Some advice for a newbie :)

[Clara]

Hi everyone,
I have just stumbled upon this site and so far am enjoying it! A little background I am a Mum of two littlies and really really love taking photos. I love the thrill you get when you get a great shot, I love how photos will be around years after the time - how they can tell a story from a single moment.
I take lots of photos of my kids, and photos of my friends kids. Everyone tells me I should go professional with it - I laugh at them and say maybe when I learn how to use my camera properly and do some study!! For now I would just like to make the leap from auto to manual. I am looking at getting a new camera and with that I want to find a course and get some training which is a bit hard in a country town...
Anyways I currently have a d4ox and looking at upgrading maybe to a d90 or d7000 I was also thinking maybe a 50mm lens to take portraits of my kids with. I currently just have the kit lenses that came with the d40x.
Is there photographers out there that mentor others? Any ideas how I go about finding this out? I just want to get better at taking photos - just love the thrill of it all :)

[rwg717]

Welcome to AP, you should be able to find enough info on this site to get you up there with the best and I can tell you there are some superb photogs who are members here. The tutorials are mostly written by "high-end" users of DSLR cameras and are most helpful. The thing to do is test yourself against some of our best by entering competitions on AP, that way you will be able to tell soon enough just how good you are:confused013.
The profeesional photography world is a tough place with lots of competitors, get started amongst the amateurs to begin with and good luck:)
Richard

[Clara]

Thanks Richard, I don't think I will ever actually go professional will just be a pipeline dream I think!! Too much respect for the actual professionals out there! I just want to get good shots of the important people in our lives :) I hadn't stumbled on the tutorials yet, will have to have a look - thanks for pointing that out :)

[lousha]

clara i have a d90 and love it but i would go for the newer d7000 but if you slash out there's talk of the new d800 coming soon. :cool:

[ricktas]

Hi Clara,

I would ask why you are looking to upgrade. What are you finding restrictive about the D40x? Upgrading can be of benefit, but to be honest, your D40x can equip you with the skills to take great photos, and often people upgrade for no other reason than they want something bigger and 'better'. Photography is about 80% person, so show us some of your current work and you might just find you can improve a lot, without spending money now, and keep saving and get something even better down the track.

[Clara]

Thanks Rick, I think the main reason I want to is the restriction on lenses and thinking that in the future I will probably still want to upgrade?? But what you have said is definatly worth thinking about - maybe I should just get a better lens for now. I think I need something a bit faster?? How and where do I go about sharing some photos?

[ricktas]

Thanks Rick, I think the main reason I want to is the restriction on lenses and thinking that in the future I will probably still want to upgrade?? But what you have said is definatly worth thinking about - maybe I should just get a better lens for now. I think I need something a bit faster?? How and where do I go about sharing some photos?

Your first post was at 8.10, so it takes about an hour for the site to open up fully to you. Click on FORUM across the top of the site, then go look at the Test Zone forum for details on how to post photos. Then Click FORUM again and scroll down to see all the forums available to you. Find suitable ones and start posting

[rwg717]

Thanks Richard, I don't think I will ever actually go professional will just be a pipeline dream I think!! Too much respect for the actual professionals out there! I just want to get good shots of the important people in our lives :) I hadn't stumbled on the tutorials yet, will have to have a look - thanks for pointing that out :)

Thought I would put the link to tutorials here for you:-

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/forumdisplay.php?52-Tutorials
Cheers Richard

[Clara]

Thanks Rick, I managed to find my way around and put a couple of my recent picks up - little bit nerve wracking!!
Cheers for adding that link Richard, will have a good look tomorrow when the kiddies are down for their nap :)

[RRRoger]

I think the D7000 is the best DX camera made.
There are so many controls and so much to learn.
The higher resolution will show user error more better.
You might be considering more camera than you can use.
DSLR Cameras are like computers, faster and better are always coming soon.
They very rarely hold there price.
Good old cameras will still work as good as new if maintained.
What you have is probably "good enough" at least for now.


The best equipment upgrade you can make is to get some better glass.
It will usually make a bigger difference in image quality than a new camera.
If you are serious about going FullFrame in the future, make sure it is FX.
Of course it should be AF-S to be most useful on your D40x.


High quality glass is an investment.
My best Nikkors could be sold for more than I paid.

[smallfooties]

Hi Clara!
It's always nice to find new people coming on board the forum! Welcome!
I would very much love to see your photos! I agree with RRRoger actually... I think you might like to consider getting a better lens than your kit lens. I don't have a Tamron 90mm but there are alot of members here that say this is a really good versatile lens that you can use as a macro lens and a portrait lens (if i remember and understand the posts correctly!)
What other genres of photography are you interested in? Are you only just interested in portraits? I always have respect for people who can do portraits... or dare to do them rather... Cos i think it's really up close and personal! I'm a little bit of a chicken... i don't like confrontation therefore i am terrified of doing portraits.
When i was doing my pracs at uni, i had a supervisor who was into photography and her portraits were AMAZING! She owns a tammie 90mm too...
But really, would you mind showing us some of your pics?
;)

[Clara]

Thanks for your thoughts smallfooties, I was inspired by this forum and was brave today and practised on full manual - and it was fun!! Definatly will keep it up, I think for the next couple of weeks that's the only way I will allow myself to shoot and see how we go. Unfortunatly my kiddies were'nt playing the game today so had to resort to their toys!! I have only really dabbled in portraits mainly cos the subject matter is so accessiable with family and friends :) I have added a couple of photos to the people forum which was just slightly nervewracking!! Here are a couple more...

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5242/5329914832_2a1ed7fc55.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5241/5329916090_722abfd4bb.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5003/5329304581_277a97b8c7.jpg

[smallfooties]

Hey Clara, i think your shots are pretty awesome!
I've seen the ones you've posted in the CC forum... love them love them!
You certainly have a good understanding of photography concepts!! How did you learn them so well???
I'm doing this course right... and still don't have a workable understanding of many of the concepts!
OH! I see you're in WA too!
Awesomeness.... :th3:

[Clara]

oh gosh thankyou :) I don't know about good understanding at the moment I just kind of point and shoot what I think looks good hahaha but I'm working on it!! Where abouts in WA are you? I'm down south and really want to look into a course but it's hard to find them down here? Think I might just have to stick to teaching myself for now!!

[Scotty72]

Welcome aboard.

Good pics. I guess my advice is to wait a bit, post pics and see what you really need to focus on - that may guide your purchasing choices.

Scotty

[smallfooties]

I'm doing this online course with international career institute... It's pretty alright i think... very flexible and relaxed... which i need after pulling my hair out during uni...
The people at ICI are also very helpful... they helped me get out of a sticky situation awhile back and i thought it was very cool of them to be able to do that!
I think there are some site sponsors here that provide good photography courses.... have a look at those...
I think there is nothing wrong with self teaching... i'm all for it if you have the discipline.. for me i just needed more structure in terms of having to do assignments! I find that i respond well to having to do assignments... otherwise i get too lazy and don't have focus...
I'm living in perth metro... :D been to the great south west a couple of times... thoroughly enjoyed it!
Lots of photography opportunities!