Getting Started With Digital Photography

With the radical drop in prices for consumer DSLRs, it's safe to say that a lot of people are deciding to forgo point-and-shoot cameras to try their hand at better cameras. While a DSLR can be used just the same way as a point-and-shoot, there are some easy ways to get started with expanding your horizons beyond setting your camera on "auto" and shooting.

I've had a DSLR since 2006. Before that, I was developing my photographic eye by using a Sony Cybershot 5MP camera. It was small and handy, and allowed me to develop my talents steadily since I had it always with me. Since then, I've taken over 100,000 photos in the last few years. Granted, I've kept only about 15,000, but all in all, it's been quite fun. I'm only now nearing the point where I'll need to upgrade to a better model. If you're wondering, my weapon of choice is the Nikon D200 with a Nikkor 18-200mm VR lens. My next camera will be a full-frame camera from Nikon, probably the successor to the Nikon D700 which will come out in 2011.

1. Take a lot of photos
Take it from someone who's taken quite a few photos, when you take the time to take a shot, make sure that you take a bunch of them before you change positions. This ensures that at least one of the shots you've taken will be good.

2. Carry your DSLR everywhere yo go
Once you start using a DSLR, point-and-shoots will become a hassle because you'll never have access to all of the features and functions that you're getting used to on a bigger camera. While DSLRs are significantly bigger and heavier than point-and-shoots, once you get used to the weight, you barely noticed it. I've been carrying my Nikon D200 with me since 2008 and I never looked back.

You'll also notice quite a few things that you will want to photograph on your usual commute. The one thing that you have to remember is that once you leave a place, it's going to be extremely hard to get similar kind of conditions again.

3. If you are thinking about taking a photo, do so
Once you start developing your talents, you'll start seeing interesting stuff to photograph all over the place. Don't be shy to whip out your DSLR anywhere to take some pics. I've taken pics of people in the bus, in museums, and pretty much everywhere I've gone without a problem. I used to be self-conscious when I first started doing this, but I'm not anymore. I even whip out my camera when I am teaching when I see something interesting.

4. Take photo sharing with a pinch of salt
While a lot of photographers swear by photo sharing sites, like Flickr, I only use my Zooomr Pro account, which I got free for life, to backup all of the photos that I take. At last count, I had uploaded about 12,000 photos to my account. I don't share any of my photos. It's simply a backup solution.

This doesn't mean that you can learn a lot by sharing your photos, but ultimately I've learned to not rely on random comments that are made about my photos.

5. Blog, tweet, and share your photos
While I don't use the sharing feature of Zooomr or Flickr, I do share my photos through my blog. I can downsize the resolution pretty easily, and I never waste time watermarking them since they are quite small compared to the original files.

Lastly, once you have a DSLR, you should make the point of staging your own photo shoots. What I mean by this is that you should purposely go out to take photos, with a specific theme in mind. For example, you could go photograph a park or a certain building that you saw that you liked. This should not take more than a an hour or so and will definitely help you improve.

[header image by PP Mag, others by Range]

Comments (18)

What is the best Dslr to get started with? Also, what about glass?

in opposition (or addition) to your number 1 take the time to actually carefully compose you shots. Think about it for a minute, can a slight change of angle, focus, zoom, height, etc create a dramatically better photo?

Digital has made it so easy for us to shoot our little hearts away until our finger is numb but in return we aren't producing as high quality photos. When you shot with film it cost you for every shot you took, so for most, more time and care were put into each shot.

I am not saying this is the same for everyone but there are a lot of articles, posts, etc out there with the same kind of thought process. I know when I was shooting with my olympus OM-1 (circa 1970, talk about manual everything...) I thought about my shot a lot more before I pulled the trigger because film was expensive and I didn't have the time to waste developing crap.

It doesn't hurt to take a lot of photos, but take a second, breathe, think, and then take the shot. Then take 3 more to make sure you got it.

jmorey: your point is a good one, especially for beginners learning the ropes with a prosumer point and shoot or entry level DSLR. Considering the "why" and "how" during the "when" can really make a difference in capturing the best image.

Joecrawford, the Nikon 3100 is a good bet. As for lenses, use lens that comes with the camera until you have a specific reason to buy something else. When that day comes, you'll know what sort of lens you need.

@ gregory

great way to put it. I just see people all the time, with a dslr around their necks, walk up, put it to their eye, click the button, and gone. Yes, there is a possibility they just took the perfect photo, but there is probably a 98% chance that didn't happen.

For a starter dslr i would recommend something in canon's lineup. If you want to spend more and get their top of the line mid range then go with the T2i, or save some green and go back a model or 2 to the T1i and the XSI (I use an XSI).

Kit lenses are a great way to get started, then you learn what you love to shoot and can buy a lens that will work specifically for that. I currently own the 18-55 kit, 50-250, 50mm f1.8, and the 60mm f2.8 macro. The 50mm is an amazing and cheap lens at $100.

I use canon at work, so it just made sense for me to stick with canon since i already know the cameras quite well and then i can borrow lenses.

jmorey -- I'm jealous of your $100 50mm lens. I just bought the equivalent Nikon lens for $435! It's f1.4 though, and has a great autofocus. I use a Canon for work, so unfortunately I have to remember how both systems work.

@_joecrawford

I recently purchased a Canon T2i because all the reviews said it was a great camera for it's price of $799.

Since this was my first DSLR, I tried to do a lot of research and came to the conclusion that nicer lenses had a big impact on your photos so I wanted to put more money towards them. I only purchased EF lenses as opposed to Canon's less expensive EF-S ones and bought all of them on eBay so, I got really good deals.

Also factor in the cost of some extras like another battery and a battery grip(also eBay) if you plan on being outside for an extended period of time.

Here's a great article that I found that tells you all about Canon's lenses which was the most helpful thing for me to keep referencing. I'm sure you can find something similar for other manufacturer's like Nikon or Sony.

http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html

I can only partially agree with this post.

1) Taking a lot of photos doesn't help anyone learn if you're simply snapping away. Take the time to learn your controls and then adjust them to see what affects they have on the images. Take lots of pictures this way to not only discover the differences and learn, but to see what you prefer.

2) Is this post specifically for DSLR's or photography? The best camera is the one you have on you. That could be a DSLR, an advanced P&S or your camera phone. Getting used to carrying any camera around with you at all times will ensure you're always ready should an opportunity present itself. I used to carry my G9/G10 with me everywhere, now I do the same with my S90. Will I get the same results as my 5D2? Of course not, but I still have full manual controls and it beats not having anything on me.

3) I agree with this. I'll stop wherever and take photos if I think I see something. If at first your friends think you're strange, they'll get used to it. And they'll understand more once they see the amazing results! I can't tell you how many times I stop to take a picture with friends and they ask me 'why?'. Once I finish the shot and show them they're always in awe.

4) I'm not the biggest fan of Flickr either. I have a free account there, but don't really use it. I do use Fotki for storing a lot of photos and sharing on various websites though. That said, beginners can probably learn a lot from these kinds of sites as well as photo forums by studying what other people do. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

5) This is pretty much what I do. I simply prefer sharing photos this way.

@ _Joecrawford: the 'best' beginners camera is completely up to preference. anyone recommending canon, nikon, sony, etc is biased. Go into a camera store (hell, even Best Buy or some place like that) and TRY each of the cameras. I prefer Canons simply because of the way they feel in my hands and the layout of the UI. You may prefer Nikons for the same reason. Bottom line, different cameras fit different people depending on what they're looking for.

In regards to lenses, to a certain extent, the best is what you can afford. Kit lenses get the job done in a pinch, but save your pennies for something better. Primes (like a 50 f1.8) are generally cheaper and will give you much better results in terms of bokeh, sharpness, and low light capabilities. I'm a fan of prime lenses between f1.2 and f1.9 and only buy 'zooming' lenses if they have a constant f-stop (ie 70-200 f2.8). The better the optical quality, the more expensive the lens, but the better results you will end up with. Before buying any lenses, you really should learn what you like to shoot. If you do landscapes, a wider angle will likely suit you. If you do sports, you'll need the reach of a telephoto. If you buy a lens just to buy a lens, you may find you don't like the focal length and therefore won't use it and just wasted your money. As you grow in your photography skills, you can add more lenses to your arsenal.

The biggest question I would ask yourself is why you want a DSLR? Too many people think just because it's a DSLR that you're automatically going to get better images. This is not the case; especially when left in auto mode with the kit lens. You need to take the time to learn what aperture, shutter speed, iso, etc are, how different scenarios can affect your final image, and how to process your images afterward. If you're not willing to put in the time, then what's the point in owning the camera? My suggestion is always to start slowly with something like an advanced point and shoot such as Canon's G11/S90 or Nikon's P7000. These cameras are great because they're smaller so you're more likely to carry them around, but they give you full manual controls so you can learn how the camera works. If you find yourself not enjoying all that's involved in photography, you'll have spent less money, and will have a more compact camera you can use as a point and shoot. If you find yourself loving what you're learning, you'll have a fantastic backup camera!

Lastly, to anyone that's looking to learn photography, I cannot stress enough how great of a book this is. Read it. Memorize it. Treat it like your Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn and how easily Bryan Peterson explains everything: http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-3rd-Photographs-Camera/dp/0817439390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288831574&sr=8-1

Cheers,
Matt

@david alex: Nikon has an equivalent to Canon's 'thrifty fifty' at just over $100. http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-50mm-Nikkor-Digital-Cameras/dp/B00005LEN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288832159&sr=8-1

Canon also has the same f1.4 equivalent you have for roughly what the Nikon version costs. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Standard-Medium-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B00009XVCZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288832168&sr=8-1

However, Sigma's f1.4 blows them both out of the water! This is easily my favorite lens on a FF sensor. For those of you with cropped sensors, check out Sigma's 30 f1.4. When I used a Canon 30d as my main body, this lens hardly ever came off. Buttery smooth bokeh, excellent low light capabilities, phenomenal build quality, and fantastic image quality. http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-50mm-Canon-Digital-Cameras/dp/B0018ZDGAC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288832184&sr=8-1

Also, don't forget you're not just buying a camera, you're buying into a 'system'. Once you chose and start buying lenses, you'll arguably stay with that brand because you'll have lots of money invested in lenses. Bodies are the disposable parts. You want to invest in the glass.

Nikon has a nifty 50 too (50mm 1.8). I got mine for $100. The f1.4 is great, but for the price, 50mm 1.8 is outstanding.

Also, the Nikon 35mm 1.8 is great for DX (ie, not full frame) sensors. 50mm on smaller DSLR sensors shoots like a 75mm on a 35mm Film SLR. The 35mm f1.8 is a great 'everywhere' prime lens for us Nikon DX format users (ie D90/D80/D200, etc). Also, not that expensive...

Another good book for learning the basics of photography, which I used back in high school, is Black & White Photography by Henry Horenstein.

you all beat me to it that canon has a f1.4 50mm in the price range of the nikon as well as nikon having the opposite, a cheaper f1.8 50mm.

love the f1.8. Would the 1.4 be better? sure, but save a few hundred dollars and putting them towards a nice flash or a better lens in the future was the plan for me.

i would probably say that the build quality of the 1.8 is both a disadvantage and advantage/ On canon's lens the 1.8 is mostly plastic, so not as durable and long lasting, however it also makes it super light. Can't even tell i have it on the camera.

The cheaper Nikon 50mm 1.4 won't autofocus on my camera (D40), nor on most of Nikon's DX slr's. I like the 50 because it gives me standoff when taking low-light candid portraits. For general photography with available light, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything better than a refurbed D40 with a 35mm f1.8 lens for the money.

Oops, I meant the cheaper Nikon 50mm 1.8 in the first line of my comment above.

Nothing wrong with manually focusing. I use a mamiya 80 f1.9 with a canon adapter ring all the time. manual aperture, manual focus. Really helps you slow down and think about composing a shot. I'd argue using manual lenses has improved my photography, even when I do use my autofocus lenses.

Great tips. I'm still trying to get used to #3; I always feel self-conscious when I'm whipping out my camera (Canon Rebel, hoping to upgrade soon!) in odd places, like the library (my library has great light and awesome sculptures).

Your timing here is amazing. We just picked up a t2i kit with 2 lenses last week.

I agree with a lot of Matt's commentary - we started with a G10 to get used to the idea of adjusting controls and have a copy of that wonderful exposure book.

I think now we're going to seriously look at getting one of those 50mm lenses.