Photography people, i need help!?

Question

i need good digital photography tips, and is there any cheap classes i can take??

Answer 1

Brooks Institute, not cheap, but the very best.

Shutterbug Magazine.

www.photo.net

Outdoors photography magazine

The Negative, the Print, and the Camera by Ansel Adams.

Any of the self-help books published by Kodak over the years.

www.dpreview.com

Grab a camera and head out. Shoot everything; experiment and experience.

Answer 2

Digital Photography has introduced a lot of bad habits for many people new to photography. The basics of traditional photography still apply:

1) Hold the camera steady. Because of the LCD viewfinders, digital photographers are holding the camera farther away from their body when taking the shot. As the camera is farther away from your body, there will be much more camera shake...especially when the trigger is depressed. Just be aware of this when taking the shot. Preferably, you should be shooting through the optical viewfinder because in that case, you will have the camera solid against your nose and skull...this provides a very steady shot. But I also understand that most viewfinders in digital cameras (point and shoot) are not so great, so I don't blame people for using the LCD.

2) Consider a tripod. I always say the difference between a good photo and a great photo is the tripod. Take the exposure with the timer vs. your finger to ensure a shake-free shot.

3) Use the lowest ISO setting your light situation allows. If bright and outdoors, ISO 100 will give you the best color saturation. Move to higher ISO settings only if you need to keep a short exposure time (for a sharper image).

4) Use the lowest resolution needed for the print size you have in mind. There's no need to shoot at 8 megapixels if you are planning for an uncropped 4x6. 3 megapixels is enough for an uncropped 4x6. Plus, using a lower resolution may extend your 'dynamic range' up to a full stop, which, in layman's terms is better definition within shadows and highlights.

5) Don't use your digital zoom...it's useless. Stay with the optical zoom for best quality.

6) When taking mug shots of people, use your telephoto setting. If you stay on wide or normal and take the shot by walking up to your subject, their face will look distorted. Better to back up and use your zoom. But remember that as you use more zoom, camera shake is magnified...just be aware of that and hold it steady.

7) If your camera has a histogram, learn how to read it and how to apply it into making better exposures.

8) Cheap classes? There is plenty of helpful material online. Try Wikipedia and About.com.

Answer 3

I got into photography several years ago by attending a class at a local botanical garden. From there I joined a local camera club. This club had monthly meetings with guest speakers giving all sorts of interesting photographic topics which were better than some classes I've attended. Speaking of classes, most local two year colleges and some four year colleges usually offer classes in photography at reasonable prices. I've even seen some offered at night in my area.

You might want to look into short term photographic studies such as those offered with the Rocky Mountain School of Photography (RMSP). You'll find them on line at http://www.rmsp.com/ and they offer a variety of classes from a few days long to several months.

I also found several good books on photography basics. One of the best was titled "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. Amazon sells it for about $17. It gives an excellent overview of the basics of photography and is an easy read with a lot of relevant examples.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

Depending on your locale, a local college or junior college may offer beginning photography classes. If not, a wealth of information can be gained from your local library.

However, my personal recommendation is BetterPhoto.com. Not only do they offer online photography courses, but they are a veritable cornucopia of information on everything from beginning photography to professional editing with Photoshop. You can also sign up for their newsletter that is chock full of tips and tricks to make your photos pro-quality!

Though I am a professional photographer, I always feel that I have room for improvement! I subscribe to BetterPhoto's newsletter and frequently visit their website to read their forum! And no, I don't work for BetterPhoto!

I hope this helps!

fotowerks
www.fotowerks.net

Answer 5

I am in my seventies and time is going by so quickly I haven't time to do all the photography I want to do. I can't bend down as I used to and when I do get down there to photograph that bug I can't get up again. I need a powerful diopter to see thru the viewfinder and a caddy to carry my heavy dslr plus this big tripod. (That's my wife). If I sit at my computer too long my back hurts and if I stand up I can't see the screen. Hey this is not the poor me's. I love photography in spite of the challenges and aches & pains. I am living in the most wonderful era of creativity in history and if Beethoven could compose his last symphony while blind I can still create good photos and I'm going to do it till I die Barry

Answer 6

A good book is the "Digital Photography Book" By Scott Kebly

Read some photography magazines they have really great tips in them. Most people learn throught reading, classes will force you to buy a film SLR or another camera when you may not want one.

I learned on my own for the most part. Reading books and magazines.

Answer 7

Lots of digital photography tips on this site, and its free.
www.photoworkshop.com

I recently bought a digital and use this website quite a lot.

Isst

Answer 8

Visit the bookstore(as I call it the new library) and read up on some digital photography books. (it's free) happy picture taking!

Answer 9

This site tell and shows you how to take great pictures without paying for a class.

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=39&pq-locale=en_US