Tinaweena

Hello from Ohio! Newbie Photographer here needs to know the in/outs of how to take stunning photos with my Nikon and easy to understand explanations how to change settings etc. etc.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Didn't you receive a manual with your camera?

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

youtube would be the first place I'd go and search for Nikon D3400. You'll find quite a few videos, some better than others.
--Bob

Eric2018 Loc: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Participating in websites like this is a good idea. There are lots of topics here that may help you. A prior post strongly implied reading the manual. Manuals are fine, but they tend to explain more the "how" than the "why." For instance, "why" would you want to set your ISO to a particular value, or "why" would you want to use rear curtain sync? There are lots of books you could read. Check your library and browse to find one suited to you. There are lots of websites and blogs, and lots of people who want to sell their videos or books. Share your images with others and give and receive feedback on images. Often, critiquing someone else's work gives insight. But, of all the above, the best strategy is to use your camera to create images.

Eric2018 Loc: Los Angeles, CA, USA

I strongly agree.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJGjTUICOnc&feature=youtu.be

Tony Northrup is very thorough.

FreddB Loc: PA - Delaware County

Have Camera Will Travel - enter "best books on the nikon d3400"

toxdoc42

I enjoyed: dummies guide to the D3400. The best advice is go out and use it! Make mistakes then learn from them.

John Gavin

Preview a picture and hit the up or down button while previewing. If the screen isn't showing you a bunch of info, then turn your histogram on. If you see a color graph look and see if everything is to the right, if it is then overexposed. If all to the left then under exposed. Then set the camera in M and half depress the shutter and look at the little dots on the bottom. If they're left, overexposed. Right, underexposed.

Then while still focusing, spin the upper right horizontal dial, that's your shutter speed. The little dots will move left or right. When you have it in the middle, then change your aperture by putting you right index finger on the little square button on top with the plus minus sign. Watch the dots go from left to right while you can see the f number change. Notice the smaller the number the more you overexposed and the larger the number the opposite. Then while still focusing, change the ISO by putting your left finger on the little button on the left side below the flash button. It says Fn. Spin the right dial left or right and notice the bigger the number, the more overexposed. Then get pissed off and read the manual again and learn something else but not what you were looking for. Then take a million shots while looking at your histogram and changing things. Repeat repeat repeat while looking on youtube and reading about exposure triangle again and again. A couple million more shots and it slowly starts to make sense. Once you kind of have an idea, then sign up for a class and you'll get more out of it.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

My advise is that you learn basic photography and then learn your camera.
The camera's instructions manual will be your best guide.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

JRD3 Loc: Richmond, VA

There is a good course on Creative Live site which deals exclusively with D 3400. I found it very useful.

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Get one of David Busch’s books specific to your camera model and check out the numerous videos on YouTube. Have fun. You will learn a lot here. Welcome aboard.

starlifter Loc: Towson, MD

Practice , practice , practice.

geebear Loc: Southeast Iowa

https://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d3400/users-guide/controls.htm Ken taught me alot about my D5100 this may help you too