Advice for someone looking to get into photography

[MacJenn]

Hello m8 i'm new to this forum, as for a good camera the EOS 400D is the best camera IMHO, if you look at reviews on amazon, its only £350 or near that or theres a 450D out for about £430 they have really good features for a novice, also i have taken some great shots with mine and can not tell the difference with top end camera's, its only in the features that they are better.

Spoken like someone who doesn't know too much about photography. High end cameras have a lot more advantages than that, but if it makes you feel better about your camera to think that then so be it.

I agree with you though that he needs a cheap Canon or Nikon to see if he really want to get serious about photography then he can upgrade from there if he wants to get more involved in it.

 

[wheelhot]

I agree with you though that he needs a cheap Canon or Nikon to see if he really want to get serious about photography then he can upgrade from there if he wants to get more involved in it.

Yup yup, that's why I ask him to get a cheap starter DSLR. Why DSLR? Well they are many reason and one of it is instant feedback, no worries about films.

 

[ChrisA]

Hey everyone!

I have been looking at taking up photography as a hobby recently, and I was hoping to get some much needed advice from some knowledgeable folks

I'm writing this without looking at the posts above. What I suspect will happen is that everyone will tell you to buy what ever kind of camera they happen to own. What this tells you is that no matter what you buy you too will like it and recommend it to the next person. Conclusion: It hardly matters what you get.

I assume you want to get into photography to make images not to play with and collect equipment. So what you should study are images. Beginners rarely do this they want to study camera dials. But images are what meters. Automation means that now days you can take photos, even good ones and know nothing about camera dials. Study images. Go to the library and check out some of those over sized books of photos and find which style(s) you like. Then go out and try and emulate that. Along the why you wil run into technical issues but those are easy to solve by learning what you need to know about (say) "f-stops". But the hard part is always getting the image in the style you want. So work on that. Automation will get you most of the way there technically but"zero of the way there" artistically.

After you've looked at a lot of images you may want to read some art books. Many of these are aimed at painters. They talk about color, lines and "mass" and compositions and patterns and so on.

There are two kinds of camera users. "Snap shooters" these are people who react to what they see and attempt to preseve a memory or cappture a sight. Then there are "photographers" who create images. In other words they first thing of the image then out out and do "whatever it takes" to make the image, be that building a set,buying lights or hiking up a mountain. The different is which comes first. Of course there are shades of grey and the same person can shoot both ways. But the big thing to try for is being the one who thinks of the image first. Start by attempting to emulate the work of the masters.

About which camera for a serious photographer? Buy either the nikon or the Canon but if you go nikon buy a body with a built-in focus motor. Also look for used lenses. and maybe a used body. Reserve some cash for a tripod and lighting

 

[jaduffy108]

I'm writing this without looking at the posts above. What I suspect will happen is that everyone will tell you to buy what ever kind of camera they happen to own. What this tells you is that no matter what you buy you too will like it and recommend it to the next person. Conclusion: It hardly matters what you get.

I assume you want to get into photography to make images not to play with and collect equipment. So what you should study are images. Beginners rarely do this they want to study camera dials. But images are what meters. Automation means that now days you can take photos, even good ones and know nothing about camera dials. Study images. Go to the library and check out some of those over sized books of photos and find which style(s) you like. Then go out and try and emulate that. Along the why you wil run into technical issues but those are easy to solve by learning what you need to know about (say) "f-stops". But the hard part is always getting the image in the style you want. So work on that. Automation will get you most of the way there technically but"zero of the way there" artistically.

After you've looked at a lot of images you may want to read some art books. Many of these are aimed at painters. They talk about color, lines and "mass" and compositions and patterns and so on.

There are two kinds of camera users. "Snap shooters" these are people who react to what they see and attempt to preseve a memory or cappture a sight. Then there are "photographers" who create images. In other words they first thing of the image then out out and do "whatever it takes" to make the image, be that building a set,buying lights or hiking up a mountain. The different is which comes first. Of course there are shades of grey and the same person can shoot both ways. But the big thing to try for is being the one who thinks of the image first. Start by attempting to emulate the work of the masters.

About which camera for a serious photographer? Buy either the nikon or the Canon but if you go nikon buy a body with a built-in focus motor. Also look for used lenses. and maybe a used body. Reserve some cash for a tripod and lighting

Great advice.

 

[jaduffy108]

Perhaps you'd like to provide a reason?




Tripe.

Let's get one thing straight here so that an informed decision can be made -- any DSLR will provide the user with all required features to "develop photography skills". But of course, more expensive cameras have more features that may or may not really matter.

With that said, as much as I enjoy working with film, I agree that it's by no mean necessary to work with before getting into digital. As pointed out already, it is a superior platform with which to learn due to the instant feedback, allowing the photographer to concentrate on more important things like composition and exposure.

Tripe? lol..and then you write: "b]any[/b] DSLR will provide the user with all required features to "develop photography skills".

Utter nonsense. As just one out of MANY examples I could use...does every DSLR have spot metering? No, they do not. I would like to see someone try to learn the exposure "zone system" without spot metering. Yet, learning exposure is the most fundamental of the basic skills.

I definitely do not want to give the impression that the gear makes the image, but to marginalize the advantages of some products over others is silly.

 

[jaduffy108]

Skip the SLR, go Canon G9 or G10 since they each give you a manual digital body that you can learn manual exposure on, at the price you are looking for as well.

Next, I would suggest you shoot and never stop. Compare compositions to other photogs that you admire. Keep learning, and find someone NOT on this site to critique your work in person.

The G9 in particular imo. It has a hot shoe for working with lighting too.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

I have been looking at taking up photography as a hobby recently, and I was hoping to get some much needed advice from some knowledgeable folks

Find a cheaper hobby.