Questions about natural light photography!

[MegTrib]

So, I am BRAND NEW to all of this, but for years I have wanted to learn about photography and I never have taken the time because ...well... I hardly have any with 2 little ones , however, I am starting ---now!

I would love to learn more about natural light photography. What do I need to know? Where can I go to learn (know of good websites, books, helpful person on here..)? What do I need? This is a passion that has been inside of me that I am wanting to come out. I would love to eventually do families and children for fun.

I have a Nikon D60.

 

[AgentDrex]

Well, I would certainly believe you have already found the spot where you can do the most of your learning and find some great mentors as I have. Obviously Bitter Jeweler, and Ron Evers are two names that come to mind when you talk natural lighting, but I could be wrong...wouldn't hurt to look through some of their old threads and see what you can see...

Congrats on joining the best darn photo forum this side (and the other) of the Mississippi...

 

[mrmacedonian]

Welcome to the Forum!

Here are some common beginner suggestions that aren't specific to natural lighting per se but are a good place to begin

1) Read [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-3rd-Photographs-Camera/dp/0817439390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284105490&sr=8-1"]Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition[/ame] by Bryan Peterson
2) Read [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Eye-Composition-Design-Digital/dp/0240809343/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284105579&sr=1-1"]The Photographer's Eye[/ame] by Michael Freeman
3) Shoot in Manual
5) Takes lots of pictures!

Also, as a note, there is nothing wrong with expanding into "artificial" lighting by using an off-camera flash or two! Check out Lighting 101 he'll show natural light situations that have been improved by providing additional sources of light

 

[MegTrib]

Thanks guys!

Would you say the first step I need to take is practicing in manual mode? I know nothing about the manual mode, so I don't even know where to start there. Im not sure what it all means. I'm trying to google some things now...

 

[mrmacedonian]

1) Read Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition by Bryan Peterson

This step is very important then

 

[JasonLambert]

1) Read Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition by Bryan Peterson
2) Read The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman
3) Shoot in Manual
5) Takes lots of pictures!

I give that a +1 with the exception of shooting in Manual. Shooting in Apature Priority mode or Shutter Priority mode and looking at the EXIF data will prove to be a great learning tool. See what the camera chooses to make a correct exposure. Just what I did and still do when I am just not sure.

This and the Nicrap (oh no you didn't!) vs Canon debate turn into week long discussion here so just do what works for you... But just make sure you are using a Canon!

Jason

's Nikon Users... They taste great! :lmao:


.

 

[MegTrib]

1) Read Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition by Bryan Peterson
2) Read The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman
3) Shoot in Manual
5) Takes lots of pictures!

I give that a +1 with the exception of shooting in Manual. Shooting in Apature Priority mode or Shutter Priority mode and looking at the EXIF data will prove to be a great learning tool. See what the camera chooses to make a correct exposure. Just what I did and still do when I am just not sure.

This and the Nicrap (oh no you didn't!) vs Canon debate turn into week long discussion here so just do what works for you... But just make sure you are using a Canon!

Jason :heart:'s Nikon Users... They taste great! :lmao:


.

See, I have no clue what any of that is ("Shooting in Apature Priority mode or Shutter Priority mode and looking at the EXIF data will prove to be a great learning tool.") :\ AHH -frustrating.

I will stay away from a nikon/canon debate for now

 

[MegTrib]

1) Read Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition by Bryan Peterson

This step is very important then

THANK YOU!!!!:mrgreen:

 

[LCARSx32]

Thanks guys!

Would you say the first step I need to take is practicing in manual mode? I know nothing about the manual mode, so I don't even know where to start there. Im not sure what it all means. I'm trying to google some things now...

Here's what I would do: For now, leave it in green mode. Search Google for "photography composition tutorial" and read up. Another good search term for beginners is "Rule of thirds".

Once you have taken a few shots and grasp the concept of composition, then yes manual mode is the best place to learn. Once you're ready to make the move to manual, search Google for "the exposure triangle". It'll take some time to understand how to get your image to be properly exposed.

The best thing you can do is experiment and post your pictures here for C&C (comments & criticism) and be ready for a lashing, lol. Don't get discouraged. 99.99% of the people on this forum will give you honest feedback on what's wrong and how you can fix it. That's how I started, and how I'm still learning.

That said, I assume you have the kit lens that came with the D60? Have you gotten anything else (tripod, flash, other lenses, anything)? I just want to get an idea of what you have to work with. Also, what kind of natural light photography? Day? Night? Action? Still? Landscape? People?

 

[MegTrib]

Thanks guys!

Would you say the first step I need to take is practicing in manual mode? I know nothing about the manual mode, so I don't even know where to start there. Im not sure what it all means. I'm trying to google some things now...

Here's what I would do: For now, leave it in green mode. Search Google for "photography composition tutorial" and read up. Another good search term for beginners is "Rule of thirds".

Once you have taken a few shots and grasp the concept of composition, then yes manual mode is the best place to learn. Once you're ready to make the move to manual, search Google for "the exposure triangle". It'll take some time to understand how to get your image to be properly exposed.

The best thing you can do is experiment and post your pictures here for C&C (comments & criticism) and be ready for a lashing, lol. Don't get discouraged. 99.99% of the people on this forum will give you honest feedback on what's wrong and how you can fix it. That's how I started, and how I'm still learning.

That said, I assume you have the kit lens that came with the D60? Have you gotten anything else (tripod, flash, other lenses, anything)? I just want to get an idea of what you have to work with. Also, what kind of natural light photography? Day? Night? Action? Still? Landscape? People?

Thanks for all the info! Yeah, I have the lens that came with it and a tripod. My husband used to have a lens that shot things close up maybe? but he sold it. The camera was originally bought by my husband a couple years ago to mainly take pictures of his salt water tank :er:. Now that he's finished with that hobby for a little bit, it's my turn to play with the camera and take it over.

Dream goal: to be a family and child photographer...

 

[JasonLambert]

Hey there... Sorry I was just having some fun with the Nikon users out there. YouTube can also be a good learning tool. If you are like me, learning is best done when it is seen rather than read.

Also, take advantage of the search feature on this site. If it has to do with photography, it's probably been talked about here on TPF. Make sure you learn how to post a picture on the forum... Just make sure you put on a second layer of skin before doing so... Some of the comments may seem harsh, but most of the time (by some people) they are very correct!

Go to a site like Flickr.com and look at the work of others... Don't look at mine... I don't know what I'm doing. The more you look at photos, the more you will learn... Trust you eye... If a photo looks bad, try and figure out why it does. What would you have done to correct it?

I also focus primarily on portrait photography. A photo of a flower in MY opinion is just a picture of a flower, but a photo of a person captures a moment in time that that person will never get back. A story is told in everyones eyes, their body position, and facial expression. You can see the beginning, middle, and on a rare occasion, the end of someones life in a good portrait.

Here is a link to my favorite portrait posted on TPF... I hope you enjoy.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum-photo-gallery/201252-before-after.html Favorite was Original #2

 

[Derrel]

I would stop by your local library and look through the photography books they have there. There are many,many books available, and you should be able to check out one or two and learn some stuff from them.

 

[peanut170]

Im still learning everyday, but one thing i did at first was everytime i saw something on my camera i was unfamiliar with,i looked it up in my manual, then when that made no sense, i googled it. every day just google a new setting on your camera, or term that you hear on here. shutter, apperature, iso, white balance for starters. and slowly like everything it will become more familiar. And in 2 months you'll be asking how to shoot a wedding.

 

[JasonLambert]

And in 2 months you'll be asking how to shoot a wedding.

:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:SOOOOOOO TRUUUUUUE!!!!!:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

 

[mrmacedonian]

And in 2 months you'll be asking how to shoot a wedding.

:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:SOOOOOOO TRUUUUUUE!!!!!:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

>_<