Tuesday, May 08, 2007

digital SLR cameras and photography for dummies

I brought this book for SP a while ago, I am not saying he is a dummy but it was just after we brought a SLR digital camera so I thought it was a good idea. I forgot we had it until last night so it is now my aim to get better at using our camera. I have lots of ideas but I just don't know how to use the camera properly - I am sure there are heaps of great things it does I just need to learn how. So I am starting my 'how to use our camera to and how to become a better photographer' adventure.

Let's see how I go. You have to start somewhere right? and a book for dummies is as good a place as any ;)

If you have any top tips, do let me know!

11 comments:

Ashie said...

Those dummy books are always good and filled with tons of information. They work like charms if you really are a dummy! ;) Can't you tell I speak from experience?

Nixter said...

LOL Which dummy book did you have?

Will let you know how I go, what if I don't get it - what does that mean I am???

Ashie said...

I have "Sudoku for Dummies." It WAS (I graduated from that dummy book!) pretty helpful, but I've flipped through a few others at the store and found good stuff.

I'm sure you will get it. If not, well, I guess you are a dummy ;) You can join the club, we've got t-shirts!

Nixter said...

Oh I love Sudoku, when we flew to England with no TV to ourselves we did a zerzillion (slight exaggeration) of them...

I get a t-shirt??? - yippeee, I have always wanted one of those.

Anonymous said...

My tip would be, leave your camera on "P" mode - ie. manual mode all the time, and adjust the White Balance and ISO as necessary.

When you want to get more adventurous and aren't in a pressured environment, then go fully manual and adjust aperture and shutterspeed to get certain affects.

Also, if you're serious about photography and have the money (and want to spend it?) get yourself a nice lens. Most of the lenses that digi slrs come with aren't that good.

I have a portrait lens that i love, it goes down to 1.4 aperture, which is a bit crazy, but yeah. I love it.

Anonymous said...

Two tips for you:

1. Decide what it is that you are photographing, and fill the frame with it. Leave out, or blur out, everything else.

2. Novices take photos from standing eye level; so get down low, or get up high to make the shot interesting.

Ashie said...

Yeah, Sudoku is great for passing the time. Some members of my fam don't like it, probably cause they aren't smart enough to figure it out....jk! ;)

Sure, you can have a t-shirt, but you have to come over here to get it!

Christine said...

Hey Nix
i agree with Dave, they are pretty good tips. If you're after happy snaps they are good rules to follow. If you want to get 'arty' there is obviously heaps more creativity you can do. We should have a 'photographers day out' one day...

Nixter said...

Tops Tips Soph and Dave - thanks heaps,(I am not sure what ISO and white balance is - hence the need for this book) I will draw on my knowledge pool as and when I get stuck.. You rock!!!

Des - I would love to have a 'photographing' day trip - let's lock it in Eddie. I learn best by being shown so maybe that will help...

Nixter said...

OK Question. Can you turn a black and white photo into colour.

Anonymous said...

Finding a webpage of a Sydney Christian AND a photographer? Bliss!!

My suggestions?

1: GIve yourself a room in your house & then 15 minutes to try & capture either the room or something in the room in a new & appealing way. Half of photography is seeing opportunities where other people just see an object.

2: Get on top of aperture. Take about 10 pictures of an object, cycling up the numbers on the aperture as you go along. Having control of things like sharp/soft focus (and later on with things like 'bokeh') is really handy!