Amateur and overwhelmed.

Nero-O9

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Well I really don't know where to start so I guess Ill start with the type of pictures Id like mine to look like. http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116044 The pictures in this post is what Id like to achieve.

This is one of my first try just trying to record the even. http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii184/Nero-O9/P1120086.jpg not as clear as i would like.

This was taken just messing around. http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii184/Nero-O9/P1120095.jpg I'm not sure what settings I had. I'm using a Olympus E-500 and what ever lens it came with. I don't really know much about this camera and the advanced manual is hard to under stand. Any tips or a break down on how the settings influence the shot would be very helpful.
 
The zoo shots were all taken mostly at 200mm and no aperture larger than f/5.6. Was probably a Nikon 55-200VR lens. I'm not familiar with the Olympus lineup, but with the 2.0x crop factor you'd need a 150mm lens to get the same reach as a 200mm lens on Nikon (1.5x crop factor), all equivalent to 300mm in traditional 35mm angles of view.

Hint: The EXIF data that contains all of the data for the shot like shutter speed, aperture, and focal length are all embedded in the JPEG files. I use a plug-in in Firefox so that I can right-click to grab it all. That'll help you see how people are getting their photos.
 
Sound like you need to learn the technical aspects of photography. Go to your nearest bookstore and grab Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.
 
I recently switched over to Nikon from the Olympus E-500. The kit lenses for the Olympus were really good. Very sharp. I can't comment so much with the new kit lenses they developed with the 410-510 series. I did find the construction pretty weak but never fired a shot with them.

I agree with the previous post about the book 'Understanding Exposure' The results you desire are easy to achieve with your set up.
 
Get learning is all i can say. Read books and magazines till theyre coming out of your ears and study other photographers work.
 
I'm not an expert and at my age I'm unlikely to become one. Here are some suggestions, though.

Many cities host basic photography classes and many universities have community classes in basic photography.

Most cities in the U.S., and probably everywhere else, have photography groups or clubs. Some of the members are very experienced and in my experience they're willing to help eager beginners.

I had an advantage in that I started before most of what we had now existed. I had a basic manual SLR and a 50mm lens to learn with. Far simpler than today but also much more limited. With all the options, it can be a bit overwhelming. On the other hand, the basics of framing, composition, and exposure haven't changed.

The same is true for computers. When I started there was no hard drive, CD or DVD drive, no graphics, no sound--other than a little beep occasionally, no modem, and no mouse. Learning was difficult but I couldn't image starting from scratch today.

There is a concept called "chunking" where you take a complex topic and make chunks. Exposure would be a chunk. Framing and composition would be a chunk. Editing in the computer would be a chunk. As you work on chunks it will be like working a puzzle and after a bit you will start to connect chunks into a system.
 
I think if you just recently bought this camera from the shop it is not bad idea to ask the salesman to show you how to operate the manual side. It shouldn't be too much for them to do this simple task. With this way it will be quicker for you to grasp when you read manual or other books. Otherwise the other 2 options are: either you continue with your own trial and error, or go to photographic classes in your area.

Good luck.
When there is a will there is a way.
 

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