Paul Buckhiester Loc: Columbus, GA USA

Good advice.

Deecee

Manuals are great for telling you how to do things, but not necessarily why you do something. I find books by David Busch are great for telling you both. I have bought his books for just about every camera I have owned.


Here's the Amazon link

https://www.amazon.com/David-Buschs-Nikon-Digital-Photography/dp/1681982307/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504618641&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=david+bush+d3400

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Study study study. Practice practice practice. Digital film is cheap. Go to YouTube for basic settings. Learn how it focuses, what the different options do. Good luck.

dmannin1

I tend to OCD over things and I think I'm worrying too much about the technical side instead of the fun side. I need to take a LOT more pictures and stop worrying so much that I'll make a mistake. Sound like a plan?

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

I also recommend reading the manual. Cover-to-cover. Then, camera in hand, read it again. This time make sure you understand where all the controls are located, and what they do. Experiment to make sure you've "got it". Perhaps you will not understand everything right away, those things you should make a note of and do some research on them. Sometimes the answer IS in the manual, but you have to do a little searching. And there is plenty of help online and here on UHH.

In order to take sharp pictures, there are a couple of things to think about. One is how you hold your camera - look for a description with illustrations online - it can make a huge difference. Also squeezing the shutter button so as not to make the camera move was a good suggestion already made here. If you are like me, and hand-holding is a challenge, buy a good sturdy tripod, and use a wired remote shutter release on the camera. Finally, learn about the exposure triangle - Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO. These settings all affect the others, and it is important to understand how each of them individually function to affect picture qualities. This triangle is one of the most important basic principles in photography. Aperture: affects how much light is gathered by the lens, also affects depth of field. Large aperture [low number] lets in more light but decreases DOF, so will affect how much of the picture is in focus. Shutter Speed: faster shutter speeds are needed when photographing subjects that move so they will not be blurry, also will let in less light which is good on a bright sunny day, not so good in low light. Slower shutter speeds are good for low light conditions, when the subject is stationary [like a landscape, no wind]. Slower is also good when photographic moving water when looking for the "silky" effect. ISO: increases the sensitivity of the camera's sensor to light, but higher ISO will also result in increased "noise" in your images.

Shooting modes: Learn what each of them does and what situations they work best in. There are lots of discussions about this on UHH - use the search function.

Others have suggested using Auto, I suggest only using it when you need to get a shot and won't have time to figure out a setting to use. The camera does all the thinking for you, which can be useful at times, but there is no point in having a DSLR if you don't use all of its capabilities! Experiment with all the shooting modes, perhaps using only one of them for a period of time so you will learn more about it, say a week or even more.

Hope this helps.
Susan

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

Welcome to the club of initial frustration! I shot film for over thirty years before going digital. It took me three months to learn how to set the aperture setting on my camera (I read the manual and it didn't make sense!); I learned how to do it on Youtube (as so many have recommended). My recommendation is to shoot in Auto or P(rogram) Mode; make sure your lens is on auto focus; and then learn the ins and outs of exposure and the use of the different shutter priority modes. Don't rush it. Use the Auto and Program modes as long as it takes to become more proficient. During that time, work on your composition. More than anything: HAVE FUN while doing it!

1Feathercrest Loc: NEPA

Auto is your savior for now, the techniques of other settings will come (slowly) with some experimentation. Don't try to get it all at one time or you will become extremely frustrated.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Head over to Amazon and buy one of the guide books specifically for your camera.... that and the user manual that came with the camera are a great references.

For overall use of modern DSLRs, Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" is another excellent read that can be a huge help.

But, to be honest, there's going to be a "learning curve" and maybe the D3400 is "more camera" than you need or want. A non-interchangeable lens bridge camera or compact point n shoot might serve your purposes better.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

Surprised that no one has mentioned taking a photo class. Books and u-tube are nice but nothings beats the 1 on 1 of a photo class. As a long time photo instructor you will learn more and faster in a class. Check with your local camera store for classes...out here in Oregon, Shutterbug camera store often offer classes for free. Check with your local Community College, Parks and Recreation, School District for classes. Even your local professional photographer may offer classes. My classes are offered through the Parks and Recreation and the community college. I even have a student that I teach on line. Nothing beats then direct interaction of a class. Hope this helps. Happy Shooting

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

Begin using it on full auto. That turns it into a point and shoot. You will get good pictures, not art, not often even photographs, but pictures that are "good enough". Then, when you have that working, move to Program mode, but leave the focus the same. Now you control one function, but everything else follows automatically. See what happens to your backgrounds as you change apertures. Next, still in Program, take pictures of cars whizzing by on the street or a freeway. Go through all the shutter speed adjustments. You will be able to see what that does to the car pictures, but the camera will fix everything else. When you have all that, begin to play with different focus areas and see how that affects your images.

Now move to Aperture priority and, based on what you've already learned, begin to apply it.

I gave my daughter a D3300 and she has learned to get some great photos, but step by step. And there is no sin to returning to Automatic if things seem to be going wrong and you really want a picture.

The D3400 is a great camera. Go read http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d3400.htm . You may also get a lot out of his User Guide http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d3400/users-guide/index.htm

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Google Tony Northrup. He made a video tutorial for it (free!).

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

A little to much in the other direction. Without thoroughly understanding the Exposure Triangle, and adjusting one or all, you will continue to frustrate yourself. We all get bad pictures but knowing, even after the fact, what you did wrong, will make you better. In addition to books and videos I would try to find a local camera club and try to find a mentor{s}.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

Amazing what you can learn joining a camera club. We have two I attend near me. Orlando Camera Club and Sanford Camera Club. The Orlando one is one of the best in the country. Got lucky.

joel.photography

Nikon manuals stink. Get a highly regarded third party book specific to your camera. The guy who writes Bythom.com is a Nikon guru, don't know if he has one for your camera. For Nikon pro gear, owners of his books will never look in the manual.

cameranut Loc: North Carolina

In addition to what others have said about You Tube and practicing, experiment! There is no button on your camera that will break if you press it. You are under no obligation to keep a photo that you don't like since you can always delete the duds, and it costs nothing, unlike film. See what settings auto gives you then closely mimic those same settings in manual mode. Be sure to have your vibration reduction (VR) turned on. Also consider using a tripod or other steady device to keep camera as still as possible. Then, as others have said, practice.