Ugly Hedgehog Newsletter

Hi,

I am new to this. I am used to being the person getting photographed. I modeled for a few years so I love photography. I want to be the one that takes the pictures now and I really could use some pointers on a few things.

Like a good photoshop and how to do a few things with my camera. Anyones help would be appreciated.

Tasha

melodyphillips Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

I have had good results with Photoshop Elements 9, a subscription to Popular Photoraphy, and then getting photo magazines that come with tutorial discs. I also go to the photog section in bookstores and browse for what seems interesting and/or of help to me (I then usually go to the web and buy them cheaper). From there, you just go to it!

wmralls Loc: Kansas City

I use Corel's PaintShop Photo Pro X3 and love it. On sale now and I am not a sales person. I just like the software. More important is your gear. You can get a zillion recommendations on gear. My only hint is to take a strong, honest look into yourself and decide how serious you want to get, at least starting out. Set a budget and research reviews on the net. Deciding your fav mode is important, ie, outdoor, portrait, animals, pets, kids, nightlife, etc. Select your camera accordingly. If you have gear, then shot and post here some examples.

Perry Loc: Washington Michigan

Good advice, Mike. I too have Paintshop Photo Pro X3 (ultimate), and I love that program, and I am not a spokes man or salesman for Corel either. It's an excellent program, and a cheaper alternative to Photoshop... Much cheaper even in the Ultimate version.

wrei

I could not work without the "Portrait Professional" software application anymore. The results are the difference between a good portrait and a professional job.
Werner

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

consider signing up for the New York institue of photography' s corespondence courses. They have been around for over 100 years and have an excellant reputation. They will tech you what you need to know. Also a subscription to popphoto magazine and if you like nature and landscape shots outdoor photography magazine. I HIGHLY RECOMEND two books from amphoto publishing both by bryan peterson ( my favorite photographer) The first is "understanding exposure" it will explain not only how to get the correct exposure but also the most creative exposure. The second book I recomend is "Learning to see creatively" This book had a profound effect on the quality of m y work and opened up a world of new subject matter to me. Both books should be available at barnes and noble or books a million. good luck. I forgot to add in the matter of photoediting software you can not go wrong with photoshop elements. There is a reason it outsells all other photoediting software. In addition once you master elements you are at least 75% of the way to mastering the big boy photoshop. Which is the software used by a vast majority of professionals.

docjoque Loc: SoCal

Get Photography for Dummies, or Complete Idiot's guide to Photography. These books explain just about everything in very easy to understand terms. Get a good basic knowledge, then go to the book store and look at photography coffee table books to try to determine what settings they used to get the particular shot. They are also great inspiration. Then get out there and shoot shoot shoot.

millervito

Tasha, I agree with sinatraman 100%, the two books he mentioned are great must haves in the learning aspects of photography another would be Kelbys Digital photography series. The main thing is read your manual for your particular camera and get out and shoot. With the above referenced material and just plain experience you will see the difference very soon. Good luck and shoot alot

photosbyhenry Loc: Apple Valley MN

Photographytalk.com has some tips on posing and modeling. Hope this helps.

brentrh Loc: Deltona, FL

Lightroom software and post processing. If your camera can shoot raw use it

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

BRENT !!!!!

if the original poster is UHH Newsletter....you know you have screwed up.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

When you mistakenly press <Last>>> instead of <Next>> when navigating the Main Discussion section, you end up responding to an irrelevant thread from 2011. Consider being more careful in your navigation, as well reading both the author and the post-date of the thread before responding.

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

Tasha, I chaired the department of photography in San Antonio, Texas at the Southwest School of Art. My long experiences with students revealed certain great insights to teaching participants to both basic and advanced classes and workshops. What I learned as an educator in the field of photography is that women and men have very different interests in how women approach photography and how a woman deals with photographic ideas and issues.

Women in general are not driven by the technology nor the mechanics of the photographic experience. Books to study and review would be the life of two of the most dynamic women who ever made their mark in the area of photography. First Juliet Margret Cameron and then Margret Bourk-White are two of the truly greats historically. A contemporary of the modern 20th Centry was Imogene Cunningham. There are of course others, but these women not only carved out powerful niches in photography, they changed the way all photographers respond to the making of photographic images.

Do not get caught up in the technology and skill craft of photography, that will come as you begin to define what and where you find your path in the creative pursuit of the creation of images.

Women have been defining and have been the great pathfinders of photography, they have lead the way and shown men what the art of photography really can be. Personally, I watched Imogene Cunningham mold and direct the F64 group and help Ansel Adams to clarify his path to greatness. Portraiture would not be what it is today if it were not for Juliet Margret Cameron. A position held by greats like Arnold Newman. Photojournalism would never have been what it became in the 20th century but for Bourk-White, she remolded that approach in ways that are still taught today.

Oddly enough, the great world of fashion photography was as much created by the women who modeled for the many great male photographers of the post World War era of the 40's and 50's and into today. Models are not just 'clothes horses' for fashion, they educated and trained the photographers and shifted the idea of the modern ideas of portraiture to shift from head and shoulders' presentation to the face as the defining power of the human conditions, clothes here then part of the identity of the face of humanity, the individual.

Women are truly at the cross roads of defining our culture and that culture is so bound to photography and the photographic experance that it has become the primary point of what humanity is and will be.

Remember this quote from over a hundred years ago, "The illiterates of the future will not be those who cannot read, rather it will be they who cannot make a photograph."

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Alas, lots of effort to reply to a zombie 2011 thread...

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

Well, her's is not the only time this question has been asked by a woman to this forum. It also does not alter the reality for an information request. Of course, you would never reply to a request for insight to the subject of photography, beneath you, I guess. I will never understand the testosterone driven responses on this site, though it is often rampant.