Beginner Advice

m.j.w

I just bought a Nikon D3200 recently and want to get into photography. Other than selecting the preset options I have no idea what to do. Whats the best way to learn. Are there any good tutorials online or is it worth paying for lessons?

Prenderb

Theres plenty of good advice available on the internet, I'd suggest you read up on the various controls - aperture, shutter speed, iso and become familiar with them by pointing the camera at peoples, places, and things and making mistakes!

Youtube will have lots of good videos and there are plenty of forums.

Local library would be a great place to get a beginner's book - I'm still the kind that likes to leaf through a paper based book, and they can be a great way to get through the various technicalities of operating the camera as well as framing and cropping and processing the image.

The best way to get started is to get started. Use auto, get to grips with the camera's feel, then once you've learned about aperture or shutter speed go to the aperture priority or shutter priority setting. Won't take long.

mlumley

Read the booklet that came with it, when you have done that, read it again and again. Most of what you need to know about your camera is in there. Then, go out and try the info you have learned, and dont forget to take the booklet with you, cos your sure as hell, going to need it. read all you can, then read it again. In this hobby, you'll never stop learning.

Find others who share your interest, and ask them for tips.

SPEND as much as you can on a good sturdy tripod, you'll not regret it.

Then, go out and have fun....and don't forget to show us what you have done. Good luck, and enjoy your new EXPENSIVE hobby.

topazkk

Join a camera club if there is one available in your area. They will normally have sections catering for beginners, intermediate and advanced. Organised outings with clubs are a great way to learn and most will probably run internal competitions for each level which is a great way to improve your photography by the feedback offered. In relation to tutorials there are some great ones to be found on youtube but in my opinion most cater for photographers slightly more advanced than beginner.

Check out.
www.lightstalking.com
or on

Youtube

adoramatv
phlearn

Brendan.

OldGoat

Go on photowalks whenever they are available to you.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057229083

D.S.

Really depends on how you learn best (tutorials, classroom, reading etc). Two books I found really helpful when I started were:

Understanding Exposure - Bryan Peterson (sp)
The Photographers eye - Martin Freeman

poundhound

I acquired my DSLR roughly the same time as NPhoto magazine started.

Its a monthly magazine focusing purely on Nikon cameras, lenses etc.

I found it invaluable in learning the basics and Ive chosen most of my kit based on its recommendations.

Its available in most newsagents.

jfSDAS

Congratulations on the new camera purchase m.j.w..!

I'm just getting back into photography after a very long hiatus and a few false starts. A recently published book which I have found very good is http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Beginners-Photography-Guide-Dk/dp/1409322793

Also, I'm making a point of reading the camera manual in detail this time round (am using a Canon 700D).

A couple of web sites I bookmarked are:

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com
http://www.dslrtips.com
http://www.photographymad.com
http://www.digital-photography-school.com

... and for astrophotography, which I'm in to, the best site on getting started is http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/TOC_AP.HTM

John

RoiSoleil

Joining a photography club can also be a great way of learning more.

Dave!

Guys would the first edition (2008) of Tom Ang's "Digital Photography Masterclass" still be relevant, or should I try get the latest one (2013) ? I'm not sure what the newer edition would have; maybe there's some software-related stuff which might be out of date in the 2008 edition?

Trying to not spend too much on it ideally! Gonna buy "Digital Photography Masterclass" and also "The Photographer's Eye"

Alltherage

If the choice is one or the other then the newer version, if there's a saving to be made then the older one plus a few coins would probably outweigh the new one. There's not too much has changed since 08.