Frustrated with learning process

I'm a very visual learner. I like to watch something done, try it, then ask questions. There are many basic photo classes offered in my area and I've taken them all. I want to move to the next step, but I'm very frustrated with the lack of community among photographers here. No one wants to talk to you or teach you anything in case you might be better than them or steal their ideas (neither of which I am). I've read many books, but it's just not the same as having someone to talk to. Anyone have any suggestions? I desperately need to learn how to use my flash. I've looked for workshops in my area and online for videos and have come up with nothing.

I'm sorry to hear your view so negative.

But I have to admit I find your assessment of a forum and community of members with literally hundreds of thousands of amazing posts sharing information to be,. well totally off base.
I'm very sorry to hear that you've managed to come away with this view,. and would like to try and help remedy it.
The forums purpose is to help photographers share information. The vast majority of all posts are do exactly that (if you exclude the Lounge and photos of empty camera boxes!!! )

First, please take a look at the HUGE amount of information int he sticky threads.
It's just a small sampling of the wealth of information members have taken a large amount of time compiling for new shooters.

then get in here and ask questions, and shoot, and post your images!

I don't know where you are but there should be camera clubs somewhere in your area where people are anxious to talk about photography. The unfortunate thing, you might find, is that some of these people like to do just that...talk. Not necessarily giving good advice, but like to hear themselves talk. Pros, on the other hand, are at work...they don't have time to talk. Don't approach them.
Look...you learn by doing. Get out and shoot. I assume you are digital. Your camera records all the settings automatically. Study composition. Look at photos and paintings. Analyze what you like. Analyze what you take. Analyze those you like and look at your settings. Analyze what you don't like and look at your settings. I've been asked (in the past) what is the best class you can take. My response? Buy 50 rolls of film and shoot them. Now I just say shoot, shoot, shoot.

Cyber-I wasn't talking about the forum. I think this forum is great and I get a lot of information from it. I was talking about face to face mentoring/lessons. I learn best when being SHOWN something. It is really hard for me to process new information just by reading it. I can read about flash all day, but I won't learn as well as someone showing me what I am trying to learn. Hope that makes sense. I guess my question was how to approach other photographers in person, or if anyone knew of online workshops with video.

Ahh, sorry I misunderstood,

it was

.. to me "here" was this forum.

So where is here?

A lot of forum members will get together in a given area,. mostly we just shoot like crazy, but it's can be a good time to learn from fellow shooters too. Maybe there are already members getting together in your area?

Sorry about that! Iowa. The closest workshops are in Chicago.

I think you're underestimating the wealth of knowledge on the internet.

I find that the best mentor, is experience.
I'm a visual learner, too... but I am constantly looking for new reading material and then try it out in real life.
Not only is there an endless amount of it, but I find that it helps me with visualizing things in my head, which helps me with better composition and also helps me come up with new ideas.

The easiest way to learn something is often the slowest and most restrictive way.

I think we are all visual learners to some extent, however there are definitely some basic technical concepts that you should familiarize yourself if not already. Just some fundamentals on how to get "correct" exposure, etc.

If you are talking about composition and the art side of the equation, while visual direction is helpful, I prefer to walk that road alone. It'll come with time, practice, patience, etc. Let it come naturally and don't force it too much.

Look at photos you like online or in magazines or books and figure out WHY you like them and why they work for you. Understand what went behind creating that photo. Visualize it. Easier said than done, but again, it'll come in time.

Taking a sharp photo or getting the correct part is the easy part. It's the rest that takes time!

Youtube is full of info for visual learners. Gavin Hoey has a ton of how-to videos here:
http://www.youtube.com​/profile?user=PhotoGav​in#g/u

I would advise you to have a look at this topic - link

Trial and error is the easiest way to learn with flash imo. Also read any of Tim's posts about flash - he is a near encyclopedia when it comes to flash.

What I seem to be having the most trouble with is proper exposure with two extremes. In the past few months I've had problems with the following situations:

black dog in snow
dog with black head and bright white body
black dog posed with woman dressed in white
dark inside but subject near a bright window

It's driving me nuts! I feel like when I'm shooting I never know exactly what to do to remedy the problem in that moment and I get flustered. My subjects are moving ones so the light situation is constantly changing and I don't have a lot of time to think and process. I feel like even if I am in the same room my shots are all over the place exposure wise.

Help?!

I'm guessing that with experience comes the ability to look at a situation and know what settings to adjust. Right now I just go by the camera's meter, adjust until it's in the middle, which isn't the most exact way I'm finding.

jeljohns wrote in post #10157477
What I seem to be having the most trouble with is proper exposure with two extremes. In the past few months I've had problems with the following situations:

black dog in snow
dog with black head and bright white body
black dog posed with woman dressed in white
dark inside but subject near a bright window

It's driving me nuts! I feel like when I'm shooting I never know exactly what to do to remedy the problem in that moment and I get flustered. My subjects are moving ones so the light situation is constantly changing and I don't have a lot of time to think and process. I feel like even if I am in the same room my shots are all over the place exposure wise.

Help?!

I'm guessing that with experience comes the ability to look at a situation and know what settings to adjust. Right now I just go by the camera's meter, adjust until it's in the middle, which isn't the most exact way I'm finding.

The simple answer is to use a meter that can measure the light falling on the subject rather than depending on the reflectivity characteristics of the subject elements.

I prefer to use a handheld meter such as the Sekonic L-358, but you could also use the camera's meter if you filled the frame with an 18% gray card held in the same light as the subject is lit with (and at a proper angle to avoid a mirror-like effect).

jeljohns wrote in post #10157477
What I seem to be having the most trouble with is proper exposure with two extremes. In the past few months I've had problems with the following situations:

black dog in snow
dog with black head and bright white body
black dog posed with woman dressed in white
dark inside but subject near a bright window

It's driving me nuts! I feel like when I'm shooting I never know exactly what to do to remedy the problem in that moment and I get flustered. My subjects are moving ones so the light situation is constantly changing and I don't have a lot of time to think and process. I feel like even if I am in the same room my shots are all over the place exposure wise.

Help?!

I'm guessing that with experience comes the ability to look at a situation and know what settings to adjust. Right now I just go by the camera's meter, adjust until it's in the middle, which isn't the most exact way I'm finding.

Those are challenging situations where you have the two extremes, as you put it.

One thing to look into is to shoot in M mode because the lighting really hasn't changed and the color of the subject/BG is fooling your camera.

You can also use some fill flash to bring out the highlights of the black dog while not blowing out the bright BG.

nicksan wrote in post #10158764
Those are challenging situations where you have the two extremes, as you put it.

One thing to look into is to shoot in M mode because the lighting really hasn't changed and the color of the subject/BG is fooling your camera.

You can also use some fill flash to bring out the highlights of the black dog while not blowing out the bright BG.

Very good advice - the camera's metering is fooled by the variations in brightness in the scene so will make using a semi automatic mode almost impossible as you would be chimping and varying EC constantly.

Manual will allow a consistent exposure for the room. If there are different lighting situations within the room, take trial shots in each area (beside the window, under the room lights, in the corners etc) and make a note of the correct setting. This gives a basis for what will work irrespective of the actual subject.

In post #12 I overlooked mentioning setting up the camera in manual mode after taking the incident meter readings.

Some folks might not realize that making a reading external to the camera and leaving the camera in Av mode, for example, is a useless effort.