Learning to shoot - where to start?

[johassler]

I've purchased my first (used) dslr. For the last 25 years or so I've taken all my photos exclusively with a point-and-shoot, using absolutely no manual controls.

I'm going to learn to master my camera, one technique or tutorial at a time. But it's all so overwhelming and confusing! Bokeh, exposure, DoF, panning, and more...

What single technique or tutorial would you start with, if you were starting over at the beginning again?

(Any tutorial or technique links would be most appreciated!)

PS I'm going to my first local camera club meeting tonight! I'm very excited!!

[inkista]

I'm an ease-the-toe-into-the-pool kind of learner, so I'd start by putting the dSLR in "P" mode, and then watching my ISO and white balance, and how to slide the exposure compensation around.

After that became to restrictive, I'd go to Aperture Priority mode, and choose my aperture as well. Then, full Manual and drop exposure compensation for exact selection of aperture and shutter speed.

There's also simcam.

I learn from books very easily, so my recommendations would be to go through the manual and to read Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. But if you're a tactile/kinesthetic or visual learner, I'd say hanging with the camera club and shooting a lot is a better way to go. Audio or visual learner, and maybe video podcasts will do you better than online tutorials.

Everybody's got 10,000 bad photos in them. Might as well get 'em out as soon as possible to get to the good ones.

[johassler]

Thanks, Inkista!

My husband suggested a drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend (assuming the rain ever stops) for experimentation. I'll begin with being very aware of what my camera is doing when in "P" mode. I plan to shoot in RAW because I figure while I tip toe in to photography I might as well start as I mean to continue. Plus I like the idea of just that much more control over processing the photos.

I'm reading through the manual hungrily, as well as another intro book that came with the camera when I got it. I hope to pick up Mr. Peterson's books when I hit the library (also this weekend). I tend to learn by doing - but I usually use book, online tutorials, or video tutorials to give me the "how you do it" portion of learning by doing.

I appreciate your well considered response. And here's to photo 10,001!

[arlon]

Start with a good EXIF reader. The reader lets you see what the camera setting for the shot where.

Second, go out and take a lot of pictures in various modes and settings.

Shooting a lot of pictures and looking at the results is the best way to learn. Don't have to be "wall hangers" either. I learned a lot about how my camera works laying on the couch and taking pictures of my toes (convenient, accessible and consistent subject). Forget all the technical garbage when you're getting started, that just clogs brain cells. Keep it simple and just have fun shooting some pictures and looking at the results.

I use my toes and a transformer on the power pole in the back yard for my "learning shots". For learning purposes you want something easy to shoot, something that isn't going to change from day to day and has a range of colors, textures and details.
I have shot the transformer with every lens I own at every f-stop the lens is capable of and in every type of light imaginable. I've probably learned more about my camera and exposure shooting that transformer than anything else (more than even my toes).. (-:}
I keep a file sorted by camera and lens of those transformer shots. Sounds silly but I know exactly what f-stop is the sharpest for every lens I own and they are all different..

The exif reader is one of the most important tools for a new photographer to learn to use because it lets you see ALL of the cameras settings when the shot was made. Looking at the good and bad you'll start to see what works and what doesn't but you have to be able to to see what the camera settings where when you took that particular shot.

[Elmo]

+1 on Peterson's Book.

Wait a week or tw ontil the mountain colors get better. Meanwhile walk around your yard and neighborhood and shoot everything. Carefully review the images to see how each one might be better, Then go shoot them again using setting you feel might be better. Keep this up and you will get the hang of it. Peterson's book will give you lots of ideas. hat being said Books, tutorials and videos are nice but pressing the shutter is the only real way to learn.

[robdavis305]

I agree with the others as far as reading UNDERSTANDING EXPOSURE by Bryan Petrson

[johassler]

I have a birdhouse that I love to look at; maybe it'll be my transformer. I can't imagine taking shots of my toes! I'd need a pedacure first! Ha ha!

Okay - so lots, and lots, and lots of practice, with thoughtful gazing at the results. Check!

It's a busy week at work but I'm looking forward to beginning my journey to "photos that don't entirely suck". Thanks for all the tips!

[PhilDellPhoto]

I don't recommend P mode personally. I'm however a huge fan of AV and TV modes.

By doing this you can dictate how fast you want your shutter speed or how large aperture you want, and the camera will let you know what the other appropriate setting is. Then if you want to control brightness, depth of field or other factors once you get close, you can go for it by adjusting your EV setting. Once you've sort of gotten the feel of what appropriate settings are (even if you don't take time to look while you're taking the picture, the EXIF data on the computer should show you all your values including focal length, this is your friend because you can see the shot on a large screen and truly find out what dof you like.) you can move to manual. I'll be honest and say even though I know what the settings SHOULD be for what I want I still shoot in AV mode 80% of the time, Manual 10%, and TV 10%.

I occasionally cheat when I'm finding a hard time getting a fast enough shutter speed in low lighting stuff and look at what Program or Auto mode says, but most of the time AV does the trick for me.

Now I'm going to tell you why I dispute Program mode. With certain metering settings (you should also read up on the metering style you like/want/need it should be built in with 3 modes, but a 4th is added on some newer cameras I believe) the camera will meter a shot (determine how much light is really there), and then give priority to the shutter speed so you get "crystal clear" pictures which is what everybody wants, right? wrong. When you do this, (God help you if you're using a built-in flash) you will get a shot that looks NO DIFFERENT than a point and shoot camera, everything will be in focus, everything will resound, but nothing stands out, it looks sharp and amateur. But when YOU start controlling your depth of field (important to know what aperture to use, even 5.6 can give you relatively cool looking bokeh or blur if you pose the subject far enough from its background) you can start getting stuff that your digital point and shoot simply cannot do without some serious tweaking (like FEL and EL).

So I say dial it right in to AV mode and dictate your depth of field before anything else, and your camera will tell you what the appropriate shutter speed is.

Good Luck Shooting!