Topic Wiki

Quick tips on random subjects that come up in between classes (will add as we go along):

Food photography tips
Newborn photography tips

Table of Contents (I'll change each line to a link as we go along.)

Introduction

1) Choosing a camera: Point and Shoot vs. Mirrorless vs. DSLR
2) Camera specs: What do they mean, and which ones matter to me?
3) Exposure Basics Part 1 - the shutter speed/aperture/ISO triangle
4) Exposure Basics Part 2 - getting to know your mode dial, and other exposure controls
5) All about memory cards
6) Using ultra-wide lenses





Lenses 101 - technology, terminology, and specs, zooms vs. primes, basic/advanced/unique lenses

Lighting 101 - focusing specifically on easy to afford and easy to use setups
Small flash - on camera, off camera, modifiers and accessories
Studio strobes
Continuous lighting - fluorescent, LED, and halogen
Basic light modifiers - umbrellas, softboxes, gels, reflectors
Basic supports - lightstands, umbrella brackets, backgrounds, etc.

All about accessories - memory cards, tripods, bags, filters, remotes, adapters, grips, geotaggers, and more)


So I bought all my stuff - now what?

What makes a compelling photograph?
Depth of field
Composition basics - rule of thirds, perspective, framing
Advanced composition - negative space, inclusion and exclusion, compression
Light - natural, golden hour, basic flash usage.

Let's start shooting...

Kids:
In the park
Playing sports
At home

Landscapes and wildlife:
"Grand" landscapes
"Intimate" landscapes
Seascapes
Waterfalls
Cityscapes
Wildlife
Birds in flight
Shooting in bad weather

Portraits:
Babies and newborns
Single person - indoors
Single person - outdoors
Families/siblings/groups
Natural light
Artificial light - simple
Artificial light - complex
Mixed light

Others:
Close up and macro
Product photography

How do I...? (Some specific scenarios/techniques - Basic)
Shoot out of a plane window?
Shoot underwater?
Shoot compelling black-and-white?

How do I...? (Some specific scenarios/techniques - Advanced)
HDR
Long exposures
Light painting
Twilight landscapes
Milky Way
Star trails

Basic editing concepts:
Exposure
Contrast
Clarity/sharpening
Color
Layers and masking

Poll

What type of camera do shoot with?

Point & Shoot - basic (Canon Elph style) or Smartphone
123 (36.8%)
Point & Shoot - advanced (Canon S100 or G Style)
52 (15.6%)
Mirrorless
27 (8.1%)
DSLR - consumer (Up to a Nikon D5200 or Canon Rebel)
74 (22.2%)
DSLR - prosumer or pro (Nikon D7000 or Canon 60D and up)
30 (9%)
P&S, but I plan on getting an SLR or Mirrorless in the near future
28 (8.4%)

Total Members Voted: 278

Author Topic: Learn Photography Master Thread  (Read 400510 times)

Offline Work-for-ur-muny

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1360 on: December 04, 2016, 03:40:40 PM »
I got the a6000, and my wife's been complaining that the pictures she takes in auto mode are far worse than that of a lower end p & s. After taking a closer look I decided that she's right. What seems to be the problem is that the camera always leans toward a larger aperture (lower number) for its source of light, over ISO and shutter speed. The result is most of the picture is out of focus. Is there any way to tell the camera when in auto-mode to take its light by other means? (So if, for example, I have the family sitting around the table for a birthday party everyone is clear, rather than having just the birthday girl's younger brother's dirty cheek in focus...)

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1361 on: December 04, 2016, 10:34:44 PM »
I got the a6000, and my wife's been complaining that the pictures she takes in auto mode are far worse than that of a lower end p & s. After taking a closer look I decided that she's right. What seems to be the problem is that the camera always leans toward a larger aperture (lower number) for its source of light, over ISO and shutter speed. The result is most of the picture is out of focus. Is there any way to tell the camera when in auto-mode to take its light by other means? (So if, for example, I have the family sitting around the table for a birthday party everyone is clear, rather than having just the birthday girl's younger brother's dirty cheek in focus...)
One of the best things about the a6000 is that in low light situations, you can pop up the flash, hold it back with your index finger (so it's facing up and will be used as fill instead of direct flash), and shoot with your middle finger. The camera won't need to push it's capabilities as much (obviously assuming that you're close enough to your subject to have an impact).

Another thing to consider is that you may have incorrectly diagnosed the problem. Assuming you're using the kit lens, your widest aperture is 3.5. Couple that with an aps-c sensor + a wide angle,  and your DOF should be pretty deep. Can you please post an example and a dropbox link to a raw file? I'd like to take a closer look.
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1362 on: December 04, 2016, 10:36:18 PM »
I've been hired to do a 2 week timelapse of a construction site. I'm going to be using 2 gopro hero 4 silver's for different angles.

Usually, I go with either 3 or 5 second intervals. Considering the length of this project, should I be doing 10 or even 30 second shots?
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Offline whYME

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1363 on: December 04, 2016, 10:47:27 PM »
I've been hired to do a 2 week timelapse of a construction site. I'm going to be using 2 gopro hero 4 silver's for different angles.

Usually, I go with either 3 or 5 second intervals. Considering the length of this project, should I be doing 10 or even 30 second shots?
Go with the 5 second interval. you could always cut half the pics if it's too much. if you do less and don't like it you're stuck.

 2 weeks at 5 second interval @ 30 fps is just over 2 minutes of video.

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1364 on: December 04, 2016, 10:49:47 PM »
Go with the 5 second interval. you could always cut half the pics if it's too much. if you do less and don't like it you're stuck.

 2 weeks at 5 second interval @ 30 fps is just over 2 minutes of video.
Good point. Thanks!

It should be fun.  Ordered 2 water and dustproof 10k MAH battery packs and 64 gb cards. I need to show up in the morning to start and at the end of the day to stop.
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1365 on: December 05, 2016, 01:42:40 PM »
One of the best things about the a6000 is that in low light situations, you can pop up the flash, hold it back with your index finger (so it's facing up and will be used as fill instead of direct flash), and shoot with your middle finger. The camera won't need to push it's capabilities as much (obviously assuming that you're close enough to your subject to have an impact).

Another thing to consider is that you may have incorrectly diagnosed the problem. Assuming you're using the kit lens, your widest aperture is 3.5. Couple that with an aps-c sensor + a wide angle,  and your DOF should be pretty deep. Can you please post an example and a dropbox link to a raw file? I'd like to take a closer look.
Do you need specifically raw? Most of what I have in raw is what I shot with manual settings.

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1366 on: December 05, 2016, 10:12:09 PM »
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QGJ919U

Arguably the best $10 I've spent since starting this hobby

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1367 on: December 10, 2016, 10:26:38 PM »
I got the a6000, and my wife's been complaining that the pictures she takes in auto mode are far worse than that of a lower end p & s. After taking a closer look I decided that she's right. What seems to be the problem is that the camera always leans toward a larger aperture (lower number) for its source of light, over ISO and shutter speed. The result is most of the picture is out of focus. Is there any way to tell the camera when in auto-mode to take its light by other means? (So if, for example, I have the family sitting around the table for a birthday party everyone is clear, rather than having just the birthday girl's younger brother's dirty cheek in focus...)


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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1368 on: December 29, 2016, 05:40:53 PM »
When everyone is taking the same picture of an incredible sunset, turn 180° and get blown away by the colors instead.

Taken a few minutes ago:

Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1369 on: December 29, 2016, 06:05:01 PM »
Those are some really cool colors!
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1370 on: January 01, 2017, 02:08:03 AM »
When everyone is taking the same picture of an incredible sunset, turn 180° and get blown away by the colors instead.

Taken a few minutes ago:


Nice
money doesn't talk......      it SCREAMS !

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1371 on: January 01, 2017, 12:13:06 PM »
When everyone is taking the same picture of an incredible sunset, turn 180° and get blown away by the colors instead.

Taken a few minutes ago:


What did you do to have such emphases on the headlights of the cars, really a beautiful picture...
I got to get myself one of these days a basic DSLR Camera to start, really a big difference between a point and shoot and a decent DSLR!
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1372 on: January 01, 2017, 12:21:31 PM »
That could be accomplished with a slightly longer shutter on the exposure.
Also, if you're just getting started, get a mirrorless camera. The chances of you actually carrying the camera with you for up dramatically
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1373 on: January 02, 2017, 01:00:26 AM »
That could be accomplished with a slightly longer shutter on the exposure.
Also, if you're just getting started, get a mirrorless camera. The chances of you actually carrying the camera with you for up dramatically
Thanks for the suggestion will look into both of them and see which is easier to start with.
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1374 on: January 09, 2017, 05:20:22 PM »
Just bought a Sony a6000, going on vacation soon and trying to inhale as much info as possible. Thanks so much SF for the wealth of info. Any suggestions in terms of a small tripod for hiking (small enough to fit in a backpack or forget about)?

I was looking at Joby Gorrilapods, and I've seen you reference a Manfroto before. What's your take?

Some I was looking at
(Joby: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/470237-REG/Joby_GP3_A1EN_Gorillapod_SLR_Zoom_Flexible_Mini_Tripod.html or https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/633362-REG/Joby_GP3_BHEN_Gorillapod_SLR_Zoom_Flexible_Mini.html/prm/alsVwDtl) are those good options?

(Manfroto: https://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-MTPIXIEVO-BK-Section-Tripod-Black/dp/B0149KBPB4/ref=pd_day0_421_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0149KBPB4&pd_rd_r=4KDTSZCYEFK2SPJJQTSB&pd_rd_w=4y2dV&pd_rd_wg=mDjcH&psc=1&refRID=4KDTSZCYEFK2SPJJQTSB)




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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1375 on: January 09, 2017, 05:29:10 PM »
Just bought a Sony a6000, going on vacation soon and trying to inhale as much info as possible. Thanks so much SF for the wealth of info. Any suggestions in terms of a small tripod for hiking (small enough to fit in a backpack or forget about)?

I was looking at Joby Gorrilapods, and I've seen you reference a Manfroto before. What's your take?

Some I was looking at
(Joby: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/470237-REG/Joby_GP3_A1EN_Gorillapod_SLR_Zoom_Flexible_Mini_Tripod.html or https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/633362-REG/Joby_GP3_BHEN_Gorillapod_SLR_Zoom_Flexible_Mini.html/prm/alsVwDtl) are those good options?

(Manfroto: https://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-MTPIXIEVO-BK-Section-Tripod-Black/dp/B0149KBPB4/ref=pd_day0_421_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0149KBPB4&pd_rd_r=4KDTSZCYEFK2SPJJQTSB&pd_rd_w=4y2dV&pd_rd_wg=mDjcH&psc=1&refRID=4KDTSZCYEFK2SPJJQTSB)

I bought this on sale:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=email&A=details&Q=&sku=871069&is=REG

Which tutorials did you watch for the a6000?

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1376 on: January 11, 2017, 11:40:10 PM »
I bought this on sale:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=email&A=details&Q=&sku=871069&is=REG

Which tutorials did you watch for the a6000?

That's a bit pricey for me as a newbie.

In terms of tutorials specific for the a6000 not too many. Mostly youtube videos. Tony Northrup has a pretty comprehensive settings tutorial for starting out IMO (
) Gary Fong has some pretty decent ones  too

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1377 on: January 15, 2017, 12:24:47 AM »
I just won the Sony a6000 at a Chinese auction, guess I gotta learn some photography skills now

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1378 on: January 15, 2017, 12:30:52 AM »
I just won the Sony a6000 at a Chinese auction, guess I gotta learn some photography skills now
Mazal tov! Get a copy of Bryan Peterson's "understanding composition". When you've read that 2-3 times, he has another book called "understand exposure"
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1379 on: January 15, 2017, 07:46:29 AM »
Mazal tov! Get a copy of Bryan Peterson's "understanding composition". When you've read that 2-3 times, he has another book called "understand exposure"

Try that the other way round...