Introduction & Advice

SXI - Matt

SXI - Matt

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53
Name
Matthew
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi, not long joined the forum and wanted to say hi, my self & the GF are complete novice's to photography but wanted to take it up, so a few visit's to jessop's and a bit of researching I've ended up getting a Nikon D90 with there stock 18 - 105 lens.

Taken around 100 snaps since getting it out the box last night, only on auto mode and want to start experimenting with it, is there any good tip's or hint's any one can give?

Would like to do a mix of thing's, equestrian, motor sport, pets ect
 
Try s and a modes and just have lots of fun playing.
 
Have a search on the internet about what the settings do, such as aperture, shutter speed and iso and what effect they have on the image, then start experimenting :thumbs:

A good book that breaks this down is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

Most importantly, get out there and start playing, practice makes perfect :)
 
The quickest way to learn is from others...keep and eye on the 'Meeting Place' forum and look out for meets. Read plenty, practice plenty! Understanding Exposure is a great book, enjoy!
 
Quit using Auto asap. Try and get into the habit of using A and M modes as this will give you much better control.

I'm not that familiar with the subject matter you are interested in but if you generally want to shoot animals I'd suggest always having the subjects eye at the same level as your camera. Also getting a lens that offers a shallow DoF (f/2-f/2.8) will help emphasize your subject.
 
Try this for learning about exposure to start
http://www.kingstonphotographicclub.ca/Exposure triangle.pdf

This is basically what your auto or scene settings do but in a way that means you dont need to understand. A bit like driving a car without a undrrstanding of how the clutch, accelerator or brakes work. Not essential but means you get the most out of it.
 
Hi, I have helped a friend who runs an event photography business shooting equestrian events. I've only done a couple but watching him and listening to advice was a good insight into things to look out for. In particular he said only shoot when the horse has the ears up. Try to frame the shot so you can see face of rider (if applicable) and avoid to much empty space. If jumps are involved, the moment the horse has two legs to the back or likewise at the front make for good action shots. Shooting in av is a good starting point as you can think about DOF and let the camera worry about shutter speed, though keep an eye and adjust ISO to suit. The main thing though is to jus have fun and experiment! Get to know your subject whatever it is and don't be afraid to ask people to photograph them! Hope just a tiny bit of this may help.
Best
Pete
 
Thanks for all your replies, all great help, I'm going to ban my self from using the auto mode and try and experiment with the others. Off to the dog tracks soon so be an opportunity to test it out a bit more. Just itching to get out and about with it.
 
Thanks for the equestrian tips to, my dad is a show manager so going to tag along and get him to introduce me to there photographer and see what I can learn, although there not sure if they'll have one this year, typical
 
The D90 was my first 'proper' camera, I found the book 'The Nikon D90 Companion' an excellent guide, not just to learning how to use the camera, but also for learning the basics of photography in general. Can not recommend it enough!
 
Also check out the Meeting Place section the TP Meets can be really great for learning a little more about your camera :thumbs: our regional meets are always welcoming to newbies :thumbs: you can effectively shadow some more experienced people who will be more than happy to talk all day long about cameras and photography :thumbs:

Welcome to TP :wave:

Matt
MWHCVT
 
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