Practice Assignments for Beginner

[scorpion_tyr]

Here's your first assignment from me:

Freeze something. Find out what shutter speed you need to freeze water droplets splashing out after you drop ice in a bucket of water. Shoot in shutter priority and stop the motion of the water while maintaining a correct exposure.

 

[Hoodat Whatzit]

Do you a google search and you will find some websites with photo assignments. Bryan Petersons books have so good exercises in them for beginners

Yes, I know about Google... I can even use that wacky advanced search feature thingymadoodle... or is that thingymagoogle?

For the record, a search on the phrase "photo assignments for beginners" returns around 76,000 results. The first is another photo forum, the second is TPF, and the third offers tips like "capture the personality of your pet" but fails to make any mention of f-stop, shutter speed, or any other technical term and has a forum that nobody has posted in since 2010.

I also already have Bryan Peterson's books, have watched countless web videos, and routinely dig through the forum archives and the Tutorial sticky. Oh... and I've read my camera's manual from cover to cover.

Like the OP however, I think I would enjoy having a sense of direction from more knowledgeable others at this point. Bi-weekly assignments with a specific objective would channel much of that noob energy that seems to so annoy some of the regular members. Members that want to rub virtual elbows with us photography "toddlers" can do so and those members that don't have either the time, patience, or energy can keep their seats at the "big folks" table.

I do enjoy (mostly) visiting this forum. It's becoming a habit and a way to unwind after a long day (or start a long day in this post's case).

~ Hoodat Whatzit

 

[Hoodat Whatzit]

Thanks for the assignment. I'll give it a try. Hopefully today won't be another 10 hour day at my school... plus we're off on Monday.. yay! (Yes, even assistant principals get excited about holidays.)

~ Hoodat Whatzit

 

[bazooka]

Sent you a PM.

 

[Stradawhovious]

You could always go for the obligatory water drop/smoke photos. They are a great way to get a basic understanding of the exposure triangle, how shutter speed relates to action and light.

There are also 2,567,842 threads about it right here on the forum for guidance!

 

[Nightstr]

im a noob as well and I've been searching on YouTube and IPhone apps to get a little more educated on the diff settings on the camera. If you search YouTube look for froknowsphoto, if you have an IPhone get the app PhotoCaddy. This Iphone app has great tips.

 

[MTVision]

Do you a google search and you will find some websites with photo assignments. Bryan Petersons books have so good exercises in them for beginners

Yes, I know about Google... I can even use that wacky advanced search feature thingymadoodle... or is that thingymagoogle?

For the record, a search on the phrase "photo assignments for beginners" returns around 76,000 results. The first is another photo forum, the second is TPF, and the third offers tips like "capture the personality of your pet" but fails to make any mention of f-stop, shutter speed, or any other technical term and has a forum that nobody has posted in since 2010.

I also already have Bryan Peterson's books, have watched countless web videos, and routinely dig through the forum archives and the Tutorial sticky. Oh... and I've read my camera's manual from cover to cover.

Like the OP however, I think I would enjoy having a sense of direction from more knowledgeable others at this point. Bi-weekly assignments with a specific objective would channel much of that noob energy that seems to so annoy some of the regular members. Members that want to rub virtual elbows with us photography "toddlers" can do so and those members that don't have either the time, patience, or energy can keep their seats at the "big folks" table.

I do enjoy (mostly) visiting this forum. It's becoming a habit and a way to unwind after a long day (or start a long day in this post's case).

~ Hoodat Whatzit

Google (or any search engine) will return thousands of hit. You have to put in the right words to get the right results.

9 Self Assignments to Sharpen Your Photo Skills | Pro Photographer's Composition Secrets - thedigitalphotocoach.com


Assignments on #Photo--Assignment - deviantART - click on one of the topics then on the next page you have to click on the word link to get to the article




Beecher's Handouts > Instruction Manual Assignments > #1 - Flash


Above are the first 3 websites that came up in the search engine.

 

[jterry85]

I agree with the OP. I know that many self assignments can be found online and in books but I think the overall goal was to include an interactive environment for us noobs to learn. By getting assignments and challenges designed for us beginners we wouldn't feel out of place as we would with the general challenges for everyone and we could have that interaction with the more experienced people to help us along the way. I'm all for the idea and hope someone will take on this project.

 

[DiskoJoe]

I agree with the OP. I know that many self assignments can be found online and in books but I think the overall goal was to include an interactive environment for us noobs to learn. By getting assignments and challenges designed for us beginners we wouldn't feel out of place as we would with the general challenges for everyone and we could have that interaction with the more experienced people to help us along the way. I'm all for the idea and hope someone will take on this project.

I gave an assignment....

1. go take some portraits. do a close up, a half body shot, and a full body shot.
2. take a picture of a flower, a tree and a building/house
3. go find a reflection: water, glass, cement

once you find all of theses post them back and ill give you some feed back.

Do one of each mentioned above. So thats nine things. Take one picture of each. If you want I could post examples.

 

[bennielou]

Hi there! I am a super beginner (meaning I have had my first SLR for about two months).

I have been reading a lot and shooting a lot, but I find myself shooting aimlessly most of the time and I still find that "auto" gives better results than when I try to mess with the settings.

I would like to give myself some assignments to work on to practice specific skills, but I don't know where to start (or even what "specific skills" I am looking for).

Does anybody have any suggestions for beginner assignments that I can work on?

Thanks!

Of course Auto is going to give you better results than spinning the manual dial and hoping for a miracle.
My advice would be to LEARN how to shoot manual. WHY you set things the way they should be set. WHY and WHEN you use a certain lens, light, shutter speed, ISO, and apeture, and how they ALL work together.

If you are just starting out, learn to do it right. Easy never got anyone anywhere.

 

[bennielou]

Here is some good practice for you. I want you to do it both ways: Manual and Auto. (But KNOW or at least have a loose idea of manual first).

Go outside. At night. Light a candle. Set something by the candle. Shoot it.

Have someone stand outside at high noon in the sunlight. Shoot it.

Go into your home, and turn out the lights in one room, but keep all the rooms lit that are next to it. Have people run around. Shoot it.

Shoot a reflection in a pond or pool or lake.

Have someone stand outside and shoot directly into to sun. Just shoot it.

The thing about lessons, is they have to come in small bits. First you learn how to shoot in different light, and then you learn how to add light, and then you learn how to power crop, and then you learn to process, and then you learn how to use the various rules. Or put them in any order you want to, but the first lesson is going to be "learn how to use your camera".