chosen forums, looking at lots of pics, reading articles i find online at various photo sites, as well as a couple books i have. one is borrowed from a friend the other i purchased.

i have a friend who is fairly close and we are going to go on shoots together. figure it best to have someone to bounce ideas off of in person. he got his 300D last summer late. so he has a head start on me.

i am also going to take 2 classes. one is basic and the other is advanced photography. the basic starts march 2.

if i had to choose a type of photography...it would be tough. i enjoys cars and racing. and while they are similar they are not exactly the same. at the moment there is too much snow to go to the races. the one track opens in May.
so for the moment i am just playing around and learning.
i hope to be up to speed on things by the time warmer weather hits.

i do realize i will have to get a better suited lens for motorsports though. but have not gotten that far yet.
i have an OK lens in the 50 to do cars and such that are at shows. but there is prolly a better suited lens for that as well.

not sure on landscape and macro yet. i think macro will get some attention though. and again that will take a different lens.

so i have just done some thinking and such trying to get an idea of what i want from my setup and hobby.

good luck

Monty

[pushtoexit]

I would encourage you to try and see things differently through your camera. Shoot from your belly, from your knees, standing up, zooming in, zooming out, getting closer or moving back. In each instance try to compose the best (most appeasing) shot possible - Don't rush.

[lost]

Congrats on the 20D musthavemuzk.

[lost]

Thanks for the advise pushtoexit. I was able to get some great shots of my 7 month old son like that.

[musthavemuzk]

thanx it was a tough decision. i finally made the call when i thought about buying for the future. figured if i gave myself lots of control then i would force myself to learn. as well as not being cut short on something. as i had read good and bad about both cameras. rebel and 20D.
in the end with my main planned shooting, cars (still and moving fast), i emptied my bank account for the 20D.
now i have to save up for glass. but in the meantime i can still get some good shots and learn a thing or two.

Monty

[mikesd]

One of the best learning tools you will find is here, http://photography-on-the.net/forum/
I have and continue to learn more here than in any magazine or book I have ever read. :D

[PhotosGuy]

i do realize i will have to get a better suited lens for motorsports though. but have not gotten that far yet. i have an OK lens in the 50 to do cars and such that are at shows. but there is prolly a better suited lens for that as well. Go out & practice shooting traffic. See what works & what doesn't before you go to the track. Use the 50 & maybe borrow a lens from a friend.
i think macro will get some attention though. and again that will take a different lens. Plus filters are cheap & not too bad stopped down, or get an extention tube. Use your brain instead of your wallet.
Taken with a 50mm & a plus 10 lens (needs a bit of sharpening):

[musthavemuzk]

some good advice PhotosGuy.
as i stated i have had the 20D since this past Monday. and it is my first real camera (one with controls anyways). so i have alot yet to learn before i go spending money. not to forget that i have to save my pennies yet again.

i have learned that you do not always have to have tack sharp photos for them to work and be good pics. motion blur tends to work with action shots. not always but it does at times.

i have also seen many a thread on the extension tubes as well as the mounts where you flip the lens 180 to get a macro shot.

so yes there are ways to get the desired results with minimum cash outlay.

so as we learn this please feel free to share items of use as you did here.

thank you

Monty

Go out & practice shooting traffic. See what works & what doesn't before you go to the track. Use the 50 & maybe borrow a lens from a friend.
Plus filters are cheap & not too bad stopped down, or get an extention tube. Use your brain instead of your wallet.
Taken with a 50mm & a plus 10 lens (needs a bit of sharpening):