Becoming A Photographer, Need Help

The camera doesn't really matter.

Now, the camera can expand the limitations and allow you to do more but in general, it is the artist's vision that matters more. The ability to "see" the scene and visualize what it is you want to get on the image. The second part is understanding of how to use the equipment to actually execute your vision of what you want to create.

Hi Nathan

Like you I am not really a photographer but want to do more of it.

I like what JC said because it gives us hope and I think it is true...mostly because if you say to a photographer "that is a great pic...you must have a good camera" they will get very angry :)

I have been experimenting with it and this is what I have found... any camera can take a great picture but any camera can not take a great picture of anything. The two universal things I have found are a tripod will improve any shot and no amount of post processing will improve a crummy shot.

I am excited today because I am going out to see what my new camera can do. It is nothing special, I agonized over what to buy and finally decided that an investment of thousands of dollars was not something I was ready to do. So today I will see what this camera can do well and how well I do with that.

"simple to use"

Every camera made today from beginner to the top professional camera has "automatic" settings that make them point and shoot ready.

To actually understand photography you have to understand light and how the camera records light. You need to understand aperture, shutter-speed and ISO and how to adjust these to capture what you want.

"you hold a camera and take a picture"

An artist with a camera does not "take" a photograph, they as Ansel Adams famously said - they make it. They see the complete image before the push the button. They know what they are trying to say with the shot and work the scene to achieve their vision. Develop you eye. Look at art. Look at good photography. Figure out what you want to say with your work. What stories are you going to tell?

Here is some good advice:
http://www.diyphotography.net/standing-front-more-interesting-stuffand-other-good-advice/

your first and second question was the same.

the camera doesn't technically matter, because its just a device. you have to control it. that said. each camera varies in size, and abilities, and it really depends on your skill, what your going to do with it, how much weight you want to carry, how much you want to spend, and what features you want.

you would enhance them yourself using a photo editor. gimp is free.

for now get yourself a scanner


this won't print in its current state.

i'm not sure what you mean by your friends went nuts over it. if they think you should sell them, sell it to them. you'll get the answer very fast if you should invest or not. i don't know what your using now, though. it may not be good enough for printing.


wait i found one:


this won't print. turn the digital zoom off in the camera.

you should add descriptions and more tags by the way.


a blurry image like that, you can't fix with a program



whatever enhancement you did to this, it will not print - its very noisy and soft up close. you can get away with softness but not the noise.

all of your images look like they've been enlarged. they kind of look ok small, but up close, they won't print.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Here is some food for thought on camera choice.

The four images below were shot with four different cameras. One cell phone, one point and shoot, one used DSLR setup that could be had for ~$500 in the current market and one with 3K worth of camera bling.

Oh, all but one could have been done within the limitations of a cell phone camera.

Can you tell which is which?

This was shot years ago with a consumer level micro 4/3rd set up which you could purchase today for around $150 used. Sold this shot taken with it last week with a profit margin double the current value of the camera.



http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Four-Thirds-Interchangeable-Free-Angle-Touch-Screen/dp/B005058BTW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442578474&sr=8-1&keywords=panasonic+g3

I don't think the buyer cared about my camera.

i shot this with a pocket super zoom camera, i should have had my better camera, but for outdoor shots it doesn't totally matter. looking at my other photos, i don't really remember what i shot them with beyond this one. and only because i was annoyed that i should have my better camera.

for me, a camera should have:

high iso that's clean
a large picture would be nice

i'm still waiting for the newer cameras to be released, i thought that was in august. . but the camera i use now is around $3000, for a beginner that's too much camera, it doesn't have the lens even. a pocket high zoom camera (optical zoom) with stablization is all you really need to cover all bases. but you have to decide, just how much photography interests you. your not doing it for your friends, its a lot of work, there is a lot of competition. friends tend to encourage when they may not have the grounding to do so. as a matter of practice to see if you really like doing it, keep using what you have, but make sure your quality controls are set to the best it can be, no digital zooms, no enlarging. and see what features you need first, then look for a camera.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Get a set of photo books from Bryan Peterson. I recommend Understanding Exposure, and understanding Composition. Don't just stick your subject and/or horizon in the middle of the picture.

Once you understand light and composition, then practice. A lot. Join a photo club, hang out with photographers and pick their brains. Look at photos and figure out WHAT it is about that picture you like. What draws you in.

I know awesome photographers who take amazing images with cheap plastic cameras and thrift store point/shoots. It doesn't matter what kind of stove you use to cook soup, it's about what you put into the pot. Photography is the same.


Sorry for not pasting one of my own obligitory images here.

As others have said, exposure and composition are the most important things. Exposure is the technical side. Composition is the artistic side.

On the camera side, though, I do recommend a DSLR. You simply can't get the same results with a point-and-shoot as a newcomer, IMO.

This was taken 12 years ago with a DSLR that today would be considered laughably obsolete. You don't need a super-fancy camera.

Also, you will find you'll get a lot more help with specific questions than general ones. Lots of helpful people here.

Experienced photogs will also be happy to help with post-shot adjustments.

Obligatory image added for Melany.

As I am sitting here waiting for my camera to charge and looking at the user manual...one thing struck me... It is probably better to have a camera that is not so smart. The menu function is mind boggling to adjust the aperture and f stops is possible but to figure it out and find it in the menu won't be happening today. My next camera will have these functions but not in a menu program.

JC please tell us the answer...I would guess #1 is a cell phone and #3 is the high end gear...but would also guess I am wrong.

Go to your local 4 of 2 year college and see if they have photography 101 and more advanced classes. That the classes.

Dont' walk in the first day with a hundred photos. But ask the instructor if he will look at you stuff. Most of the will do it for free. But it is a guy who's opinion you really want and he charges... pay the money. You may learn for few dollars what it will take you years to stumble on on your own.

The other thing you want to do is network with the other students and get to know other people and make friends with people with the same interest.

A camera is a tool for a photographer, like a piano for a pianist. A pianist can play good on a bar piano, but for a concert in Carnegie Hall, he will use a Steinway.

You should use the best tool, you can afford.

Colin Utz
http://colinutzphotography.com

No need to wait for college - save your money and learn online - creativelive.com - no age requirement for learning.

When you start out with photography, a cheaper camera could be a good start. Yes, you can use any camera, but if you really want to get into it, then I suggest a better camera. It doesn't have to be a $1000 plus camera, but at least a DSLR that changes lenses, etc. With that being said, I know technology in phones and cheaper camera's has improved, but to get great shots with those, I think it takes a photographer who knows what they are doing to make those look like Fine Art and not a snapshot. Well experienced photographers like Mike and JC can make any photo, not matter what it was taken with, look great because they understand, light and photography.

One thing to remember, is the lens is far more important then the camera body it's self. The lens is what provides the details, colors, and so much more. You really need to get away from auto settings on a camera. Like Edward said you really need to learn how the camera works and understand lighting. Auto settings can really mess up a great scene. Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed is so important and is different based on what you are shooting. You have to learn your camera and it's limitations. Some lenses don't work well for landscapes and small apertures, while other lenses work better for large apertures and portraits, ect. Having a photographers eye is also extremely important. A photographer looks at things differently and like said above, they see the photo with their eye before they take the photo.

Youtube is a great place to learn about photography.

I'd start with basics skills such as capturing a sharp, in focus, properly exposed, compellingly composed photograph of an interesting subject before launching into a bunch of trendy filters and Instagram nonsense.

And get a scanner for your artwork so its reproduced well.

Nathan,

Welcome! And to answer your questions, no the camera,especially when first starting out doesn't matter. There are images hanging in Museums that were taken with plastic cameras and plastic lenses(Holga). As you grow in your ability, then a better camera can help on your journey, but you need to understand what a camera does and how.

As far as the images on your blog, there is no way to use those to judge you ability. They are all basic images, that have in some cases altered with software to try and increase the interest of the image. Very typical of someone just starting out or taking Photography 101.

I would suggest that if you want to be a photographer and "make it as a photographer", then find a working photographer and see if you can assist them, for free and learn a bit that way. There are thousands of Youtube videos and you need to begin to learn ALL the functions of a camera/lens. Libraries are great sources for both the learning and the looking! Find some photo books and study them and see which "style" you like and then learn how to duplicate the images that you like.

I'm a self taught photographer, so I know that it can be done.

Good Luck,

Rich Franco

Actually the first is the only one that couldn't be captured with a cell camera because it was an hour before sunrise. It was done with a point and shoot on a tripod though.

Three was done with a Canon 5D and a Canon 50mmf1.8. ~$500 on todays market. It is also my recommendation for a good camera to start out on as it is pretty cheap and there are not a lot of limitations. I would still be shooting one except I want to do shots like Melany's that I posted below my comment. For shots that will get the Milky Way you will need to spend some money and get a fast lens and a camera that can handle high ISO relatively clearly. For the record, I got my younger son a used 5D with a 50mm macro, a tripod and a remote trigger. With that AND some know how and desire you can almost make a living.

The second shot was done with a cell phone. The limitation is the amount of light which here was more than plentiful and the size they can print, which I have limited to 30 inches on that one and that might be pushing it.

ah JC, my guess was the first because of the gradient that was captured.

But you gave the answer up first.

Dave

Bear in mind that the comparisons between cell phones and DSLRs and so forth are much harder with teeny images like we are dealing with here. Full-size, I am pretty confident I could tell apart any cell phone image from any (properly made) DSLR image.

The best camera is the one in your hand.
A. If you can't afford it, it's too expensive.
B. If it's so big and heavy that you won't carry it, it's too big and heavy.

When first I got serious about photography, about 45 years ago, I got a nikon range-finder 35mm camera (nikormat) and a good fast F1.4 50mm lens. I would buy film in bulk, and develop my film myself, and I got pretty good at evaluating a negative under a loupe. I would only print my best images, perhaps 1 out of 1000 exposures.

One piece of advice:
Think not so much of the camera, and more of the glass, if you go the DSLR route. I suggest that you do you price shopping based on the lens, not so much the camera. Your purchase of say Nikon or Canon lens will give you incentive to stick with that line, and you are likely, in the long run, to spend more on lenses than on camera bodies.

I recommend you buy ONLY lenses intended for full frame sensors. If you buy lenses that "crop" the image, you will not be able to use them when you upgrade your camera to a full frame sensor body, thus nullifying your prior investment in lenses.

I recommend DPReview.com for camera reviews, particularly for comparing final choices.

Make sure your camera allows full manual for focus, exposure, etc. Read the manual, and do a series of studies where you take photos that use each feature, and the "opposite" of the feature. Learn why that feature can be useful. Learn to make all the decisions yourself, manually. Cameras lacking convenient manual controls should be avoided, in my opinion.

Nathan I am learning, like you, so I find your thread very interesting!

After spending the day with my new camera...I highly recommend Gregory's advise! I said it earlier and I will say it again...what Gregory said I wish I had considered... "Make sure your camera allows full manual for focus, exposure, etc." Once learned manual adjustments are so much faster and efficient! Going into the menu options is a major pain and so time consuming you might likely miss the shot you wanted.

I am stuck with what I bought for now but I sure wish I had waited a bit and invested in the camera I really wanted. It saved me money... but now is costing me in aggravation.

I find myself spending a long night typing. Though I've tried to make sure I've said it in all of your personal messages, Thank you all for all of your help and for taking time to look at my photos on my blog and for typing responses. Something I must bring to light is my apologizes for seeming like such a hopeless beginner. I've drawn since I was two and much of my art I found through myself and was self taught. In many ways I'm more than a beginner than most in technology, especially in computers. Though I'm not a stranger to technology (for I had tv and a microwave in the home I grew up in), I grew up without a computer and during my homeschooling periods, I knew nothing of what computers could all do or how to use one exactly. Once I graduated and had some time, I saved as much as my money as I could with much help to buy my very own computer. My ownership of a computer is now running on its second month of having it and I am just recently discovering a new world and a way that one day I may spread the very art I enjoy doing to others so they can enjoy it. I have much, VERY much to learn and everyday brings a new experience. All help that you have given me in discovering the camera and photography is deeply appreciated.

Now, feel free to find your name and your personal thanks:

@JC Findley- Thank you for all of your time and help. You were very helpful in determining on the difference between the camera and the vision of the artist. I especially liked your compare and contrast on the four photos above, it was a learning experience. Plus you were helpful in the selection of a camera. Thank you very much for answering my questions to the fullest. I hope to hop over to your art page and check out your images as soon as I'm done typing.

@Val Arie- Thank you for dropping by and you replies! I wish you luck with your new camera and in exploring the world of photography as I hope to do :) Yes, also in exactly as I was trying to say, not to have a camera that's so smart, something simple that I can make art with. Heaven forbid if they start making cameras that suggest the photos you should take, or worst, start taking photos for you.

@Edward Fielding- Thank you as well and for the link too! I especially like that quote, "they make it," I understand where it comes from, when I see a picturec in nature or of what I would like to treasure for keeps, I take my camera and make it come true, not simply just take it. I can feel that. I also like the hot air balloon, that's right, I don't think a buyer would care if you took a photo with a affordable used camera or a nice $1000 camera. The image can simply be enjoyed. And I would rather learn online about photogrphy so thanks for the great tip on about the website.

@Mike Savad- I did realize a while back that I need a scanner, that's why I stopped uploading my images until I get one. I still yet to get one though I'm looking into professionally getting scanned by a local art business. Another thing is I said "people" not my "friends". My friends and family think I should stick with drawing and painting, I'm not sure if they even like my photography. People I didn't know that I came across on Wordpress and even on here said I have an eye for it and that I should look into photography, hence the reason for this discussion. Yes, Explosive Sunrise was probably a mistake, I only did color enhancements and it's probably more blurry now then it was. I knew the issue about the blurriness of my images would come up but I was hoping more along the lines of help in whether I should look into becoming a photographer and the camera kinds, but you were helpful in your reply of Autumn and I thank you for that. Thank you for all your time and efforts and I appriecate a reply from such a well respected and professinal artist, I have looked at your work before and you have many wonderful images and are, I feel, a master in the field of art.

@Melany Sarafis- Thank you for your interesting suggestions on the books and advice. I especially like the words on its not the pot, its what you put in the pot. It reminds me of my favorite saying "Don't judge a book by its cover". Some books can have great looking covers and some don't, but in the end its what the author wrote and how well they wrote that counts. The cover doesn't matter :). Plus the image JC posted for you is extraordinary, great job.

@Charles Kozierok- Thank you for stopping by and giving a reply, and recommending a DSLR. Your image is fantastic. I'll make sure when I learn more I'll start asking more specific questions.

@Floyd Snyder- I'm not sure about college for photography yet, I like the suggestions for being self taught for all of what I learned about painting techniques and drawing abilities were self taught, but photography classes are worth looking into. Thank you.

@Colin Utz- First off thank you for the reply, its very kind of you to stop by. Second is I like the suggestions about its not the camera but the artist behind it, but you are right, as long as its in my budget, I should look for the best type of camera. For like Melany said about "its not the pot, its what they put in the pot that counts", a chef is still going to use right pot to do the job. Third, thanks for the link.

@Jennifer White- Thanks for all your time you put into your response, I realize there's lots I have to learn. Thanks a ton about the suggestion of Youtube, that's diffinitely something I'll have to look into.

@Rich Franco- Thank you for your time! I agree about the camera not the issue. I especially think you have a good point on that I should not of used enhancements on photos just to make them interesting, Explosive Sunrise is an example of that mistake and in the end, made it worse off. I find self teaching very interesting, especially from Youtube, for everything I learned in drawing and painting was self taught and explored. As soon as I'm done typing I look forward to viewing some of your work to see where self teaching would get me. Thank you very much.

@Gregory Scott- Thank you as well! You gave much good advice on the lenses, I can see how that is more important. Thank you also for the review website for it will be very helpful in finding a camera, before I would go on a spending spree though I'm going to see about learning a camera's fetures. I should know all there is to know about the camera before I go and buy one.

Thanks for the reply Val, I'll make sure to do so.

Having good glass is more important than the camera. Most beginners never think of it this way. I have a $400 Canon DSLR and a $3,000 Canon DSLR. You can't see a huge difference in image quality in either, but I know the $3,000 camera is built like a tank and weather sealed. I shoot a lot in windy, sandy, and wet conditions, so it's worth the extra money for me to know I have a camera that can take more of a beating. My suggestion would be to start out with with an entry level DSLR (brand not so important) and learn how to use, learn what it is you like to shoot, and see where it takes you.

usually you can see the difference. but not side by side unless you blow up the image. it really show more using high iso. the difference between a crop frame and a full frame makes a huge difference. with the current camera i have, i can see a thread count of a curtain 12ft away, and the lens isn't even prime. the crop frame could never do that.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

You can have the sharpest, most expensive equipment in the world and still bore people to tears if you don't have something interesting in front of the lens.

Digital photography School ( DPS)

The most important piece of photographic equipment is between your ears. Develop it, use it, and improve it. It will show in your work.

I just posted something about my failed photographic excursion in my very short blog here on faa that maybe everyone knows...but I never thought of it. Thought it might be useful:

http://fineartamerica.com/blogs/random-info-for-newbee-photographers.html

The camera doesn't matter and I'm the proof.

I take pictures all the time. Sometimes I capture something that I look at and say, 'Oh, my!' and sometimes, 'Oh, no!' Truly, any picture taken by any photographer, of any level of experience breaks down the same way.

I prefer flowers, clouds, sunsets and landscapes. Water fascinates me. And my camera is not what you would expect. And while I would love the sophisticated, expensive camera my mom uses (the real artist of the family), I can't afford it, and would probably be intimidated by it.

I use my phone. Every picture on my FAA page was taken with my phone. Some are exactly as I took them, others have been tweaked with an editing program (usually to crop or enhance the color or change to B&W). I won't tell you which phone, because it doesn't matter.

Keep taking pictures. Play with them, experiment with them. But don't stop taking them. Have fun.

Jennifer

Been there done that Val, ONE phone call or in my case a thorough reading of the net.

Assateague Island Lighthoue. Wake up at 0130 in the morning and drive four hours to be there an hour before sunrise. Get to the gate of the state park. Go to pay my fee. NO DOGS IN PARK even in your car! My dog goes everywhere with me. ACKKKKKKKKKKK!

JC

You made me feel less stupid...not necessarily better. 4 hours to shoot nothing is horrible!!! I did learn my lesson about through investigation and glad you mentioned about dogs... would not have thought about that, although mine doesn't go everywhere...he is bad.

I drove an hour to photograph a water fall in the NC Mtns., got all set up, and realized I left the battery in the charger at home. I wasn't a happy camper.

Nathan, one very simple tip which is very easy for beginners to forget, I know I was guilty of it many times before I realised.

A good subject does not necessarily make a great picture. The tricky bit once you have found the subject is composing it into a pleasing picture. Look at different viewpoints, angles, background, foreground, lighting. Once you remember that your photography will improve overnight.

Nathan, my input here will overlap with what others have said, but here is my two cents. Most photographers built up their set of gear over time for a few reasons. One being that good photo gear is not cheap, and another being that as people evolve as photographers, their needs and interests also change. What I would suggest is this - for a camera, a DSLR will give you a lot of flexibility and in most cases, excellent image quality. If you have specific interests, be sure to research the performance of the camera's features that are important for the types of shots that you do. A couple of examples - for night and low light images, you should get a camera that does not generate a lot of noise at high ISO settings. For shooting action such as sports or wildlife, you need a camera with good autofocus response and fast frame rate. There are so many features on cameras these days that it can be a bit overwhelming, but if you take your time, you can make a better choice for the type of photography that you are interested in.

Lens quality is actually more important than the camera. If you end up with lenses that are optically weak, getting the end result that you want can be somewhat of a challenge. In my case, I had consumer grade lenses for years and could just never get images to look like I wanted them to. Then, I started to purchase pro-grade lenses and it made all the difference in the world. I am not suggesting necessarily that you go out and buy high-end glass just starting out, but do some research and try to get the best optics that you can afford.

Hope this helps.

Donnie your story made me cringe. That sounds like something I would do. But that's why I now have multiple batteries.

Nathan - I forgot to state that I agree with Mike about getting a full-frame camera. Better resolution and you can always crop the image if you want.

These days it doesn't really matter what sort of camera you get, unless you want to print really big (say over 30-40" on the short side). However P&S, with their small sensors do have some limitations in noise, dr, etc. whether you get aps, micro 4/3, full frame you will get excellent results - the glass is what matters. The other thing to think about - when you go to high resolution full frame you also should have the best glass.
I've decided to go with micro 4/3 - great quality, great glass at a reasonable price - and very compact and light (my back thanks me). I regularly print up to 16 x 32 myself, larger on canvas, but have had some one print one about 40" long on acrylic (I never saw it)

Thank David and Adele!

I'll make sure to remember that. I think my subject matter I like the most is nature and still life, with color and contrast. For example, trees in fall I find very interesting! Many things make interesting pictures but I should stick towards something I enjoy and even though the pictures won't always be as interesting and color, if I'm patient enough, with the right light, background and viewpoint will create a wonderful picture one day. I appreciate all the inputs, Adele, if I hear from multiple people I can better judge what exactly to do. I'm going to start out small and work my way up. I think first I'll study what there is to know about light, background, and viewpoints and anything else I need to learn about making that wonderful picture one day. The lens I'm finding quite interesting, and that is something I'll definitely learn more about.

I also find Jennifer's art quite amazing too. I had no idea that was just a cell phone camera, very interesting. I think as I learn about photography I'll start with something not as expensive, probably used, and work myself up, keeping the lens in mind as the main part of any artist's tool. Just like the paint brush.

I think most of my interest leads towards bright and colorful photos with contrast, mostly of nature.

I checked out your story Val, I can't believe that happened, so terrible! That's like a painter finding out his subject to paint went on vacation on a scheduled appointment. I can't imagine what it might have been like.

It depends sometimes what your plans are.

My main interest is birds and wildlife, i also love to shoot in all conditions, my kit has to cope with many extremes, so me buying a camera with no weather sealing, plastic body and one that's slow with it's af it's going to give me what i want.

I used canons 7d mk2 which fits my style spot on, it's strong, weather sealed, fast AF and tracking, with lenses i must take around 6 months to pick the right ones, very careful here, i take the same points i use to pick the body, because mine main interest are wildlife the two lenses for that needs to be the strongest with weather sealing.

This camera has a fast buffer so i needed to pick the CF cards carefully, goes for batteries as well due to the camera can eat them fast.

Its good fun finding out the right kit.

Suggest you attend an art academy.