Hey everyone, newbie here hoping to learn

[StuartD]

I got my Canon Powershot A70 in 2003, my first camera with manual settings. I learned a lot just from tinkering around with it and trything things.

Now I'm expecting my first child any day (actual due date is July 25th but I think he'll be here sooner), and so I wanted to take better pictures than what my little outdated 3 megapixel camera will do.

So I picked up the Rebel XT in May and have taken thousands of pictures with it thus far already.

I have already shared a few in the picture share forums. They're not great, but I'm happy with what I can do just from a short period of personal experiences.

I have a lot of reading to do and I'll have a lot of questions to ask. I hope you all don't mind a lot of dumb questions about even the most basic of things... because I have a lot of them :D

PS: The first on my list of things to learn is, taking pictures of people... particularly a new born baby. ;)

[starzphalling]

i never worry about asking the most inane stupid questions so i don't think you should either!!! :lol:

[MCB]

I had a powershot A70 before getting my 350D, too. I wish I had gone to an DSLR sooner. I have 8 months of bad baby pictures before I got my 350D in May. That A70 just can't focus in low light and babies wiggle way too much for the slow lens on that thing. Out of 2000 pictures, I have about 10-20 from the A70 that are worth printing. Not a very good ratio. But it forced me to really learn photoshop to get the most out of those less-than-perfect pictures. So I know exactly what you mean when you say you have a lot to learn. The Rebel XT will really make it easier on you, though. Now I'm eagerly awaiting my EF 50mm f/1.8. All these indoor baby shots are really begging for a big aperature.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll learn a lot here, I know I have. :)

[redbutt]

PS: The first on my list of things to learn is, taking pictures of people... particularly a new born baby. ;)

Patience...and shoot in bursts (as fast as your camera will allow). I shoot kids all the time. You basically have to be ready for anything. Newborns are a little easier cause they really can't go anywhere. But, when they get mobile and start interacting with you, just have your camera on and ready to go.

[liza]

When they're toddlers, try getting down on their level, too. Set off the flash a couple of times when you first get started, so they will get used to you. After awhile, they will start doing their own thing and ignore you completely.

[StuartD]

Thanks.... yeah, I figure my child will learn to hate me chasing him with a camera almost as much as my cat already does :)

The burst idea is a good one... I realize it's hard enough to get a good shot of someone just "being themself" as it is in a single shot, it usually takes a small burst of shots to get that good one.
I can only imagine how many shots it'll take for a child.