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
122 (36.9%)
Point & Shoot - advanced (Canon S100 or G Style)
52 (15.7%)
Mirrorless
26 (7.9%)
DSLR - consumer (Up to a Nikon D5200 or Canon Rebel)
74 (22.4%)
DSLR - prosumer or pro (Nikon D7000 or Canon 60D and up)
29 (8.8%)
P&S, but I plan on getting an SLR or Mirrorless in the near future
28 (8.5%)

Total Members Voted: 275

Author Topic: Learn Photography Master Thread  (Read 357902 times)

Offline whYME

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3213
  • Total likes: 1241
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #980 on: August 11, 2015, 06:40:57 PM »
Or better yet:
For the heck of it. I thought the clouds in the background and overhead with the sun shining made for a nice shot.
From my office on my g4.



Offline whYME

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3213
  • Total likes: 1241
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #981 on: August 11, 2015, 06:43:14 PM »
And just FTR, I can't really tell if it's a good picture because I look at it and all I see are those two cranes.

Online Something Fishy

  • Global Moderator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 8708
  • Total likes: 6069
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 44
    • View Profile
    • Kosher Horizons
  • Location: Iceland
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #982 on: August 11, 2015, 07:04:26 PM »
Very nice shot. Nothing like storm light.
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline noturbizniss

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 7116
  • Total likes: 140
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: North Jersey
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #983 on: August 11, 2015, 07:18:57 PM »
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

Chuck Norris...
...can still do FT method
...READS THE WIKI!!!

Offline askmoses

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 1686
  • Total likes: 14
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 8
    • View Profile

Offline Zalc

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 1785
  • Total likes: 157
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: USA
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #985 on: August 13, 2015, 10:56:17 PM »
I downloaded it, it has lots of information for beginners, and really neat diagrams etc.

But it seems a bit biased toward "old school" (not necessarily an issue, just be aware of it)

Offline whYME

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3213
  • Total likes: 1241
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #986 on: August 25, 2015, 11:49:22 PM »
On-location backup:
1. Copy card to laptop.
2. Copy card to external drive.
3. Verify both copies by attempting to copy again and making sure everything triggers a "file already exists" error (very low-tech, but it does the job nicely).
Could you repeat that again? I'm not sure I quite heard right.

Online Something Fishy

  • Global Moderator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 8708
  • Total likes: 6069
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 44
    • View Profile
    • Kosher Horizons
  • Location: Iceland
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #987 on: August 26, 2015, 12:01:53 AM »
Could you repeat that again? I'm not sure I quite heard right.


Oh be quiet ;D.

Let me clarify my method going forward:

On-location backup:
1. Copy card to working laptop. Do NOT rely on whYME, as his laptops have now failed in the field twice, thereby screwing everyone.
2. Copy card to external drive.
3. Verify both copies by attempting to copy again and making sure everything triggers a "file already exists" error (very low-tech, but it does the job nicely).
4. Format memory card in camera to be ready for use again.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2015, 12:11:39 AM by Something Fishy »
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline whYME

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3213
  • Total likes: 1241
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #988 on: August 26, 2015, 12:08:07 AM »
Oh, I think it was this part that I needed repeated :P
2. Copy card to external drive.

Online etech0

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 12861
  • Total likes: 3316
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: not lakewood
  • Programs: DDF
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #989 on: August 26, 2015, 12:09:25 AM »
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Online Something Fishy

  • Global Moderator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 8708
  • Total likes: 6069
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 44
    • View Profile
    • Kosher Horizons
  • Location: Iceland
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #990 on: August 26, 2015, 12:11:08 AM »
Oh, I think it was this part that I needed repeated :P

Uh oh. CatInTheHat doesn't have it either?
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline whYME

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3213
  • Total likes: 1241
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #991 on: August 26, 2015, 12:13:16 AM »
Uh oh. CatInTheHat doesn't have it either?
Still waiting to hear from him

Offline noturbizniss

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 7116
  • Total likes: 140
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: North Jersey
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #992 on: August 26, 2015, 12:52:01 AM »
Cuban cars!!!
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

Chuck Norris...
...can still do FT method
...READS THE WIKI!!!

Offline ChAiM'l

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jan 2010
  • Posts: 1823
  • Total likes: 51
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #993 on: August 26, 2015, 06:59:52 AM »


On-location backup:
Do NOT rely on whYME, as his laptops have now failed in the field twice, thereby screwing everyone.

That'll teach you to plan these things on dates that actually work for me...




Offline ChAiM'l

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jan 2010
  • Posts: 1823
  • Total likes: 51
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #994 on: August 29, 2015, 06:32:55 PM »
Cool idea...


Offline Work-for-ur-muny

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Dec 2014
  • Posts: 3086
  • Total likes: 326
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 34
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #995 on: August 30, 2015, 01:14:25 PM »
Cool idea...


Missing one thing... A place to put the cover from the sensor...  :P

Offline moish

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 10006
  • Total likes: 297
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Programs: AA LT Plat, Avis, SPG Plat
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #996 on: August 30, 2015, 01:30:09 PM »
Missing one thing... A place to put the cover from the sensor...  :P
theres usually a lens on the camera unless i dont understand your question

Offline Work-for-ur-muny

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Dec 2014
  • Posts: 3086
  • Total likes: 326
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 34
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #997 on: August 30, 2015, 01:36:15 PM »
theres usually a lens on the camera unless i dont understand your question
I think you understood me right, but if you want to keep the camera as compact as possible you'd remove the lens, no?

Online Something Fishy

  • Global Moderator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 8708
  • Total likes: 6069
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 44
    • View Profile
    • Kosher Horizons
  • Location: Iceland
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #998 on: August 30, 2015, 02:21:35 PM »
I think you understood me right, but if you want to keep the camera as compact as possible you'd remove the lens, no?

Huh? Why would you do that?

What's the point of a camera without the lens?

And as an aside, if this could accept lenses it could accept the body cap by default as well.
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline Work-for-ur-muny

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Dec 2014
  • Posts: 3086
  • Total likes: 326
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 34
    • View Profile
Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #999 on: August 30, 2015, 02:40:40 PM »
Huh? Why would you do that?

What's the point of a camera without the lens?
Depends on how your carry case is set up and if it accommodates while the lens is a attached or detached.
And as an aside, if this could accept lenses it could accept the body cap by default as well.
:( I didn't think about that.