Willy Loc: Alaska

New2blog recently asked about Scott Kelby's on-line training. As a follow-up,
I'll ask about betterphoto's training...Anyone have any experience with them? They seem kind of pricey to me.

2 Dog Don Loc: Virginia Beach VA

There are tons and I mean tons of free training online. Youtube, Adobe TV, and on and on. I am a technical trainer and I subscribe to the train to task approach. That is idenfity a series of tasks you want to learn about photography, put them in a priority order then use the free training available to learn them one at a time. Next practice, practice, practice. Then on to the next task. When you review your images judge them on the task you were practicing. If you were working on composition then judge them on that not on lighting or other factors. Over time you will learn to combine tasks such as lighting and composition. Remember in the long run you are the best judge of your work. It is yours and done for your enjoyment and satisfaction.

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

this is the way i handle pricey ..there are vid's for youre camera too on utube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=+Scott+Kelby%27s++tutorials&oq=+Scott+Kelby%27s++tutorials&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=12&gs_upl=7482l7482l0l9682l1l1l0l0l0l0l134l134l0.1l1l0

jfrrn117 Loc: chicago

Betterphoto has great instructors who are more than willing and expect to interact with students. Lots of c &c from both instructors and students. I've been pleased.....
Also taken face to face classes with some of the instructors.....great . Yes expensive, but more than valuable.

Judy

designpro

I would run out to the local book store and pick up a copy of Understanding Exposure by: Bryan Peterson, this is a Revised Edition. This book will give you a firm understanding of the exposure triangle.

As a professional photographer since 1981 I can tell you this, understand how your camera functions and settings work and what they do.

Learn how to set your camera to the correct exposure just by looking at the subject at hand and take the shot. Learn to rely on your histogram and not the rear display.

No video or lesson can teach you this, learn by trial and error. One of the most important things to remember is the correct white balance for the subject you are shooting, followed by the ISO, shutter speed and aperture setting.

Put yourself in a room all alone with a subject to shoot and snap away until you get the correct exposure. In time you will master your camera.

Jacko Loc: Lansing, MI

Excellent advice !!!

designpro

Thank you...

I hold photography classes in my studio and I can tell you that most of my attendees don't have a clue about the pricey cameras they just purchased.

Some of the questions almost always ask is, "what does the (B), (M), (AV), (TV) and (P) stand for?"

I find that in almost all cases that not understanding how your camera and settings function, all resort to the Fully Automatic Mode on the dial and never gain the full potential that the camera is capable of. I think, (my opinion only") that most new camera users think that if they spend all of this money on the most expensive unit they can get their hands on, right out of the box they will shoot better photos, not true!

If you are serious about your craft and have the money to do so, go for it but if not, a lower end unit will do just fine...

With all of that said, this logic as mentioned above still applies to the basic understanding of whatever camera you have in hand!

I tell my students no matter what they learn from me is to go home and pick up the camera's User Manual in one hand and the camera in the other and start from page one going over all functions and settings again and again until you can pick up that unit and have a full understanding of what each switch, dial and menu option does and how each setting effects the out come of each shot.

Kind of like riding a bike, once you learn, you'll never forget.

Jacko Loc: Lansing, MI

I totally agree. If all the beginners would just read and re-read their manuals before even signing up for a class like you offer, they would get so much more out of the class. In fact, just last month I went back and read my manual all over again and re-set all my custom functions. Every thing just made more sense to me than it did when I first got my DSLR.

I see that you just recently joined UHH.....welcome aboard. Nice to have another Canon shooter with us :).

designpro

Thank you...

Yes, a Canon user...Not to put down Nikon users, when I switched from film 35mm to digital full frame I went with Canon not only for the companies standing in todays market place but I think the menu system is one of the best on the market today and Canon does make very good glass.

I don't want to come across as if I know it all because, I don't. I do on the other hand understand photography and like yourself, I to pick up the manual from time to time to keep the brain fresh.