Extreme Beginnner to SLR

[pgriz]

While adding a flash/speedlight is usually an excellent suggestion, I'd say first get used to your camera, learn how to get the focus and exposure right, THEN start adding equipment (and the more photography you do, the more equipment you want to have). Set you ISO to the base value (200 in your case), as this gives you the best noise-handling, set your exposure mode to Aperture-Priority (because the aperture controls depth-of-field, and affects how much sharpness you get in front of and behind your point of focus), and set your Autofocus point to center (because then you KNOW which point is being used for focusing, and because usually it is the most sensitive).

Under good light, a good aperture to set would be around f/8. If you want more depth-of-field, you could select f/11 or f/16. Once you have the focus reliably on the object you want, you could also go the other way to f/4 or less (depending on the maximum aperture for your lens), and get more blurring behind and in front of your point of focus.

As for focusing, the usual technique is to place your center AF point on the object you want in focus, press your shutter down partway, let the camera acquire the focus, and without moving your finger off the shutter, move the camera to frame the image better, then shoot. This focus and reframe method works if don't change the position of the camera relative to the subject, but you will find (if you search for this) much discussion on whether it is a "good" technique.

 

[Kayak]

While you are getting used to the auto focus, and changing modes...if you notice the camera is focusing where you do not want it to - take control and put it in manual focus. Takes a lot of time to learn all the capabilities of a DSLR, and although it is tempting to stay on auto...I find I am learning more by keeping it off auto which forces me to think and control the camera, and subsequently the image it is capturing. Hope you find photography fun!

 

[jwbryson1]

Howdy from a fellow Texican. Originally from San Antonio. Where is Donie? :mrgreen:

It's about an hour east of Waco. We have a feed store, and post office. That's about it.

Wha...wha...WHAT?! No Dairy Queen? No bowling alley? C'mon! :mrgreen:

My sister and her family live in Tyler, not far from Donie. We used to camp in Mexia. Isn't that pretty close?