Somewhat New to DSLR, but Need Things Explained In Simple Terms!

AussieDee · Aug 15, 2008

If this is a "Beginners Thread" can someone constitute exactly what you mean by "Beginner"? Beginners with their first photos? Beginners with their first cameras? I understand what the original poster is saying.

I know HTML coding - but HTML for Dummies is too "easy" and only writes stuff that I already know. I want something a little more advanced yet written in laymens terms.

A good majority of all of you have been here a lot longer than us and have far more experience than us and we come here seeking your expertise, but more often then not, I see ridicule to a newbie because they can't remember what aperture is or what exactly ISO is... heck! I'm still learning too! I still can't quite follow but I just keep reading and reading til I find someone who posts something in laymens terms.

Let me ask all you pros how long it took for you to comprehend photography?

srt86hil · Aug 15, 2008

MacMuttonchops said:
I've looked at the For Dummies guides and they are a bit too basic for me and teach me nothing that I didn't know before. Like I said, I've been with this for roughly a year now. I just want a book to tell more than how to frame a photo.

Having myself started out with Digital SLR Cameras and Photography for dummies, I can tell you that if you don't understand the basics, then this is definitely not too advanced for you. It goes right from how a DSLR works to explaining composition, the basics of IR photography and a few trickier terms for beginners, such as Chromatic Abberation, hyperfocal distance and USM.

Jedo_03 · Aug 15, 2008

AussieDee said:
If this is a "Beginners Thread" can someone constitute exactly what you mean by "Beginner"? Beginners with their first photos? Beginners with their first cameras? I understand what the original poster is saying.

I know HTML coding - but HTML for Dummies is too "easy" and only writes stuff that I already know. I want something a little more advanced yet written in laymens terms.

A good majority of all of you have been here a lot longer than us and have far more experience than us and we come here seeking your expertise, but more often then not, I see ridicule to a newbie because they can't remember what aperture is or what exactly ISO is... heck! I'm still learning too! I still can't quite follow but I just keep reading and reading til I find someone who posts something in laymens terms.

Let me ask all you pros how long it took for you to comprehend photography?

Hi AussieDee...
I see your reasoning here - and I'm all for holding the ladder for any and all beginners (and so are many many others...) However, Mr MuttonChops was seeking information on what BOOKS to buy/borrow to further his knowledge - not asking the forum for information... I believe Mr Manaheim was stating the obvious in advising the OP to "brush up on his basics...", no doubt in response to Mr MuttonChops' statement that "Honestly, the most advanced thing that I understand is that a low shutter speed number (I know nothing about this 1/250 thing...I see a 20 or a 2.5 on the D40) means the camera doesn't click as fast and lets more light in. And I'm pretty good with filters."...
Personally - I didn't (and don't) see that as ridiculing the OP - and did not (IMO) warrant the response Mr MuttonChops gave...
The basic information that Mr Muttonchops appears to be seeking abounds on the internet... a google search "shutter speed" yields 39,400,000 hits - 39 and a half MILLION - and for "aperture" 63,100,000 - over 63 million Now I am certain that you, yourself, have availed yourself to the wealth of knowledge on the wwwinter-net to clarify a point or two - and found very good (non-technical) information... For my part, I have directed Mr MuttonChops to a site which (non-technically) explains the basics of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, blah-de-blah. I also took the time to seek out for Mr MuttonChops (via google) a forum dedicated to Nikonians, as they will presumably embrace him for his choice of equipment and gently lead him by the hand through the torturous technical semantics of his Nihonglish gaijin manual...
Dee... walk a mile in Mr Manaheim's shoes... or mine... or many of the other people who have been here a lot longer than Mr MuttonChops... Do you really really REALLY think we have a responsibilty to explain things as basic as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to everyone who asks... Which brings me to add that (assuming you know these basics) why didn't YOU contribute positively Mr MuttonChops' thread and explain these things to him???
Jedo

AussieDee · Aug 15, 2008

why didn't YOU contribute positively Mr MuttonChops' thread and explain these things to him???

from my post above... "heck! I'm still learning too!"
Therefore I cannot contribute to his questions. I don't know either. But......... I do have lots of websites bookmarked for when I DO get my first DSLR.

In the meantime... I sit back and read read read read read...
I apologize if I feel for a newbie when I see an oldie that brushes us off. Not pointing fingers... I'm talking in general... ANY forum really.

I help when I know the answer.

manaheim · Aug 15, 2008

To be fair, I was rushing when I first read this and missed the part about OP looking for books. However, it probably wouldn't have changed my recommendation.

Obviously Mike mentioned the other very popular book that often gets recommended... of course I think he was posting at the same time I was. Had I seen his, I wouldn't have responded at all.

Anyway, moving on...

Bifurcator · Aug 15, 2008

I think as a beginner all you need to focus on at first is this: http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1307145&postcount=4

Then get whatever magazine or coffee-table book has the most images in it that show what the settings were (like 1/100, f/1.8, ISO 100, 24mm). Everytime you come across a term or phrase that doesn't immediately make sense to you just type the whole thing into Google or make a question out of it for the Google search (like: "what is shutter speed?", or "how does shutter speed work?", or whatever).

Anyway after you get the basics down which shouldn't take too long really - it's pretty simple stuff, then you can start playing with anything and everything that interests you. I bounce around to just whatever... The last few weeks were macro stuff: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1292354 . After you get a little experience don't be afraid to fry new and creative things by thinking outside the box: