wanting to do to much to fast?

[Photography~girl~]

So I've noticed with myself the past few days after reading a 'billion' things about pictures, RAW, HDR etc.(and i think this warm[er] weather is making me want to get outside and shoot more) That i've been wanting to do alllllllll this stuff like..NOW! Now i can't make HDR images yet(might help to actually have a program that can do it. ) But i can start shooting RAW...if i wanted to.
I'm not sure if i'm wanting to do/work on stuff to fast. I'm basically self-teaching myself(with the help/critique of you guys and the people on POTN(canon's forum. though i'm still trying to get used to the "huge-ness" of that forum).) So its not like i have 'assignments' from Mr.Teacher. lol.
Soooooo, once again, i have some questions for you guys.(hope you're not tired of them. lol)
Should i start shooting in RAW even though i'm rather new to photography?(and i know that my RAW images will, at first, be prolly REALLY bad, but shouldn't i start sooner rather then later? I'm not sure) What is the advantage of shooting in RAW? Do you normally shoot in RAW or JPG?
When i go out to shoot should i have the mindset of (for example)"today i'll work on composistion", or should i work on shutter speed, aperture, composition and anything else that is involved with shooting a pic?
I have been recomended by a guy on POTN to leave my Picture Style alone cause i can do all that in photoshop. I don't have PS, yet, should i still "leave it alone"?

I'm doing my best in not "rushing" into everything so fast('specially after i got my new camera), but well...its hard. I know my pictures won't be(and aren't) as good as most posted on here, only because most of y'all have been shooting for prolly longer then i've been alive. (not saying y'all are old or anything. i'm only 16....) But i do want to get better, and frankly, i'm not sure where to 'start'.(i know "shoot a lot", but a little guidence might help a little. lol.)

anyway, thanx so much for putting up with me and my many questions(and my half way decent pictures) this far. You've all already helped me out lots since i joined. I thank you.

-a.k

[oTTer]

I learned something about my camera yesterday, and I've had it for three years now. I couldn't figure out why my AV won't work when I turn my ring that is closest to the camera body (I still don't know what it's called - the Fstop?) There are several things that appear on the top of my camera, like what my settings are, how many pics I have left etc. and if I switch off the automatic, the AV disappears and I can't take any pictures. If I turn my left dial (the one for macro, landscapes etc.) to the TV setting (Whatever THAT is) then the AV changes.
I don't know why it does all that. I am not sure why it is or isn't important. I need to find my manual and see what it is I am missing out on. But owning a nice camera doesn't mean you know how it works, and I have a college education so it isn't because I'm dumb, it's because for what I want, the automatic setting takes the pictures I use. If I was entering photo contests say, I would try and get a better photo through lighting, focus etc. but as an artist, and as a chronic picture taker, I can get a few decent photos out of every couple dozen. I've actually entered and won stuff, but it's local podunk stuff - nothing remotely professional. I do possess the ability to spot a good composition etc. so when I do enter a photo, I have that advantage over someone who just takes a picture and thinks it will be good enough to enter somewhere.
The only people who could find fault with my pictures are actual pro photographers, and it's usually an exposure issue - something that I could manage if I was better educated with my camera. I also have photoshop, and if you notice my quandry with things like curves, just because I have it doesn't mean I can use it to its full capacity.
Really, I would say go out and have fun. Read your manual. Pick one setting, work with it, learn it, know what it does, etc. or put it on auto and fire away. That's what I've done in the last three years, and I won't sell anything, but I've never had a non-pro complain Community colleges have photography classes, if you are interested. Some camera stores have them, too.

[bob_r]

Should i start shooting in RAW even though i'm rather new to photography?(and i know that my RAW images will, at first, be prolly REALLY bad, but shouldn't i start sooner rather then later? I'm not sure) What is the advantage of shooting in RAW? Do you normally shoot in RAW or JPG?

The thing that helps me decide whether to shoot in RAW or JPG is the importance of what I'm shooting. If the images are very important, I'll shoot in RAW, otherwise I shoot in JPG. The advantage to shooting in RAW is that it allows you to manipulate the image but the original settings are not changed. You can always start over. JPG files lose data each time they're opened and saved. If I'm working with JPG files, I'll normally work on a copy rather than the original image.
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When i go out to shoot should i have the mindset of (for example)"today i'll work on composistion", or should i work on shutter speed, aperture, composition and anything else that is involved with shooting a pic?

I normally shoot in aperture priority because it allows me to set the DOF, which I find very important. If I want to block out an ugly background, I'll open up the lens to blur the background. If I'm shooting a landscape, I can close the aperture to keep as much as possible in focus. If you're shooting sports or shooting at night, you'll probably want to switch to shutter priority. As for composition, you should always work on that regardless of your camera settings.
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I have been recomended by a guy on POTN to leave my Picture Style alone cause i can do all that in photoshop. I don't have PS, yet, should i still "leave it alone"?

Try to shoot in the creative modes whenever possible. Picture styles allows your camera to make the decisions for you, but if you're serious about getting better, you'll stay away from them.
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I'm doing my best in not "rushing" into everything so fast('specially after i got my new camera), but well...its hard. I know my pictures won't be(and aren't) as good as most posted on here, only because most of y'all have been shooting for prolly longer then i've been alive. (not saying y'all are old or anything. i'm only 16....) But i do want to get better, and frankly, i'm not sure where to 'start'.(i know "shoot a lot", but a little guidence might help a little. lol.)

Well, I know I've been shooting much longer than you've been alive but that doesn't mean anything. You have a good eye, a good imagination and a good camera. What else do you need to take good pics?
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anyway, thanx so much for putting up with me and my many questions(and my half way decent pictures) this far. You've all already helped me out lots since i joined. I thank you.

-a.k

A.K,

I tried to answer each of your questions above.
For your next assignment , set your camera to AV and take enough pics that you learn how to control your depth of field. Understanding DOF will greatly increase your number of good shots. I'm looking forward to seeing your results.

BTW, when you set your camera to AV, the camera will set your shutter speed. If you want to increase your shutter speed, you can increase the ISO setting or open your aperture more (or both). These 3 things are related. Anytime you change one, you affect the others. You should discover that during your assignment. You might try taking a pic and then increase your ISO setting and take the same pic again. The shutter speed should increase.

[bob_r]

I learned something about my camera yesterday, and I've had it for three years now. I couldn't figure out why my AV won't work when I turn my ring that is closest to the camera body (I still don't know what it's called - the Fstop?) There are several things that appear on the top of my camera, like what my settings are, how many pics I have left etc. and if I switch off the automatic, the AV disappears and I can't take any pictures. If I turn my left dial (the one for macro, landscapes etc.) to the TV setting (Whatever THAT is) then the AV changes.
I don't know why it does all that. I am not sure why it is or isn't important.

Pamela,

Here's a link to an article that explains the correlation between the aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
http://www.cameraporn.net/2007/12/24/ap ... threesome/

Hope this helps

A.K.
This would probably help you too.

Bob R

[Photography~girl~]

Bob,

thank you sooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!! helped a lot. With the Picture Style, i have it set as "Standard" and then within that i change stuff like sharpness and whatnot.(i also do this for monochrom.) but i leave Portrait, landscape, neutral and faithful alone.(where's the fun in letting the camera do all the work for you?)

thanx for the assignment! though one thing...with not setting my own shutter speed. i don't have a tri-pod(yet). So wouldn't it be best to go out durring the day and shoot mostly...macro? where i'll usually use a small DoF? cause the bigger f/stop number(smaller aperture), the wider DoF which means more light getting let in, which means slower shutter....correct? (if that made any sense what so ever)
and thanx for the link! i think i have shutter speed and aperture down...but still a little fuzzy on what ISO really does.(i know the higher it is, the brigher the photo, but also the higher it is, the more noise you'll prolly have) lol. I'll read it when i'm fully awake.(its midnight at the moment. lol. uploading pics. heehee.)
thanx again!
a.k

[Photography~girl~]

EDIT: darn computer. thought i didn't post and got double post and ahhhhhhhhh.

[bob_r]

Bob,

thank you sooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!! helped a lot. With the Picture Style, i have it set as "Standard" and then within that i change stuff like sharpness and whatnot.(i also do this for monochrom.) but i leave Portrait, landscape, neutral and faithful alone.(where's the fun in letting the camera do all the work for you?)

thanx for the assignment! though one thing...with not setting my own shutter speed. i don't have a tri-pod(yet). So wouldn't it be best to go out durring the day and shoot mostly...macro? where i'll usually use a small DoF? cause the bigger f/stop number(smaller aperture), the wider DoF which means more light getting let in, which means slower shutter....correct? (if that made any sense what so ever)
and thanx for the link! i think i have shutter speed and aperture down...but still a little fuzzy on what ISO really does.(i know the higher it is, the brigher the photo, but also the higher it is, the more noise you'll prolly have) lol. I'll read it when i'm fully awake.(its midnight at the moment. lol. uploading pics. heehee.)
thanx again!
a.k

Actually when you shoot macro, you want a larger DOF to get as much in focus as possible. Because you are so close to the subject when shooting macros, it's difficult to keep very much in focus. A shallow DOF is mainly used to separate the subject from the background by making the background blur. Also, by shooting with a wide open lens, it allows your shutter speed to be as fast as possible for the available light (but dependent on your ISO settings).
Here are a couple of shots taken with a shallow DOF (f/2.8 - the widest possible setting on the lens I used).

This is a closeup of Maple with a little backlighting. I shot it with my 30D and a Canon 200 f/2.8.
By shooting at the widest setting, the background is OOF.
1/800s f/2.8 at 200.0mm iso400


I took this shot of my granddaughter with some friends with the same lens but from much farther away.
I like the way the shallow DOF almost makes the picture look 3 dimensional.
1/2000s f/2.8 at 200.0mm iso400



ISO settings are a holdover from film days when film had an ASA rating. You had daylight film that was rated as low as ASA 25 that produced brilliant colors. Of course, it also required a nice sunny day to use it since it was so slow. They also had fast film and to make it even faster, you could "Push" the ISO to the next level. For example an ASA400 film could be shot at ASA800 or ASA1200 and then you would have it developed at the pushed settings. This did make the film faster, but it also introduced more noise. That's much the way ISO setting work on sensors today. The higher the ISO setting, the faster you can shoot, but at the risk of introducing more noise. The nice thing about the newer digital cameras is that they are finding better ways to control the noise. My 30D is not nearly as good at controlling noise as a 40D or 50D, but I have shot with an ISO setting of 1000 with acceptable results.

Now get busy with your assignment and don't be too concerned about your subject. It's great to have a wonderful subject, but your assignment is to just figure out how the different f/stop settings affect your images. You should not only be changing your f/stops, but also your ISO settings to get the shutter speed you want. Be sure to shoot some indoor shots too (be sure to adjust your white balance for the lighting). This will require you to boost those ISO settings and will give you a good idea of how high you can go with your camera and still get usable images. By the time you are finished, you should have a great understanding of how your camera works.

[Photography~girl~]

okies! i believe i understand...i think.(i'm never really sure what to call aperture. smaller number means larger aperture. Why did they have to do that?! its so backwards. )
thank you for the examples!!
I'll get right on my assignment(once i have a manuel driving session with dad. yippie.)! Though today i'll work on inside shots...cause its raining today. But after i take some shots, i'll be sure to post them!(and figure out how to also put up the settings.)
OH! do you want me to leave my Standard Style Picture alone?(like the saturation, sharpness etc.)

[bob_r]

OH! do you want me to leave my Standard Style Picture alone?(like the saturation, sharpness etc.)

Yes, you shouldn't need to adjust it.

[Photography~girl~]

OH! do you want me to leave my Standard Style Picture alone?(like the saturation, sharpness etc.)

Yes, you shouldn't need to adjust it.

okay! then i won't then.....

[gldiana]

Hey A.K.
I agree with Bob, go shoot jpeg when you think the photo is not very important and use RAW+Jpeg for your most precious photo. That way you can still use the jpeg but save the RAW for later times when you feel more confident about it. RAW has a mellow learning curve, you'll have to spend a lot of time learning the software and how to apply the proper setting but take your time. These days I shoot RAW 99% of the time, but I usually shoot thinking of the end result (gallery display, sale, etc.).
Good choice of not rushing into things, there's a lot to learn and you don't want to confuse yourself, just go out there and shoot shoot shoot.

[Photography~girl~]

well. this past weekend i was stuck inside(sides when dad was teaching me how to drive the manuel. but i won't get into THAT. haha.) and Luca i heeded to your advice, and shot shot shot. lol. I was shooting durring the game i played with Mom, Dad and my older brother.(all with aperture piority on) WOW! twas cool. though those game shots where...well "click click click" with not much of composition(and weird family ones. ) when i had my coffee in my most favorite mug, and had the muffins mom made earlier on the counter i was like "i'm sooo taking a photo."
its dark, yes. since i don't have PS yet, i can't fix it. And when i wanted to re-shoot it later, most the muffins where gone. and i forgot to write down what my settings were. i wanna say my aperture was in the 6.5-7.1 range. But here ya are.


also. I made some 3D shapes today in math. I thought they might make some interesting shots...they didn't turn out how i had thought they would. The back ground isn't crisp white, and the colors aren't as bright as they should be.


I'm hoping to get outside tomorrow(i doubt it. busy.) but perhaps wednesday.

[bob_r]

A.K.,

I like the shallow DOF in the mug and muffin shot. Hope you're getting a feel for AV mode.

If you want to see the settings for your shots, you can open them in ZoomBrowser, click on "View" and then select "Show shooting information". Your settings will display with the image.

You can also open the image with Digital Photo Professional. That program, while not as good as Photoshop, has a lot of powerful editing options. If you want to see your shot settings in DPP, select "File" and then "Info".

Zoombrowser and DPP should have been included with your camera.

Keep going with the assignment, A.K.. I think you're going to be happy with your results.

[gldiana]

AK,
those 3D shapes you make look great, I suggest you keep shooting them until you get a photo out of the ordinary. Try different lighting, even dark with candles, etc. While you wait for you tripod you can use a bean bag, it works miracles.

[bob_r]

AK,
those 3D shapes you make look great, I suggest you keep shooting them until you get a photo out of the ordinary. Try different lighting, even dark with candles, etc. While you wait for you tripod you can use a bean bag, it works miracles.

I agree with Luca. The 3D shapes definitely present an opportunity to play with lighting.

Luca, she should receive the tripod on Wednesday.