Looking for advice for a beginner

[Emmanuelle]

I must confess I don't know anything about photography. The only thing I know is I like it. I like enjoying good picture. I would like to learn how to make a good picture. What is the easiest way to begin ? Should I start with pictures of people or nature ? My dream is walking in the city with a camera and making photographs about every moment. What are your tips to make a good picture (not especially technical tips) ?

Furthermore I would like to buy a good camera, not a professional one necessarily, but a good one. I would like to have a good value for money. What do you suggest as brand ?

Thank you

 

[SnappingShark]

step 1: get an entry level nikon or canon dslr I would say - these are a cheap entry into photography these days.
step 2: read the manual
step 3: shoot around the house, your neighborhood
step 4: learn to edit the images
step 5: read lots of material on composition and style (forget equipment until you've reached the limit of your current camera).
step 6: figure out what you need that your camera doesn't give you
step 7: acquire GAS.
step 8: admit it.
step 9: nobody gets here .. failure on step 8 is pretty much the end game

EDITED TO ADD - THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL LIST

 

[Microbois]

I would recommend to spend a week or two with a good book on photography first to get your feet wet. You'll need to understand the basics of photography because if you don't spend the time to learn them now, you'll have to do so later, and in the meantime, you will fill up your memory card with missed shots. Not knowing what you do is a good way to lose interest and eventually give up a very fun and rewarding hobby. It's cheaper to give up after reading a 30$ book, than giving up after having invested hundred or thousand of dollars worth of gear that is not appropriate to your needs...

Next, figure out what type of photography you want to do. Each type of photography : people, landscape, birds, sports, macro, monuments, architecture, street photo, and you name it, has its own requirements on the technical side, and the type of gear you need to use. Once you have that part figured out, it will be much easier to pick the right camera for you. It's very easy to spend too much money in this hobby...

Getting suggestions for a camera now, without even knowing what you want to shoot, is like being proposed a huge Hummer when all you need may be in fact a bicycle. Don't burn the steps, nor your passion for photography.

Good luck!

 

[BrickHouse]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say: just get out there and have fun. Shoot, shoot, shoot. If it's a hobby, if it's not for business or a class or whatever, then maintain the piece that is fun for you and don't try to get too technical in the beginning. Let your love and passion for photography blossom and when it becomes important for your images to improve so that you can keep loving them, you can delve into the techniques. Nothing squashes a new love for something faster than trying to hold yourself to standards that are too high right away. Let yourself be a beginning hobbiest and just enjoy the hell out of it.

 

[soufiej]

I don't think anyone here would disagree when I say, to be a good photographer, you must first learn to see. If you can't "see" a good photo in your head before you pick up your camera, then what gear you own and how technically advanced you have become through study of the subject is really insufficient to get your images noticed. For instance, if you have looked, you would have seen multiple threads on this forum which ask the exact same question you have asked. So, why didn't you simply read a few of those threads?

This is crucial to your development, you must be aware of what is around you and in front of your very nose. If you can look at a page of threads and not see the answer to your question, then, IMO, you are equally unaware of the fantastic scene playing out in your own backyard right now or tomorrow when you are downtown or wherever you go, whenever you go. If you can't see that every minute that ticks by brings a new opportunity for a good photograph, then don't pick up a camera until you can.

One of the hallmarks of a good photographer, I feel, is the ability to arouse curiosity in the person viewing their work. A good photo makes the viewer want to know more about the the people, the place and the situation exposed in that image. They give the viewer a sense there is more to see just beyond the edges of the photograph. To show that level of interest in other people and other places and other things, the photographer must first be curious themself. The student photographer must always be on the look out for those brief moments when something is about to occur. Even if that is simply the passing of the sun across a statue which has existed for one thousand years or a landscape which has been forever. If you cannot see something interesting in even the most mundane subject, then you'll stand around and stand around waiting for something to happen that you can photograph. Which brings us back to, what didn't you notice when you looked at this page?

Your question has been answered over and over again on this forum.

Read those threads.

They will give you the best technical advice for a student photographer and they will give you the best subjective advice for a student photographer. We all began by having an interest and wondering which way to go. Some of us found a "mentor" of sorts who gave us a rough understanding of the basic rules which control photography and some simply went out and started taking snapshots. Eventually, some of us got better and some of us got bored. If you remain curious and you are able to see what others miss, you won't get bored. You will force yourself to get better.

If you have a local independent camera shop in your area, go there. If they sell used cameras, buy a used Canon or Nikon with a single focal length lens. Do not begin your life as a photographer with a zoom lens. The reasons for this advice will become clear once you've started to use a single focal length lens. Ask if the shop provides tutorials for their clients. If so, take one or two. Develop a friendship with the shop to the point they know your name when you walk in. Don't be a pest but stop by when there are no or few other customers just to say hello and ask a question or two. To see what's new. Don't bother them on a busy weekend or you will quickly become the person they all avoid when they see you coming. If the shop is busy when you walk in, just listen to the conversations without being nosey.

What would you do if you wanted to learn how to cook Italian food? You'd first learn what good Italian food tasted like. Do the same with photography. Be curious. Look at other photographer's work and try to conceive in your head how they took a shot you like. Read about how they might have taken that shot. Then go duplicate as best you can that shot.

You need to know what good photography is and you must learn to see a good photograph in advance of aiming your lens without being led by the hand. Start by reading the threads on this forum which ask the same questions you have. If you have further questions, look through the forum for your answer.

But first, you must see what there is to see.

 

[DevC]

I'd say grab a camera (a phone one will do as phone cameras are great!) and just go out and start shooting. While not shooting, learn, watch videos, edit, etc...just submerge yourself. Don't hesitate!

 

[Designer]

I must confess I don't know anything about photography. The only thing I know is I like it. I like enjoying good picture. I would like to learn how to make a good picture. What is the easiest way to begin ? Should I start with pictures of people or nature ? My dream is walking in the city with a camera and making photographs about every moment. What are your tips to make a good picture (not especially technical tips) ?

Furthermore I would like to buy a good camera, not a professional one necessarily, but a good one. I would like to have a good value for money. What do you suggest as brand ?

Thank you

The easiest way to begin is to simply use whatever camera you have or can afford.

Take pictures of anything that interests you. The subject doesn't matter so much as learning good composition.

My advice is to look at some photographs that you like for inspiration. Learn what makes a good composition. You might have to consult some art books about that.

I have what is called an "entry level" digital single-lens reflex. Mine is the Nikon D5000. Not the most expensive, but I can mount different lenses, and use remote flash.

 

[Microbois]

Gosh! What was I thinking... Sorry for my misguidance!

<Sacarstic mode : /ON>
I agree with the others; skip all the technical stuff, you don't need that crap at all. You like taking pictures? Well, take pictures! Fill up your computer with zillions of pictures! Have fun, enjoy the hobby, and since learning is so boring and old fashion, don't be hard on yourself if you don't need to! Why make any efforts when there are so many automatic modes on modern cameras taking care of that for ya? You need a camera? Oh, well, take your phone, or buy any camera that fits your budget or your... purse. Don't get into any technical stuff just yet, as it will kill your creativity and your ability to "see". Sorry, you can't do both at the same time as it's impossible for our brains. Happily join that ever increasing crowd of people who purchased great cameras, but just can't use them outside full AUTO mode.
<Sacarstic mode : /OFF>

All right, back to Earth now... While you may manage to make some good pictures in full auto mode, more often that not, you'll need to use your camera in manual mode so this is where your basic photography knowledge will come into play. You have the choice to learn it before, or afterwards. I guess everyone is different, but I don't know which is more depressing : Investing one hour of your time to learn the core basics of photography that will unlock your hability to correctly expose pictures, or spend countless hours taking pictures for which you have no clue, no control, and end up wondering what went wrong on most of them. I'm guessing that for some here, the deception of reviewing missed shots after missed shots will be the greatest incentive to get serious and do it right.

Seriously, just as you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you can learn the basics of photography AND learn how to "see" at the same time. One does not exclude the other. I remember when I learned photography some 30+ years ago, I read the book "The Complete Encyclopeadia of Photography" by Michael Langford. This book has been instrumental in helping me to learn how to see with numerous examples. I liked the fact that it was split into small topics of a 1-2-3 pages long covering specific subjects (light direction, light quality, surfaces, textures, contrast, tonal range, reflection, shadows, shapes, mass, colors, expressions, composition, framing, point of view, structure, depth of field, movement, etc). I would then go out and practice the topics I was more interested in until I nailed it. It didn't take long that I developped that photographic eye and images were quickly shaping up in my head, but I had the knowledge to make them happen as I was envisioning them in my head. This is being a photographer. If you don't know what you are doing, you're not a photographer, but you're just taking a picture. There's a world of differences between these two!

Just an analogy with astronomy... Beginners always want to know which telescope they need to buy to start into the hobby, but the best advice they can get is to buy a 10$ star finder and learn how to locate themselves in the night sky. Most of them don't go beyond this step and give up. Total expense : 10$ For those who start with a telescope first, they quickly realize it's useless because they can't locate themselves in the night sky, and they have no clue what they are looking at. The telescope get used once or twice and end up in the closet. Total cost : hundreds if not a couple thousands of dollars. Smart! And for those who learned how to find the stars they are looking for, they soon realize they needed a different telescope...

Do it right the first time. Get the knowledge first, and you will know which gear to buy. Knowledge is cheap, but gear is expensive. It's much easier on the wallet to trow away a book than expensive gear...

Good luck!

 

[rudimaes]

Read much about photography and take many pictures with all kinds of setting.
A good allround camera is the Panasonic FZ1000. It's a bridge (fixed lens camera, that
looks like and has many features of a DSLR).
Rudi

 

[The_Traveler]

You know why kids really love to snap around with a simple camera?
It is easy, it hasn't cost them any money, it takes no effort or knowledge and, if the pictures turn really bad, they don't know it.

Well, good photography isn't cheap, it certainly isn't easy and, as an adult who sees other people's pictures, you will know when you've failed.
It is typical for someone new to photography to see a well composed, well exposed, well edited picture and think 'with a decent camera, I can do that'; but generally they really can't and there is a long steep hill to be able to produce good pictures - and perhaps you'll find you don't like the climb and will get discouraged easily.

(An old friend of mine, looked at my website and decided he would love to take pictures on an upcoming long trip to Asia. When he wrote to me, I replied saying I would loan him a camera and a decent zoom lens to try out. He of course replied that, as soon as he sent the email, he had gone out to a local camera store and bought an OMD 5 and three Panasonic lenses - probably $3500 worth. He came back from the trip and emailed me saying that he had taken 3500 pictures and none of them looked like as good as mine. [Not that I'm great, just proficient] Now, he is deeply disappointed and out $3500 dollars and some self-respect.)

Try snapping a few pictures with the simplest, cheapest camera you can. See if you like it, post pictures for comments and, before you invest a lot of money and emotion into being a photographer, try it out.

 

[BrickHouse]

Gosh! What was I thinking... Sorry for my misguidance!

<Sacarstic mode : /ON>
I agree with the others; skip all the technical stuff, you don't need that crap at all. You like taking pictures? Well, take pictures! Fill up your computer with zillions of pictures! Have fun, enjoy the hobby, and since learning is so boring and old fashion, don't be hard on yourself if you don't need to! Why make any efforts when there are so many automatic modes on modern cameras taking care of that for ya? You need a camera? Oh, well, take your phone, or buy any camera that fits your budget or your... purse. Don't get into any technical stuff just yet, as it will kill your creativity and your ability to "see". Sorry, you can't do both at the same time as it's impossible for our brains. Happily join that ever increasing crowd of people who purchased great cameras, but just can't use them outside full AUTO mode.
<Sacarstic mode : /OFF>

All right, back to Earth now... While you may manage to make some good pictures in full auto mode, more often that not, you'll need to use your camera in manual mode so this is where your basic photography knowledge will come into play. You have the choice to learn it before, or afterwards. I guess everyone is different, but I don't know which is more depressing : Investing one hour of your time to learn the core basics of photography that will unlock your hability to correctly expose pictures, or spend countless hours taking pictures for which you have no clue, no control, and end up wondering what went wrong on most of them. I'm guessing that for some here, the deception of reviewing missed shots after missed shots will be the greatest incentive to get serious and do it right.

Seriously, just as you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you can learn the basics of photography AND learn how to "see" at the same time. One does not exclude the other. I remember when I learned photography some 30+ years ago, I read the book "The Complete Encyclopeadia of Photography" by Michael Langford. This book has been instrumental in helping me to learn how to see with numerous examples. I liked the fact that it was split into small topics of a 1-2-3 pages long covering specific subjects (light direction, light quality, surfaces, textures, contrast, tonal range, reflection, shadows, shapes, mass, colors, expressions, composition, framing, point of view, structure, depth of field, movement, etc). I would then go out and practice the topics I was more interested in until I nailed it. It didn't take long that I developped that photographic eye and images were quickly shaping up in my head, but I had the knowledge to make them happen as I was envisioning them in my head. This is being a photographer. If you don't know what you are doing, you're not a photographer, but you're just taking a picture. There's a world of differences between these two!

Just an analogy with astronomy... Beginners always want to know which telescope they need to buy to start into the hobby, but the best advice they can get is to buy a 10$ star finder and learn how to locate themselves in the night sky. Most of them don't go beyond this step and give up. Total expense : 10$ For those who start with a telescope first, they quickly realize it's useless because they can't locate themselves in the night sky, and they have no clue what they are looking at. The telescope get used once or twice and end up in the closet. Total cost : hundreds if not a couple thousands of dollars. Smart! And for those who learned how to find the stars they are looking for, they soon realize they needed a different telescope...

Do it right the first time. Get the knowledge first, and you will know which gear to buy. Knowledge is cheap, but gear is expensive. It's much easier on the wallet to trow away a book than expensive gear...

Good luck!

Dude, your Aspergers is acting up. It's ok for 2 people to disagree on how to love something. Slow your roll.

 

[soufiej]

Try snapping a few pictures with the simplest, cheapest camera you can. See if you like it, post pictures for comments and, before you invest a lot of money and emotion into being a photographer, try it out.

Everyone has their favorite cameras but here's a fairly decent one for well under $150; Canon PowerShot S110 Black Refurbished Canon Online Store

Recommended Cameras

Canon PowerShot S110 Review - DigitalCameraReview

 

[BillM]

Read up on three topics, The Exposure Triangle, Depth of Field and The Rule of Thirds. Then just start shooting what you like. There are beautiful pictures all around us, you just need to see them.

 

[mama tee]

Hi Emmannuelle; hi all!

I'm new to the forums too and as my name suggests, I'm a mom looking for advice on how to take great photos. The only camera I have is a point-and-shoot Sony cybershot (acquired 10 years ago). Question to experts is how I can wing taking good child photos with a cheap camera