Camera and photography thread

[crazy88]

PHarvey

Get yourself a book by John Hedgecoe called the new manual of photography available from amazon. You download it by doing a google search but order the book as well. You will find it invaluable. It is by far the best all round photography book in terms of being easy to follow. I used it as a reference guide to write an outline for my instructors years ago for the land based portion of pro level underwater film and photography courses. Also pick up a couple of books of photographs, not photography guides, just photographs. Nat Geo would be ideal plus some magazines with lots of pictures on various subjects.

If you have not got a lens for the EOS then you can get started with whatever camera you have. Keep both cameras with you when out taking photographs. Before you open the book both of you go out with camera set on automatic mode and choose a subject each. Both of you take 12 shots of each subject without advising each other. Photograph the subject as you see it. Everyone has a different perspective on how they view things. Try some different angles but do not go too mad for now. Keep the photographs for later reference. If you have both cameras then do the same with the other and put them in folders for each of you. on the computer. It is vital to keep these well organised and labelled as you progress.

Open the JH book and go straight to the section " The art of good photography" Read the introduction then turn the page to find your first exercise. "Placing the subject in the frame" followed by a number of other 2 page sections. Read each section then repeat the 2 subject ( varied) 12 pics as described above for each section. After each section review your shots. Feedback is important so put a couple on here each time. Repeat each exercise as much as you wish to develop an instinct for composition. You will find as you go along your results will show multiple aspects of the individual rules. Refer to the photographs in the books and magazines as you go along to see how each technique is applied by professionals and stimulate your imagination to look at things in different ways. Avoid the temptation to fiddle with the camera settings apart from a macro setting for close-ups for the first time round. When you have gone through the section go and photograph your first set of subjects again using what you have practiced and take a look at the difference.

You will get frustrations with your results along the way. Don't delete them as you will need them for reference as you progress. Next go through " The elements of photography section" A lot of it is read only but there are number of places where you are guided through and should practice each time to build up your knowledge and skills. All the stuff on lenses, apertures, lighting, depth of field, exposure, bracketing etc. is in there. Make sure you keep a log when practicing and experiment with your settings on each subject. You will get a feel for which lenses and settings suit types of subjects and lighting conditions. There is a lot more to it of course but this is a good start and gives noticeable results very quickly without frying the brain .

Best of luck

Crazy 88

[pharvey]

Thanks for all the responses and advice guys - very much appreciated.

C88 - A million thanks for the time spent giving a detailed and informative response. As you've suggested, I've ordered the book from Amazon........ let's hope I can learn something!!

[Randy Cornhole]

Best way is just go out and take some photo's of squirrels.

It must be squirrels as they photograph well in low light.

If you try and take photos of anything else (in spite of the camera or lens you use) it will look bucket 'o shite.

Mark my words for they are the words of Dralon, god of photography (and acrylic fiber).

You have been warned...!!!

[pharvey]

Best way is just go out and take some photo's of squirrels.

It must be squirrels as they photograph well in low light.

If you try and take photos of anything else (in spite of the camera or lens you use) it will look bucket 'o shite.

Mark my words for they are the words of Dralon, god of photography (and acrylic fiber).

You have been warned...!!!

OK, now I'm nervous........ there's a response there somewhere, I'll just crack this bottle of Stolichnaya and try to find it!!

Oh, and need to point out that squirrels are hard to come by here........ if there were any, they've long gone courtesy of the chopstick brigade..

[STEVE G]

It must be squirrels as they photograph well in low light.

Avoid the black ones.

[pharvey]

It must be squirrels as they photograph well in low light.

Avoid the black ones.

Low Light Steve.... LOW LIGHT

Damn, this Stolichnaya is starting to work...... I'm becoming an expert!!

[pharvey]

Anyway... thought there were only ''Reds'' and ''Greys'' or is that Martians?

[STEVE G]

It must be squirrels as they photograph well in low light.

Avoid the black ones.

Low Light Steve.... LOW LIGHT

See what I mean:

[pharvey]

[Randy Cornhole]

That's the ticket. Is that a Japanese Squirrel? I only ask as it seems to have a radio active eye...!

[E-Dork]

That's the ticket. Is that a Japanese Squirrel? I only ask as it seems to have a radio active eye...!

Thanks for that.

[pharvey]

That's the ticket. Is that a Japanese Squirrel? I only ask as it seems to have a radio active eye...!

You bad, bad man..........

[simv]

My second post and radioactivity seem to follow me everywhere!

So, I am yet to get the details of my itinerary. All I know is I'll be staying for 3 days in Hua Hin in mid May. Will be with a group, with people I don't know yet.

My new interest is photography. I own a Canon 500D and 18-55mm Kit IS lens, Sigma 70-300mm DG APO Macro lens, A2970T benro tripod and a remote trigger. I am really looking forward to get some good photos, as I haven't really tested my 70-300mm and the tripod yet. Tripod is a bit heavy but I think I'll carry it. What I have realised is the quality of the photos which I get using the tripod is far superior to that of handheld.

I still am not sure where we all will be visiting but I'd like to know what I shouldn't miss with my camera.

By the way, I loved the Mushroom on the wooden log pic the most. The guitar strings were good too. And ya, the radioactive Japanese squirrel!

[FatBoy]

Of course, there's tripods and tripods!

[PeteC]

What is the benefit of that unless you're trying to shoot something far off the ground? I guess you could get close up shots of wild animals with it as well. As I think they're doing in photo #2, focus could be a problem I guess. Pete