So lost and such a noob I know!

Poena Canalis

TPF Noob!
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Okay...well for starters I've never really taken anything other than a snapshot before! My uncle bought me a really nice camera last month after my dad passed away. He thought that if I got into a new hobby or something that it would help and that maybe i'd really enjoy it. Well, I do enjoy it! I love the camera although I think he spent way too much money on something i'm just now trying, but i am really wanting to learn how to take great photographs. I have the Nikon D90 kit.

I'm just so overwhelmed and confused everytime i go out and take the camera with me. I almost always just shoot in one of the preset modes because I'm not sure what to do otherwise.

I've bought several books to try and help me. I have the Nikon D90 Field Guide, the D90 for dummies book and then I have "Within the frame" by David deChemin and Perfect Exposure by Michael Freeman

These books all have a ton of information but I guess i'm just not sure where to start and what to start working on first. I want to take photos of my pets or even some night photography.

I do know that I would eventually need to upgrade probably my lens and maybe a flash but is there anything I can just start working on now? What should be the first step to taking good pictures and getting a feel for my new camera. I want to be able to really take advantage of all the camera can do. Thanks in advance for any help and for reading this. I probably sound like such a doof! :confused:

I also have Lightroom if that helps. I haven't really investiagted that yet, i figure I should probably learn how to take a photograph first! :lol:
 
Congratulations on the new acquisition!

To start out I would... Start with the basics!

Learn what all the camera features do, and what they are used for. And you probably didn't need to buy all those books because Google will have more info than you can possibly take in. But for now, find out what Shutter speed, Aperture, and ISO are then find out what each does or how it affects the image.

They basically all do the same thing, just in different ways, and can affect the photo in their own unique way. Once you understand those you'll be well on your way to the more advanced stuff!

And take lots of pictures! Its digital, there's no reason to be frugal :lol:
 
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I've bought several books to try and help me. I have the Nikon D90 Field Guide, the D90 for dummies book and then I have "Within the frame" by David deChemin and Perfect Exposure by Michael Freeman

These books all have a ton of information but I guess i'm just not sure where to start and what to start working on first. ...

To quote the Mad Hatter, "Ah, but it was the best butter". You've got good books, but the wrong books, at least for now.

If you are really the beginners that you say you are, you need "books" (ink on paper, ebook, web sites tutorials, ...) that expain how photography works (exposure, depth of field, ...) without confusing the discussion with any hardware specific informat. From those you can learn why you would want to use a particular control. Only then can a book specific to you camera, like the ones you have, become useful to show you how to impliment that control on your particualr equipment.
 
Thanks to you both, i'll start googling! Oh and I actually didn't buy some of the books the exposure and within the frame were a gift and I did purchase the D90 dummies book thinking it might help break everything down for me and the field guide I also bought but I am glad I did. It does help with the features of the camera but you're right I do need to google some stuff.

I've heard it's a great camera and I feel silly not knowing how to use it properly. I wish they offered some sort of photo classes around here but they don't. I checked the community college and the main school neither offers photography! :grumpy::meh:

I am happy with just taking snap shots for some occassions like family get togethers or Christmas, etc... but I do want to get out there and do some landscape photos or even portraits for friends.

Thanks again for the fast replies, this website has so far been so helpful. Maybe i'll even post a few photos eventually and get more feedback that way on how to improve. I guess i'm just worried about someone saying that they suck and I should resell the camera immediately! :lol:
 
This is a website that has a lot of good beginner information, that is pretty concise. There's not a lot of advanced information, but they do a good job teaching about proper exposure, and other things a photographer needs to know.
 
Here are a few of my first shots outside earlier, very bright outside.

kitty.jpg

"Dexter"

vegaface.jpg



Nothing too special just my pets and trying to get a feel for the camera.
 
Oooh, I like the cat. Then again, I have a thing for cats. The second needs a fill flash, I think, but better if you find out what that is on your own, after you have a good understanding of the basics. ;)

Getting a feel for the camera is good. Keep it with you all the time, even when you run seemingly uninteresting errands. You never know when something you want to shoot will present itself, and having it with you will give you the chance to practise.
 
I actually did try using a flash to get rid of some of the shadows on his face, i don't know why I didn't post one. I wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do or not. At least I figure i've learned something today, lol! :lol:

vegaflash.jpg


Thank you for the comments and I love the kitty as well. His name is Dexter and he was living around this house when I moved in. I felt it would be rude to ask him to leave!
 

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