Beginner Complete Newbie, where to start?

chrismisterx

chrismisterx

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chris
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Good morning, as the title says, I am a complete newbie and I am more lost than ever after googling where to start, so thought the only course of action was to join a forum and ask the pros.

A little about myself, I am 41 and apart from the very odd pic from my phone I have never done any photography, I had a health scare last xmas and I decided I needed a hobby to take my mind of things and to relax, I have always been impressed with different photos I have seen and thought lets give it ago, as I feel this will be a rewarding hobby and encourage me to get out and about more, maybe even make some new friends.

So where to start, I have a very modest budget but I also want to do this right and try and avoid making mistakes,I would rather pay a little more now than buy something wrong and it cost more in the long run, as I have a very modest budget.

So the advice I need is this:-

Starting equipment for a complete novice.
How to get started once I have said equipment and what I need to know to improve ( websites, tutorials etc for a newbie )
What subject to photo that's more newbie friendly or does that not matter?
lastly, once I have a photo, what next? Do I need software on computer for example to get the best out of my photo before I print it?

Thanks for reading and thank you for taking the time to reply, I understand you will get these questions a lot and I tried to figure it out and saw that a "bridge" camera would be best, than saw a dslr was best, even said just get a compact and I have no idea what the difference is and there's such a wide range of prices, some eye watering, so all the help and advice i can get would be fantastic.
 
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Hello Chris, welcome to the forum, I recently joined also.

The first thing I would say is that photography is an absolutely enormous subject and you never stop learning, but don't let that frighten you, the secret is to learn it in segments or you may find it a bit overwhelming.

The good news is that all lessons are free of charge, youtube is awash with all the info you will ever need, in fact it's probably got more info on this subject than any other. I like Mike Browne, he has loads of tutorials and he makes things very easy to understand, so check him out, he's got a great teaching style.

When you say modest budget, roughly how much are you thinking, as I recently set my dad up with a DSLR to learn photography on a budget?

Regards
Adrian
 
I'm not a pro but ...

Questions like these are almost impossible to answer ... almost ;) The answers that follow are very generalised ...

Starting with the camera, pick one you like the feel of, all modern cameras are capable of producing good results. There are many types, but limiting it to my opinion of most suitable for a novice in no particular order there are DSLRs, Mirrorless (most common in MFT format), bridge and compact cameras. With a DSLR or a mirrorless system these allow you to change lenses, this may or may not be important to you, but most serious amateurs would I suspect prefer to be able to change lenses. They are more flexible and allow a greater range of subjects to be photographed imo. Bridge and compact cameras are useful in as much they are usually much lighter and smaller and are often cheaper too but you are stuck with whatever lens they come with. Also they often have less options available in terms of direct user control.

When or if you buy an inter changeable lens camera (DSLP or mirrorless) you are buying into a system. That system allows you to grow as needed, which imo is the biggest advantage. In general you will be able to get better results using such a system all else equal.

If you wish to become a "serious amateur" then get a DSLR or mirrorless system, if you want to take better photos than your 'phone then perhaps a bridge or compact camera is good. My guess as you have posted on here is that you would like to get fairly serious so a DSLR or mirrorless would be my best guess. Most, if not all manufacturers sell kit forms of these and ime the kit lenses are decent enough to start with and it does mean you have a usable product out of the box.

Try and get to a shop that sells cameras where you can get hands on, but don't be pressured by salesmen talking about megapixles etc, etc ... see how they feel in the hand as that will determine which is best for you.

MFT = Micro Four Thirds btw (it is the size of the sensor)
 
PaulButler said:
I'm not a pro but ...

Questions like these are almost impossible to answer ... almost ;) The answers that follow are very generalised ...

Starting with the camera, pick one you like the feel of, all modern cameras are capable of producing good results. There are many types, but limiting it to my opinion of most suitable for a novice in no particular order there are DSLRs, Mirrorless (most common in MFT format), bridge and compact cameras. With a DSLR or a mirrorless system these allow you to change lenses, this may or may not be important to you, but most serious amateurs would I suspect prefer to be able to change lenses. They are more flexible and allow a greater range of subjects to be photographed imo. Bridge and compact cameras are useful in as much they are usually much lighter and smaller and are often cheaper too but you are stuck with whatever lens they come with. Also they often have less options available in terms of direct user control.

When or if you buy an inter changeable lens camera (DSLP or mirrorless) you are buying into a system. That system allows you to grow as needed, which imo is the biggest advantage. In general you will be able to get better results using such a system all else equal.

If you wish to become a "serious amateur" then get a DSLR or mirrorless system, if you want to take better photos than your 'phone then perhaps a bridge or compact camera is good. My guess as you have posted on here is that you would like to get fairly serious so a DSLR or mirrorless would be my best guess. Most, if not all manufacturers sell kit forms of these and ime the kit lenses are decent enough to start with and it does mean you have a usable product out of the box.

Try and get to a shop that sells cameras where you can get hands on, but don't be pressured by salesmen talking about megapixles etc, etc ... see how they feel in the hand as that will determine which is best for you.

MFT = Micro Four Thirds btw (it is the size of the sensor)
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A good summary. Avoid those who insist that their camera is the "best".

In addition I would say find resources for inspiration. Magazines or the internet. Such as Flikr.com or DPReview Challenges. Get yourself wondering how a shot was done.
 
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Welcome Chris, read plenty is my advice.

Useful Sections for New Members (click links)

> The Help section contains some good general information about how we do things around here and how the forum works.
> FAQs and Guides can be found here.
> Forum Help and Support is there for you to ask questions and get one to one support if you're having problems finding your way around or working out how to do things.
> Link up with other photographers in your area for local events and days out in Meeting Place.
> Or maybe you fancy a challenge . . . Take a look at some of the organised TP challenges and competitions here.
 
Thank you for your replies.

With regards budget I was thinking a couple of hundred pounds to start, after googling it seems my budget is low compared to the price of some cameras, trying to find a middle ground, learn to walk before running comes to mind, but I don't mind saving up for something better if that's what it takes to get started.

Thank you for the you tube tip, I didn't even think about using that for tips and tricks and as a learning tool.

I saw a photo of a ship wreck on another forum ( football one funny enough ) , all that was left was some wooden beams, that after some stormy weather and a very low tide you could see poking up from the sand, some person took a photo at dawn when there was a slight mist and it was just stunning, seemed so simple but conveyed such a story, the angle of the shot, the setting and mood was just prefect. Since that photo I have been stunned by how photos can really effect you and how you feel and how the same photo taken at just different times of the day can seem so different, it really is such an art form, something I never really noticed before.

Thanks again for the replies, I look forward to spending a lot of time on this forum.
 
chrismisterx said:
With regards budget I was thinking a couple of hundred pounds to start, after googling it seems my budget is low compared to the price of some cameras,
.
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Second hand is the way forward 200 notes will get you a low use canon 40D and a 18-55 and still leave you change for cards and batteries - its a few years old now but still a very capable camera (ditto also Nikon options but i'm not up on them)

I like MPB but other dealers are available ... anyone who tells you it stands for Moose's Photography Business is lying ...:whistle: :LOL:
 
Definitely buy second hand. Don't forget the cost of accessories such as memory cards, bags etc.

In terms of photo editing, photoshop is the common tool but can be expensive. There are other free alternatives eg gimp. So maybe try that our first.

What are you mainly thinking of photographing? This would give some guide on what lens to suggest.

YouTube us definitely a good starting point. Maybe also check out local camera clubs?
 
mike_6480 said:
Definitely buy second hand. Don't forget the cost of accessories such as memory cards, bags etc.

In terms of photo editing, photoshop is the common tool but can be expensive. There are other free alternatives eg gimp. So maybe try that our first.

What are you mainly thinking of photographing? This would give some guide on what lens to suggest.

YouTube us definitely a good starting point. Maybe also check out local camera clubs?
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Haven't really decided on what I should be taking snaps off, I think walking around my local area and talking some landscapes could be a good starting point or photos of the family / dogs maybe, think I want to try a bit of everything while I learn.

I think the main thing is to find a starting set up and just go out and try it, maybe then I will know what I like or dislike?
 
If i were you i'd buy a secondhand DSLR and kit lens now - then save up for a mid range zoom like the 55-250 (about 100 notes).. after that i wouldnt buy anything else until you've worked out where your interests lie
 
big soft moose said:
If i were you i'd buy a secondhand DSLR and kit lens now - then save up for a mid range zoom like the 55-250 (about 100 notes).. after that i wouldnt buy anything else until you've worked out where your interests lie
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Yea, looking at that website you suggested and also had a PM saying the Fuji Fujifilm Finepix S3 Pro is a good starting point, I will be honest I am completely lost when trying to compare different cameras theres 2 on s3 pro's on ebay but i am a little worried about the lack of info on one of them.

A camera I can grow with and learn the basics is the most important thing for me, just keen to get started!
 
tbh if you don't know about cameras buying from a dealer is safer - someone who's just starting out is ripe for getting ripped off on ebay

The S3 takes nikon f mount
 
Hi Chris. Go and have a play with various cameras in Jessops for example. Beware, they will try to sell you an extended warranty before they even know what you want to buy and then they'll try to sell you a filter to 'protect' your lens - probably many times during your visit! But humour them and try out their stuff.
The reason for this is, as has been mentioned a few posts up, once you've decided which type of camera to go for, go for one in that class that feels right in your hands.

As far as what you want to photograph is concerned, just look around you. There is a photo opportunity in just about anything.* My very first shots with my first DSLR were of various kitchen implements and ornaments at home. It's just about creating photos to begin with and from there you will develop an understanding of what you prefer to shoot and therefore an idea of which lenses/accessories you need next (Warning: this will almost certainly become an infinitely expanding list!). You'll also come to a point where you'll find your current kit limiting for one reason or another and by then you'll already know what you need to buy next.

Trawl the wonderful advice on here and above all else, have fun.

* Not everybody will see this as you soon will. For example, my mate has a brilliant photo of some exposed, gnarled tree roots taken in Zante. To his wife it is, 'What's the point of that. It's just a load of old roots.' :rolleyes:
 
The hard bit is that there are thousands of camera models. But you can narrow it down a bit by excluding those with which you can only preview your proposed image on the screen on the back of the camera - this can be hellish in sunlight, so a viewfinder is a very good idea. Such can be optical or electronic. An optical one can either see through the camera's lens, as with a dslr, or have its own light-path parallel to that of the taking lens. Electronic vf's 'see' through the camera lens by default.

I'd recommend a good but slightly vintage dslr bought secondhand, like Pete's suggested 40D above, or a Nikon D90??? A respectable dealer's safer as quoted for the novice buyer. A modest zoom lens (hopefully bundled with the camera body & often called the 'kit' zoom) will enable you to play around and discover what focal lengths you favour (and their effect).

Or something like this might do you well: http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/us...as/used-fuji-x-series-cameras/fuji-x10-body-1 (note that it says 'body' but it comes with a zoom lens which is non-interchangeable).
 
Been looking at that website, wife is going to kill me already i think ;)

would this be a good starting setup ?

Canon EOS 40D
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II

Just a 3rd over my budget, but i am sure she will understand when I take some stunning photos of her and the dogs, keep telling her it will save money in the long run, not having to get her dogs photographed by a pro :rolleyes:

thanks again for the replies, been a really good help tonight.
 
Forget the longer zoom for now at least, just stick with the 18-55. That'll keep you busy enough.
 
Hi Chris and welcome

you ask quote
" Starting equipment for a complete novice.
How to get started once I have said equipment and what I need to know to improve ( websites, tutorials etc for a newbie )
What subject to photo that's more newbie friendly or does that not matter?
lastly, once I have a photo, what next? Do I need software on computer for example to get the best out of my photo before I print it?"
unquote.

First work out your budget allowing for memory cards and spare batteries
Next you can do a quick price check here and makes -http://www.camerapricebuster.com/ .so pick 3 or 4 that you may be thinking about then try and see them in a shop. Some may not be comfortable in your hand or the menu might confuse as to settings.

On subject matter look at different magazines in a paper shop for ideas . not only will it give food for thought but also look at how the photo was taken ie, ground level or from above, head or side on. Get used to how it was taken and not so much the content
cameras often come with basic editing tools but remember the better the photo is taken the less relient on doing post editing.

When I started I was absolutely clueless (not much better now some say) but the art in my opinion of photography is actually seeing the subject not just looking. For example a person might look at a flower and see it is red, and that is all they see. A photographer will see how many petals it has- how tall it is- are there any marks on it- how the light catches it - what angle would show it off the best etc. You get the idea??

This holds true with landscape-portrait -architecture- wildlife -weddings in fact everything. If a picture looks good does it look better if you moved a few steps to the side ?

Every photographer makes mistakes sometimes though may not admit it and definately not post it on a forum, but all will agree it is practice and time that makes you better. It is the nose behind the camera that makes the picture not the camera or lens. If you are happy with the picture that is all that really matters, but if others like it as well count it as a bonus and don't get upset if the picture is criticised,usually it is done to help not to knock

There are plenty of tutorial on youtube as well that may help apart from this little effort of mine

Oh if going down the used camera route ask about the shutter count, that is how many photos the camera has taken. The higher he count the cheaper the camera as most only have a recommended amount of shutter movements the manufacturer allow for.

Bit like a car, may look good with loads of add on extras but if the engine is knackered the car is not worth buying. Same with a camera
 
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I'd say you'd be better off with a 18-55mm (£60ish?) kit lens, or maybe a 17-85mm (£120) to give a good zoom and wide angle and maybe a 50mm 1.8 (£50) for portraits of the dogs and in lower light. The 50mm is a great lightweight lens and it'll challenge you to work on your framing and seeing what you can get out of the lens without a zoom.

50mm is also closer to how the eye sees things and if you think back to film days most people only ever had that lens, and it was enough. Maybe also consider a tripod (can get decent cheapish second hand) and a cheap grad or dark filter (piece of welding glass will do) for long exposures to give smooth water looks ect.

Finally- dont expect amazing pictures straight away due to getting a DSLR- a lot of people do and it can put them off at the very beginning, practice and you can very quickly produce some great images. Theres plenty of books, might find some in the local library, or online guides. Text or youtube.

Also post processing (pp) is not wrong, and enables you to adjust the darks and light areas to make it more how you saw it, there are lots of good free programs try Polarr: https://editor.polarr.co/


And just practice practice practice.
Have fun :)
 
TY Chris
When I started I made aright mess of absolutely everything, enough to make me want to avoid photography altogether. To start with it was a case of "oh look there is a bird I will take a photo of " Idiot that I was". I didn't realise that the bird needed space in the photo to fly into, most of the time it was the beak missing or only got a shot of the tail (arse). There is all sorts of "tricks" one can use to improve a picture in or before the shot such as moving a rubbish bin out of the way or checking a telegraph pole is not growing out of the top of a persons head because they are standing in front of it.

Already mentioned photography is a vast subject and i would suggest concentrating on one field of it with a working knowledge of others. For example I like photographing wildlife but ask me about studio lighting for a model and I am clueless.

As you progress no doubt you will find you have outgrown the cameras capabilities and look for a higher up the range model. Another of my mistakes. I started out with a Nikon D70s DSLR camera which was 6 mp and suited my needs at the time , where i went wrong is going up the range step by step , Nikon D200- NikonD300 -now Nikon D800 and lost a fair bit of money on the part exchange upgrades (still have the D300 ).

So where do you go from here? get the most expensive you can afford or even a bit higher, what I never gave a thought about is top of the range cameras still have the ability to set a camera automatically , with me being a plonker not realising that you can learn other settings/features step by step. So I learnt the hard way cash wise. Same with lenses apart from the mm aspect different makes offer the same range but vary in price and quality a lot. I tend to try and stay with the lens made by the camera manufacturer, I consider they match up better.

Ok I am looking at it as a person completely new to photography whereas a lot of members are top flight professionals who can if asked give far more help than I ever could on the technical side ,

The great thing about Talkphotography here I have found everyone very helpful so use their knowledge if you need to
 
Ty for the in depth replies all, I have took the plunge and got my self the kit listed above, very excited.

Tomorrow I will be watching video's on the basics, as i haven't a clue and hopefully by the weekend out and about talking my first pics, if everything arrives by then.

Thanks again and i look forward to picking your brains more as i progress, just been looking through other peoples collections on here, some stunning stuff!
 
Did you get a memory card at the same time? and know what the information on the card is all about?

most just look at how much/big the memory is GB without looking at the MB/s or class of card which is just as important
 
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GB is the size of memory and MB/s is the speed of transfer the card works at. Class 10 is better than class 4 which is about the minimum for video work. Obvious is the GB size be it 8GB of memory whatever. more important is the MB/s transfer speed ( I would recommend no slower than 45 MB/s), the reason being the slower the card the longer it takes to transfer the photo from the camera to the card. So you could find out that when taking several shots in a row the camera may stall waiting for the card to catch up.
 
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I have no idea what the different cards mean, luckily another member from here has offered to send me a card to help me get started, I was going to google what the cards are and what I need to have, so if you cold point me in the right direction, that would be fantastic!
 
Ok as a good starting card I would recommend sandisk make (never let me down) presumably the camera takes an SD card not a CF card . An 8 gig card is a good starter with a 45 MB/s speed and class 10. I personally use a higher card 95MB//s and 32GB class 10 but I do video work as well.

If possible get one from a camera shop to start with, on the well known internet selling site there are a lot of fakes for sale . There are reputable sellers as well

with Sandisk they also have a recovery lost photo program i have an original disk but check out on the sandisk site if you need to for more info. Here is a crafty tip. If accidently you take a photo of someone or something and a person IE police officer asks you to remove it, don't argue just do it and show you have deleted it, BUT you haven't it is still stored in the photo data which can be recovered by scandisk recovery. sneaky or what???
The only time you can't do this is if you format the memory card and that wipes out everything, deleting only does not.
If you are sure you do not want to keep any photos still on the memory card then by all means format it and start the next session with a completely clean card


Always but always make a backup copy ,ie on DVD which is what I do as the very first thing and or an external hard drive. If editing a photo NEVER ever work on the original, make a copy and work on that instead
 
thank you some good tips, especially the one to make sure I only ever work on a copy, simple things like that I didn't even think off.
 
I may not be around for the next few days as i have to have an operation in hospital on Thursday so may be out of action for a couple or few of days, but you can always leave me a private message (start a conversation, click on my name) on here and I will get back to you

My pleasure to help if possible
 
Good luck with your op, hope its not serious and thanks again for your help, I will take you up on your offer when I get stuck with my new camera :)
 
realspeed said:
Ok as a good starting card I would recommend sandisk make (never let me down) presumably the camera takes an SD card not a CF card . An 8 gig card is a good starter with a 45 MB/s speed and class 10. I personally use a higher card 95MB//s and 32GB class 10 but I do video work as well.

If possible get one from a camera shop to start with, on the well known internet selling site there are a lot of fakes for sale . There are reputable sellers as well

with Sandisk they also have a recovery lost photo program i have an original disk but check out on the sandisk site if you need to for more info. Here is a crafty tip. If accidently you take a photo of someone or something and a person IE police officer asks you to remove it, don't argue just do it and show you have deleted it, BUT you haven't it is still stored in the photo data which can be recovered by scandisk recovery. sneaky or what???
The only time you can't do this is if you format the memory card and that wipes out everything, deleting only does not.
If you are sure you do not want to keep any photos still on the memory card then by all means format it and start the next session with a completely clean card


Always but always make a backup copy ,ie on DVD which is what I do as the very first thing and or an external hard drive. If editing a photo NEVER ever work on the original, make a copy and work on that instead
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Well you could stop presuming.;)
The camera takes CF cards and doesn't shoot video, and even modest CF cards happily keep up with the 40d's shooting rates.

And a USB2 card reader would be the limiting factor for file transfer.

So there's a lot of words here you could have saved yourself. :)
 
Phil

OK I will stop presuming but my advice is still good based on generalisation to cover any make of camera and not a specific one. As for memory card speed again based on my own experience of having a low quality one I often had a camera "stall" as it could not keep up with the camera. As for video I was referring to cameras that have that capability.
With all due respect surely it would be better if you tried to help Chris with your knowledge about a specific camera than trying your level best to pick holes in someones post giving general advice. That is of no help to anyone least of all Chris who is asking for help and advice, which you seem to have totally ignored.
 
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realspeed said:
Phil

OK I will stop presuming but my advice is still good based on generalisation to cover any make of camera and not a specific one. As for memory card speed again based on my own experience of having a low quality one I often had a camera "stall" as it could not keep up with the camera. As for video I was referring to cameras that have that capability.
With all due respect surely it would be better if you tried to help Chris with your knowledge about a specific camera than trying your level best to pick holes in someones post giving general advice. That is of no help to anyone least of all Chris who is asking for help and advice, which you seem to have totally ignored.
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Hi :)
He's picked a camera, it's the one I suggested on an identical thread (amongst others). Someone's sending him a perfectly reasonable CF card. He's all set to go :)

To clarify though, SD cards are much more susceptible to speed differences than CF cards, I've had some really crap CF cards in my cameras, and they've never been the weak link. If the OP ever fills the buffer on the 40d, he'll be doing some serious shooting, IIRC the 40d runs 8fps for about 2 secs in RAW and until the card is full in JPEG.

Whereas, like you mention, some cheap SD cards can hamper faster cameras.

Hope that helps.
 
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When it comes to advising those new to photography, I think it might be better to look at recommendations on gear from another direction.

What does the budding photographer actually enjoy shooting, who is he going to be shooting for and what level is he aiming to achieve?

Unless a photographer is shooting a subject they are really interested in, even passionate about, the results are never going to be as good as when shooting something just because it's there to be shot.

The requirements for gear for certain types of photography can be very specific. Low light and macro, for example.

So the advice I would give is to look at all of the genres of photography and decide what rocks your boat before spending a penny, as you'll be able to ask more specific questions about gear requirements to meet the situations you are likely to encounter.

Chris, are there any styles and genres of photography have particularly attracted you to becoming a photographer?
 
aTog said:
When it comes to advising those new to photography, I think it might be better to look at recommendations on gear from another direction.

What does the budding photographer actually enjoy shooting, who is he going to be shooting for and what level is he aiming to achieve?

Unless a photographer is shooting a subject they are really interested in, even passionate about, the results are never going to be as good as when shooting something just because it's there to be shot.

The requirements for gear for certain types of photography can be very specific. Low light and macro, for example.

So the advice I would give is to look at all of the genres of photography and decide what rocks your boat before spending a penny, as you'll be able to ask more specific questions about gear requirements to meet the situations you are likely to encounter.

Chris, are there any styles and genres of photography have particularly attracted you to becoming a photographer?
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Thanks for the reply, some of the photos that I have really enjoyed looking at have been off things like abandoned buildings, close up of images that make the photo look alien. After looking through the photos here I have seen some fantastic black and white photos, some of people some of places and a cracking night time shot of some traffic in a city.

Part of the problem I think is that I don't really know what part I will take too, just that some photos I have seen seem to speak to me, don't know if that makes sense?
 
realspeed said:
Phil

OK I will stop presuming but my advice is still good based on generalisation to cover any make of camera and not a specific one. As for memory card speed again based on my own experience of having a low quality one I often had a camera "stall" as it could not keep up with the camera. As for video I was referring to cameras that have that capability.
With all due respect surely it would be better if you tried to help Chris with your knowledge about a specific camera than trying your level best to pick holes in someones post giving general advice. That is of no help to anyone least of all Chris who is asking for help and advice, which you seem to have totally ignored.
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Its me thats sending him the cards - they are 4GB sandisk extreme IIIs more than adequate for a 40D ( i know this for a fact because that's what I was using them in - they are surplus since I upgraded to a 70D which does take SDs) my 40D never stalled due to buffer full with these cards even when shooting bursts of raws
 
Atog
I deliberately avoided mentioning any particular make or model of camera because it is up to the purchaser to make up their own mind. Everything I posted was a generalisation and what I found out from many many years of taking photographs right back to the Brownie 127 era.circa mid/late1950's. as for memory cards I can only speak as I find and Sandisk have never let me down which is why I recommended them.

Link to brownie 127
http://www.brownie-camera.com/6.shtml
 
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realspeed said:
Atog
I deliberately avoided mentioning any particular make or model of camera because it is up to the purchaser to make up their own mind. Everything I posted was a generalisation and what I found out from many many years of taking photographs right back to the Brownie 127 era.circa mid/late1950's. as for memory cards I can only speak as I find and Sandisk have never let me down which is why I recommended them.

Link to brownie 127
http://www.brownie-camera.com/6.shtml
Click to expand...

I too deliberately avoided mentioning camera makes and models for the same reason. Let's face it, technically they're generally pretty much of a muchness at any given price point nowadays which is why further up this thread I recommended having a play with a few models to discover which felt best. Similarly, I too recommend Sandisk because it's the brand I started with and over the years have come to feel most comfortable with. However, I have used other brands at times without any problem - it's just a familiarity thing, I suppose.

One thing that a few of us have alluded to, Chris, is how you will come to see things. There will come a point when whatever you look at, you will see as a photographer rather than as a non-photographer. Taking as an example something I can see right now: a clothes airer.
Non-photographer will see a clothes airer.
Photographer will see the different colours and textures of the clothes, how there are shadows in the creases, how they are arranged, how the whole thing interacts with the lines, colours, shapes etc in the background, and so on.

I believe this to be an irreversible process lol.
 
When I was a beginner I just knew I loved photography and that if I wanted to learn and go beyond the happy holiday snapper I had to get a DSLR. And that literally was all I knew. I thought I would gravitate more towards travel photography as that was the only subject I had ever photographed before.
When I got my DSLR with the 18-55 kit lens I took pictures of a lot of flowers and the nearby fields to learn the camera, read loads of magazines (Photography for Beginners), online tutorials and went on a Get Started with your DSLR type of workshop. I soon realised that what I loved taking photos of most was people and I had never ever thought that would be the case, that love for portraiture just crept up on me as I immersed myself in photography. Once I realised this that's when I started buying portrait specific lenses and reading almost exclusively about portrait photography.

In my opinion, now that you have your camera, just learn using it well, learn the controls on it, the theory behind it, do this by taking lots of photos and reading and that way sooner or later you will find out what subjects bring you the most joy. Then you can take the next step.
 
Hello, I'm a complete newbie too, I have literally discovered the tip of a huge iceberg! The place I turned to first helped me grately as it broke the fundamentals of what I needed to know in very bitesize chunks. From here I have explored each area further and I feel that I am technically getting to grips with it all a bit more....

http://my3boybarians.com/31-days-to-a-better-photo/

I also then joined a basic Shaw Academy course, it cost me £19 on group on and that has definitely helped too.

Good Luck :) x
 
realspeed said:
Atog
I deliberately avoided mentioning any particular make or model of camera because it is up to the purchaser to make up their own mind. Everything I posted was a generalisation and what I found out from many many years of taking photographs right back to the Brownie 127 era.circa mid/late1950's. as for memory cards I can only speak as I find and Sandisk have never let me down which is why I recommended them.

Link to brownie 127
http://www.brownie-camera.com/6.shtml
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Nice, I started on a Brownie, too. About 1970. It took great photos :)
 
chrismisterx said:
Thanks for the reply, some of the photos that I have really enjoyed looking at have been off things like abandoned buildings, close up of images that make the photo look alien. After looking through the photos here I have seen some fantastic black and white photos, some of people some of places and a cracking night time shot of some traffic in a city.

Part of the problem I think is that I don't really know what part I will take too, just that some photos I have seen seem to speak to me, don't know if that makes sense?
Click to expand...

Chris, you might want to think about a camera that is good in low light, and/or supplementing your gear with flash. Also, I'd recommend a sturdy tripod. Cameras such as the Canon 5D2, which is a bargain second hand, Sony A7 or Fuji XT-1, would all suit your purpose well.
 
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