Do some sort of photography evening class. I would really like to make the most of the Camera and lenses I got. However this will be my first SLR,

Or am I being foolish. Is it one of them things you either have or you haven't.

 

Hi Lee

It's absolutley not one of those things you either have or don't - photography is a skill which you can learn like any other with the right application and willingness to learn.

I would not suggest taking classes though. More often than not they are ran by inexperienced people without the right knowledge to teach what they are teaching. You will learn a million times more by going out to take photographs.

My first advice is to take it out of AUTO mode immediately. Either shoot in A mode (Aperture Priority) or S mode (Shutter Speed Priority) - read your manual to get the full explanation on what this means - but you won't learn how to be a good photographer in AUTO because the camera does everything for you like a normal point and shoot - and this defeats the object of an SLR.

The most important thing you need to do is understand Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO Sensitivity - and learn the correlation between them. Check eBay and amazon etc. to find a copy of "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson - it is the best £10 you will ever spend. Read this cover to cover and you'll be able to select the right exposure for your image every time.

I got my DSLR in May 2006 and I'm still learning, but getting there. Have a look at my website - http://www.mfphotography.co.uk some of my stuff is on there although not much.

Lastly, get registered on http://www.dpreview.com and read through the forums there, this has been the single most valuable resource I've come across, and 99% of what I've learned, I've learned from these forums.

Just out of interest - what camera did you get?

Kind regards,
Martin

 

I think a short course of classes is a good idea. It's one of those things where it's easier to pick up the technical side of it if someone is there telling you/showing you on your own camera rather than reading through books. Taking a good photograph is more than just technical settings, you need a good eye for it, if someone decent is teaching you, they can give you pointers on how to improve your pictures.

Because it's a digital camera it'll be piss to learn. I remember using different settings on my normal SLR and then by the time i'd developed the film (by myself) i'd forget what setting i'd used. I just made them up when I submitted exam work.

 

Go for it, I bet you'll learn more in those classes than 2 years of trying to learn by trial and error. You'll also get far more out of the camera and enjoy it more I reckon.

 

Sorry guys, but application of your new toy is by far the best way to learn, far more than any class you could take. It's a practical hands on thing that needs to be experimented with. My £0.02 worth anyway!

You need to learn the correlation between ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture - and when you've got exposure nailed you can learn the theory and practicality of composition.

Learn by doing, it's far more fun and you can learn from your mistakes, not other peoples.

 

Bit like asking a new driver to learn map reading, and they say WHY ?, I have sat nav!!
ie technology is our friend, use it it you want just a personal thing.
tabetha