Hello guys.
I want to start photography as a hobby but i know nothing....
So i'd like to ask you a few questions:
a) I have a nikon N60 with a Tamron lens (actually my parents do but never use it-about the lens,how can i find the model to tell it to you?). Is it a nice camera to get started with? Or do you suggest a digital one? If it is a digital which one? I'm asking this because of the money i need to spend for films etc etc with a non digital camera. Also the fact that you can plug it in your mac and save all the photos you want etc etc.
b) Can you suggest me a book about photography to get me started?
Thanks a lot guys!
Yes a digital camera can save you the cost of film. But film is MUCH cheaper then a new DSLR.
If you are into "photography" as a serious hoby then concider black and white film. This film in a Nikon N60 can still capture better images then any DSLR on the market.
You can buy film in 100 foot rolls and re-spool it onto 35mm cartridges. It comes to about a buck per roll and you can process it by hand with simple and inexpensive equipment. Figure $2 per 35 exposure roll. I did exactly this back when I was in middle school (a few decades ago) The cost was afordable even for a 13 year old.
I still have some of those old negitives and some of them, when I paid attention to technique, are better quality then I can get today with my Nikon DSLR.
But today "everyone" (except for a few Fine Art photographers) is using digital. The real reason is NOT to save money but to get faster results and quick turn around.
For learning I don't like digital. People tend to just shoot 200 frames in the hope one will turn out OK. This teaches you nothing. Better to stop and think, Move the tripod over one foot to the right and look again and then look at the light an wait, maybe for a cloud to move to a better spot. Then take just one frame. That said, if I shoot film again it will be 4x5 sheet film. It cost about $1 per frame but I'd shoot 10 frames a week, still cheaper than digital and I'd liley get 4 good shoots, about as many as I'd get with my DSLR. My definition of "good shoot" is one that a person un-connected with the subject would find interesting. This is a harsh definition as it eliminated 99.99% of all snap shots people take.
One other thing: If your goal is to learn photography, th first step is to find books with photos inside. The library is the best place. Look at those over sized coffee table books with photos from famous photographers inside. Find the ones you like, find the photographers you like. Then set out to emulate that style.
Make yourself an asignment to make "four images inthe style of X". You mught have to shoot 100 frames to get four keepers. Run this all the way through your workflow and make four good prints. Then make a new asignment.
All that said was really just to get you thinking differently then simply following the crowd. Seriously I'd think you'd want to get a used, entry level DSLR for no more then $250. Then start shooting some self-asinments and attempt to learn the styles of photos you've found in books wit the DSLR. You could get started with film for under $100 but you'd have to learn a LOT more before you could make the first image. Digital is technically far simpler and you can start with near zero study.
