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 358012 times)

Offline sky121

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #360 on: January 01, 2014, 10:45:23 AM »
If I can only take one lens on a trip to the Alps where I will mostly be taking scenery shots what should it be? Also, in general for scenery shots what do you have the camera adjusted to? I know you can't say for each shot specifically...
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #361 on: January 01, 2014, 11:30:22 AM »
I've been looking into flashes and was wondering if i specifically would want one with "TTL".  I'm sure it'll be covered in a lesson on flashes and such, but was hoping to get a preview?

In one word, TTL flashes will be automatic (adjusting the amont of light output so that you get a proper exposure), while flashes without it will be manual only (you will have to change the flash power picture to picture).

So yes, when you're starting out you should definitely get a TTL flash.
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #362 on: January 01, 2014, 11:34:46 AM »
If I can only take one lens on a trip to the Alps where I will mostly be taking scenery shots what should it be? Also, in general for scenery shots what do you have the camera adjusted to? I know you can't say for each shot specifically...

A wide-angle zoom would probably be best. Those include the 18-55, 16-50, and 17-40, as well as longer ones like the 17-85, 18-135, etc.

There's no 'one setting' to use, but in general shooting in Aperture Priority and using smallish (higher numbered) f/stops would be ideal. Also try to keep the ISO as low as possible.
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Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #363 on: January 02, 2014, 10:52:21 AM »
Anyone know the a good photog magazine for beginners? Pop photography?
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #364 on: January 02, 2014, 10:56:19 AM »
Anyone know the a good photog magazine for beginners? Pop photography?

Pop photo is good, a bit more gear driven than technique driven. Outdoor Photographer is phenomenal for landscape photography.
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #366 on: January 02, 2014, 04:36:39 PM »
Wow, indeed.
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #367 on: January 02, 2014, 04:44:21 PM »
it looks to me like an optical illusion. theres no way the whale is under the boat. the water is too murky to capture it at such a distance

Offline whYME

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #368 on: January 02, 2014, 04:48:49 PM »
Wow.
http://twistedsifter.com/2013/12/over-under-water-photo-of-whale-under-boat/
it looks to me like an optical illusion. theres no way the whale is under the boat. the water is too murky to capture it at such a distance

I was gonna post that pic here last week and ask if it's real...

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #369 on: January 02, 2014, 04:49:49 PM »
it looks to me like an optical illusion. theres no way the whale is under the boat. the water is too murky to capture it at such a distance

I don't know... He has some pretty cool pics: http://photos.justin-hofman.com/

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #370 on: January 02, 2014, 05:58:35 PM »
Looks perfectly real to me. This was taken with a fisheye lens, which means that things a couple feet in front of the camera seem like they're much further away. That would account for the fairly good visibility in such murky water, since the whale is actually quite close.
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Offline whYME

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #371 on: January 02, 2014, 06:24:07 PM »
That would also explain why the whale seems so much bigger than the boat than it should be...

Offline rots5

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #372 on: January 02, 2014, 06:28:17 PM »
That would also explain why the whale seems so much bigger than the boat than it should be...
that pic looks like a classic movie pic...

Looks perfectly real to me. This was taken with a fisheye lens, which means that things a couple feet in front of the camera seem like they're much further away. That would account for the fairly good visibility in such murky water, since the whale is actually quite close.
how do they get part on water part out of water? always curious abput that
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #373 on: January 02, 2014, 06:39:18 PM »
how do they get part on water part out of water? always curious abput that

By keeping part of the camera in the water and part of it out.

Not all photography techniques are overly complicated ;).
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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #374 on: January 02, 2014, 07:16:29 PM »
By keeping part of the camera in the water and part of it out.

Not all photography techniques are overly complicated ;).
lol. seems hard esp while in the water.
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Offline moish

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #375 on: January 02, 2014, 07:19:38 PM »
Looks perfectly real to me. This was taken with a fisheye lens, which means that things a couple feet in front of the camera seem like they're much further away. That would account for the fairly good visibility in such murky water, since the whale is actually quite close.
so you agree that its not under the boat

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #376 on: January 02, 2014, 07:46:22 PM »
so you agree that its not under the boat

Yes. It's close, but I don't think it's under.
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Offline whYME

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #377 on: January 02, 2014, 08:04:13 PM »
By keeping part of the camera in the water and part of it out.

Not all photography techniques are overly complicated ;) .
:)

I think the reason i thought it might not be real is because I (incorrectly) extrapolated from what I read  here years ago that you can't get such a picture...
(or it may have been something else I read somewhere, but there was definitely something I read somewhere that made me think it would be a problem)

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #378 on: January 07, 2014, 05:46:21 PM »
I'm trying to get some shots of my boy, I'm outside, quite cloudy, I'm on AV (about 2.8) ios 100 and his face has no color, which part of the triangle should I start playing with?

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #379 on: January 07, 2014, 06:29:34 PM »
I'm trying to get some shots of my boy, I'm outside, quite cloudy, I'm on AV (about 2.8) ios 100 and his face has no color, which part of the triangle should I start playing with?

If the brightness is ok, exposure is not the issue. Sounds more like a white balance thing to me. Check if it's set to something weird like tungsten, then try manual or cloudy.
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