My first dslr

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calpol11

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Just bought my first dslr it's the canon 600d can't wait to get out there and try this out just waiting for my memory card which arrives tomorrow (hopefully) any tips or information that may help me to start off with taking photos to practice or any kind of tip would be appreciated thanks in advance!!
 
You have a nice e camera the 600d will serve you well. If you want to learn then get out there and take pictures. You will learn by your success and failures. Good luck
 
Depends on what camera use you've had before. Do you know what aperture and ISO are for example?
 
Not I'd say I'm just learning about iso and aperture I'm fairly new to it all but willing to learn any books also recommended
 
Hi Calpol11, Check out Mike Browne series of videos on youtube. He really explains things well, Especially THIS playlist.

He uses Nikon rather than Canon but the tutorials are interchangeable as he talks about process and common things rather than specific details on the camera brand.

This really helped me allot
 
While waiting for the card? As we say in engineering - RTFM - read the flippin' manual. Seriously, you'd be surprised how often people don't. Start familiarising yourself with all of the controls. Have fun!
 
calpol11 said:
Not I'd say I'm just learning about iso and aperture
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That's fine, as suggested youtube videos give very good tutorials and as XA2 says reading the manual is invaluable. Although you won't have a clue what the manual is on about, you'll know a particular feature exists and then you can just try what it's trying to explain one step at a time and then apply it at some point in the future. Start off in Auto mode to get the feel of the camera and do not get hung up about moving to manual mode, it's not necessary. And of course come back here and ask any question you want.
 
I found that if you venture into the AV or TV modes before you have a proper understanding of how they work, take a series of shots from the same spot at a fixed object, but increase the F value (for AV) or shutter speed (for TV) step by step with each shot. Then when you take a look at them on your PC later you can easily see how each increment affected the image. Helped me get my head around things anyway.
 
XA2inmypocket said:
While waiting for the card? As we say in engineering - RTFM - read the flippin' manual. Seriously, you'd be surprised how often people don't. Start familiarising yourself with all of the controls. Have fun!
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This. And don't be afraid to re-read it. I thought I knew my camera pretty well until I decided I wanted to set up of the "User modes" back to full auto (but still save as RAW) for when the Mrs or someone else borrows the camera. Didn't have a flippin' clue how ANY of the auto program modes worked... :oops: :$
 
I think the only manual I've ever read cover to cover was the one for my 550D. My previous cameras were all fully manual 35mm, so there wasn't much I didn't understand about the principles. Your 600D has a lot of features a lot to help you get the images you want, but it does take a while to get your head round it. Start simple, then change and experiment with one thing at a time so you see for yourself how it all works. Look forward to a long learning curve but one that's great fun. And as has been said, don't get hung up on what some people say about manual mode. Unless you're into astrophotography it's not obligatory, but always look at what settings the camera wants to use, then once you start getting the hang of it you can decide if you want to change the settings and how you're going to do it.
 
What sort of settings would you recommend for taking photos with a white background of let's say for example a family photo
 
calpol11 said:
What sort of settings would you recommend for taking photos with a white background of let's say for example a family photo
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Aperture set to give enough depth of field to kee the family in focus but try and throw the background out of focus.
Shutterspeed fast enough to handhold if not using a trripod, but not too fast to synch with any flash that you're using.
ISO as low as possible bearing in mind the considerations above for aperture and shutterspeed.

The real trick is in balancing the light sources to expose everyone correctly and have the white background look white, and not an uneven pale grey. That generally means seperating the light falling on the family and the background - not necessarily two different light sources (I can think of ways of doing it outdoors with only ambient light) but indoors this will generally mean lighting the family and tha background with different lights.

A non-answer really, but the question is one of the lines of "How long a piece of string?" ;)
 
Being as it's my first dslr I'm relatively new to knowing how to take pictures I'll have to keep practicing and seeing how the photos come out thanks
 
Along with the advice above your last comment, Calpol11 is spot on. Keep taking lots of photos. Every shot is essentialyl free and comes with the EXIF data so you can see the settings you used. At first aperture, shutter speed and ISO are not going to mean a lot to you, but in time they will and you will be able to work out why a photo looks the way it does.

If you have trouble analysing what went wrong (and it will go wrong - we have all been there and still go there from time to time) post the shot up here and someone will be able to help.

Dave
 
Thanks appreciate the replies I'll be sure to post a few up for advice thanks again
 
Read some of the great guides on here, get on youtube and watch people like gavin hoey aka gavtrain, matt granger aka that nikon guy, mark wallace over at adorama tv to name but a few of the good ones. All great guys offering something for beginners and more advanced users.
 
I've been to wollotan deer park in nottingham as I'm not far from it and had a go for the first time I'll try get a few photos up soon and I'd like all advice possible on how to achieve better ones thanks
 
Here's a few I took at wollaton deer park all feedback welcome first time using a dslr aswell
 
I like the misty one with the castle - if you can get there easily that could be a location worth going back to often possibly in the early morning or evening.

I would also say don't be scared of taking photos - I mean by that take loads wherever you can and do what I do - bin the bad ones (lol).

That way you can learn from your mistakes.

And, if you're married, I do hope she's very understanding because photography can be a really persistent bug once caught.
.
 
Not married and the girlfriend also had just got into photography so it's a win win situation haha thanks and the park opens and closes at certain times but I will be back there to try other shots
 
That's a Deffo must!! Won't be forgetting that one anyone else have any opinions on the photos I uploaded above?
 
One thing i would say is to remember to make sure that the horizon or any building etc is level before you press the shutter.
 
Small world I'm in Notts too, couple of miles from wollo park. Rutting starts in just over a months so you should be in for some action if you can get close enough. Here a quicky I took last time I was there

3.jpg
 
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