So I've been wanting to get into photography, and I just got a D40 as a Christmas present. I have been researching it, and was just about to buy it until this pleasant surprise.
Now I've been tinkering around with it all day, taking a bunch of random pictures of things around the house, and I seem to be doing OK. However, I have some questions....
1) Sometimes the pictures will look ULTRA SHARP, and sometimes they will look kind of grainy/blurry. I'm pretty sure my hands are steady, and I'm shooting in P Mode, not AUTO (macro when necessary). What could I be doing wrong, or what settings/techniques could I use to ensure a crisp clear photo every time?
2) I have been trying to photograph my pets. Whenever I go to take a picture, they twitch or something, and EVERY photo comes out as a big blur. I've tried sports mode and it improved the photos a little bit, but I was wondering what I could do to make the camera "take-the-picture" faster?
3) Is it ok to keep the lens attached to the body for long periods of time? I've been removing it and capping it when not in use.
4) Sometimes when I take a picture in a room with browns and reds, the whole picture will come out with an orange/yellow-ish hue. Is the only way to fix this relocating?
5) Are there any "practice" things I could do to improve my skills? I don't know anything other than point and shoot, and I figure photography, like any other skill can be improved by using certain "drills". Thanks!
Now here are some sample photos I took....
Now I've been tinkering around with it all day, taking a bunch of random pictures of things around the house, and I seem to be doing OK. However, I have some questions....
1) Sometimes the pictures will look ULTRA SHARP, and sometimes they will look kind of grainy/blurry. I'm pretty sure my hands are steady, and I'm shooting in P Mode, not AUTO (macro when necessary). What could I be doing wrong, or what settings/techniques could I use to ensure a crisp clear photo every time?
2) I have been trying to photograph my pets. Whenever I go to take a picture, they twitch or something, and EVERY photo comes out as a big blur. I've tried sports mode and it improved the photos a little bit, but I was wondering what I could do to make the camera "take-the-picture" faster?
3) Is it ok to keep the lens attached to the body for long periods of time? I've been removing it and capping it when not in use.
4) Sometimes when I take a picture in a room with browns and reds, the whole picture will come out with an orange/yellow-ish hue. Is the only way to fix this relocating?
5) Are there any "practice" things I could do to improve my skills? I don't know anything other than point and shoot, and I figure photography, like any other skill can be improved by using certain "drills". Thanks!
Now here are some sample photos I took....