Basics...........

Rs500chad

Rs500chad

Messages
129
Name
Richard
Edit My Images
Yes
Just thought I'd ask you experienced people what you think are the most important basics when learning to use your camera. Non of you people know me but I am keen to learn as I have an important day approaching amd don't want to mess it up. Also some tips on a camera upgrade and equipment would be appreciated. Please keep it in English as I am a complete beginner and I've read some on here and a lot of it is written in words I don't understand. Constructive criticism is welcome but I don't want any of this so called critique, as I don't understand that either. Thank you for any help given, I will listen and take on board any advise given as long as it's constructive.

By the way, all my friends call me Chad. (y)
 
Learn about exposure (getting just the right amount of light through the camera to hit your sensor). Experiment with the aperture (size of the "hole" that lets light through your lens) and the shutter speed (opening the "door" to your sensor). Once you have an understanding of how this affects your images, you can then think about what you want to point your camera at.
 
How long have you got until your "important day", Chad (Is it a wedding?).

What camera do you have just now ?

There is good info on here for beginners.
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=253312

I would suggest a good way to start is get yourself a book aimed at beginners (WHS always has plenty) and study it thoroughly without skipping parts you don't understand (come on here for an explanation of anything that foxes you.

There really is no shortcut to getting yourself up to speed. Folk on here can and will help, but you'll need to do the work.
 
Exposure is where it begins and ends, understand that and you're well on the way.

Then read up on some basic composition guidelines (rule of thirds, negative space etc).
 
So out of the different things that people have posted on you existing threads what haven't you understood, let us know and we'll be happy to provide a Photographer > English translation (y)

Will be helpful to know what the important day is (y) and how far away it is (y)
 
to a degree as above dependant on your type of special day will depend on what settings you will need.

A sports day for example is totally different to a wedding or christening etc both in technique and lenses needed.
 
Not knowing how basic you mean but for basic basic I'd say read the camera manual and fully understand how the camera works, then go out and take some shots, for example at f5 and then f22, then do the same using different shutter speeds.
Don't worry what they are of but take the same scene using a variety of settings, load them onto a pc and compare them, you'll then get a general idea how important "light" and "light" entering the camera is and how it can effect the exposure of an image.
 
When I first started I bought a book about my specific camera. Really this was just like the manual, but more readable and with more pictures and explanations. I would recommend this approach as it helps you understand how to use your camera as well as understand the photography side of it.

It takes a while for it all to sink in but read as much as you can and practice, practice, practice.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. Just to let you know my camera is a 300D with kit lenses. I'm not saying what the special day is because I don't want the negativity I received in a previous thread. I will read everything you've put up so far, thank you. (y)
 
Rs500chad said:
Thanks for the replies guys. Just to let you know my camera is a 300D with kit lenses. I'm not saying what the special day is because I don't want the negativity I received in a previous thread. I will read everything you've put up so far, thank you. (y)
Click to expand...

Okay so we do know what the day is then ;)

There are some key things to think about...how long is it till that big day? Days, weeks, months?

Is it somewhere dark? The human eye is a remarkably sensitive bit of kit that can make even darker places light enough to see clearly sadly cameras except the most expensive ones haven't really reached that level :LOL: so if it is somewhere darker more traditional shall we say your going to need a lens capable of a nice big aperture (hole that lets the light hit the cameras sensor, the bigger the hole the more light can flood in faster to ensure you can correctly expose the shot as fast as possible...just to make things that little more odd to get your mind round the bigger the f/number smaller the hole is to let the light into the camera :( the longer it takes to get a correctly exposed image

So are you going to be the only one responsible for taking photos on this day, have the people taking part in this day asked you to take photos?
 
Rs500chad said:
Thanks for the replies guys. Just to let you know my camera is a 300D with kit lenses. I'm not saying what the special day is because I don't want the negativity I received in a previous thread. I will read everything you've put up so far, thank you. (y)
Click to expand...

I don't want to be negative, and with your cryptic post's it's hard to give relevant advice, especially regarding equipment, when the subject is not known. Different subjects will benefit from different gear. :shrug:

And without knowing what kind of pictures you normally take, your current level of knowledge and experience, with regards to your own photography, and if/how it is different to what you plan to do, whatever it is, it is hard to know how to help. :thinking:

As people have said, knowledge of exposure and focusing is a must. One person's basic knowledge in another's advanced though if you only use the camera in Auto, and the DSLR as a big point and shoot. :shrug:

If this special event is something you're getting paid for, then don't do it :nono: because you obviously aren't in a position to offer a professional service, either with your knowledge and experience, or potentially with the equipment that you own. :shake: Especially if this event is any time soon. :eek:

If it is a special event for you, your friends and family, then consider how messing this event up will be for you, and/or your relationship with friends and family.
 
Basics?
No complicated Jargon?
OK... forget the frigging camera. Its a box, catches light. You point it and press a button. You don't need to know a damn thing about lenses, f-stops, shutter speeds, bokah, ISO settings, sensor sizes, mega-pixels; focas points, depth of focus, hyper focus of folk music.... to take a GOOD PICTURE....

You need a good EYE!

Good Photographers take Good Photo's not good cameras; better cameras dont = better pictures.

In the hands of some-one who cant 'see' a good picture, they can have the 'best' camera in the shop, they still wont see the 'better' picture.

In the hands of some-one with the 'eye'? Well, they'll get that picture whether they are holding a cruddy camera-phone or top of the range Leica, and the better CAMERA will add little to what the capture.

Best 'advice'...

Put the camera down for a minute LOOK around you.
- What is there to see.
- Whats interesting
- What's big?
- What's Small?
- What's bright?
- What's Dark?
- Whats tidy?
- What's Messy?
- What catches your eye?
- What do you 'miss'... look hard... find what other people over-look.

NOW pick up the camera, and look at the scene around you again, through the lens. If you have a zoom, set it wide, and MOVE it around. DONT stick the focus spot on the first thing that catches your eye and press the button.

Move the camera, take in everything beyond the framing boarders.

Now put the center spot BACK on what interests you.... STILL dont press the button!

Turn the camera through 90 degrees from horezontal oblong 'Landscape' frame, to vertical oblong, 'Portrait' frame... And do ANOTHER sweep beyond the framing boarders...

Happy you know whats going on in your scene and you have a 'good' composition?

Tempted to zoom in? DONT! Take a step or two towards your subject... now look around again!

Better? Yeah... but JUST to be sure... take a step to your left, look again.

Hmm... and step to the right? ... Lets Do the time warp aga-ay-ya-ain!... oh... sorry eighties flash-back moment!... err... yeah.. well, getting there, but JUST for the sake of it, since I'm not going to let you press that damn shutter, just sit down a second..... ooooh! Isn't THAT a difference! What does it look like from down there?

Take a GOOD LONG LOOK around, up-down; left; right, forwards; backwards; everywhere. Before you look at the camera, and then after looking at its view-finder.

THEN when you are SURE you have got your picture....

CHECK your frame.

You will stick your subject slap in the center and click the button. DONT.

JUST before you click... look at the corners. Go through the trinaty;
"North-south, east-west, check the corners, then the rest."
and JUST make sure that you know whats in your frame, and you haven't got some-one in a hi-viz jacket lurking in the corner, or a Dynorod van roof in the bottom!

Re-Frame if necessary.

THEN press your button.

THATS IT... that is ALL the camera tech you need to be getting on with and getting great photo's!

LOOK and LOOK HARD. And just press the button!

Modern cameras are FULL of very sophisticated program electronics, that is what you have paid for when you bought it, USE IT!

Your camera probably knows a damn site more about the exposure triangle, the ambient light levels; available apertures, appropriate shutter speeds, best ISO settings, ideal focus points and all that 'stuff' than you do... it knows SOD ALL about what you are LOOKING AT!

So let the camera worry about the stuff it knows best; YOU worry about the stuff YOU know most about.... what you can SEE.

99% of a photo is in the eye that sees it. So Learn to LOOK.
 
Last edited:
As for basic knowledge learn how the aperture, shutter speed and iso affect the image I.e depth of field and shutter speed. Once you have this mastered look towards composition as that will make or break a shot.

Finally equipment, select a manufacturer and dont be fooled into thinking bigger is better. What are your needs? My old d5000 was a nice camera but I wanter more controls and weather seals. D7100 for me was perfect. But regardless the most important tool I have is my tripod because regardless of the camera or glass I use the shutter speeds I often use require a tripod.

Hope this was helpful, enjoy photography itl certainly consume your life
 
Teflon-Mike said:
Basics?
No complicated Jargon?
OK... forget the frigging camera. Its a box, catches light. You point it and press a button. You don't need to know a damn thing about lenses, f-stops, shutter speeds, bokah, ISO settings, sensor sizes, mega-pixels; focas points, depth of focus, hyper focus of folk music.... to take a GOOD PICTURE....

You need a good EYE!

Good Photographers take Good Photo's not good cameras; better cameras dont = better pictures.

In the hands of some-one who cant 'see' a good picture, they can have the 'best' camera in the shop, they still wont see the 'better' picture.

In the hands of some-one with the 'eye'? Well, they'll get that picture whether they are holding a cruddy camera-phone or top of the range Leica, and the better CAMERA will add little to what the capture.

Best 'advice'...

Put the camera down for a minute LOOK around you.
- What is there to see.
- Whats interesting
- What's big?
- What's Small?
- What's bright?
- What's Dark?
- Whats tidy?
- What's Messy?
- What catches your eye?
- What do you 'miss'... look hard... find what other people over-look.

NOW pick up the camera, and look at the scene around you again, through the lens. If you have a zoom, set it wide, and MOVE it around. DONT stick the focus spot on the first thing that catches your eye and press the button.

Move the camera, take in everything beyond the framing boarders.

Now put the center spot BACK on what interests you.... STILL dont press the button!

Turn the camera through 90 degrees from horezontal oblong 'Landscape' frame, to vertical oblong, 'Portrait' frame... And do ANOTHER sweep beyond the framing boarders...

Happy you know whats going on in your scene and you have a 'good' composition?

Tempted to zoom in? DONT! Take a step or two towards your subject... now look around again!

Better? Yeah... but JUST to be sure... take a step to your left, look again.

Hmm... and step to the right? ... Lets Do the time warp aga-ay-ya-ain!... oh... sorry eighties flash-back moment!... err... yeah.. well, getting there, but JUST for the sake of it, since I'm not going to let you press that damn shutter, just sit down a second..... ooooh! Isn't THAT a difference! What does it look like from down there?

Take a GOOD LONG LOOK around, up-down; left; right, forwards; backwards; everywhere. Before you look at the camera, and then after looking at its view-finder.

THEN when you are SURE you have got your picture....

CHECK your frame.

You will stick your subject slap in the center and click the button. DONT.

JUST before you click... look at the corners. Go through the trinaty; "North-south, east-west, check the corners, then the rest." and JUST make sure that you know whats in your frame, and you haven't got some-one in a hi-viz jacket lurking in the corner, or a Dynorod van roof in the bottom!

Re-Frame if necessary.

THEN press your button.

THATS IT... that is ALL the camera tech you need to be getting on with and getting great photo's!

LOOK and LOOK HARD. And just press the button!

Modern cameras are FULL of very sophisticated program electronics, that is what you have paid for when you bought it, USE IT!

Your camera probably knows a damn site more about the exposure triangle, the ambient light levels; available apertures, appropriate shutter speeds, best ISO settings, ideal focus points and all that 'stuff' than you do... it knows SOD ALL about what you are LOOKING AT!

So let the camera worry about the stuff it knows best; YOU worry about the stuff YOU know most about.... what you can SEE.

99% of a photo is in the eye that sees it. So Learn to LOOK.
Click to expand...

You dont need to know about dof or focus? Seems like poor advice.

And a good camera can make a good photographer great. But it wont make a crap photographer good.
 
Richard, buy a copy of this and read it cover to cover, at least twice. You will then have a great understanding of the basics (y)

Best of luck with your forthcoming 'project', I really hope it turns out well for you, but more importantly for the 'clients' - you only get one chance at these shots and I really think that you should be honest with them about your ability as a photographer.

Also, if I can also offer you one piece of advice about this forum (having read some of your comments/responses to other in them) - if someone takes the time to try and help you or answer your questions you would do well to thank them and move on. There are some really talented people on here who can really help you improve as a photographer, if that is what you want. If it is not, then I would advise you not to ask for feedback and then sulk when they inevitably tell you there is room for improvement :)
 
barratt1988 said:
You dont need to know about dof or focus? Seems like poor advice.

And a good camera can make a good photographer great. But it wont make a crap photographer good.
Click to expand...

I would beg to differ - yes the technical stuff is useful to know, but when starting out, Mikes is the best bit of advice I have ever seen written on those forums. When learning to actually take photos, learning to 'see' them is the most essential part, you can work on the technical stuff one step at a time.
 
barratt1988 said:
You don't need to know about dof or focus? Seems like poor advice.

And a good camera can make a good photographer great. But it wont make a crap photographer good.
Click to expand...

What do you need to know about Focus or Depth of Focus, if you're camera does it for you, and you don't know how to change what it does for you? Just let the camera get on with it.

Same with the aperture & shutter and ISO. This is the stuff the camera does best, leave it to it. One thing it cant do is decide what's worth taking a photo of, or how best to frame it, or what would make the 'best' angle.

'Auto' is nothing to be ashamed of. Using Manual Modes do not mean you are a better photographer, or taking better photo's... if you are a slave to the meter and manually setting the aperture, shutter and ISO the camera would suggest anyway; you are just wasting time you could be using to look at what you want a photo of. If you aren't a slave to the meter? Well... if you know enough to actually use Manual, and know when and where YOU know better than the camera what settings would be most appropriate... then you ought to know that most of the time, you probably don't need to argue with it! Lot of 'Snobbery' over using manual, I think, and for a lot of newbs, advice to know about the exposure triangle and go manual, is for the most part to make redundant most of the expensive features they bought in their camera, to reject all the good advice of the experts that programmed those autro-settings, and give them umpety more opportunities to foul-up a photo, rather than get a better one.

After learning to look? Read the camera manual. Learn what the other 'auto' programs are; like 'sport' or 'portrait'... follow advice use them as appropriate. Again, lots of expert advice has been instilled into those programs, and the camera, given little more clue what you are looking at STILL probably knows best what settings are most appropriate.

After THAT... when you start looking at good photo's and wondering if they could be 'better'; perhaps a lesson in 'exposure compensation' and some mention of the 18% grey metering principle may be worth while. When bluring is encountered from too slow a shutter; perhaps a little advice about camera-shale and tripods... BUT intro to that is in the camera manual, when it explains the specialist 'auto' modes.

ALL of this is the basics. And its a LONG LONG way before you need to start worrying about getting any more technical, and NO amount of knowing about f-stops and Depth of Focus, ENT going to help you take better photos' if you dont have a clue about composition.

Pictures are made OUTSIDE the camera... camera just catches them.

So concentrate on what is worth pointing a camera at, not what knobs or dials you can twiddle on it!

Only two buttons you need worry about? The one to turn it on and the one to take a picture!
 
It might help you guys understand at what level I'm at if you look at my flickr. Not saying they are fantastic, but I enjoyed taking them, which is why I'm doing what I'm doing. You know, for fun!!(y)

As always helpfull criticism is welcome. :)
 
Teflon-Mike said:
What do you need to know about Focus or Depth of Focus, if you're camera does it for you, and you don't know how to change what it does for you? Just let the camera get on with it.

Same with the aperture & shutter and ISO. This is the stuff the camera does best, leave it to it. One thing it cant do is decide what's worth taking a photo of, or how best to frame it, or what would make the 'best' angle.

'Auto' is nothing to be ashamed of. Using Manual Modes do not mean you are a better photographer, or taking better photo's... if you are a slave to the meter and manually setting the aperture, shutter and ISO the camera would suggest anyway; you are just wasting time you could be using to look at what you want a photo of. If you aren't a slave to the meter? Well... if you know enough to actually use Manual, and know when and where YOU know better than the camera what settings would be most appropriate... then you ought to know that most of the time, you probably don't need to argue with it! Lot of 'Snobbery' over using manual, I think, and for a lot of newbs, advice to know about the exposure triangle and go manual, is for the most part to make redundant most of the expensive features they bought in their camera, to reject all the good advice of the experts that programmed those autro-settings, and give them umpety more opportunities to foul-up a photo, rather than get a better one.

After learning to look? Read the camera manual. Learn what the other 'auto' programs are; like 'sport' or 'portrait'... follow advice use them as appropriate. Again, lots of expert advice has been instilled into those programs, and the camera, given little more clue what you are looking at STILL probably knows best what settings are most appropriate.

After THAT... when you start looking at good photo's and wondering if they could be 'better'; perhaps a lesson in 'exposure compensation' and some mention of the 18% grey metering principle may be worth while. When bluring is encountered from too slow a shutter; perhaps a little advice about camera-shale and tripods... BUT intro to that is in the camera manual, when it explains the specialist 'auto' modes.

ALL of this is the basics. And its a LONG LONG way before you need to start worrying about getting any more technical, and NO amount of knowing about f-stops and Depth of Focus, ENT going to help you take better photos' if you dont have a clue about composition.

Pictures are made OUTSIDE the camera... camera just catches them.

So concentrate on what is worth pointing a camera at, not what knobs or dials you can twiddle on it!

Only two buttons you need worry about? The one to turn it on and the one to take a picture!
Click to expand...

How does the camera sort dof? Its dependant on where you focus. I agree that you need to learn to see but I disagree that you should just let the camera do the other work.
 
Rs500chad said:
It might help you guys understand at what level I'm at if you look at my flickr. Not saying they are fantastic, but I enjoyed taking them, which is why I'm doing what I'm doing. You know, for fun!!(y)

As always helpfull criticism is welcome. :)
Click to expand...

If you want us to look at your flikr... would help to give us a link to it... that is if you want us to look?

What camera you have / use, would also be another clue, and could give pointers as to what more specific advice may be helpful.

I looked at a couple of snaps of your car, in another post; but on photo-bucket? So no lead to your flikr.... but going by them?

Back to early advice, learn to look.

You have filled the frame with the subject, the thing of 'interest'... following some-one elses suggestion to get down and shoot from a lower angle, you got a better shot next time round... that's the start... LOOK for the angles, but back-ground wasn't flattering, as others commented, and there were distracting 'stuff' in the corners of the frame... so your levels pretty typical newby; I'm guessing... center frame, concentrating on subject of interest, that our untrained eye subconsciously concentrates attention on, not the entire contents of the frame, which is what we see in a photograph and where our eye isn't so concentrated on the subject of interest that was in the actual scene, and back-grounds, and clutter, and L310's shiny bumpers DO matter.

To improve that pic of your car in the pits at Brands? Well... re-pose it!

Back to having the vision. It was only that you said it was the pit-row at brands that told me that. Could have been any breeze-block garage it was taken in... consequently you got car and breeze-block wall, an uninsipring wall at that.

Getting super technical, you might have been able to 'dissassiciate' the car from the wall, by selective focus; making the wall go blurry, but in confines of that space difficult.

So, without getting technical; re-pose it. Take camera out of the garage and shoot a wide shot, of the pit-row, with car in it... give the car "context"... IF it was important that the car was at Brands, SHOW 'Brands' in the photo... not a breeze-block wall.

If the car is the interest, and doesn't matter where it is... then put it some-where you can get a better picture; somewhere you can give it a more deliberate and inspiring setting; or more easily 'remove' or dissassociate the car from the scenary... by physically giving 'space' between car and back-ground.

Its in that SEEING the photo before you take it, still.
 
barratt1988 said:
How does the camera sort dof? Its dependant on where you focus.
Click to expand...

How do YOU control DoF?

DoF about the focus distance is altered by the aperture.

If you cant change the aperture, because the camera sets it automatically, then its rather pointless knowing what it does, less worrying about it!

If you dont know what the aperture is, or what it controls, or how to use it to exploit DoF... leave it to the bludy camera,. ITS suggested aperture settings are probably going to be better than some random notion you dial in!

barratt1988 said:
I agree that you need to learn to see but I disagree that you should just let the camera do the other work.
Click to expand...

Your entitled to your opinion; but why buy a modern camera with a gazzillion hours of development to make ever more refined Automatic Exposure programs, to completely ignore them, worse, reject AE settings for something completely different simply for some egotistical idea that 'real' photographers shoot on 'manual'!

Only time that you really need to use Manual Mode on a modern camera, and that's basically anything Digital, and quite a lot that takes film; is in situations where YOU know that the meter may be 'fooled' by the lighting, and / or, the program may make exposure settings based on that metering that are not so great.

And even then; you may not need to go to full manual, aperture or shutter priority may be more appropriate or even one of the special-program auto-modes with some exposure compensation dialed in, may suffice.

But either which way; Full Manual Control, Semi-Automatic, or Automatic-Compensation is only any good IF you know better than the camera WHAT you are looking at and have fully assessed the scene to begin with.

Concentrate on your SCENE not your Camera.

Get to know your camera.
Read the cameras manual.
TRUST your camera!
It's more likely to know what settings are best, more often than the photographer may know better!
But it doesn't have a clue what it is looking at!
 
Teflon-Mike said:
If you want us to look at your flikr... would help to give us a link to it... that is if you want us to look?

What camera you have / use, would also be another clue, and could give pointers as to what more specific advice may be helpful.

I looked at a couple of snaps of your car, in another post; but on photo-bucket? So no lead to your flikr.... but going by them?

Back to early advice, learn to look.

You have filled the frame with the subject, the thing of 'interest'... following some-one elses suggestion to get down and shoot from a lower angle, you got a better shot next time round... that's the start... LOOK for the angles, but back-ground wasn't flattering, as others commented, and there were distracting 'stuff' in the corners of the frame... so your levels pretty typical newby; I'm guessing... center frame, concentrating on subject of interest, that our untrained eye subconsciously concentrates attention on, not the entire contents of the frame, which is what we see in a photograph and where our eye isn't so concentrated on the subject of interest that was in the actual scene, and back-grounds, and clutter, and L310's shiny bumpers DO matter.

To improve that pic of your car in the pits at Brands? Well... re-pose it!

Back to having the vision. It was only that you said it was the pit-row at brands that told me that. Could have been any breeze-block garage it was taken in... consequently you got car and breeze-block wall, an uninsipring wall at that.

Getting super technical, you might have been able to 'dissassiciate' the car from the wall, by selective focus; making the wall go blurry, but in confines of that space difficult.

So, without getting technical; re-pose it. Take camera out of the garage and shoot a wide shot, of the pit-row, with car in it... give the car "context"... IF it was important that the car was at Brands, SHOW 'Brands' in the photo... not a breeze-block wall.

If the car is the interest, and doesn't matter where it is... then put it some-where you can get a better picture; somewhere you can give it a more deliberate and inspiring setting; or more easily 'remove' or dissassociate the car from the scenary... by physically giving 'space' between car and back-ground.

Its in that SEEING the photo before you take it, still.
Click to expand...

Just search for my name on there if you want to look. And as for the pictures of my car, as I said before, I didn't take them but I understand what you mean. (y)
 
Rs500chad said:
It might help you guys understand at what level I'm at if you look at my flickr. Not saying they are fantastic, but I enjoyed taking them, which is why I'm doing what I'm doing. You know, for fun!!(y)

As always helpfull criticism is welcome. :)
Click to expand...

I see no link to Flickr. :shrug: So I had no idea what level you were/are at, which is why I wrote what I did. :thinking:

Having now looked at some of your posts here though, you don't seem to take criticism well, so I'd be wary of giving any in the future. Because I haven't seen your Flickr images, and only what you have posted here, do you take pictures of people? :shrug:

You also don't seem to appreciate help unless, as per criticism, it is delivered in a way you like. :thinking: I'd personally take any help and good advice however it was delivered. :shrug:

For anyone else wishing the to help the OP, assuming that it is the same situation he posted on 9/10/13,
My kit is very basic as in a 300D with a 18-55 and a 55-250. The person that has asked me is a friend and it's for her daughters wedding.
Click to expand...
Just a little bit more information to be going on with. ;)

If your friend and her daughter are happy for you to take pictures of the wedding, are aware of the level you are at, and all the risks that entails for pictures of their big day, then discuss with them what kind of pictures they want, formal, reportage style, a mixture?

Who they want pictures of specifically, (make a list) aged/beloved relations especially, or everyone at the event.

Recce the location/s, hopefully in the light (time of day) you plan on taking the pictures at to see if your gear is up to the pics you want to take.

But before that I would make sure that my skills were up to the job. Doing a wedding is a lot more than owning a camera, and even knowing how to use a camera. You need to know the pictures you want to get, and how to get those pics with the gear you have. You also need to know what is not possible with the gear you have too. ;) You have to be able to react to unexpected situations, either photographically or socially. People skills is a large part of a wedding.

You need back up equipment. You need to pre-plan, with the couple, and at any locations. Insurance would be advisable too. All this, photographic ability aside, is part of the reason's why good Wedding Photographers charge so much.

All that is not to try and put you off, but to inform you what you are getting into. I have done three weddings, along with a friend, but these were for people who we knew, and were aware of what they were getting. And were for no money. ;) If people decided to pay no money for wedding pics, whilst paying many thousands for wedding locations and clothes, then it was made clear that that they may not end up with professional quality pics. We also did no editing of images, that was up to the couple.

When I have been asked subsequently to do a couple of weddings on my own, I've declined, as I didn't want all that stress and pressure of being the only one relied upon to get pictures of possibly the biggest day in someone's life. :puke: I normally don't take pics of people, but feel I know how to take a reasonable picture and know how to use my camera, but a wedding is not something I would do on my own, especially when I have little interest in portraits and wedding photography.
 
I am not getting paid in any form, even tho she wants to. I'm doing it as a favour because she likes my photos. I don't pretend to be a professional, as said before, I do it for fun. And lastly, I don't mind criticism, just the way that some on here deliver it. If any of the above offends you then please don't comment on my posts. Thanks to all the positive comments so far people. :)
 
I think I need another camera anyway as the one I have is playing up a bit. :shrug:
 
Rs500chad said:
Just search for my name on there if you want to look. And as for the pictures of my car, as I said before, I didn't take them but I understand what you mean. (y)
Click to expand...

It would be better, or should i say people are more likely to click your Flickr link than start searching out names etc...

Some great advice been given here, especially the "seeing" that i think it was mike that posted...so helping out and linking your Flickr for them to advise further is a good way forward(y)


There is a how too, if you are not sure, shout and someone will direct you to it:D
 
markmullen said:
With respect is it playing up or is it just doing things you're not expecting due to you not being 100% used to your gear?
Click to expand...

Most of the time for the first couple of shots it resets itself (power off then on) and those shots are then corrupted when I download them. :shrug:
 
Cg_Girl said:
It would be better, or should i say people are more likely to click your Flickr link than start searching out names etc...

Some great advice been given here, especially the "seeing" that i think it was mike that posted...so helping out and linking your Flickr for them to advise further is a good way forward(y)


There is a how too, if you are not sure, shout and someone will direct you to it:D
Click to expand...

How do I do that mate? I would if I knew. :D
 
Teflon-Mike said:
Basics?
No complicated Jargon?
OK... forget the frigging camera. Its a box, catches light. You point it and press a button. You don't need to know a damn thing about lenses, f-stops, shutter speeds, bokah, ISO settings, sensor sizes, mega-pixels; focas points, depth of focus, hyper focus of folk music.... to take a GOOD PICTURE....

You need a good EYE!

Good Photographers take Good Photo's not good cameras; better cameras dont = better pictures.

In the hands of some-one who cant 'see' a good picture, they can have the 'best' camera in the shop, they still wont see the 'better' picture.

In the hands of some-one with the 'eye'? Well, they'll get that picture whether they are holding a cruddy camera-phone or top of the range Leica, and the better CAMERA will add little to what the capture.

Best 'advice'...

Put the camera down for a minute LOOK around you.
- What is there to see.
- Whats interesting
- What's big?
- What's Small?
- What's bright?
- What's Dark?
- Whats tidy?
- What's Messy?
- What catches your eye?
- What do you 'miss'... look hard... find what other people over-look.

NOW pick up the camera, and look at the scene around you again, through the lens. If you have a zoom, set it wide, and MOVE it around. DONT stick the focus spot on the first thing that catches your eye and press the button.

Move the camera, take in everything beyond the framing boarders.

Now put the center spot BACK on what interests you.... STILL dont press the button!

Turn the camera through 90 degrees from horezontal oblong 'Landscape' frame, to vertical oblong, 'Portrait' frame... And do ANOTHER sweep beyond the framing boarders...

Happy you know whats going on in your scene and you have a 'good' composition?

Tempted to zoom in? DONT! Take a step or two towards your subject... now look around again!

Better? Yeah... but JUST to be sure... take a step to your left, look again.

Hmm... and step to the right? ... Lets Do the time warp aga-ay-ya-ain!... oh... sorry eighties flash-back moment!... err... yeah.. well, getting there, but JUST for the sake of it, since I'm not going to let you press that damn shutter, just sit down a second..... ooooh! Isn't THAT a difference! What does it look like from down there?

Take a GOOD LONG LOOK around, up-down; left; right, forwards; backwards; everywhere. Before you look at the camera, and then after looking at its view-finder.

THEN when you are SURE you have got your picture....

CHECK your frame.

You will stick your subject slap in the center and click the button. DONT.

JUST before you click... look at the corners. Go through the trinaty;
"North-south, east-west, check the corners, then the rest."
and JUST make sure that you know whats in your frame, and you haven't got some-one in a hi-viz jacket lurking in the corner, or a Dynorod van roof in the bottom!

Re-Frame if necessary.

THEN press your button.

THATS IT... that is ALL the camera tech you need to be getting on with and getting great photo's!

LOOK and LOOK HARD. And just press the button!

Modern cameras are FULL of very sophisticated program electronics, that is what you have paid for when you bought it, USE IT!

Your camera probably knows a damn site more about the exposure triangle, the ambient light levels; available apertures, appropriate shutter speeds, best ISO settings, ideal focus points and all that 'stuff' than you do... it knows SOD ALL about what you are LOOKING AT!

So let the camera worry about the stuff it knows best; YOU worry about the stuff YOU know most about.... what you can SEE.

99% of a photo is in the eye that sees it. So Learn to LOOK.
Click to expand...

That is so true and having read that will make me think a little more before I take my next photo (y)
 
MWHCVT said:
Well the easiest thing to do would be to open your Flickr account and copy the web address for your photo stream (y)
Click to expand...

Fair point!... depends if he wants the pictures style sig or just the words link thingy.... in which case even my attempts take me ages :LOL:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top