beginner photographer

[Overread]

hmm I would say your thinking along the right lines - though I would say take shots with manual by all means, but at this early stage you might find autofocus to be a good thing to try out. Unless you are using a tripod manual focus can take a while to get used to so you might end up with a lot of soft shots.
I would set your camera to multishot (unless the target is really not moving at all) and use the centre focusing element for most things. Things like landscapes I tend to use all the focusing points and let the camera choose at the moment

 

[swmocity]

hmm I would say your thinking along the right lines - though I would say take shots with manual by all means, but at this early stage you might find autofocus to be a good thing to try out. Unless you are using a tripod manual focus can take a while to get used to so you might end up with a lot of soft shots.
I would set your camera to multishot (unless the target is really not moving at all) and use the centre focusing element for most things. Things like landscapes I tend to use all the focusing points and let the camera choose at the moment

no im not going to use a tripod.is it ok to use the auto focus while in program mode?..or should i just use the fully automatic mode....its kind of hard to determine what to use...i know its going to be outdoor..so no flash right?...but while im in program mode i have to set the ISO...should i leave the ISO at the lowest settings since the sun is providing most of the light?

 

[Overread]

Its much more trial and error for me.
You have good light from the sun, but then again you have the wabble from you as you stand, so I would say ISO of 100 and 200 are out - you might get lucky, but I would not bet on it. Rather I would try 400 and 800 - with the camera and a little post processing that should not give you too much noise to worry about.

Auto focus can work in any mode on the camera - though clearly - say in evening or morning, when its darker it does not work as well.
Further though you say no flash outside, if you are close up to something and the sun is behind the target (so you are shooting into shadow) then use the flash to show up the detials, best place for the sun really is behind you, just off to one side, so that it lights up what you are shooting.

Also expect a low success rate - not saying you are bad by any means, but it takes time ot learn and practise. Mostly I like to shoot something as much as I can with different settings to see the effect of changing things. From there research and subject reading tell me why what I am doing is/is not working. Mostly I am happy if I get one good shot of everything I shoot if on a day shooting things like flowers, where I can spend as long as I can with the subject - with moving targets I am happy for any shot.
(ps this might be view that those who learn't on film will counter, as they had to think before pressing the shutter button as it cost them each time.)

 

[Village Idiot]

make sures u get da good pics

usin da pop up won work outside

u want to be usin da off camera flash like da pros

u should learn about lightin an da exposure so u konw wut u doin

 

[swmocity]

Its much more trial and error for me.
You have good light from the sun, but then again you have the wabble from you as you stand, so I would say ISO of 100 and 200 are out - you might get lucky, but I would not bet on it. Rather I would try 400 and 800 - with the camera and a little post processing that should not give you too much noise to worry about.

Auto focus can work in any mode on the camera - though clearly - say in evening or morning, when its darker it does not work as well.
Further though you say no flash outside, if you are close up to something and the sun is behind the target (so you are shooting into shadow) then use the flash to show up the detials, best place for the sun really is behind you, just off to one side, so that it lights up what you are shooting.

Also expect a low success rate - not saying you are bad by any means, but it takes time ot learn and practise. Mostly I like to shoot something as much as I can with different settings to see the effect of changing things. From there research and subject reading tell me why what I am doing is/is not working. Mostly I am happy if I get one good shot of everything I shoot if on a day shooting things like flowers, where I can spend as long as I can with the subject - with moving targets I am happy for any shot.
(ps this might be view that those who learn't on film will counter, as they had to think before pressing the shutter button as it cost them each time.)

thanks for the advice..hopefully it all goes well

 

[swmocity]

i suck lol..the first one i kept it on da program mode and used the manual focus..the sceond i used 4000 speed to try to "freeze" the water guess i shouldve used the flash also...its to dark

 

[swmocity]

i think ill stick to the automatic mode for now

 

[PerrieBelle]

Good advice in this thread... I shall be taking a lot in myself

 

[swmocity]

i am thinking about getting this lens also

http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/5...digital-cameras;cislr-lens;cilenses-for-canon

got this today

 

[swmocity]

how do you blur out the background i cant seem to do it...i have used the AV mode to try and play with the settings but i cant seem to do it

 

[Overread]

Generally using a large apature (that is low f number) will give you this effect, but it is also dependent on the distance from you to your subject and also the distance from your subject to the background you are trying to blurr. I suspect there is some maths that lets you work this out, but I don't know it,
All I know is that using the largest apature (lowest f number) that you can greatly helps the process

 

[elsaspet]

im new to the site also..so summer times is coming up and i get bored easily...so i think i wonna do some photography for da hell of it or even make a little extra cash off of it. i have been in the photography gield for like two years now..have never purchased a SLR but i use them pretty much everyday..whats a good beginner SLR...i was thinking the nikon d40 or the cannon rebel xt

If you are bored, you don't need to be taking photos for cash.
And if you are in a guild, why are you just now purchasing an SLR?

 

[elsaspet]

And why is everyone who is supposed to be a pro on this sub forum acting like this is a ok? It's not.

 

[Overread]

I think we started and ended this argument a page ago (I think).
Also - how can we control what people do or do not do with thier kit and understandings? That should not affect whether we help a person or not. (within the boundaries of reason here)

 

[Tiberius47]

im new to the site also..so summer times is coming up and i get bored easily...so i think i wonna do some photography for da hell of it or even make a little extra cash off of it. i have been in the photography gield for like two years now..have never purchased a SLR but i use them pretty much everyday..whats a good beginner SLR...i was thinking the nikon d40 or the cannon rebel xt

how do you blur out the background i cant seem to do it...i have used the AV mode to try and play with the settings but i cant seem to do it

No offense, but if you don't know how to get the blurry background in the camera, you aren't up to a standard where you'll be able to get a bit of money out of photography. If you are really interested, get yourself a dSLR and learn how to use it. To make money off photography, you really need to be able to use the camera like it's an extension of your body.