Got a D40 for Christmas! Now what?

[benner410]

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....

 

[feRRari4756]

1) many factors are in the mix to create a crisp image each time. just make sure your ISO is set at a reasonable level (100~600), make youru shutter speed the highest you can without making the image dark, and some other things..

2) you have to increase your shutter speed to make the image not blurry. to compensate for shutter speed, you should open your aperature wider.

3) its fine.

4) im not sure. maybe change the white ballance??

5) hha i dont thin there are drills for photography.

You can thank me later

 

[chrisburke]

my advice for "now what" just get out and start taking pictures.... pick up the book understanding exposure.. once you've read that, if you have questions, come back and the people here are usually more than willing to help.

as for drills... the only drill is to practice.. just keep taking pictures, and learn your camera (put it in manual and learn how to use that)

 

[AlexColeman]

Variety of factors
Faster shutter
Yes, capping and uncapping lets in dust which is detrimental.
Check the WB
No, practice the usuals, just have fun, and you will learn. If you can never get a type of photo, then do research, and "drills".

 

[mrodgers]

Congrats on the surprise. I wish I was you. I am really really wishing I could get into the dSLR world after a year now on this forum and with my superzoom camera.

You have to learn what all this photography stuff is now. You have the equipment, just need to learn what it's all about.

I always recommend some quick reading of the first two sites that I found that really helped me out. I link them below. I first found these sites along with this forum and learned a bit about cameras, the settings, and other photography related terms and ideas. I also read parts of Understanding Exposure that Chris recommends. You will find this book recommended probably a million times on this forum.

Here's the sites I mention. They gave me some good information just starting out. Check them out, then play with the camera and see what happens when you adjust stuff that you've read.

Have fun.

Digital Camera Help
ShortCourses-The On-line Library of Digital Photography

 

[sabbath999]

Now what?

Read the owners manual.

Read it again.

Take pictures.

Read it again.

Take more pictures.

 

[Turnerea]

Now what?

Read the owners manual.

Read it again.

Take pictures.

Read it again.

Take more pictures.

I'd read Understanding Exposure, or some other material about photographic concepts online, before reading your manual. I did it that way, and when I went to go read the manual, I knew what they were talking about.... easier than trying to figure out why you'd change the feature they're talking about while also learning where its located on camera. The manual often just steps you through all the ways to do things, but not why. Understand "why" first, then figure out "how".

 

[passerby]

Now I've been tinkering around with it all day, taking a bunch of random pictures of things around the house

In the house there is no enough lighting. Open windows a bit to illuminate the rooms.

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.

Leave the lens on camera, it is perfectly fine.

3)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?

All the light bulbs in my house are energy saving light bulbs, which is neon type light bulb. The D40 computer of my camere seems translates this lights correctly with Auto white balance setting. These bulbs are cheap these days. If you don't have it try buy one and test it and see how it goes.

Merry Christmas, happy new year, have fun but stay sober.