G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

This is great....you are adding, discussing options, complimenting the idea and clarrifying bits that I got wrong. as a thread it shows a general opinion that going out shooting and getting reasonable images FIRST TIME is the whole object of owning a camera - learning how to control the camera should come later as a person's enjoyment/knowlege grows. At that point they can ask specific questions.

I looked for evening classes locally....What I found was a simple 'this is what the modes do' introductory. Next course 'Photoshop for beginners'.... You must have a better education system in the USA

If we can keep this thread going - perhaps the new camera owner will be reassured that photography can be both simple and complex when they are ready. (rather than the other way around)

George

Larry W

At nearly 50 year since I bought my first camera, I took photos of everything in Vietnam and with a 1/1000th sec shutter speed, I could stop helicopter blades in flight, then tried toning it down which was better. I used slide film, print films with various speeds of color, tungsten, daylight, infrared and black and white and applied at lease some analytical skills to discover how I could make them better. Other "print making" was actually photographing an image them transferring it to a printing press. Then I learned to take X-rays on people as I learned to repair these complex systems and how to use darkroom skills to enhance the images where the "negative" was your finished product. Then it was use of electron microscopes on semiconductor products and back into the darkroom where adjusting images of dense materials against thin spots sometimes left saturated images with no details against a contrals with no details so dodging had to be employed to get scientific data.

For anyone starting out, G Brown's take is spot on. I might add that photos of friends and family should consider that they way you frame your photos makes or breaks each image. The only photo that I have of one great grandmother is from head to toe with three other family members that took up 1/9th of the print. The houses and the grass over both yards is nice. but I don't want to remember the scenery. I just want to see the face of the woman I never met in my entire 69 years. To see her face I have to enlarge in hopes that the 60 year old photo will not excessively pixilate and that what has, can be Photoshop'd in some way.

The previous stuff I said was my journey with imaging. How much interest and fun you put into developing your skills that should put a smile on your face and others who will love your work!

Chwlo

Thank you. Sometimes us newbies get ahead of ourselves. This was very sage advice.

srt101fan

K-dee Loc: South Carolina, USA

I agree, George - this has been a great discussion.

Photocraig

Because of a lifelong interest, an early start (age 6) and longevity, I'm an experienced hobbyist. I just got a new Canon 77D (because of the light weight) and found the manual insufferably horrible--worse than BAD. I have bought 3rd party Author guides for each of my 3 previous EOS cameras. Since the 77D is new, I can't find a specific guide for it. Thanks to You Tube, there are a few overall videos that guided me in setting up the camera, Jared "Fro" Polin, that nice kid from Philadelphia, and Tony Northrup got me set up and ready to go. I also have gotten help from Canon Support with a phone conversation and the FAQ. By the way, they boast that all customer support is US based for Canon USA.

I mean this only to discredit the Read The Manual caveat. I believe one should read the manual, but I also know that the manuals, particularly the ones I've used from Canon are merely translated from Japanese by what seems to be non native English speakers and writers. C'M'ON David Busch. I need your book. Anyone know of an equivalent?

Overall, You Tube is a great source of photographic, camera and technique information. Great resource for the Photo Community.

Note to Sharpie: I did go to brick and Mortar School back in the last Century. And I agree with you, again.