New to this, just bought a Digital Rebel XT!

[Meg C]

Hello All!

I'm brand new to all of this, and I just bought a new Rebel XT package for a great deal (I think) :).

Being delivered to my doorstep soon will be:

The camera! :)
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens
Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 AF Lens
Sigma 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 HF Lens
55 and a 58 mmm High Res Filter kits
4G Micro drive
(and a few other accessories, bag, tripod, cleaning kit, etc.)

I've always loved to take pictures, but now I'm really interested in learning what it takes to make great pictures... I'm getting ready to take a digital photography class at the local college and we'll see where that leads me.

Any beginner tips/recommendations/resources are more than welcome. I'm always willing to learn... Are there any really good beginner resources/articles out there to read?

Anyway, Hello!

[evidence tech]

Welcome to the forum Meg!!

[CRE@TE]

1) practice
2) practice
3) practice

[mdm]

Hi Meg C. I'm new also with a digital rebel. This seems to be a great place for info and a place to ask a question or two and get the right answers.

[eosster]

Hi and welcome to the forum,

[Roy NN7DX]

Any beginner tips/recommendations/resources are more than welcome. I'm always willing to learn...
Post processing! When processed just a bit your good photos will look great and your great ones will blow you away. I spent too much time trying to avoid Photoshop when I first started using digital photography.

I know the 350D doesn't have PS Elements as part of it's package any more. I've used both PS and PSE and I'll bet PSE3 will do just about anything an amateur needs. I think it is US$100 or so and after a bit of playing (and learning) it will be a big part of your photography.

Every picture won't "need" post processing so things are not as hopeless as they might seem.

Looks like you have a full and good kit to start. Oh yeah, back-up all your pictures (all other important files too) to a CD, DVD or external USB hard drive. Cheap insurance for those one-in-a-hundred pictures...

[BigWorm]

So Photoshop Elements has enough photo post-processing capability for novices like us? We don't need to step up to Photoshop CS for decent (not pro) quality output?

[Dante King]

Elements is the basic program. Nothing fancy, but does the job most of the time. You have much more options and control with PSCS.

[jimsolt]

So Photoshop Elements has enough photo post-processing capability for novices like us? We don't need to step up to Photoshop CS for decent (not pro) quality output?

There is NO difference in the quality. CS has more (some very good) features. For that you pay more . . . lots more. If you're at an entry level, I think it will be a while before you "need" CS.

Please don't lose sight of the fact that the photographer makes good pictures. I don't mean to make light of good cameras, lenses, and post software, but they are tools. Like all tools the finer ones perform better for experts than novices. Also don't lose sight of the fact that EVERYONE starts as a novice, so there's no problem not starting out in the expert category.

Jim

[Dante King]

Oh, welcome you guys!!!

[prime80]

So Photoshop Elements has enough photo post-processing capability for novices like us? We don't need to step up to Photoshop CS for decent (not pro) quality output?

Just make sure you get the newest version. Photoshop Elements 3.0. It's a HUGE upgrade from Elements 2. It should do everything you need to do with a picture.