New to Photography..

KrazyLikeafox

Hi all,

Im new to boards, and new also to Photography

Basically, Im just wondering if people can advise me.
Ive had an interest in photography for a long time now, but never really did anything about it. I have bought a few books to introduce me to the basics, and am looking to do a course also.

Does anyone have any good advise for a complete starter, i have a 35mm camera that i got, and tried it out a few times but i got about 4 good photos from each roll.

Should I really be looking at digital photography, or is it better to start on what i have, being the old processing camera. I started learning guitar on Classical, and found the move to acoustic was then much easier, I am wondering is it the same for photography moving into digital.

Any other advise for a starter would be very much appreciated..

Thirdfox

Hmm I suspect there will be a lot of different opinions on the film vs. digital debate. But as a beginner I would definitely recommend going digital (even if with a p&s) to have the ability of getting instant feedback on the image you took. If you want to save money get a decent p&s for around E150 and learn about photography by taking lots of photos on it (the film is free!)

Once you've grasped the basics of photography e.g. iso, aperture, exposure, composition etc. and reached the limit of the p&s you will find yourself getting many more keepers with your film SLR (what brand is it btw?) At that point though you may find that the ease of digital will have you lusting after a dSLR

One thing I wouldn't really recommend is doing a course - most courses cover very simple ideas that are easily understood by reading a book. If you were using digital you could just take the book and your camera and go out and shoot - and practise what you've read. Using film it is a lot more expensive to try and do that so maybe a course wouldn't be a waste in your situation (many courses require you to have a film SLR and not digital).

Thirdfox

Okay going through your flickr set I see you're using a k750i to take pictures right now - the pictures look only okay (down to the equipment and not the photographer) composition wise things look pretty good.

If I were in your situation I would buy a p&s (one that I will keep even if I upgrade to a dSLR - handy for social gatherings etc.) - learn about photography and if I want to more to the next stage buy a dSLR.

Film is great fun too! Finding my father's Seagull from 20 years ago was what piqued my interest (but I found film prohibitively expensive).

...ps photography is expensive in general - people can spend huge amounts of money on lenses, bodies etc. My very modest kit would probably cost around E1100 in Ireland (thank goodness I didn't buy it here!)

KrazyLikeafox

Thanks a mill for the advise Thirdfox...

Its a Pentax 35mm. I was advised its the standard for anyone starting off..

youll have to excuse my complete ignorance here, but what is P&S?

You make a good point about the digital option, which i think i will need to go for. At least it will problably save money on the long run instead of developing photos that will probably turn out wrong anyway

Having said that, I might get some introduction course done first, to get the basics of ISO, appeture etc.. and that should give me a good foundation to go off happy snapping for a while.

Ya im using the classic 750i at the moment there are times when id have loved to have a proper camera with me, but the 750i was the best i could muster up at the time...

I realise it will end up being an expensive hobby but I believe it will be all worth it in the end.. maybe ill give up the ciggies and use the money saved for equitment...

Ok, im off to tear up a packet of fags...

Thanks again Thirdfox..

Thirdfox

Sorry about not being clear - a P&S is a "point and shoot" camera - not derogatory in anyway to the skills of a person who uses this but that it is very easy to point and shoot a picture (instead of fiddling with lots of buttons and switches). Funnily enough many Canon point and shoots have really extensive manual settings (I heartily recommend them - this coming from someone who uses Nikon!)

I heard about the Pentax being a photo-student's best friend - cheap and cheerful (for film at least). I am a student and my resources are limited - if I had a film SLR I would probably do a course too (I wouldn't be able to afford to take a few thousand photos to learn "on the job" as it were.) But the price of a course would probably buy you a lens or flashgun...something to consider there.

Some websites you can look at:
www.dpreview.com
www.bythom.com (he uses Nikon but tips are applicable to all)
www.kenrockwell.com (a bit controversial - take what he says with a pinch of salt but there are some good introductions to the basics of photography on it)

And finally, you're welcome - I only started posting on this forum recently and found its members exceedingly helpful. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

KrazyLikeafox

Your a Gem, had a quick look, good links and lots of handy into on them, cheers..

Had a look at your flickr photos - very impressive, its good to see techniques used by others.. rob a few ideas as it were

As toy how you got a seal to wink at you, I wont ask.. great photo though..

CraggyIslander

Hi there KrazyLikeaFox,

First off, welcome to boards :-)

Am very much a newbie myself, up until last year hadnt touched a camera for 10odd years and found myself in the deep-end when I got a digital slr.

Using an all manual praktika camera and expensive slide film made me really pay attention to what I was doing and I learned a lot of the stuff on iso, aperture, exposure etc. When I switched to digital this stuff was still in the back of my head... but had gotten muddled and with hindsight I was sometimes applying settings that we're the complete opposite of what I should have done.......

IT and Guinness had fried to many of my brain cells

Long story short, I recently picked up a copy of 'understanding exposure' as it came highly recommended by other boardsies, and having read the first couple of chapters its brilliant. For me its refreshing and a few 'duh, how could I've forgotten that' moments later and a lot of stuff is flooding back to me.

Cant recommend the book highly enough, easy to read with a lot of info :-) I picked mine up from Chapters on parnell st for 25euro, they ordered the revised edition for me from the states.

KrazyLikeafox

Thanks for tip, and the welcome Fred..

I must have a look at that book, sounds good....

Thirdfox

KrazyLikeafox wrote: »

Ya im using the classic 750i at the moment there are times when id have loved to have a proper camera with me, but the 750i was the best i could muster up at the time...

I realise it will end up being an expensive hobby but I believe it will be all worth it in the end.. maybe ill give up the ciggies and use the money saved for equitment...

Ok, im off to tear up a packet of fags...

Thanks again Thirdfox..

Just noticed the edit - giving up the smoking would be great (especially if photography not only gave you great images but also better health - all that fresh air as you go trekking for landscape photography etc.) I'll stop my sermonising now

Eirebear

Giving up smokings hell..but two weeks on and iv managed to get a new tripod!
well worth it
welcome crazylikafox

as for the digital thing, thirdfox mentioned canon P&S, and while im very much a canon fan in the DSLR department the Nikon coolpixp5000 is a wee belter and has very extensive manual settings if thats what your after.

Thirdfox

Lol I'm the exact opposite! (Nikon D40 dSLR but would recommend Canon powershots to my friends ) They have extensive manual settings too.

Eirebear

Thirdfox wrote: »

Lol I'm the exact opposite! (Nikon D40 dSLR but would recommend Canon powershots to my friends ) They have extensive manual settings too.

lol i bought the coolpix simply because it was cheaper (i was getting my 30D at the same time what a day that was! )
The only thing that lets it down for me in terms of the canon is the power the zoom, 3x compared to 6x? but to be honest i generally use it for people shots in pubs, clubs etc where i dont want to risk the canon.

Dink

I'm off the smokes since 31st July!! It was at this time that I decided to upgrade and dive into the deep end of buying a Dslr. I went to the credit union, took out a loan which I pay back by the amount I used to spend on smokes every week. I am so happy with my Canon 40D! Every time I feel like I need a cig now, I pick up my new camera and think to myself....Which would I rather have? It's an easy choice!

ThOnda

Dink - I love you.
Don't take it personally, but I can't stand smoking. Unless it is cigar from Kuba twice a year.

RoryW

Fred C. Dobbs wrote: »

Hi there KrazyLikeaFox,

'understanding exposure' ..... I picked mine up from Chapters on parnell st for 25euro, they ordered the revised edition for me from the states.

i saw a number of copies in waterstones a week ago

p.s. welcome to boards.

CraggyIslander

aargghh and 3-4weeks ago when I went looking neither waterstones nor hodges & figges had it...... ah well have my own copy now after all

leinsterdude

Hi,I have sent photos to a magazine for them:eek: to show a bike in it,they say they are not good enough for printing,its from a 4million m pixel digital camera,I emailed them,what could I do apart from paying a pro the money,would a better camera be the answer,they are UK based so can not help me,any tips??? Thanks.

challengemaster

This confuses me greatly. 4 million mega pixel camera?

*orders translator*

leinsterdude

are u taking the mick?

Fajitas!

leinsterdude wrote: »

Hi,I have sent photos to a magazine for them:eek: to show a bike in it,they say they are not good enough for printing,its from a 4million m pixel digital camera,I emailed them,what could I do apart from paying a pro the money,would a better camera be the answer,they are UK based so can not help me,any tips??? Thanks.

I think what CM means is that you have a 4 Megapixel camera, rather than 4 million megapixel.

Anyways, you'll basically need a better camera, but ask yourself is it worth your while getting a new camera? Will you get the use out of it, or would you be better off getting a pro, or someone pretty into it to take the photos. They may have some better concepts on shooting the bike, and will most likely have a higher resolution camera.

challengemaster

whut he said.

City-Exile

leinsterdude wrote: »

Hi,I have sent photos to a magazine for them:eek: to show a bike in it,they say they are not good enough for printing,its from a 4million m pixel digital camera,I emailed them,what could I do apart from paying a pro the money,would a better camera be the answer,they are UK based so can not help me,any tips??? Thanks.

You took pictures of a bike, to have printed in a magazine?
Just to confuse things a bit more, high mega-pixels doesn't necessarily translate into quality. For example, my phone has a 5mp camera, but the quality isn't good enough for decent prints. Much of that is down to the lens & image processor.

Maybe someone on here could help you getting decent, print quality shots.
The quality for a colour magazine would be much higher than for, lets say, a tabloid.

leinsterdude

Was thinking of buying a camera also,so if I could take a chance without costing the earth what could work for me?thanks.:)