Help a Newbie!

InspiredbyHelen · Jun 11, 2013

Photography has always been a passion of mine. I've finally purchased my first "real" camera. Very excited!! I now own a Nikon D5200, please share any tips? Currently getting the feel for the settings but could use all the help I can get. Any cool features I should know about? Insight on the camera? Is it a good beginner camera? Best time of day to take family portraits? Can't wait to hear back from you!

AceCo55 · Jun 12, 2013

One of the problems with your post is that you are asking questions that are way too broad. Most people won't take a chance to answer and put in a lot of effort that could well be a waste of time. Better to ask one specific question at a time.
My initial advice would be to learn/understand the "exposure triangle" (google is your friend).
Learn and understand what effect you get when you change the aperture setting.
Learn and understand what effect you get when you change the shutter speed.
Then you will be in a position to experiment with Av / Tv / Manual modes to achieve the images you are looking for. (and if you don't know what Av / Tv modes are, then again Google will be your friend. You will then be in a much better position to ask specific questions and get some quality feedback)

However, your other post:
New to forums. Hoping this site will be useful. Anyone know of any websites that offer reasonably priced backdrops, floor drops, lighting, etc? Looking to build my studio. On a tight budget. Now realizing how expensive photography can be!
This seems at odds with what you are asking in this thread. If you are "looking to build your studio", you should be well past what this thread is asking for.
Your Facebook page, with your prominent watermarks is, again, at odds with this thread. If you really are just getting "a feel" for camera settings, I'm curious as to why you are watermaking the way you have. There just seems a mismatch?

tirediron · Jun 12, 2013

Excellent tutorials here.

InspiredbyHelen · Jun 12, 2013

Thanks for the feedback! I am a newbie. And my "studio" is in my basement. I'm only photographing family and friends as a hobby. I watermark my work I post bc I don't want anyone else to be able to use it. I logged into this site just looking for new tips and or ideas to play with. So what exactly are you asking me?! Sorry, just learning this forums site. Never been much of a blogger. Thanks for your patience!

goodguy · Jun 12, 2013

Well I can see you are excited, I understand that, I get all giddy when I buy new equipment too and run to share that with my friends.
Is this a good camera ?
Absolutely!!!
Is there anything to say about it compared to others ?
Not really, what you need to do is know how to use a DSLR, if you do know then you don't need us for general comments, just take the camera slap a lens on it and start shooting.
If you are a novice then you need to learn how to use a DSLR and from there the road to happiness is paved.

Enjoy your new camera, its a wonderful tool and I am sure you are going to have tons of fun with it.
Good luck