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Photography for dummies

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    Photography for dummies

    As I have gotten older and killed a few decent animals I tend to be more of a spectator than a killer these days. I have been thinking of purchasing a camera for awhile now and I would like to take the plunge here fairly quickly. My interest would primarily be the outdoors/wildlife with some occasional city stuff but probably still outdoors or architecture. So when I say dummy this is about as accurate as I could describe my knowledge of photography.
    I have sifted through multiple beginner threads but even then they are slightly above my head. Where should I start? Specifically a camera that can advance with me in addition of books or tutorials for beginners that are at least mildly interesting. I tend to go all in on new hobbies at least for few years so I would love to start with some decent equipment. Should I be looking new or used. Certain things/brands to avoid, sites for used or new equipment?
    Any feedback would be greatly appreciated or if there is a thread you would suggest that I may have overlooked would be appreciated.

    Thanks again!
    Brad
    Last edited by myway; 12-20-2020, 07:59 AM.

    #2
    I found this book, written by a TBHr, to be fantastic when I first started. I can’t really help with camera questions. I feel that’s personal preference. Used stuff will definitely get you into nicer equipment faster. Lots of people out there who buy nice DSLR stuff and sell it because it sits in a closet.

    The KODAK Most Basic Book of Digital Nature Photography https://www.amazon.com/dp/1600591418..._bz13Fb9SQMNGC
    Last edited by justhrowit; 12-20-2020, 07:52 AM.

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      #3
      I prefer DSLR cameras because you can change lenses (telephoto for wildlife, wide angle for urban/landscapes, etc) and because they tend to have more features than point/shoot cameras. Buy the best lense(s) you can afford!

      In terms of how to get great results, the thing that helped me the most was learning about the Rule of Thirds. Much has been written about this but here's an example article:
      https://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds/

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        #4
        Understanding Exposure is a great book to get you started. Gear is secondary to knowledge.

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          #5
          Originally posted by Casey View Post
          Understanding Exposure is a great book to get you started. Gear is secondary to knowledge.
          Thank you guys! I ordered both.

          Casey,
          I have enjoyed you, Michael’s and Legdogs photos over the years and y’all’s threads have been what has inspired me along with the monthly contest. So thank you for the response.
          Do you recommend getting a few books in before I start think about equipment? Do you recommend all the editions of Understanding Exposure?
          I am certain I will have more questions so I appreciate all the input.
          Thanks again!

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Casey View Post
            Understanding Exposure is a great book to get you started. Gear is secondary to knowledge.
            This is a great book. As far as which camera to start with take your pick of brand and research what you like. Camera brands are like cars. Everyone like something different. I’ve just recently gotten into and had no idea how much stuff I “needed” to buy

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              #7
              Shane posted this on a thread while back and I saved it. Very good info and breaks some stuff down for beginners


              Shutter speed is set in the camera. It's one of the 3 settings that determine your exposure. Here's my explanation of exposure settings from a thread a few years ago....

              The analogy that I use for the 3 main settings (ISO, shutter speed, and aperture) is this....

              The aperture, designated by f/stop number, is similar to the pupil in your eye. The bigger the aperture/pupil, the more light comes in. The only thing that can be confusing is that lower f/stop numbers equate to bigger aperture openings. So f/22 is a really small opening that lets in only a tiny amount of light while f/2.8 is a really large aperture that lets in a lot of light. If you are shooting a scene in bright sunlight, then you can choose a small aperture setting (bigger f/stop number), because you have a lot of bright light to work with. If you are shooting a scene in dim light conditions, then you will probably need to set the f/stop to a low number so you'll have a big wide-open aperture to let in as much light as possible.

              The other thing that aperture size will do for you, besides regulating the amount of light passing through the lens, is that it will vary the depth of field. Depth of field is the depth of what is in focus in your image. A tiny aperture opening will bring more things into focus. Things that are both near and far away, relative to whatever you focused the lens on when you take your shot can generally be more in focus with a smaller aperture. If you want to have a narrow depth of field so that only your subject is in focus while everything else is blurred out, then you need to use a larger aperture (low f/stop number).

              Next we get to the 2nd setting: shutter speed. The shutter is similar to your eyelid. The longer it stays open, the more light it lets in. If it opens and shuts really fast, then only a small amount of light gets in. If you are in bright light, then you'll likely need to use a faster shutter speed. If you are in low light, then you'll probably need to use a slower shutter speed.

              Shutter speed variations do something else as well. If you want to freeze fast-moving objects, like stopping the action in sports photography, then you need a fast shutter speed. But if you want to show the blurred action of moving objects, then you need the shutter to be open for a longer time in order to pick up all the movement that you are after.

              The 3rd setting is ISO. A high ISO number (1600, 3200, 6400, etc...) is like your naked eye. It is very sensitive to light, and it picks up detail very easily. You may need to squint or open and shut your eyes really quickly when it is really bright.

              A low ISO number is like your eye behind sunglasses. It makes your eye less sensitive to light, so you don't have to squint and you can leave your eyes open longer in bright light. But in dim light you may not be able to see very well, so you'd need to remove your sunglasses.

              ISO also has another effect on the photo. Higher ISO numbers will make photos in low light situations brighter, but it comes with a price. Higher ISO settings cause the image to have more "noise" or grainy appearance.

              Everything about choosing camera settings is a trade-off. You have 3 different settings that you could adjust to make an exposure brighter or darker, and each of the 3 have side-effects. Which side-effect do you want? Which one do you NOT want? Which one can you live with if you have to, even though you'd prefer not to have it?

              I start with the side-effect that I want, and then I work from there. If I am shooting sports, then I definitely want to stop fast action. That means I must have a fast shutter speed. That costs me light, so if I am not shooting in bright sunlight then I have to open up my aperture and/or move to a higher ISO setting. I go to higher ISO as a last resort, because I want to minimize noise. But once you open up your aperture all the way, if you still need more light in order to get a good exposure with a fast shutter, then you have to start boosting ISO.

              If I am shooting a portrait or something and I want only my subject to be in focus while everything in the background is blurred out, then I must shoot the shot with a large aperture (low f/stop). That lets in a lot of light, so if I have fairly bright light to begin with, then I will need to shoot a low ISO and/or a faster shutter speed to keep from over-exposing the shot.

              There are always more than one combination of settings that will give you a proper exposure of light in a given situation. But the side-effects will vary, depending on which combination of settings you use. It's all about the trade-offs.....

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                #8
                Great stuff thank you!

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                  #9
                  Good advice from some folks up above. Id also recommend going to YouTube. There are some really fantastic tutorials on there that can take you through the most basic settings down to some really in depth knowledge.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by myway View Post
                    Thank you guys! I ordered both.



                    Casey,

                    I have enjoyed you, Michael’s and Legdogs photos over the years and y’all’s threads have been what has inspired me along with the monthly contest. So thank you for the response.

                    Do you recommend getting a few books in before I start think about equipment? Do you recommend all the editions of Understanding Exposure?

                    I am certain I will have more questions so I appreciate all the input.

                    Thanks again!
                    Every camera out there is more capable than every beginner that picks it up. I think you should have camera in hand while you're reading, researching and learning. I like Canon cameras and would suggest the Rebel line to get started. Don't be afraid of used gear as you can find pretty good deals on lightly used cameras.

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                      #11
                      Agree with Casey. I read the book he recommended many years ago with camera in hand. Also had the camera manual. This helped me learn both the photo taking process and the camera itself. This was with my first DSLR bought in 2005.



                      Camera brands are like bows. I started with Olympus, switched to Canon in 2014 and then to Sony in 2018. Read about the different brands.

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                        #12
                        Thanks guys. First book arrived today.

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