Interested in Photography

[Ghost]

Yea, I joined a photog forum and got thrashed..

Any recommendations for very bright sunlight pictures of people? I tried using just program mode, setting ISO at around 400-600 and left the shutter speed alone, pictures just kept coming out dark. Even bumping up the ISO they seemed to come out dark..even in auto.

Ill upload some later.

Just the opposite. Take the speed down. Use a flash to fill in the face with light or a big white piece of poster board. The under a tree thing is good.

 

[old_man]

Me too. Grafic View. What is yours? I also have a Darkroom set up at my house.

I've got a nice rail Calumet with a carrying case but the lenses are crap.

 

[tbburg]

Just the opposite. Take the speed down. Use a flash to fill in the face with light or a big white piece of poster board. The under a tree thing is good.

I was going to suggest a manual flash fire to brighten up the shadows in bright light. 'kind of counter-intuitive, but it works. I'm no pro, but fooling with the flash is a trick I learned. Also, if you don't have a good variable flash, try covering the flash reflector face with a couple layers of paper towel or tissue paper when shooting close indoors. Most all standard camera flashes over-saturate if you're closer then about 7 feet. (My point&shoot always looks funny because I scotch tape a wad of tissue over the flash, and a piece of foam over the mic hole to kill wind noise.)

I found "Mastering Digital SLR Photography" by David Busch
Link to Amazon.com
Not only is there a lot of good info, the first hundred pages of the book are devoted to how a digital camera works and the various peripherals. It's a pretty good primer.
Also went through "Understanding Exposure" by Brian Peterson
Another Amazon link

 

[Sardog1]

Don't listen to the camera snobs who pit one brand against another. Anyone that feels they must give snide remarks because you are not using their brand probably have little experience in photography. All brands have their strengths and weaknesses. It is the person looking through the viewfinder that makes the real difference. And don't be discouraged if you come home with a memory card full of duds. That is how you learn. As others have mentioned, composition is key to having a pic turn out well. Read every photography book you can get your hands on, old school or new, the principle is the same with film or digital. Find a photographer that you admire (dead or alive) and try to duplicate their style. Get your dial OFF of "automatic" or "program" and learn about aperature priority and shutter priority. It's really easy once you understand what each does. Learn to play with light, it can be you best friend. I could go on and bore you to tears, but the last thing that, IMO is sound advice, is to spend as much as you can afford on lenses. The camera bodies are like computers and are outdated as soon as you walk out of the camera store. Good glass is important and Canon makes some very nice lenses. Now get out and shoot everything in sight!

 

[DrMoab]

I have to disagree with your first statement.

The most professional photographers I know are also the most brand loyal and most likely to snicker at any brand they aren't shooting with.

At the same time they are usually the same people who will tell you a great photograph is 90% shooter and 10% equipment.

 

[Lowrange2]

Don't listen to the camera snobs who pit one brand against another. Anyone that feels they must give snide remarks because you are not using their brand probably have little experience in photography.

Perhaps, you should read a little farther into what's said before you go on the attack, Ansel.

 

[Sardog1]

I have to disagree with your first statement.

The most professional photographers I know are also the most brand loyal and most likely to snicker at any brand they aren't shooting with.

At the same time they are usually the same people who will tell you a great photograph is 90% shooter and 10% equipment.

Guess we can agree to disagree on this one! Brand loyalty is one thing and many of the pros do promote their brand (Explorers of Light, etc), but I hear time and time again from non-professionals how my brand is the best and your brand sucks. I am loyal to my preferred brand of DSLR but also own others for different applications/reasons. Again, it is the operator, not the tool... For this I believe we stand on common ground!

 

[Ghost]

Well there is a scientific fact as to why Canon has a little better lenses then Nikon. I did not say better glass either. That being said it looks like Nikon is wining on the Megapixel side of things atm. As far as 33mm format I would agree that those two are the current best bang for the buck however if you shoot in low light you are better off with Canon IMHO but it will cost you $$$. Now if we include Leica both of them are weak at best. Just my .02 from a camera snob of 30+ years of shooting.

 

[Lowrange2]

To be completely honest the reason I chose Nikon for my first DSLR camera was because of they way that the felt in the store.

The Canon felt like a cheap disposable child's toy with a sticky lens. It wouldn't zoom smoothly.

The Nikon felt like a much more quality built product. I didn't feel like it was going to break in my hands.

 

[XJEEPER]

Perhaps, you should read a little farther into what's said before you go on the attack, Ansel.

Ansel......:laugh2:

I thrash on my Canon XSi and it just keeps working......so I haven't justified it's replacement. I only own one Canon lens currently, a 50mm 1.8. I've been pretty happy with my Sigma 28-70 macro and Sigma 70-200 2.8 ($800 less than the equivelent Canon L) though.

 

[Lowrange2]

Ansel......:laugh2:

I thrash on my Canon XSi and it just keeps working......so I haven't justified it's replacement. I only own one Canon lens currently, a 50mm 1.8. I've been pretty happy with my Sigma 28-70 macro and Sigma 70-200 2.8 ($800 less than the equivelent Canon L) though.

I've yet to spend the cash on the 50mm 1.8 but that'll be the next lens I purchase.

 

[DrMoab]

I've yet to spend the cash on the 50mm 1.8 but that'll be the next lens I purchase.

You shoot with a crop sensor or full frame? If crop you might look at the 35mm DX lens. It's closer to 50mm equivalent on a crop. I own both the 50mm 1.8 and the 35mm 1.8 and I find I use the 35 10x more often.

 

[XJLI]

50mm with a crop isn't bad, you just need to know when you can use it or not. Because its either an awesome lens or a piece of shit depending on the situation.

 

[DrMoab]

50mm with a crop isn't bad, you just need to know when you can use it or not. Because its either an awesome lens or a piece of shit depending on the situation.

Yes. Should have clarified. It's great for people in small groups and other situations when a slightly telephoto lens works to your advantage. I've just found personally I use the 35mm a lot more often.

 

[Lowrange2]

You shoot with a crop sensor or full frame? If crop you might look at the 35mm DX lens. It's closer to 50mm equivalent on a crop. I own both the 50mm 1.8 and the 35mm 1.8 and I find I use the 35 10x more often.

1.5x crop.

I'll buy that 50mm from ya.

 

[XJLI]

Yes. Should have clarified. It's great for people in small groups and other situations when a slightly telephoto lens works to your advantage. I've just found personally I use the 35mm a lot more often.

Ya, I'd like to add a 35 to my collection but idk if I'm upgrading bodies yet and going full frame.

 

[DaveS98]

I need to add another lens to my collection,
Really want the 24-70..but thing is $$$

 

[Lowrange2]

I used a friend of mine's lens and I really liked it. Can't afford to buy it now though.

It's a Tamron 18-270mm. I'd like it for no other reason than to eliminate the need for multiple lenses.

 

[tbburg]

One of the reasons professionals develop brand loyalty is (as mentioned above) the glass involved. Who said earlier the camera bodies grow obsolete quickly? Well, the glass doesn't. If you've been shooting for five years and need a new body, are you going to go get a new Cannon, or something that fits the 4 grand(or 10) worth of Nikon glass in your bag?

Another "brand factor" for the professional(or any long-term photog) is what you might call muscle memory. The menu/sub-menu/dial placement/etc tend to be similar across brand families. Changing camera brand involves re-learning all the stuff that has become second nature/automatic to you.
Personal story - traded from a Pentax ME-Super, to a Pentax P-30, to a Canon,.. all film - I'm old. Hardly noticed the difference between the two Pentax bodies. Shot the Canon for 4 years and never did manage to get the hang of it - I still hate that thing and it's left a bad taste in my mouth for all Canon products. Pretty sad, 'cause it's a good camera, just my inability to learn to use it.

I have a hunch cameras are like guns: The first good one you buy is going to mold your taste and preference, so be prepared to live with whatever brand camera you buy forever(not a bad thing overall)

Anyway, don't get too tied up in make of camera. Buy whatever looks good/feels good/or even what is available to you. Don't buy cheap glass, as mentioned, it'll outlast the camera. Shoot the hell out of whatever you buy. One of the great things about digital pix - they don't cost a dime to develop.

 

[tbburg]

One of the reasons professionals develop brand loyalty is (as mentioned above) the glass involved. Who said earlier the camera bodies grow obsolete quickly? Well, the glass doesn't. If you've been shooting for five years and need a new body, are you going to go get a new Cannon, or something that fits the 4 grand(or 10) worth of Nikon glass in your bag?

Another "brand factor" for the professional(or any long-term photog) is what you might call muscle memory. The menu/sub-menu/dial placement/etc tend to be similar across brand families. Changing camera brand involves re-learning all the stuff that has become second nature/automatic to you.
Personal story - traded from a Pentax ME-Super, to a Pentax P-30, to a Canon,.. all film - I'm old. Hardly noticed the difference between the two Pentax bodies. Shot the Canon for 4 years and never did manage to get the hang of it - I still hate that thing and it's left a bad taste in my mouth for all Canon products. Pretty sad, 'cause it's a good camera, just my inability to learn to use it.

I have a hunch cameras are like guns: The first good one you buy is going to mold your taste and preference, so be prepared to live with whatever brand camera you buy forever(not a bad thing overall)

Anyway, don't get too tied up in make of camera. Shoot what you've got. Don't buy cheap glass, as mentioned, it'll outlast the camera. Shoot the hell out of whatever you buy. One of the great things about digital pix - they don't cost a dime to develop.