Photography for Dummies?

[Laurelin]

I need something like that...

Okay admission... I don't know one lick about photography. At ALL. I try reading manuals and I lose focus a few lines in. I can't tell you what an F-stop means or how to find out what your F-stop is. I don't know what it does. All I do is know how to push the buttons on an actual camera to make your picture look better. I don't ACTUALLY know what I'm doing, all I know is if you dial this number down, it goes darker. This number up it goes grainier, etc. I'd like to know more about what I'm doing though.

Now, I try to read online articles but it's like whoosh! over my head. I don't get what they're saying. Is there any user friendly, easy to read books or articles? anyone care to run the basics by?

 

[CharlieDog]

What Is... ISO - Digital Photography Tutorial - Photoxels

Digital Photography Tutorials

 

[MericoX]

CD, you are my hero. I've had my Nikon D40 for... almost 4/5 years... and I still only shoot in Auto LOL

 

[Laurelin]

I shoot in manual usually and yet still have no clue what I'm actually doing. I sometimes shoot in aperture if the lighting is lower. (Aperture is the size of the opening that lets in light, right?)

 

[Kat09Tails]

I took a digital photography course at the community college. It was pretty good and taught you how to use a photo editor, set photos up professionally, etc. I learned a bunch.

This was the book.

Amazon.com: A Short Course in Using Your Digital Camera Fourth Edition (9781928873679): Dennis P. Curtin: Books

I also use Photoshop elements

 

[mrose_s]

I don't know much either, I'm slowly getting the hang of which buttons to press after having my 450D for about a year. I think I'd like to take a course so someone can just stand there and tell me, I've had a book about photography since last christmas and I havn't even got through the first chapter (no probs reading my agilty book every night before bed though lol)

 

[Zoom]

That's what I've done, I've just messed with settings until I got a feel for different situations.

 

[Laurelin]

Okay dummy question #1, how do you change the shutter speed on a Nikon?

Thanks for the links and book suggestions! I'll definitely look into those.

 

[Sit Stay]

I shot in Auto or the pre-programmed settings (Sport, Macro, etc) for months after I got my DSLR. I think I only started messing around with settings maybe a year or a year and a half ago. I usually just shoot on aperture or shutter speed depending on what I'm doing. I think a major part of getting comfortable with your camera and its functions is just playing around with it. I still will shoot the picture with specific settings, change those and shoot the same picture just to see the difference and what I prefer.

Is there a digital photography course anywhere in your area? I know at least with me, I have a few photography books and will refer to them occasionally but they aren't something I can sit down and read cover to cover. I'd LOVE to find a course though - some things I get much better reading, but I think camera and photography related things I really do better with a more hands-on approach.

eta: Just saw your post. I have a D40 so it might be a bit different from your camera, I'm not sure. Turn the setting to "S", click "info" or whatever it is on yours to get to where you can see on the screen what you're changing, and then turn the dial (it's on the top right on my cam). The higher the number, the faster the shutter speed, but the faster the shutter speed the darker the picture will be so you want to make sure you have good light, or at least increase exposure.

 

[milos_mommy]

See, I know all the technical stuff, how F-stop, aperture, ISO works, etc. and my pictures still suck....

 

[Fran101]

Lol I click auto. look into the hole, press the button and hope for the best!

Tried going to a photography class...but didn't quite seem to fit in. and the teacher said "and THIS is why an expensive camera does not make a photographer!" pointing at me..
never went back.

Jessie (and mr.jessie) helped me quite a bit! as well as the NikonD40 book for dummies!

 

[~Jessie~]

I'll point Ian to this thread today. lol. He's really good at explaining photography stuff.

 

[InLimbo87]

Photography really isn't that technically "hard". You have to learn to manage the "exposure triangle" of Aperture (F-stop #), Shutter Speed, and ISO (Film speed).

Best book, hands down, for the basics is Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure." It's a very short book, lots of pictures (even I could finish it! )

I'd suggest trying out the aperture-priority and shutter-priority modes. They are semi-manual as they will automatically meter the exposure and set the shutter speed (or vice-versa). They do give you the capability to manage your exposure.

Shooting in shutter priority, you can set the shutter to open slowly (1 sec., etc) for long-shutters. Too low of a shutter can cause blur if handheld. The smaller the shutter value, the more it will stop motion.

Shooting in aperture priority, you can adjust your depth of field (DOF). Want everything in the background go for a small f/number of f/11. For a thinner DOF for highlighting a subject go smaller.

Other than that, you'll have to set your ISO. The higher the ISO the more capable your camera is in low light but the more grain you will see. With a D60 you'll probably start to see significant grain after 800. My D80 really isn't worth much after ISO 800 unless the light is perfect.

And then there's using flash, which is a whole other story. I have a macro lens that manually focuses and I have to manually meter (basically guess at the exposure). It really makes you understand it when you're completely free of the new technology (but then you love it that much more!)

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

Lauren, I'm in the same boat! I have a Nikon D40 and want to know how to work f-stop, iso, and shutter speed! I've had my camera for 3 years, and all I can do is switch from auto to manual focus! I try to change the ISO, and play around with that a bit, but that's it! If you find something that works, please let me know! I'll keep and eye on this thread for advice as well. I'm glad you posted this!

 

[JessLough]

Digital Photography For Dummies, DVD + Book Bundle:Book Information - For Dummies

There you go, it even has a DVD so you cannot get bored reading!

 

[bjolly]

does anyone have a recommendation for a good digital camera that's not too expensive? something that lets you take a lot of pictures quickly one after another and has a good zoom? I'm looking for one for my other half for Christmas but have no idea where to start.

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

does anyone have a recommendation for a good digital camera that's not too expensive? something that lets you take a lot of pictures quickly one after another and has a good zoom? I'm looking for one for my other half for Christmas but have no idea where to start.

Depends how expensive you're looking into. I have a Niknon d40, fairly easy to use on automatic, and takes pictures one after the other very quickly. If you want a zoom farther than 55mm you'd have to buy an additional lens though, but you can find deals that will include a 2nd lens. I have a 55-200mm additional lens, and it's great!

 

[corgipower]

Laur, considering the amazingness of the pictures you post, I think you're a little bit past the "Photography for Dummies" stage.

 

[Lizmo]

^my thoughts, too! I'm really suprised so many don't know anything or shoot on auto all the time, yet get amazing results. Kudos to you guys!

 

[Laurelin]

I don't shoot in auto. I shoot in manual and sometimes aperture priority if it's really dark out, and I understand a bit... I know if I press a series of buttons that this will make things brighter/darker/faster/slower/more grainy. I just don't know what it's CALLED lol. So I guess that's backwards. I've found Auto tends to distort the colors quite a bit and is often too slow for some shots (papillons especially since they're almost always moving). So then I end up with a blur.

InLimbo thanks for the links and tips. Will read through that as soon as I get a chance.