What to teach a beginner

[jonathon94]

Hello Everyone, I have a friend who has a deep interest in photography but knows very little except that enjoys the feeling of taking photos. He doesn't have a camera so I gave him my old Canon Powershot A490. It has an Automatic and a Program Mode on it. I myself, feel that I am an intermediate photographer so I decided to teach him what I know. I probably want to teach him composition first but I am unsure. If you are/were to teach a beginner what would be the first thing that you taught them and then what would you move onto?

 

[Robin Usagani]

If you are not sure what to teach, then you probably shouldnt teach photography . Just saying hahahaah.

If I were to teach a beginner DSLR, I probably teach them how to use manual mode and different metering. Shoot and know exactly what the preview will look like. But that requires a camera with manual mode.

 

[jonathon94]

If you are not sure what to teach, then you probably shouldnt teach photography . Just saying hahahaah.

If I were to teach a beginner DSLR, I probably teach them how to use manual mode and different metering. Shoot and know exactly what the preview will look like. But that requires a camera with manual mode.

lol I have so many things to teach him and I know all the basics I just don't know the order in which to teach it all. My mother has always said that when I try to teach her something, I will go from one thing to a completely different thing all in one sentence lol

So what should I teach him first?

 

[Robin Usagani]

I feel like it is like teaching someone how to use a point and shoot. I have taught my mom how to use a point and shoot.. but really just basic operation. He needs to have a DSLR or a bridge camera. Get the technical down first.

 

[jonathon94]

I feel like it is like teaching someone how to use a point and shoot. I have taught my mom how to use a point and shoot.. but really just basic operation. He needs to have a DSLR or a bridge camera. Get the technical down first.

Why not basics down first? I had that camera for a year and that's how I learned of the Rule of Thirds and other Composition techniques. Surely he can learn that

 

[Overread]

Composition and technical are two separate (yet linked) parts.
Generally most people advocate learning to use the tool before you learn to create with it. The same for painting, sketching etc.. - its much easier to teach them how to do art when they've already got the confidence to use the tools that they have. Otherwise you'll end up falling into tech talk as they try to get their artistic displays right and make mistakes with the technical side.

Teaching with program and auto mode are hard things to do as the camera retains much of the control. I'd say teaching with a camera that at least has aperture and shutter priority and ideally manual mode as well would help. Also DSLR teaching on aspects like aperture can make more sense to people than if they are learning with a smaller sensor camera (since its far harder for them to see the difference in aperture values and how it affects their photos - esp when not working close up).

 

[jonathon94]

Composition and technical are two separate (yet linked) parts.
Generally most people advocate learning to use the tool before you learn to create with it. The same for painting, sketching etc.. - its much easier to teach them how to do art when they've already got the confidence to use the tools that they have. Otherwise you'll end up falling into tech talk as they try to get their artistic displays right and make mistakes with the technical side.

Teaching with program and auto mode are hard things to do as the camera retains much of the control. I'd say teaching with a camera that at least has aperture and shutter priority and ideally manual mode as well would help. Also DSLR teaching on aspects like aperture can make more sense to people than if they are learning with a smaller sensor camera (since its far harder for them to see the difference in aperture values and how it affects their photos - esp when not working close up).

Well the only DSLR I have would be my personal T3 and I'm not exactly willing to let him have that but maybe I can let him use it while I teach him and he can possibly bring that knowledge to the point and shoot. I know that is not a preferred learning tool but It's the best I have and I figure him having that point and shoot is better then nothing.

 

[jriepe]

The first thing I would explain would be about apertures, shutter speeds, ISO's and how they relate to proper exposure.

Jerry

 

[jonathon94]

The first thing I would explain would be about apertures, shutter speeds, ISO's and how they relate to proper exposure.

Jerry

Probably give him a copy of the Exposure Triangle?

 

[Robin Usagani]

The first thing I would explain would be about apertures, shutter speeds, ISO's and how they relate to proper exposure.

Jerry

With that camera? I dont think so. It is almost like telling someone about that with an iphone camera.

 

[IByte]

Probably give him a copy of the Exposure Triangle?

Have them Google camerasim dslr simulator. Maybe his P&S have few other modes to experiment with.

 

[jonathon94]

The first thing I would explain would be about apertures, shutter speeds, ISO's and how they relate to proper exposure.

Jerry

With that camera? I dont think so. It is almost like telling someone about that with an iphone camera.

lol ok

 

[jonathon94]

Probably give him a copy of the Exposure Triangle?

Have them Google camerasim dslr simulator. Maybe his P&S have few other modes.

I used that a few times before I got my DSLR

 

[IByte]

I used that a few times before I got my DSLR

Great tool, I only wish there was actual software, and maybe a few more scenarios.

 

[jonathon94]

I used that a few times before I got my DSLR

Great tool, I only wish there was actual software, and maybe a few more scenarios.

Same here