Advice and Help Please

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Richard 44

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richard
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Hello all. I am located in Haywards Heath Sussex.

My girlfriend has purchased a Nikon D3500. The local shop that we bought it from is no longer offering training courses.

I am looking for someone to deliver a simple session on how the camera works, how to upload to various websites etc.

I have tried Nikon training but no reply from email and their phone number is not working.

If anyone has any suggestions I would be most grateful.
 
Look on youtube. I’ve done several videos on the d3400 and it’ll be more or less the same as the d3500. There are probably d3500 specific videos out there too.
What websites do you want to upload to? Most have pretty straight forward upload systems and instructions.
 
Thank you for your info. Sadly have spent many an hour and YouTube just does not do it.

Willing to pay whatever it takes but seemingly this training resource does not appear to exist.

Great opportunity for anyone who has the product knowledge and an ability to communicate effectively.
 
Gramps in reply to your link have tried but phone non op and email unanswered. They must be busy.

TCR 4X4 am trying to upload to Shutterstock. Camera automatically downloads via Bluetooth at 2MP per image - too small.

Have tried turning bluetooth off and connecting camera via USB to laptop but cannot getting any recognition of connected device.
 
Richard 44 said:
Great opportunity for anyone who has the product knowledge and an ability to communicate effectively.
Click to expand...

Think about this logically. How much do you think it could be done for? No one who is running a business could survive on what you're likely to be prepared to pay. The last time I was doing any teaching, I was charging £250.00 per person, per day with groups of six to eight people - I'm glad I'm out of it as I got fed up with being skint. After you've taken overheads; tax, VAT, rent, rates, travel, advertising etc. out of that, there isn't a lot left. That figure will then have to be spread to cover the days you're not teaching on as well - you can't guarantee full classes every day.

Learning photography is something you will have to teach yourself - I bet more than 95% of people on here will tell you the same. The basics are easily learned from books (or even easier now - the internet).* Gone are the days of photographers being paid to learn their trade.

If you find it easier learning from people, then join a camera club and be prepared for a VERY long learning curve over a VERY long period.

*Following an online course is the only other option for you I'm afraid . . .
 
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Sky thank you for your reply. I am sure you're right - I will have to teach myself. Unfortunately I will then have to teach my girlfriend and that is when the fun will start.

As to how much am I prepared to pay - whatever it takes (£60.00 per hour?)!

Just seems strange I can get a personal coach for £40.00 per hour, a piano teacher for £36.00 per hour or a French teacher for £25.00 per hour but I can't find a photography teacher.
 
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A brief Google turned up photography evening classes at ACRES college (Uckfield?) which looks to be relatively close?

Not sure if they're opening post-COVID (our Ault Ed is shut until January earliest) but you might be able to be put in touch with the tutor who may be able to offer 1-1 at reasonable rates.

The problem with 1 day workshops - esp if you're a beginner - is that it can be information overload. Going back week after week on a night school helps reinforce the learning and also gives you a chance to practise, then go back and ask questions.
 
Stick "beginner nightschool phototography" into google and plenty of classes come back.
Maybe search your local colleges too.

Anyway. Regarding:
Richard 44 said:
TCR 4X4 am trying to upload to Shutterstock. Camera automatically downloads via Bluetooth at 2MP per image - too small.

Have tried turning bluetooth off and connecting camera via USB to laptop but cannot getting any recognition of connected device.
Click to expand...
Don't faff about with the Nordic god of connectivity or trying to get your camera recognised (it'll be a device driver on the CD that came with it).
The easiest way it to pop the SD card out and plonk it into either the SD Card reader that your laptop *may* have, or buy a card reader. They cost pennies... Matt Granger did a review of card readers recently, have a search for that if you care about speed, otherwise just grab a generic usb3.0 one and let it chug away.
 
Most courses won’t be camera specific, just photography basics. If you want camera specific, then YouTube or a private tutor who happens to know the exact model intimately.
 
Unfortunately she is the above mentioned Piano Teacher so weekday evenings are not an option.

I will pursue the commercial options subject to timings.

I have downloaded driver software but still no recognition.

Somebody must use the D3500 for Shutterstock submissions-how do they do it?
 
People who've used cameras for many years will probably find not knowing how to use one a little hard to understand but I suppose they are complex things. I remember when I was selling a camera a tech guy at work was interested but he was completely baffled by it and that's before we get into exposure triangles and depth of field and other tricky stuff.

Until you and your GF get to grips with it I'd recommend putting it in green square mode on the mode dial on the top and getting on with taking pictures and when you're done either plug a USB lead into the camera to connect it to a pc or take the card out and use a card reader.

While you're enjoying the camera you should read the manual and I'm afraid persist with youtube for info on similar cameras or maybe there's someone at work who's into photography and could help you out for the price of a meal out or a pint or two?
 
Richard 44 said:
Unfortunately she is the above mentioned Piano Teacher so weekday evenings are not an option.

I will pursue the commercial options subject to timings.

I have downloaded driver software but still no recognition.

Somebody must use the D3500 for Shutterstock submissions-how do they do it?
Click to expand...

It’s been mentioned Several times. Buy a usb sd card reader. Take the card out, download images to computer, upload to shutterstock. It’s nothing unique to that camera just a general way of doing things.
Why are you so keen to upload there? If you think you’ll make a fortune, you won’t. I’ve got maybe a few hundred images there over 10 years and sold about 2. Totalling about 60p

Stock agencies are swamped and you need to have thousands upon thousands of Images to make any decent money now.
 
Hi TCR 4x4. A USB card reader it will be although it seems so retro.

As for Shutterstock could not agree more. Thankfully it is my girlfriend who has developed this enthusiasm not me. All I am doing is desperately trying to remove myself from the learning/practice period as far as possible.
 
Woof Woof thank you for your informed observations. I agree that the majority of instructional resource assumes a degree of prior knowledge which leads to frustration and angst.

Doing my best to remove myself from the situation lest it begins to mirror the 'teaching your wife to drive' cliche.

In fairness to her it is a technical field which she is approaching with her usual determination - and in her third language.

All advice from all contributors gratefully received.
 
I can't comment on where or how much tuition classes may cost.

Using the camera is start of your & your girlfriends journey.

Your mention of wishing to upload to Shutterstock.....have you read their terms of acceptance? AFAIK they (used to?) have stringent acceptance criteria. Do you think that your photographic output (composition, subject choices, exposure, post processing etc) is of the standard they will take?

Please remember the camera does not take the picture you do....have bought any post processing software or are you anticipating the jpegs straight out of the camera to be 100% aok 100% of the time.

I am not trying to throw water on your ambitions but all the previously posted advice including usage of an SD card reader are there as part of the education you are talking about.

Lastly, enjoy the photographic journey.....oh, try Flickr to upload and share your pictures......some amazing beginners do get noticed via that route.
 
Agree with the comments about uploading to stock sites. Your girlfriend need to walk before she runs.

I don't know the 3500 but most DSLRs work in a similar way and I agree about using the Auto mode to begin with. When your girlfriend has taken lots(I mean really lots) of shots in many different lighting conditions, uploaded to a computer, then the fun/hard part begins.

Each one needs to be looked at critically. Does each record what was wanted? Is it well exposed? Is it sharp enough? Is the subject of the photo in the right place? Are there any distracting parts of the image? If these questions can't be answered then post an image up here with the settings info and an idea of what was wanted and someone will be able to help.

One of the essentials is learning about aperture, shutter speed and ISO how they relate to each other and the effect they have on the image.

Another is the reason for taking the shot in the first place. As Ansel Adams, one of leading landscape photographers of the 20th century, said, "I believe there is nothing more disturbing than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept"

But digital photographs are effectively free and its great to learn.

Dave
 
I just came across this from Jessops - online training - may be of use. https://www.jessops.com/courses/type/photography-courses-8

As has been mentioned, just take the card out of the camera and plug it either directly into the card reader slot on your computer, or buy a card reader and plug that in to your computer. Then you can just drag and drop the images across.

As for loading onto Shutterstock, then presumably there are instructions on their website, but I would echo others' comments to learn the basics first.

If your girlfriend has sufficient enthusiasm, she might find it more rewarding to do it herself. You could maybe support her by buying her an initial course and then just leave her to find her way? Personally I've enjoyed every step of my journey learning photography and I hope she does too.
 
I think, personally, you're doing the right thing in looking for someone to teach you face to face & approaching it the right way. You're not being unreasonable and expecting someone to do it for nothing, you just skip all of the random searching on YouTube, trying to find the right video, trusting the creator is pointing you in the right direction, etc. doing it this way.

See if anyone is running a workshop close to you & pay for a days training - whenever I've run workshops, I am always happy to walk through individual cameras and requirements on the day - but for stock agency stuff, you'll have to find someone that can talk you through how to process and resize images, ensure quality control, etc.

If I was closer I'd happily have you along to one of my workshops, but think you're at the other end of the country unfortunately. Good luck with sorting it out, I feel your pain, am currently teaching my wife to take over photographing newborn sessions & think I'm the last person in the world she wants to listen to, let alone learn from
 
If you've got a list of what you want to achieve, and details of your setup, I'm sure that someone could spare an hours time over Zoom or something to run through stuff. Or even answer your questions on here.
 
Richard44 was last seen on September 16th........2 weeks gone by!

Hopefully one of the links provided in the replies he had received at that time worked out and they are on their learning journey.......?
 
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