so how does a newbee to photography get started?

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psburley

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Paul
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Just bought a canon 60D read some books and looked at some youtube but what is the best way to really get in to photography rather than the "just get out there and shoot" way..
Its finding the things to photograph especially this weather (dull) so whats your recommendations for a newcomer to develop?
 
I think that just going out there and shooting away really is the way to learn. Put your camera onto AV setting for example. Go out and find something to photograph, maybe nothing more than a plant in the garden, and play with the aperture setting, learn what changing the aperture does to your picture. Try the TV setting on something that moves, again something as simple as water running slowly from a tap, change the shutter time and see how that affects your images.

If you want to learn, then going out is the best way to learn. But in my opinion, you'll not learn an awful lot unless you take the camera out of the auto modes. Perhaps look at composition, take the same picture with the same settings but with the main subject in different areas of the picture - Which looks better and why?

Have you looked at the tutorial section on TP - There's some great stuff to help you understand the relationships between the aperture, shutter speed and ISO. If you can get that cracked then you're well on the way to getting a good understanding.

Hope that helps.
 
Did you have any subjects in mind when you bought the camera?

It is much easier to start learning if you know what you want to take photographs of - gives you a starting point.
 
'Get out there and shoot' - sorry but there aren't really any short cuts.

Read everything photography-related that you can get your hands on, but more importantly, collect photos from magazines you like and try to work out how they were taken.
Keep a clippings folder to refer back to.

If you don't know now what sort of images you want to take now, a year of collecting other people's images you like will give you a clue: if your collection is mostly landscapes, that's where you should focus your efforts.
 
Thanks for the feedback, where us the tutorialnsection on tp?
In terms of what I like to photography.....people but that's not easy as a beginner also outside buldings etc above that I guess I don't really know but I could look at the posts on tp all day some great shots. I like the people shots but feel you reallyneed lights to get the best shots?
 
Hi Paul,
Yes I can only agree with the previous posts! When I started I didn't really have favourite theme and just took pictures of anything. Once I had narrowed down my subject area i improved quickly. I thing the problem is that each area of photography has its own 'secrets'. What is good for say rugby is generally not applicable to portrait work for example, even tho the underlying principals are the same.
But look at every photgraph you can, read everything you can,[Understanding Exposure is great!] take loads of piccy's but above all get feedback. You need to know what you are doing right and wrong!!

Good luck and lots of hard [and enjoyable] work!

Dunc
 
psburley, I'm in exactly the same position as you. I've been a member on TP for about 2 years now but have never had the chance to gain any experience due to working abroad. Now I am back home I have decided to make more of an effort. Recently I have been reading as much photography related stuff that I couldget my hands on. I just need to get out and put it into practice.

The Tutorial section is just further down the main page on the forum.

I also found the online Digital Photography School by Darren Rowse to be extremely helpful, especially the basics regarding the exposure triangle.

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/learning-exposure-in-digital-photography

Kena
 
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As obvious as it sounds, take photographs, review them and see what you like. Read books, post photographs here for C&C, watch some instructional videos, read your manual (I know, yawn!), check the meeting forum, and enjoy taking photographs; oh, and the high and low points. This is not an exhaustive list ;)

I also download the 'interestingness' app for my iTouch and save photographs I like for inspiration'

Oh, and there are a few decent audio/video podcasts out there.
 
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I learnt more by posting on here and having images critiqued in 6 months than in the previous 2 years of owning a camera. It's not quite as easy now as there are so many more people and therefore images on TP so sometimes they get missed.
However, as has been said get out there and take photos, find out what you like and practice.

Cheers

Andy
 
get out, take photos. read books. look at other people's work. ask questions. take more photos. get critique. reply angrily. learn from it. take photos. read more. take photos.
 
Take lots of pictures, try taking the same picture on different setttings, read books, look at tutorials get people on here to crit your efforts, take more pictures and don't forget to have fun !
 
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