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allanmandy
(@allanx36)
Posts: 123
Estimable Member
Topic starter
 

I have just got a new Sony bridge camera for Christmas and would like to use it a bit more than point and click.
does anyone know of a good online course, (preferably free !) that I could sign up to?
I want to use it for landscapes, portraits etc. Mandy has agreed to help me by posing for pictures for me, so a model is no problem and living here in Devon I can get some brilliant scenery pics, I just want to learn how !

 
Posted : January 3, 2015 7:21 pm
devman613
(@devman)
Posts: 782
Member
 

Haven't looked but what about  YouTube tutorials.  Or even second hand photography books. I gave two or three of my old ones to my daughter in law when she bought a DSLR. A lot of the stuff in there was still relevant.

"Try to live a good life. Don't be afraid to be what you are'. some bloke in the pub.

 
Posted : January 3, 2015 8:59 pm
(@smash)
Posts: 137
Estimable Member
 

The principles are the same for older film and DSLRs, the main difference is film is replaced by a sensor, and the ISO (light sensitivity) can be changed at will. If you learn to use the Shutter and Aperture priority modes of the camera, then you are well on the way to understanding the basics. Lower the f number, the wider the aperture. A wide aperture means a shallow depth of field, so great for portraits where you want the subject in focus and the background blurred. For landscapes, a higher f number (f8 is good), it means a slower exposure and more of the image is in focus, a much greater depth of field.

Google and YouTube are full of tutorials, I've watched a few videos a French photographer called Serge Ramelli, much of this is done in Lightroom https://www.youtube.com/user/cmoeu

 
Posted : January 3, 2015 9:51 pm
Davie
(@nakeddavie)
Posts: 1398
Noble Member
 

I found this which might help?

Davie  8)

 
Posted : January 4, 2015 10:44 am
JMNude
(@jmnude)
Posts: 887
Member
 

There are many books and magazines that can help and include videos of how to create certain effects..

Master your Digital SLR (288 pages of tips) - one off magazine
PhotoPlus (monthly Mag with CD)
to name a few - there are many mags specific to camera manufactures as well - just spend some time in a news agent.

There are no end of self help books - see amazon

And there are many photo clubs around the country that will be starter classes for a very low price < £10 and then you can continue to attend the club for photo projects.

In addition often tech colleges do photo courses ( a few weeks) again for a modest price.

Hope this helps (even though its not about on line)

 
Posted : January 4, 2015 10:53 am
cherry and john
(@cherry-and-john)
Posts: 1433
Member
 

Allan .... as others have suggested there are loads of magazines you can buy but it can start to add up (OMG how much did I spend at the newsagents!!) so be selective. It's all too easy to shoot off at tangents.

I (John) started up photography again (after 40 years) middle of 2014 and found it was a steep learning curve all over again - Cherry has just bought a Fuji X20 and is going through the same process.

What helped was this. Fix your mind on what you want to photograph ... so you've already said 'Landscapes and Portraits'. Now find one or two images that you really like ... on the web there are zillions. Then, try to unpick the photos you really like and use the web to research and figure out how they were taken.  Again, as others have said there are (nearly) zillions of free tutorials and Youtube videos that will get you started. 

Keep it simple. It's all too easy to get overwhelmed by 'all the techniques for this and Tips for that' - keep your focus (pun intended) on what you want to do and learn bit by bit.

Here's a very simple Youtube to get you going http://youtu.be/pjEjCC-6aTQ (ignore his huge camera, you can easily do this with a bridge camera)

HTH

 
Posted : January 4, 2015 12:40 pm
(@shadowchaser)
Posts: 111
Estimable Member
 

Have you thought of joining a local photo club,or a course at local college,
I'll get Mrs to come on holiday in March down that way,and be happy to try teach you a few bits

 
Posted : January 4, 2015 1:50 pm
(@seventy7operamail)
Posts: 148
Estimable Member
 

Have a look at http://digital-photography-school.com and maybe sign up to their emails. Lots of useful tips and advice.

Steve

 
Posted : January 27, 2015 5:39 pm
AndyS
(@andys)
Posts: 132
Estimable Member
 

Here's my tip for you as a professional togger. If you are trying to improve spend more time going out without a camera and look for the pictures you could take if you have one.

That way your creativity isn't limited by what you think you and your camera are capable of. The secret is to know the picture you want to take and then find out how to get it. Learn the 3 exposure elements - speed, aperture and ISO - understand how they work together.  With that you can do whatever you want if you have the vision.

Oh and don't waste your money on online courses.

 
Posted : January 27, 2015 10:33 pm
sign-in-here-uk
(@tja)
Posts: 361
Reputable Member
 

Learn the 3 exposure elements - speed, aperture and ISO - understand how they work together.  With that you can do whatever you want if you have the vision.

This is the key if you ask me. As somebody only a year ahead of you in the learning process I still struggle to remember the best way to link these together for a great shot and have actually ruined a few potentially good pictures in my attempts. Thanks to digital I can live with it, I pity those who spent so much time and money on 35mm on the same learning curve!

I have though created some great pictures, I particularly like some pics I took of incoming waves onto a pebbly beach having set the fastest shutter speed and got the light balance right.

I'm finding trial and error a good way to pick it up but I also think you need to be keeping your hand in and take photos regularly, often noting the settings you use (my camera saves the settings data in the metadata as I think most do these days).

Play nice...... Play Naked!

 
Posted : January 28, 2015 12:49 am
Sunseeker
(@sunseeker)
Posts: 60
Trusted Member
 

Over the last few years BN have run a weekend course where you learn loads and is great fun.

 
Posted : January 28, 2015 8:39 am
pv
 pv
(@seabee)
Posts: 151
Estimable Member
 

I learned a lot by studying photographs I liked and trying to work out how they were taken  then trying to do the same maybe concentrating on one aspect at a time. Knowing the theory and having good kit is not really enough, experience counts for more and there is only one way to get that - take lots of photos objectively.

 
Posted : January 28, 2015 10:23 am
romfty
(@romfty)
Posts: 14
Active Member
 

Must admit I switch my Samsung to auto and let it take the hassle out of decision making ....... although have had a go on the manual settings.....however the auto knows best. 😉

 
Posted : January 28, 2015 10:52 am
Jacques
(@ramelj)
Posts: 484
Reputable Member
 

Must admit I switch my Samsung to auto and let it take the hassle out of decision making ....... although have had a go on the manual settings.....however the auto knows best. 😉

The automatic settings certainly always - or very nearly always - produce good photos. But then, if you want the photo to reflect exactly your vision of a scene, you soon find that using the holy trinity of photography (speed, aperture and iso) - and learning to master them, which takes some time - produces photos that have that little bit extra to make more personal photos, photos that you are truly proud of.

 
Posted : January 28, 2015 2:05 pm
cherry and john
(@cherry-and-john)
Posts: 1433
Member
 

Oh and don't waste your money on online courses.

Absolutely agree. But there's some very good free tutorials on the web on just about every topic that will give good foundations.

What I noticed this January is that, certainly around here, there were loads of reasonably priced 'Starter' courses being run at the local studios to give people the chance to use their new Xmas prezzies properly.

 
Posted : January 28, 2015 3:09 pm
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