Advice for beginner

[TonyBritton]

Lot's of wonderful advice here for you to consider, to be sure. Regarding the last sentence in your post, I'll share my experience and how I started. My continued interest in photography has been shaped and motivated by the very subjectivity of this art. When I first started, I depended greatly upon the camera deciding the exposure. It was at that point, more a question of capturing the "accuracy" of the scene I was presented with. Certainly nothing wrong with that! Then I decided to take more creative control in terms of how I wanted to present the image. Now I determine exposure purely based upon how I want to convey a particular mood or emotional quality in the final image.

It's true what you've read here and countless places elsewhere that learning how to visualize the final image, be it black or white, or from a composition and lighting standpoint, is paramount in the continued growth as a photographer and ultimately the "interpreter" of the scene. This is what I strive for daily and is what motivates me.

Wishing you the best in your pursuit of photography bliss!

Tony

tonybritton

 

[rambler]

Books by John Shaw

 

[lescraven]

Since you're near Moscow, you could try PhotoFrame (PhotoSale - Фототехника для профессионалов, новая и комиссионная б.у.) or Zoom-Prokat (Аренда и прокат профессиональной фото и видео техники в Москве. Взять напрокат фотоаппаратуру, фотооборудование, фотокамеру, видеокамеру. Фототехника: фотоаппараты, объективы, свет) or if you want to shop online, as someone else said, you could do eBay with the following filter (Items in Cameras from Russia store on eBay!).

In terms of resources to read - I guess it would depend on the type of photography you're looking to do (nature, industrial, night, etc) but for a good general online source that is free and covers the various aspects of photography, I'd check out PhotographyTalk (http://www.photographytalk.com) which has a range of articles, including ones for beginners as well as a place for people to share their photos and get feedback.

Finally, for a camera within your budget. Nikon and Canon make several cameras within your budget that are great for beginners... if you're looking for something other than those two though I'd take a look at the Pentax K-70 which includes some of the more advanced features that they reserve for their flagship models (also more features than the Nikon D5500 and the Canon EOS Rebel T6i which I find to be popular choices for beginners).

 

[donny1963]

Hello!
Not long ago I realised that I really want to develop my photography skills. As a teenager I used to take photos of beautiful landscapes, my friends and family, macro, etc. But then I was really busy at university, now it`s work... But I still want to create something beautiful.

So, here I am... Can you give me some tips, what I should begin with? Must read books, tutorials (I have a good knowlrdge of photoshop, but there are many things to learn about retouch), maybe some forums and communities to follow.

And, the most importan, the camera. Which device is best for beginners? (I`m ready to apend about 500$, is it possible to find something appropriate?)

Thanks a lot in advance! I will appreciate any help you can give. I`m also interested in your own experience, how did you start?

Hey there if you like to take pictures of landscapes then Nikon is the way to go, Nikon delivers better dynamic range then the other leading competitor, (Canon), and it also does portraits well.

How ever I must admit they are more lenses available to the Canon Brand then Nikon, but still Nikon has a great selection of lenses.
If your Serious in leaning Photography inside and out, they are some great online courses that are cheap to get.

One of the best is by Ben Long, He is a Licensed Teacher, and has been both a Photography & Video Instructor for years..
His courses is all you will need he covers from students who never picked up a camera to semi advanced.
Once you take his course you will learn everything about photography, and in his courses he gives you Challenges and assignments to complete.

I think you will find this to be a great way to advance in this area..
Donny

Ben Long — Online Courses, Classes, Training, Tutorials on Lynda

 

[greybeard]

As for what Camera to buy, there are 3 competing companies today. Nikon, Canon, and Sony. Nikon and Canon make great DSLR's. They have a mirror that flips up and down when you take a picture allowing you to look directly through the taking lens just before the camera takes a exposure. It flips up out of the way while it is taking the picture and drops back down right after. This is the older traditional technology and both Nikon and Canon offer an extensive selection of lenses and accessories that form a comprehensive system. Sony on the other hand is at the forefront of Mirrorless technology. This technology is up and coming and gets better with each generation of cameras. Instead of using a flipping mirror, the user views the subject on a tiny video screen inside the viewfinder and on the back of the camera. This makes the cameras smaller and quieter and may well be the way of the future of digital photography. The down side to Sony is that they haven't developed a comprehensive selection of lenses and accessories yet. The safe bet would be an entry level Canon or Nikon with a kit lens. (jmho)

 

[donny1963]

As for what Camera to buy, there are 3 competing companies today. Nikon, Canon, and Sony. Nikon and Canon make great DSLR's. They have a mirror that flips up and down when you take a picture allowing you to look directly through the taking lens just before the camera takes a exposure. It flips up out of the way while it is taking the picture and drops back down right after. This is the older traditional technology and both Nikon and Canon offer an extensive selection of lenses and accessories that form a comprehensive system. Sony on the other hand is at the forefront of Mirrorless technology. This technology is up and coming and gets better with each generation of cameras. Instead of using a flipping mirror, the user views the subject on a tiny video screen inside the viewfinder and on the back of the camera. This makes the cameras smaller and quieter and may well be the way of the future of digital photography. The down side to Sony is that they haven't developed a comprehensive selection of lenses and accessories yet. The safe bet would be an entry level Canon or Nikon with a kit lens. (jmho)

Micro 4/3 cameras have become an extremely popular topic of discussion because they are not only smaller and lighter than most DSLRs on the market, but they also have DSLR-like features that have made several photographers scratch their heads and say, “I wonder

They are like in the middle of Point and shoot camera's and DSLR Camera's
They are suppose to offer the similar features as the DSLR, but easy to use and light weight as the Point and shoot camera's.

So is this just as good or better then DSLR, well it depends on what your going to be doing, in some cases yes, in others no..
The quality of the Micro 4/3 cameras are slightly lower then DSLR, but way better then point and shoot.
Would i consider a Micro 4/3 camera for wedding shoots or serious landscape, for me the answer is NO!

I believe that Micro 4/3 is great for walking around street photography or to capture personal events like birthday party, high school reunion, kids at christmas, stuff like that.. But not anything professional, like a wedding or studio portrait shoot.

It's just my opinion and taste, and because it's mirrorless, you can't get the same accurate view in the viewfinder as you would with DSLR MIRROR.
But that doesn't mean Sony mirrorless camera's are not for some people they can be just fine..

Donny

 

[TrolleySwag]

Knowing what I know now, I'd get a Canon 5d classic and a 50mm f/1.8. That will get you going for awhile. This will keep you in budget too.

Sent from my XR6M10 using Tapatalk

 

[Irina_Ser]

Wishing you the best in your pursuit of photography bliss!

Thanks, Tony!

 

[Irina_Ser]

Books by John Shaw

Thank you, I`ll check it out!

 

[Irina_Ser]

Since you're near Moscow, you could try PhotoFrame (PhotoSale - Фототехника для профессионалов, новая и комиссионная б.у.) or Zoom-Prokat (Аренда и прокат профессиональной фото и видео техники в Москве. Взять напрокат фотоаппаратуру, фотооборудование, фотокамеру, видеокамеру. Фототехника: фотоаппараты, объективы, свет) or if you want to shop online, as someone else said, you could do eBay with the following filter (Items in Cameras from Russia store on eBay!).

In terms of resources to read - I guess it would depend on the type of photography you're looking to do (nature, industrial, night, etc) but for a good general online source that is free and covers the various aspects of photography, I'd check out PhotographyTalk (Ignite Your Photography Passion) which has a range of articles, including ones for beginners as well as a place for people to share their photos and get feedback.

Finally, for a camera within your budget. Nikon and Canon make several cameras within your budget that are great for beginners... if you're looking for something other than those two though I'd take a look at the Pentax K-70 which includes some of the more advanced features that they reserve for their flagship models (also more features than the Nikon D5500 and the Canon EOS Rebel T6i which I find to be popular choices for beginners).

Thanks a lot for great resources, I believe I can find what I need there!

 

[Irina_Ser]

Hello!
Not long ago I realised that I really want to develop my photography skills. As a teenager I used to take photos of beautiful landscapes, my friends and family, macro, etc. But then I was really busy at university, now it`s work... But I still want to create something beautiful.

So, here I am... Can you give me some tips, what I should begin with? Must read books, tutorials (I have a good knowlrdge of photoshop, but there are many things to learn about retouch), maybe some forums and communities to follow.

And, the most importan, the camera. Which device is best for beginners? (I`m ready to apend about 500$, is it possible to find something appropriate?)

Thanks a lot in advance! I will appreciate any help you can give. I`m also interested in your own experience, how did you start?

Hey there if you like to take pictures of landscapes then Nikon is the way to go, Nikon delivers better dynamic range then the other leading competitor, (Canon), and it also does portraits well.

How ever I must admit they are more lenses available to the Canon Brand then Nikon, but still Nikon has a great selection of lenses.
If your Serious in leaning Photography inside and out, they are some great online courses that are cheap to get.

One of the best is by Ben Long, He is a Licensed Teacher, and has been both a Photography & Video Instructor for years..
His courses is all you will need he covers from students who never picked up a camera to semi advanced.
Once you take his course you will learn everything about photography, and in his courses he gives you Challenges and assignments to complete.

I think you will find this to be a great way to advance in this area..
Donny

Ben Long — Online Courses, Classes, Training, Tutorials on Lynda

Thank you, Donny, I`m considering some courses, I`ll look these ones you`ve advised me!

 

[Irina_Ser]

As for what Camera to buy, there are 3 competing companies today. Nikon, Canon, and Sony. Nikon and Canon make great DSLR's. They have a mirror that flips up and down when you take a picture allowing you to look directly through the taking lens just before the camera takes a exposure. It flips up out of the way while it is taking the picture and drops back down right after. This is the older traditional technology and both Nikon and Canon offer an extensive selection of lenses and accessories that form a comprehensive system. Sony on the other hand is at the forefront of Mirrorless technology. This technology is up and coming and gets better with each generation of cameras. Instead of using a flipping mirror, the user views the subject on a tiny video screen inside the viewfinder and on the back of the camera. This makes the cameras smaller and quieter and may well be the way of the future of digital photography. The down side to Sony is that they haven't developed a comprehensive selection of lenses and accessories yet. The safe bet would be an entry level Canon or Nikon with a kit lens. (jmho)

I`m choosing between Canon and Nikon anyway, thank you!

 

[Irina_Ser]

Knowing what I know now, I'd get a Canon 5d classic and a 50mm f/1.8. That will get you going for awhile. This will keep you in budget too.

Sent from my XR6M10 using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing!

 

[donny1963]

Knowing what I know now, I'd get a Canon 5d classic and a 50mm f/1.8. That will get you going for awhile. This will keep you in budget too.

Sent from my XR6M10 using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing!

Yeah no problem, always remember, any photography advise or training you get from some one, always look into who they are what they done..

The way i see it any time you take photography advise or training from some one, see what they are doing with photography, check out their portfolio.

Because if they don't have one, or not showing you what they done with photography,
this means how can you take advise or training in photography if they are not successful in that topic.

If they haven't done anything good then how would you expect to learn from some one who can't even practice what they preach?

That is my opinion and attitude on this subject

Donny

 

[donny1963]

Knowing what I know now, I'd get a Canon 5d classic and a 50mm f/1.8. That will get you going for awhile. This will keep you in budget too.

Sent from my XR6M10 using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing!

By the way here is a great teacher and he has a huge portfolio and is very successful in all aspects of photography.
he has a huge portfolio..

Karl Taylor Take Better Photographs Quickly - Better Photography Tips by Karl Taylor Photography Courses. Professional Photography Education