I began my journey into photography, a mere, year and 8 months ago.
Here is the"sob" story, everyone has one, here is mine.
I had a tumor the size of my fist in my right kidney. I have big hands. It was discovered, just as my kidney was about to explode. Which would have prevented me from writing this, due to the fact that would have killed me graveyard dead.
So to make a long story, longer, I just sat down and felt sorry for myself for about a year . I knew I needed to find something to do, a hobby. Anything to get me up and moving again. Wood working is out of the question, I cannot nail two pieces of wood together, I can weld the crack of dawn, but I can mess wood up faster than God can grow it. Knitting, nah still on the couch. I ran through a multitude of hobbies in my head, until I thought of buying a camera.
Bingo
I love it. I am cancer free. Both my physical and mental health have improved.

Here are a few of the things I have learned in a short time.
Please feel free to add to add the things you have learned as well.

I have learned ,photography ain't cheap.
I have learned that I can buy used, for a fraction of new.

I have learned to slow down.
I check my settings, I make sure my exposure is right. I have begun to think before I press the shutter

I have learned to shoot in manual mode.
For me this is part of slowing down. Relying more on myself than the camera. What f /stop, what's my light. I am not claiming to be smarter than my camera, and sometimes the results prove just that. But I like taking control over a shot.

I have learned, I hate tripods.
I know that they are a invaluable tool. I have been pinched, I have missed shots, and generally look like a monkey F@!$ING a football setting one up. I have a gimbal head on a tripod and a ball head on a monopole, hate em both.

I have learned, lenses make a difference.
When I first started taking pictures, I thought a lens was a lens. Then, I bought a old 100-300 mm L lens off e-bay for $225.00. I have bought 4 more. The most I paid for one was a prime, 300 mm f/4 L . I paid 550 for for that one. all the rest were 400, gotta love craigs list and e-ba

I have learned to move my focus points.
Along with changing f/stops. How to create bokeh, when I want it and when I don't

I have learned, that, The more I learn, the less I know.
When I first picked up a dlsr camera, I had no idea what a f/stop was. I read and then I read some more. The internet has a wealth of information.

Like I write earlier. Please feel free to add to this.
What have you learned?

I began my journey into photography, a mere, year and 8 months ago.
Here is the"sob" story, everyone has one, here is mine.
I had a tumor the size of my fist in my right kidney. I have big hands. It was discovered, just as my kidney was about to explode. Which would have prevented me from writing this, due to the fact that would have killed me graveyard dead.
So to make a long story, longer, I just sat down and felt sorry for myself for about a year . I knew I needed to find something to do, a hobby. Anything to get me up and moving again. Wood working is out of the question, I cannot nail two pieces of wood together, I can weld the crack of dawn, but I can mess wood up faster than God can grow it. Knitting, nah still on the couch. I ran through a multitude of hobbies in my head, until I thought of buying a camera.
Bingo
I love it. I am cancer free. Both my physical and mental health have improved.

Here are a few of the things I have learned in a short time.
Please feel free to add to add the things you have learned as well.

I have learned ,photography ain't cheap.
I have learned that I can buy used, for a fraction of new.

I have learned to slow down.
I check my settings, I make sure my exposure is right. I have begun to think before I press the shutter

I have learned to shoot in manual mode.
For me this is part of slowing down. Relying more on myself than the camera. What f /stop, what's my light. I am not claiming to be smarter than my camera, and sometimes the results prove just that. But I like taking control over a shot.

I have learned, I hate tripods.
I know that they are a invaluable tool. I have been pinched, I have missed shots, and generally look like a monkey F@!$ING a football setting one up. I have a gimbal head on a tripod and a ball head on a monopole, hate em both.

I have learned, lenses make a difference.
When I first started taking pictures, I thought a lens was a lens. Then, I bought a old 100-300 mm L lens off e-bay for $225.00. I have bought 4 more. The most I paid for one was a prime, 300 mm f/4 L . I paid 550 for for that one. all the rest were 400, gotta love craigs list and e-ba

I have learned to move my focus points.
Along with changing f/stops. How to create bokeh, when I want it and when I don't

I have learned, that, The more I learn, the less I know.
When I first picked up a dlsr camera, I had no idea what a f/stop was. I read and then I read some more. The internet has a wealth of information.

Like I write earlier. Please feel free to add to this.
What have you learned?

I began my journey into photography, a mere, year and 8 months ago.
Here is the"sob" story, everyone has one, here is mine.
I had a tumor the size of my fist in my right kidney. I have big hands. It was discovered, just as my kidney was about to explode. Which would have prevented me from writing this, due to the fact that would have killed me graveyard dead.
So to make a long story, longer, I just sat down and felt sorry for myself for about a year . I knew I needed to find something to do, a hobby. Anything to get me up and moving again. Wood working is out of the question, I cannot nail two pieces of wood together, I can weld the crack of dawn, but I can mess wood up faster than God can grow it. Knitting, nah still on the couch. I ran through a multitude of hobbies in my head, until I thought of buying a camera.
Bingo
I love it. I am cancer free. Both my physical and mental health have improved.

Here are a few of the things I have learned in a short time.
Please feel free to add to add the things you have learned as well.

I have learned ,photography ain't cheap.
I have learned that I can buy used, for a fraction of new.

I have learned to slow down.
I check my settings, I make sure my exposure is right. I have begun to think before I press the shutter

I have learned to shoot in manual mode.
For me this is part of slowing down. Relying more on myself than the camera. What f /stop, what's my light. I am not claiming to be smarter than my camera, and sometimes the results prove just that. But I like taking control over a shot.

I have learned, I hate tripods.
I know that they are a invaluable tool. I have been pinched, I have missed shots, and generally look like a monkey F@!$ING a football setting one up. I have a gimbal head on a tripod and a ball head on a monopole, hate em both.

I have learned, lenses make a difference.
When I first started taking pictures, I thought a lens was a lens. Then, I bought a old 100-300 mm L lens off e-bay for $225.00. I have bought 4 more. The most I paid for one was a prime, 300 mm f/4 L . I paid 550 for for that one. all the rest were 400, gotta love craigs list and e-ba

I have learned to move my focus points.
Along with changing f/stops. How to create bokeh, when I want it and when I don't

I have learned, that, The more I learn, the less I know.
When I first picked up a dlsr camera, I had no idea what a f/stop was. I read and then I read some more. The internet has a wealth of information.

Like I write earlier. Please feel free to add to this.
What have you learned?

I began my journey into photography, a mere, year and 8 months ago.
Here is the"sob" story, everyone has one, here is mine.
I had a tumor the size of my fist in my right kidney. I have big hands. It was discovered, just as my kidney was about to explode. Which would have prevented me from writing this, due to the fact that would have killed me graveyard dead.
So to make a long story, longer, I just sat down and felt sorry for myself for about a year . I knew I needed to find something to do, a hobby. Anything to get me up and moving again. Wood working is out of the question, I cannot nail two pieces of wood together, I can weld the crack of dawn, but I can mess wood up faster than God can grow it. Knitting, nah still on the couch. I ran through a multitude of hobbies in my head, until I thought of buying a camera.
Bingo
I love it. I am cancer free. Both my physical and mental health have improved.

Here are a few of the things I have learned in a short time.
Please feel free to add to add the things you have learned as well.

I have learned ,photography ain't cheap.
I have learned that I can buy used, for a fraction of new.

I have learned to slow down.
I check my settings, I make sure my exposure is right. I have begun to think before I press the shutter

I have learned to shoot in manual mode.
For me this is part of slowing down. Relying more on myself than the camera. What f /stop, what's my light. I am not claiming to be smarter than my camera, and sometimes the results prove just that. But I like taking control over a shot.

I have learned, I hate tripods.
I know that they are a invaluable tool. I have been pinched, I have missed shots, and generally look like a monkey F@!$ING a football setting one up. I have a gimbal head on a tripod and a ball head on a monopole, hate em both.

I have learned, lenses make a difference.
When I first started taking pictures, I thought a lens was a lens. Then, I bought a old 100-300 mm L lens off e-bay for $225.00. I have bought 4 more. The most I paid for one was a prime, 300 mm f/4 L . I paid 550 for for that one. all the rest were 400, gotta love craigs list and e-ba

I have learned to move my focus points.
Along with changing f/stops. How to create bokeh, when I want it and when I don't

I have learned, that, The more I learn, the less I know.
When I first picked up a dlsr camera, I had no idea what a f/stop was. I read and then I read some more. The internet has a wealth of information.

Like I write earlier. Please feel free to add to this.
What have you learned?

I've learned a few things along the way, myself. First and foremost (for me, anyway), flash to subject distance is more critical than camera to subject distance, in getting correct portrait exposure. What is "correct portrait exposure?" That is the point at which you can look at the photograph and say, "that's a great shot." Second, for the most part, on board camera flashes are junk, and their ideal range is only about 7-10 feet. OCF is always a better choice, if you have it, or can get it. Third, don't be afraid to move the camera forward or back. This can be a touchy point when doing portraits, because people sometimes look down on having their personal space invaded. Fourth, it's OK to use the zoom, if you need to, to get the shot you want. I read a long time ago that, while the zoom can bring things closer in, you shouldn't have to settle for a poor vantage point. And, yes, for the final point, make the tripod your friend. It will hold the camera steadier than you can.

Just a quick disclaimer here. The "you" is generic, and not aimed at a specific,or implied, person.