So I feel like I'm In Over My Head

rickabobaloey

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Title says it all. I picked up my camera today. I was planning on going w/ the Nikon D3000 but when I was at the store, the Canon Rebel XS 1000D just felt better to me. So that's what I went with.

I've got Understanding Exposure. I've got my manual for the XS. However, I'm getting overwhelmed already. Not really sure where I should start. Kind of wanting to take photos right now but it's nighttime and I'm unclear rather anything will turn out if I go outside.

I think full on manual mode is a little daunting for me at the moment.
 
Play on Av (aperture priority mode) for a bit. Take a pic with the Aperture set to like f/3.5 or however low it goes, then try the same photo at f/11 or f/16. Take it little by little though, it takes weeks, even months, to get familiar with all the settings and jargon. Keep in mind people pay to go to college for photography..

Just be patient and you'll be alright. Post some stuff here when you get the chance. Good luck!
 
Rick, hello and welcome to the forum.

One of the best features of your new camera is it is almost foolproof....thats right I said foolproof.

You can take a thousand photos, and if not one comes out satisfactorily, you can gleefully delete a thousand photos.

But...
Just by the percentages of luck, some of the photos may come out that satisfy you. You can review those shots and see how you successfully took those photos. As time goes by, you will get better and better using and understanding you camera.

So - get out there and practice. Google and read online, maybe purchase some photography books and RTB - Read The Book(s). Do not expect overnight success and you are on your way.

Good Luck and I am sure in a couple of months the overwhelming feeling will turn to excitement!!!
 
I guess the saying 'Rome wasn't built in a day' has some merit here too, huh? ;)

I read Understanding Exposure back when I got it (about a month and a half ago) but because I didn't have a camera a lot of the stuff went right over my head. Should re-read it again and practice the techniques as I read.

Thanks for the advice guys! Even though I'm feeling overwhelmed, it is quite exciting. :D
 
Hi Rick!

The camera you chose is a great one to begin with! I started with the Canon Rebel XTi which is for beginners about 5 years ago, and I am scared to upgrade because I have learned the ins and outs of my camera. I know it better than MYSELF!

Don't be afraid to go outside. That's the best thing you can do. It took me about a year to feel confident enough to go out, take a shot and have it turn out badly, and turn around and know exactly what to do to make it right. At some point, you will just start doing things without even thinking.

I have been taking college courses for years, but nothing teaches me more than the practice I get on my own time. Just keep going! Post pics soon!
 
It's not that hard. Just read and play around. Don't get tangled up in the notion that you have to buy, buy, buy to be a better photographer.
 
I read and read and read for 2 years before I bought my Dslr and I can say that all that reading was invaluable but it wasn't able to literally teach me how to use my camera. I had to teach myself by practicing. Practice all ofthe settings. I gave myself a lot of time to just sit and play with all of he settings and I was able to see how all the things I've read really work and after seein it all in action manual setting didn't seem daunting at all. It's actually a very free feeling to use manual because the exposure is all in your hands. Set aside a good amount of uninterrupted time that u don't feel rushed and just practice without puttig any pressure on yourself. U can take an unlimted amount of pics so u can practice until your hearts content
 
Don't feel bad. I've been doing this 7 years and pretty obsessed with it during that time... I think I've gotten reasonably good and I STILL think I'm in way over my head. Photography has a steep and harsh learning curve.

Start with Program mode and when you find it does something that doesn't work for you, learn why, figure out what the appropriate mode is to meet your needs, and move to that mode in that situation. Over time you'll find you use major-auto modes less, and others more... or you won't. I know people who never take it off program and are as happy as a pea in a pod.

Good luck.
 
Welcome. Practice, and read, and look at other people's work. It is daunting and overwhelming. This site is a GREAT starting point. So much help from peers and pros, it's a great community. Don't be put off by criticism either if you decide to post.
 
It's not that hard. Just read and play around. Don't get tangled up in the notion that you have to buy, buy, buy to be a better photographer.

^^ What he/she said....


Practice and more importantly experiment. As with all experiments, sometimes the end result comes out successful and sometimes not. But you are always improving if you learn from both the successes and failure.

Also... don't think that you have to stay on manual to be successful. Even if you need to go to full auto to get started... its still a valuable tool if it does get you passed the initial "overwhelmed" stage.
 
Welcome, welcome. There are tonnes of people probably right along beside you. The good thing is you admit its overwhelming lol. Now go out and practice. Every day just take pictures of what interests you. Shoot is like mentioned program mode or Av mode and fiddle with your settings to see how things look different in each picture.

Understand exposure has some great little exercises that give you a hands on application so you can visualize what he is explaining. Another great book that i have found that has exercises in it (the book was geared for film but same principles can be applied to digital) is Photography and the Art of Seeing by Freeman Patterson- Canadian author but Im sure you can get an old secondhand copy.

Post some pics for critique that you liked and learn from your peers. This still is scary to me lol. Because most times I know the picture has flaws but I dont know why. Everyone on here has been helpful and honest. Ask questions and read lol. Good luck and HAVE FUN. Looking forward to some pics.
 
Welcome!,
Thats the camera i got and still have. good choice! First this is a great place to learn. From reading otghers posts and asking questions. no matter how simple of a question! I started on full auto, auto focus. its about like a point and shoot at that point. Cant really mess it up. Then take off autofocus untill you have that down. then put AF on and go to TV (shutter controll only) mode untill you understand that. Then go full auto but in AV (apature controll only) mode and get used to that.. see what im getting at? Dont try to take it all on at once just do one feature at a time and soon you will understand all the functions. Keep your manual with ya. it comes in handy when ytou shooting and learning. Also when you are shooting in auto AV and TV look at your infomation on the PC for each shot and see what settings the camera chose. Remember post some pictures on here. You will get ripped apart (CC wise) but thats how you learn. Try to put peoples suggestions into practice. Atleast remember one thing someone told you to change and the next time you go out and shoot apply that. soon you will understand what they were talking about. Keep at it and shoot a lot! Thats the best tool. When i started on here my first pictures posted were pretty bad. Back then they were the best of my work and now they wouldnt make it onto my PC let alone keep them.
Done feel overwelmed, its a toy and it needs played with!
 
Went for a walk around the property today. If anything I get out of photography, I can tell it's going to be some much needed exercise, lol.

Anyways... Overcast day. Sun came out right when I got back to the house. I had been playing w/ the settings last night and changed the color mode to monochrome so my first 15 pictures all turned out black and white and I couldn't figure out why. Well I figured it out and corrected it. I have a 512 mb SD card and my camera said I could take 102 pictures and I took 64.

Pretty much I only changed two settings. I shot in AV mode, so I was changing the aperture, and I changed white balance to cloudy.

Imageshack won't let me upload an image more than 5mb, which just so turns out to be the size of my favorite shot I took today. :(

I know these aren't good. But it's where I'm starting from.


1)
hike004.jpg


2)
hike027.jpg


3)
hike040.jpg


4)
hike049.jpg
 
when i started out 9 months ago, i took 100 photos and got 5 keepers. Now, nine months later, im up to about 10 keepers per 100. It takes alot of work, but basically, go spend an hour a day taking photos in manual. Thats what i did. i screwed up ALOT, but i got to understand my camera pretty well. goodluck!
 

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