Finally have a DSLR...where to start???

[vivalavieboheme]

Dad's letting me "adopt" his DSLR for a while - both because he doesn't use it and because as a print journalism major, I mainly write but want to learn some photo skills to be more marketable. I think it will probably become my camera in the near future. So I'm reading the manual and watching the instructional computer CD, but after that, where do I start? How do I learn to master the settings? How do I find out what's the right ISO, aperture, white balance, etc. for each situation? I've only ever had crappy point and shoots all my life, and finally getting my hands on this glorious machine is a bit overwhelming. It's a Canon EOS Rebel XSi by the way.

And I got the book Understanding Exposure as a Christmas gift, mostly because you all on here recommended it!

 

[photog4life]

if i were you id also get everything about digital photography it has just about everything a beginner needs... and look at this site Guidelines for Better Photographic Composition.

because composition is the most important part...

 

[KmH]

Start at the beginning. Digital Photography Tutorials

 

[photog4life]

whoa! that site is deffinitlly(sp?) being bookmarked... thanks haha

 

[matt.garnett]

You can only learn so much by reading. Although it is a very important place to start, continually practice. Practice what the book is teaching you as you read it. If you want to learn how to quickly manuever around manual mode, learn what ISO, shutter speed, aperture, ai servo, etc is and then go shoot a fast pace sporting event. After my first season of football I barely needed to look at what I was doing, I knew where every control was.

I think Scott Kelby has a couple pretty good books on Digital Photography though.

Most importantly... Stick around the forum. There is an immense amount of knowledge here.

 

[MLeeK]

Take a basic photography class as one of your electives.

 

[ChefCanon]

Read your manual and understand what each mode on the camera does. Understand Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO , White Balance, etc etc - Then get out there and practice. Try taking pictures in different environments and different lightning situations. Learn the ins and out and let your control of the camera become second nature.