GrandmaG wrote:
I still have a lot to learn but I'm understanding my camera a lot better and I finished the book by Bryan Peterson "Understanding Exposure". He used 23 different lenses to demonstrate his photos!
I never noticed! :)
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I'll never have that many but I was thinking of getting the 16-35 f/2.8 or possibly the 35-70 f/2.8...or BOTH?
DON'T!
Thinking about getting gear at this stage is one of the biggest mistakes you can make...trust me...I've spent well over 10,000 on camera gear in just a few years and regret 90% of it.
Don't succumb...please.
Shoot with what you have...enjoy the process of making images and try and learn things.
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Now I have my "homework" to do. Put into practice what Peterson suggests. I'm thinking I would be most comfortable shooting in A mode most of the time. I mostly shoot people (bang! bang!) Any thoughts?
That's plenty fine...A mode works.
I shoot manual but that's just how I started and I'm comfortable with it....lots of good pros shoot A mode.
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Peterson suggests putting white balance on cloudy! Does anyone actually do this most of the time? I know I can always change it in Ps CC.
He's just one voice. He's just saying that he likes the slight "warming" effect that cloudy imparts and rather than change anything in post, just set it in camera.
It's not right or wrong...it's just his preference.
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I'm also learning my camera through "Mastering the Nikon D5000". There are some differences of opinion for several things. WB for one. The camera book suggests auto. I have used most of the settings depending on the circumstances. But I am confused as to how to set metering. Peterson suggests using matrix but HE uses center-weighted all the time. So if I use matrix, will I need a light meter too (or not)?
I use Auto WB almost 100% of the time and it works in most situations where I'm not SERIOUS about the WB. If I was getting paid, I'd do a custom WB every time...but I'm not.
You have to decide what works for you in metering and then figure out how to deal with what the camera "decides" for the exposure...it just takes time and practice.
All the metering modes really do is take into account differing amounts of the field of view in different ways.
Personally, I forego that whole process and shoot manually, it makes my life easier but many folks shoot letting the camera meter for them.
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I have tons more questions but this will do for now. Next week, I'll wait for a cloudy day & practice, practice, practice!
No need to wait for a cloudy day! Shoot in all conditions and make something out of each one...they all have their place.
Light is light.
There is no "good" light or "bad" light...it's all in how you use what you have been dealt.