Beginner Better skilled

newboyontheblock

newboyontheblock

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32
Name
barry
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi all

Out of intrest I love photography and I enjoy lerning to take better photos and get ideas to take better photos

I see courses on line and local collages as aposed to being self taught.

Is it worth investing in a corse or are there better ways to become better skilled in photography? Or is it better to get to learn your camera and learn to take pictures in real life?
 
You could start with free options like posting some photos on here and people will help you improve.

Join the 52 or 365 next year, I find they're a great way to get you thinking creatively.
www.talkphotography.co.uk

365's, 52's & 12's

For all those daily weekly and monthly projects.
www.talkphotography.co.uk www.talkphotography.co.uk

Find a thread in the equipment section about your camera to get to know how to use it better.
Basically use this site, I've learned loads from here.
 
Why don't you have a look on youtube for tutorials?

You sometimes have to filter information out if it refers to specific equipment or topics that don't appeal to you, but you will soon get used to that.

By watching videos, you will also soon learn your main topics of interest, and recognise your level of knowledge, and be able to focus more on what you need or want to know.

You will also probably want to learn about whatever software you choose to use, again there are lots of tutorials online.

Don't go out and buy software yet, there are free programmes that will do until you get to know just what you need.

I have seen local colleges offering free introductions/courses, which would probably be worthwhile, however I think you would at this stage get more out of online tutorials and going out and using the camera.

Specialist course may be OK later if you specialise in say classic portraiture, and more advanced courses could be helpful once you know the basics.

I downloaded this
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhAmMUi2NmM
for someone the other week, they found it useful (I haven't watched it all, just had a very quick look, so I can't endorse it) and there are plenty more similar.

Look for simple things like how to hold the camera, how to use the various modes (PASM) but don't get carried away with using M to start with, that can come later.

You will no doubt get lots of ideas, chose the ones that YOU like :)
 
robj20 said:
You could start with free options like posting some photos on here and people will help you improve.

Join the 52 or 365 next year, I find they're a great way to get you thinking creatively.
www.talkphotography.co.uk

365's, 52's & 12's

For all those daily weekly and monthly projects.
www.talkphotography.co.uk www.talkphotography.co.uk

Find a thread in the equipment section about your camera to get to know how to use it better.
Basically use this site, I've learned loads from here.
Click to expand...
Thanks ill take a look
 
Sangoma said:
Why don't you have a look on youtube for tutorials?

You sometimes have to filter information out if it refers to specific equipment or topics that don't appeal to you, but you will soon get used to that.

By watching videos, you will also soon learn your main topics of interest, and recognise your level of knowledge, and be able to focus more on what you need or want to know.

You will also probably want to learn about whatever software you choose to use, again there are lots of tutorials online.

Don't go out and buy software yet, there are free programmes that will do until you get to know just what you need.

I have seen local colleges offering free introductions/courses, which would probably be worthwhile, however I think you would at this stage get more out of online tutorials and going out and using the camera.

Specialist course may be OK later if you specialise in say classic portraiture, and more advanced courses could be helpful once you know the basics.

I downloaded this
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhAmMUi2NmM
for someone the other week, they found it useful (I haven't watched it all, just had a very quick look, so I can't endorse it) and there are plenty more similar.

Look for simple things like how to hold the camera, how to use the various modes (PASM) but don't get carried away with using M to start with, that can come later.

You will no doubt get lots of ideas, chose the ones that YOU like :)
Click to expand...
Thanks ill have a watch when I get home
 
newboyontheblock said:
Hi all

Out of intrest I love photography and I enjoy lerning to take better photos and get ideas to take better photos

I see courses on line and local collages as aposed to being self taught.

Is it worth investing in a corse or are there better ways to become better skilled in photography? Or is it better to get to learn your camera and learn to take pictures in real life?
Click to expand...
My advice, go on a college course. The main advantage is that at college you will get "in person tuition" so if there is something that you don't understand the tutor can sit down next to you and explain things to you. You can't get that on the internet.
 
L320Rio said:
My advice, go on a college course. The main advantage is that at college you will get "in person tuition" so if there is something that you don't understand the tutor can sit down next to you and explain things to you. You can't get that on the internet.
Click to expand...
I am thinking about it if I can get the funds.together
 
Here’s why I think a forum is the best basis for learning.

The major problem for a newbie is that you don’t know what it is that you don’t know. So; how do you know which course is right for you? There’s fantastic videos on YouTube but there’s also absolutely tonnes of utter dross.

But here, you can ask a question and get a straight answer. You’ll quickly learn who the straightforward and useful advice comes from.
Sometimes the advice is a link to further reading or even YouTube. But at least you’ll know that it’s to answer a specific question.

Nowadays with digital and the internet, you can be ‘self taught’ to a very high level in months where in the old days it took years or decades.

And it’s not ‘self taught’ at all, you’re learning with the benefit of a community of thousands, with literally millions of hours of experience and images they’ve learned from.
 
Phil V said:
Here’s why I think a forum is the best basis for learning.

The major problem for a newbie is that you don’t know what it is that you don’t know. So; how do you know which course is right for you? There’s fantastic videos on YouTube but there’s also absolutely tonnes of utter dross.

But here, you can ask a question and get a straight answer. You’ll quickly learn who the straightforward and useful advice comes from.
Sometimes the advice is a link to further reading or even YouTube. But at least you’ll know that it’s to answer a specific question.

Nowadays with digital and the internet, you can be ‘self taught’ to a very high level in months where in the old days it took years or decades.

And it’s not ‘self taught’ at all, you’re learning with the benefit of a community of thousands, with literally millions of hours of experience and images they’ve learned from.
Click to expand...
Undoubtedly a big help this forum
 
So in conclusion (although I have no doubt others will post!):
- look for Youtube videos to inspire you and give tips
- see if there are ant free or cheap local courses to get you started
- ask lots of questions on this forum, and spatter your question threads with examples of your shots in order to get feedback and advice
- if you become a regular, there may well be someone on the forum local to you who will buddy-up with you for some shjooting sessions, to help you get going
- Once you do get familiar with your camera, join one of the challenges: there is a 52 (weekly theme challenge but you don't have to enter every week); starting January there will be DPOTY (a monthly challenge with a different theme each month); and other open threads on different themes such as transport, windows and doors, users of particular cameras, etc.
 
lindsay said:
So in conclusion (although I have no doubt others will post!):
- look for Youtube videos to inspire you and give tips
- see if there are ant free or cheap local courses to get you started
- ask lots of questions on this forum, and spatter your question threads with examples of your shots in order to get feedback and advice
- if you become a regular, there may well be someone on the forum local to you who will buddy-up with you for some shjooting sessions, to help you get going
- Once you do get familiar with your camera, join one of the challenges: there is a 52 (weekly theme challenge but you don't have to enter every week); starting January there will be DPOTY (a monthly challenge with a different theme each month); and other open threads on different themes such as transport, windows and doors, users of particular cameras, etc.
Click to expand...
Thank you

I will be asking lots of questions about everything.

I will lookout for any free courses or cheap ones
 
From what I'm seeing a college course is a joke now. We get ex students coming to us for courses on the basics of exposure and so on, stuff they should have learned in a few years in a college. Indeed you might be a lot better off with the free classes some community centres run. These are often run by experienced pros.
IMHO your better off either learning by just playing, or a proper basic course by one of the many reputable courses being run across the country. Youtube videos will help, but keep in mind not all youtube photographers are created equal. ;)
 
Practice practice practice. Nothing beats real world camera time and figuring out what you need to learn and why. No one can teach you what you need to know when you don't know what it is you need to know yet. When you shoot, and then realise what it is you want to improve upon, then you can ask that specific question, preferably on here for free.

I've had numerous collage and uni photography students on my workshops who don't know their lens from their viewfinder.
 
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I'll just add my 2p as a novice.

I found a course ran by a university lecturer / pro tog and it was being offered at my local community / arts complex. It was £100 for ten sessions run once a week and had a beginner, intermediate and advanced level (£100 for each level and 30 classes in total). At these sessions you explored various elements of photography ranging from basic controls, to composition, the triangle, colour wheels and looked at different genres. You explored said element in class, then for the following week you had to produce some homework based on that theme. For me this was brilliant and well worth the money.

Yes, some aspects were not as in depth as I would have liked and we didn't use flash much nor studio set ups but what I got from that has made my photography more enjoyable.

I myself am looking at either finding another course like the above (this tutor may run some more classes for us) or joining a course online with one of the photography institutions.

Will it worth the money? Dunno. Will I get something from it? More than likely and the basic courses are what £300-£400. Some folk spend that on fags and beer over a few months. I think if enrolling on these courses you have to be prepared to take the good and the bad elements are appreciate it's not going to turn us / me into a pro...but I should get some useful nuggets from it.

I have thought about approaching a local pro tog but I wonder if they will be keen to teach you and take you here there and everywhere (on a shoot or wedding or similar). Would they be keen or would they worry you'd be competition in the future perhaps? I don't know.
 
I guess it depends a bit on each of our own learning styles. The forum, some YouTube channels, camera clubs all help. For me, I progressed fastest with a years’ hands-on course (evening classes and one weekend a month) as it’s much quicker in this type of setting to see what is meant, try it out, ask questions, and be corrected by the teacher. Might not be for everyone but worked well for me on addition to all the other things people have mentioned.
 
Local college courses (adult Education) are as good as the instructor running the course.
This covers the entire gamut from useless to brilliant. You need to ask around your self.

courses are a good way to quickly get up to speed technique wise.

You tube and social media is totally uncontrolled and un regulated.
The information you find treats establish fact and total rubbish with equal authority.
Unfortunately it is very difficult for a beginner to tell the difference.

Some of the leading influencers are amongst the worst offenders when it come to passing on bad information.

Just like good advice, bad advice is repeated by others ad infinitum.
Mentoring is as good as the mentor, choose with care and you could find a gold mine of knowledge and skills.

A number of such people offer their services to run adult education courses. How ever the government has cut funding for adult education to the bone.
And photographic courses are now few and far between. Which is true of almost all courses that do nor lead to a qualification of some kind.
 
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