Beginner Advice

No need at all for apology, Cindy. I was simply being melodramatic.

But know that because you did, you stand very tall in my sight.

And that was my very first group hug! I owe you, big time.
 
elsaspet said:
Group Hug.
All right. Who has my wallet?


I think a lot depends on what kind of mindset you have. I have a big tech background in addition to my artistic side, so learning about all the specifics has helped me a lot and I really enjoyed it. But I also can't stand a classroom, so that side of it doesn't work for me. I got it all from reading.

If you can swing it, I do thing it helps to learn the "why" behind the what. You might be able to do great without it, but knowing what all the levers actually do can really boost what you are able to do with them.
 
elsaspet said:
I do this full time, and I'm embarrassed to tell you I couldn't figure out how to figure out a flash ratio if my very life depended on it. But I've done it enough, (without knowing the how or why because frankly I don't care) to do it in my sleep. School would have been a real kill joy to me.
Make it fun.

I'd just like to point out that school isn't all about learning ratios and figures, in any good school they should bring out your creative elements as well as the technical.

I know that's not what you meant elsapet, but you can read things in lots of different ways!
 
A well-rounded photographer should know the following:

1. The mechanics of photography -- shutter speeds, lens openings, depth of focus, ISO speeds, light metering, digital processing, etc. In other words, the 'scientific' side of photography.

2. Composition and the effect(s) of light and color. In other words, the 'artistic' side of photography.

3. Finally, the photographer should know his/her camera(s) very well so that the scientific knowledge can be smoothly put to work to support the artistic effort.

All of this can be accomplished through self-study. But it can be a slow and rough road for some. A formal course will provide the information in a structured format. A course can make it easier to learn and to understand. And then there is the one inalienable right of the student: to ask a question and expect a valid answer. That right comes as an important side benefit with a course.
 
thanks for your help people. i will certainly go scouting around libraries etc. for books!
 
Torus34 said:
A well-rounded photographer should know the following:

1. The mechanics of photography -- shutter speeds, lens openings, depth of focus, ISO speeds, light metering, digital processing, etc. In other words, the 'scientific' side of photography.

2. Composition and the effect(s) of light and color. In other words, the 'artistic' side of photography.

3. Finally, the photographer should know his/her camera(s) very well so that the scientific knowledge can be smoothly put to work to support the artistic effort.

All of this can be accomplished through self-study. But it can be a slow and rough road for some. A formal course will provide the information in a structured format. A course can make it easier to learn and to understand. And then there is the one inalienable right of the student: to ask a question and expect a valid answer. That right comes as an important side benefit with a course.
That's why you should start out with 35mm. IMO, any beginner should start with film because it keeps the budding photographer from just shooting shooting and shooting without worrying about composition. With 35mm, you only have 12, 24, or 36 exposures per roll, so you'll need to pay more attention to your composition, and make your shots worth a slide. Film isn't cheap, and that's why it’s good to start out with because you'll want to get the most out of your dollar.

Old, manual focus SLR's are dirt cheap, and by far the best for beginners. Manual cameras like the FE, FM, etc, don't have millions of settings, so you'll be able to understand what everything does real quick. Also, every photographer should have experience with working manual equipment so you know what you need to do when you use manual modes in automatic SLR's, and so you’ll have the background in them.

All-in-all, manual 35mm SLR's are simple and offer the best educational tools for beginners, because people who have never used an SLR and out of nowhere buy a rebel XT, or D50, are just crazy. It would be like me, who knows what an airplane is, but doesn't know how to fly one, just go and hop into an F-16 and try to fly it. No way.

Like with airplanes, you start with a piper cub and work your way up, with cameras, you start with film, and work your way towards the more complicated digital.

EDIT: Once you get an SLR, buy as many photography books as you can afford, they are the best thing EVER.
 

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