New to photography.

[Salah Yousef]

So I bought my first DSLR Canon 600D/T3i in 2013. My main reason to buying it was to make movies ( passion was filmmaking )( Now focusing on photography )

I bought it with 18-55mm lens
Later on I bought 50mm f/1.8 II lens
I also have a tripod.

I hardly touched the camera since 2014. I even forgot how to use it's menu and buttons.

My friend who happens to be photographer helped me today to remember what ISO, Aperture, Shutter speed are used for. My main goal is to just enjoy my time photographing whatever is in my mind. I like photographing animals, landscapes, astrophotography, nature and black & white photos.

My questions are:-
Are photography schools/courses worth it or should I just learn online and self teach myself ?
Should I improve my equipment or should I stick to my current equipment till I teach myself more and improve ?
Should I atleast buy better lens ? I'm not good in knowing differences of lenses buy I'm teaching myself and Googling.

My budget is 2000 USD however soon as I get a job ( that's in Oct 2016 ) my budget will be much higher.

 

[Don Haines]

So I bought my first DSLR Canon 600D/T3i in 2013. My main reason to buying it was to make movies ( passion was filmmaking )( Now focusing on photography )

I bought it with 18-55mm lens
Later on I bought 50mm f/1.8 II lens
I also have a tripod.

I hardly touched the camera since 2014. I even forgot how to use it's menu and buttons.

My friend who happens to be photographer helped me today to remember what ISO, Aperture, Shutter speed are used for. My main goal is to just enjoy my time photographing whatever is in my mind. I like photographing animals, landscapes, astrophotography, nature and black & white photos.

My questions are:-
Are photography schools/courses worth it or should I just learn online and self teach myself ?
Should I improve my equipment or should I stick to my current equipment till I teach myself more and improve ?
Should I atleast buy better lens ? I'm not good in knowing differences of lenses buy I'm teaching myself and Googling.

My budget is 2000 USD however soon as I get a job ( that's in Oct 2016 ) my budget will be much higher.

My recommendation would be to find a local camera club.... that is a great way to learn and be exposed to new things....

Don't get obsessed with gear. It takes a while before it becomes a limitation.

Don't buy into this Canon/Nikon/Sony hysteria.... they are all good.

The number one thing you can do, and will have the maximum impact on your photography, is to shoot in RAW format and learn to use the editing software that came with your camera.... and it's FREE!!!!

 

[slclick]

As stated above, education, is key. Be it, community college, online, seminars whatnot. Personally I prefer in person so you can interact with others who have recently or currently are at a similar level of skill to compare notes and be of assistance to each other. Many times it's been said, shoot in the beginning with one lens, such as a 35mm or 50mm and learn to compose, frame, sneaker zoom, explore various depths of field and learn it well with that one general piece of glass which will transfer to other focal lengths and aperture ranges. Learning to capture and manipulate (and understand) light is a wonderful thing, it's both art and science.

 

[NancyP]

Keep and use what you already have - it's fine for learning.
As for what next, it depends on how you like to learn.
1. course at local community college or other adult education venue
2. internet videos and websites (try "Cambridge in Colour" http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/ The site has very clear basic explanations)
3. basic books on photography and on your choice of processing software, likely DPP (that came free with the camera) - that includes manuals
4. camera clubs often have beginners' clinics and classes
and
5. Just Play Around With The Camera.
You can't hurt it, beyond a few simple precautions in the manual. You don't like the shot? Erase it. This isn't like the film days, when each shot cost a measurable amount. You read about aperture effect, shutter effect, ISO effect? Then go and photo "anything", varying each item (f/stop, shutter speed, ISO) and prove to yourself equivalent exposures, see how different shutter speeds stop (or don't) different types of motion, take a landscape photo at the wide-open aperture (usually f/3.5 or so for kit lenses) and f/11, compare depth of field.
Learn where to find the information about the individual shot - the lens, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and lots of other things are found in a metafile called "EXIF" that is attached to the individual photo. So you no longer have to keep a pen and paper record of each shot, the camera will do that for you - great for learning.

I like experimenting. It's a great way to learn, if you are the sort who likes to read a book/article and then try IRL.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Saloooh91.
I agree with the recommendation to join a club, an alternative if you don't like clubs or can't join for whatever reason, is to find a photography buddy, a relative, friend or neighbour who is in to photography.
I started with a neighbour, walking along a river looking for photo opportunities and having my wife bring us home after her Zumba class, then a friend (from our car club) joined in, and now I have uncle in law joining us too since his wife passed away.
Another idea is to get some quick reference cards, one of my little group gets flustered when subjects change, I just bought him a magazine (Digital Camera) that has cards with basic settings and techniques for various scenarios, they should be close enough to get usable shots with just minor adjustments to a setting or two, I anticipate this reducing the stress he feels whilst trying to work out settings for unexpected events. I'm sure it would be possible to find something similar on the internet or maybe make your own if you think it would help.

Cheers, Graham.

 

[monkey44]

When you start playing with ISO, aperture, Shutter speed, etc - you will notice on your shots it will tell you the settings you shot at under"right click" "properties".

A very good thing to do is shoot some practice shots at a stationary target (Tree, bush, flower, etc) and change settings, then compare the differences. It gives you an idea how these setting effect an image.

Then, when you get comfortable with stationary targets, try the same thing on moving targets, cats, dogs, cars, kids, and see what changes when you adjust settings...

I found it best to print the shot, then set them side by side with the setting written on it, or on a paper beside it so you can compare visually instead of switching screens in a PC..

I suggest you learn your camera first, what all the basic dials and settings mean, then learn how to use it.

 

[FTb-n]

Definitely learn the camera first. I can envision a telephoto zoom might be your next purchase, but waiting until you feel more comfortable with your camera will help you in decided if and which one to get. Plus, there may be a new one released soon that may fit your need.

The 50 f1.8 is a great lens on your crop body for portraits and candids (among other subjects). With a relatively large aperture, it offers the benefit of learning how to control depth of field. Get very comfortable using this lens.

Study the basics at this stage -- not gear. Wait until your current gear is holding you back before looking for new gear. But, make sure it's the gear holding you back and not your lack of understanding how to use it. This will help avoid buying gear that ends up collecting dust.

 

[tolusina]

Your friend did you well discussing ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed with you.
Those three are THE essential basics of exposure, together they are often known as 'The Exposure Triangle'.
As there are three variables, it's often hard at first to fully wrap one's head around the concepts.
Through no fault of your friend's nor yours, just due to the different ways humans think and learn, you may not yet feel fully confident in your grasp of the concepts.
If this is the case, google "Exposure Basics", you'll find a plethora of tutorials on the topic. Start reading any, if you find it confusing, try another. For certain there are many you can find that speak to your way of thought and WILL give you the AHA! moment you need. Once you fully grasp the exposure triangle, few cameras will ever intimidate you for the rest of your life.
- - -
Once you've got exposure down pat, get out and shoot. Shoot anything and everything that catches your eye, be especially mindful of horizons and background objects.

Through the finder, select the view you want to capture, what to include, what to exclude. MOVE side to side, back and forth (often known as 'Zooming with your feet'), kneel and stretch, climb on tables, rocks, whatever to adjust your viewpoint to taste.

My personal lens preference has reverted back to the more or less 'natural' view of a 50mm on full frame. While 50mm on your crop camera will be a bit narrower than 'natural', I'm going to suggest it anyway, especially since you have one in hand.
I'd shoot only 50mm for a couple thousand photos (shouldn't take long), then venture out with your zoom, get a feel for that. From there you can guesstimate what other focal lengths might appeal to your specific tastes, borrow from a friend or rent to try what you wish.

There are lots and lots of free online resources, Nancy P posted http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/ for one.
Search youtube for Photoshop, Lightroom, Zooms, lighting (oh, Strobist), beginning and advanced photography, many will lead you in all sorts of other directions, follow what piques your interests.

With the free resources of the internet, you should be able to pretty much self educate.
Community College courses are economical, camera stores occasionally offer presentations.

SHOOT RAW!!
It may be a while before you can realize the benefits and power of shooting RAW, I suggest you shoot both RAW and large/fine jpg.
You'll have the easy to work with jpgs from the beginning, as you learn RAW processing you'll be able to re-visit earlier shots and try magic on them.
Yup, buffers and memory cards will fill much faster shooting RAW + jpg, I think it a worthwhile compromise.

 

[tpatana]

s.

SHOOT RAW!!
It may be a while before you can realize the benefits and power of shooting RAW, I suggest you shoot both RAW and large/fine jpg.
You'll have the easy to work with jpgs from the beginning, as you learn RAW processing you'll be able to re-visit earlier shots and try magic on them.
Yup, buffers and memory cards will fill much faster shooting RAW + jpg, I think it a worthwhile compromise.

Remembering my early days, I'd say ease into raw as you progress. That's good advice to shoot both raw+jpeg if that's option for you. If you're already learning so much on the other stuff, adding raw worlflow on top of that can be extra frustrating. Or at least for me it was. So maybe first get comfortable with all the other tips given here, and when those start to work out, then also skip the jpeg and start working on raws.

 

[tolusina]

Remembering my early days, I'd say ease into raw as you progress. That's good advice to shoot both raw+jpeg if that's option for you. If you're already learning so much on the other stuff, adding raw worlflow on top of that can be extra frustrating. Or at least for me it was. So maybe first get comfortable with all the other tips given here, and when those start to work out, then also skip the jpeg and start working on raws.

Indeed.
Expecting to start at zero and jump into a RAW workflow is a pretty extreme expectation.
Often, beginner's luck will get a few outstanding and memorable captures.
Being able to revisit those gems later in RAW is priceless, impossible without the RAWs.

 

[AlanF]

Remembering my early days, I'd say ease into raw as you progress. That's good advice to shoot both raw+jpeg if that's option for you. If you're already learning so much on the other stuff, adding raw worlflow on top of that can be extra frustrating. Or at least for me it was. So maybe first get comfortable with all the other tips given here, and when those start to work out, then also skip the jpeg and start working on raws.

Indeed.
Expecting to start at zero and jump into a RAW workflow is a pretty extreme expectation.
Often, beginner's luck will get a few outstanding and memorable captures.
Being able to revisit those gems later in RAW is priceless, impossible without the RAWs.

That's right - give the OP a break! Let him start as simply as possible, and then work up to using RAW when he has mastered the basics. After all, Ken Rockwell hasn't got further than using only jpegs.

 

[pj1974]

Some great advice given above by several members of this forum... well done team!

We (CR, the world, etc!) need more of this - positive, helpful, upbuilding stuff. 8)

I will just add, that over 15 years ago I found myself in the same situation (new to digital photography) and some of the earlier online digital forums helped me a lot... today there are so many more resources.

Experiment. Practice. Learn one photo genre at a time, to an intermediate level, then try something new (to keep the interest).

Shoot JPEG and RAW (just use JPEG to start, then you can go back and experiment / see the difference RAW gives).

Best wishes,

Paul

 

[Cory]

I found the camera-specific training DVDs at http://www.michaelthementor.com/store/ to be enormously helpful and critical in helping to get me off on the right foot. After that there's free videos/instruction on all things photography. For the past 5 years I've been studying almost every day with internet search, this site and dpreview.com my go-to resources. Also, I have 3x5 cards with different shooting scenarios on them that I refer to when doing something specific - fireworks, sunsets, running, etc.

 

[RustyTheGeek]

It's all been said very well already several times over so I'll keep it short and add a thing or two...

- Don't buy gear yet. Use what you have and slowly learn what that gear will do and what items you may want to get later.
- Use the camera. It's a tool for your creativity. Take it with you. Don't avoid taking it to keep it clean. Get it worn and dirty as you take thousands of images.
- Make it relevant. Offer your "services" free to family, friends, volunteer groups at church or other low pressure positive environments. This puts a little bit of "pro" expectations of yourself in the shooting and forces you to "work" on your passion, push your limits/boundaries and "produce" results. In essence, the workflow becomes habit.
- Go to Half Price Books or other used book stores and browse the old photography books. It's very interesting and nostalgic to see what there is to learn and observe with the old school film world. It also helps to appreciate just how much the current technology helps you learn/work faster but also how it's NOT about the technology!!
- I agree that Scott Kelby is a good teacher. Consider these books from Mr. Kelby. They are one page tips that make a big difference.
http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Kelbys-Digital-Photography-Boxed/dp/0133988066/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1455624455&sr=8-5&keywords=scott+kelby
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Digital-Photography-step---step/dp/0134385128/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455624455&sr=8-1&keywords=scott+kelby

Remember - You are capturing light with a box and a tube full of glass. You the photographer can take the same image a million times and it can/will be different every time. The variables are endless. Just think about what you want the image to look like as you shoot and adjust the variables until you get what you want. Does the image tell a story, convey a feeling or create a historical record? Or is it just your cat?

Give yourself "assignments". You could go to http://digital-photography-school.com/ and they can email you a different "assignment" each weekend on what challenge to take on.

Please share with us how you are doing. It's a favorite topic here to see how people improve, progress and learn.

 

[rcarca]

When I started out I discovered that you should only buy new kit when you have found that you needed it - at least twice. Otherwise you will have a cupboard full of kit you never use.

Others have mentioned loads of reference material. One that you might like to look at is http://www.eos-magazine-forum.com. It is the friendliest forum in the world with lots of help when you need it - none of the photographer bitchiness that you find on many forums.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Daan Stam]

hey salooh i learned pretty much everything i know about photography on the internet you can find tutorials about everything some people i follow are dave dugdale , matt granger, chase jarvis, dslr video shooter ,dslrguide,film riot,glenn bartley,griffin hammond,jared polin,karl taylor,mike browne,neumann films,the snap chick,tony northrup some of those have gone a little quiet but

and for gear i would buy the 18-135 is stm for a starter it is way better than the 18-55 and then see what you would like to have more

 

[Hector1970]

Echoing others I'd highly recommend joining a club.
It's the cheapest way to get better.
You meet lots of new people along the way who will guide and inspire you.
It will drag you to places you've never seen.
It will improve your composition and way of looking at the world.
Keep using the same gear until you reach a limitation on what you want to photograph.

My advice on buying gear is to save up and buy something good rather than many cheap things.
Second hand if possible is a good way to go too.
Prime lens like the 50mm 1.8 are a good way to get into more creative moody photography.

Youtube and the many free websites are a great source of learning about photography.

My last advice is to enjoy the journey.

 

[kaswindell]

Welcome to the world of photography!

I have to echo what others have said here - your gear is sufficient to learn, worry about upgrading when you find that it limits you, not before.

Whether to take classes, or learn online really depends on how you learn best. Back when I was learning there was no online, but magazines filled the same niche, and I devoured everything I could find. I was also involved with others who helped me learn and pushed me to improve when I was in college, studying a subject other than photography. I highly recommend you join a group/club that allows interaction with others with interest in photography, it can really help.

Be sure that even if you shoot JPEG, shoot RAW. The biggest mistake when I transitioned from film to digital was only shooting JPEG since I didn't know how to use editing software (some might argue that I still don't ;-) ). I have a number of digital images that while good, probably could be better if I had the flexibility to process the RAW file today.

Finally, don't worry about making mistakes, because you will. Photos that you love today will disappoint you in the future as your skill improves. Others will still make you happy. And have fun.

 

[monkey44]

I agree - shoot the RAW and save the best ones until you figure out how to process RAW ...

I have numerous shots from years ago that I wish now I had RAW only to get the max out of it. At the time, I had no knowledge or use for the RAW files -- it costs nothing but storage, and is worth it for good shots you can process when you gain experience.

 

[applecider]

In addition to processing software (I took a class), think about how you want your digital library handled, this will help find great shots latter. On a mac I use photos to store but preprocessing use Lightroom that part is optional.

I think a great exercise is to find a waterfall and practice aperture and shutter speed settings to see how things look differently.

Our local community centers have both in house classes and photography trip days which I prefer, if the trips have relatively few people.

I would not yet buy anything but I'd start to watch around for sales say on the canon refurbished store for future items you might want like maybe a 55-250 stm lens.

At some point in the future you may get interested in macro photography so a set of say kenko extension tubes might be a thing to look into tubes vs 1.4 or two time extenders. Usually I would also recommend getting good stuff, but the cost of entry for a full frame tele lens is more than you need for your crop so between the 18-55 and the 55-250 you'd have a wide range covered.