A Couple of Questions!

[photochica16]

Hello there everyone,
I love photography! In fact, i think i want to pursue a career in it, but i'm still at level 0 as far as how everything on a camera works. I just got a Nikon D3000 for my graduation-from-high-school present and i have some questions..

1. I like to take photos 24/7 including indoors at night. Our house is not well-lit at night time so i have to use a flash when taking photos in the house. The only thing is, that i really hate how the flash makes my photos look - really snapshot - ish. So i was wondering if there is any way to adjust the settings on the camera so i can still take photos in not-so-well lit places without having to use the flash (or maybe a setting that changes how the flash lights everything up).

Come to think of it that's the only question i have at the moment. Any help on this would be welcome (especially if you actually own a D3000). Thanks so much! Sorry i'm so clueless

 

[bevoholic]

Go read your manual. It will help you greatly. It was the first piece of advice that I received coming here.

 

[robb01]

Try playing w/ the ISO setting

 

[redtippmann]

^ +1 For Bev.

If you learn how to your your camera you can put your camera in A mode and I would set the aperture as wide as possible. Then set the ISO as high as you can/want. And dial your flash to -.7 EV. This will make the ambient light expose most of your immage but the flash will help freeze some action... Make sure to set the flash to rear curtain sync so any motion blur will be logical.

That's my $0.02

 

[Nikon_Dude]

If possible, consider getting an external flash. Even the cheap sb-400 will work wonders for your photos. Allows you to keep ISO low, (less grainy image), shutter speeds up to 1/200sec, and the flash can be rotated to bounce the light off the ceiling, giving an effect closer to natural light, instead of the harsh shadows caused by pop up flash.

 

[arcooke]

If you're using your camera's built in flash, and you're using automatic mode, your photos are always going to look like snapshots. Because they are.

Your built in flash is firing from the position of the camera, same as a point-and-shoot would. Your light is going to come out harsh, with everything in direct line of sight being well-lit and ugly sharp shadows behind everything.

If you're in automatic mode, you're letting your camera control how the picture ends up just as a point-and-shoot would.

If you were to fire an off-camera flash at a more appealing angle, and controlled the settings yourself (mainly aperture), your shots would come out much better.

Read your manual, read some tutorials, watch some photography videos on youtube.

 

[gummibear]

That sure is a nice graduation present! ^ ^ ^ Yes, read some material, do some research, Up the Iso setting. You can also try diffusing your flash with some tissue, white paper or card, etc. or you can try bouncing it. Or just get you an external flash if low light shooting is the thing for you. As long as you shoot in full auto your shots will look like snapshots. Try your other camera settings, and practice practice, practice. Also, there might be a setting for the flash in the main menu of your camera, that lets you set the intensity of the brightness.

 

[photochica16]

Thanks! I have been experimenting w/ the different settings on my camera. I actually kind of liked some of the photos i shot without the flash when my camera said that the flash was recommended. I tried shooting manual last night and i also have found that I love macro. Lately the setting i've been using the most is Aperture priority. I'll keep practicing!

 

[Bram]

Read your manual. You have 4 settings, P (programmed) S (shutter priority) A (aperture priority) and M (manual).
http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/noprint/D3000_ENnoprint.pdf
Depending on your ISO setting and range shoot in S and up the shutter speed using your dial, an then dial up your ISO. Play around with that till you have the right lighting and not too much noise.
Your user manual is the best resource you have. If you have the money get an external flash later on. It will change your world.