Photography course/advice for a beginner: help req'd

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wq0pco

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Hi All,

After years of dithering about, I have decided to take this up as a hobby. I literally know nowt/zip/jackshit about photography so will be starting at the very bottom.

I am also worried about getting taken for a ride, in terms of being flogged a camera totally out of proportion to how often I will use it, so wondered if anyone in RTG land can send me in the right direction in terms of local courses/or local tog's who I could meet with informally or tell me how they started off?

I suppose everyone's gotta start somewhere.........

Thanks is advance.
 


wq0pco said:
Hi All,

After years of dithering about, I have decided to take this up as a hobby. I literally know nowt/zip/jackshit about photography so will be starting at the very bottom.

I am also worried about getting taken for a ride, in terms of being flogged a camera totally out of proportion to how often I will use it, so wondered if anyone in RTG land can send me in the right direction in terms of local courses/or local tog's who I could meet with informally or tell me how they started off?

I suppose everyone's gotta start somewhere.........

Thanks is advance.
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Evening mate,

I have just started along the same lines as you and read a book which really helped.

I will pm you the ebook link.

Also everybody on here is helpful.

I got the sony a390 and cant recommend enough, but each person to their own.

what camera do you have?

Do you have any preferred type of photography you want to get started with?

Sponge
 
Well the camera issue, is one of my main worries.... I don't have one yet and as I say don't want to go over the odds as it may take me some time to get to a decent standard.

Especially if I found out I am really crap and am stuck with an expensive camera which is not getting used.

I suppose it's a bit like going to the gym, you start off with light weights and build up over time :lol::lol::lol:

PS - thanks for replying.
 
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Get stuck into the photography competition on here. Loads of us were total beginners when we started. I know I have learnt loads, and the way AB22 Easy Tiger's structuring it this year it looks like we'll all learn about a different technique each month.

There are lots of people on here who will give you advice about a camera. The thing you need to decide is what your budget is and what you're going to use it for. A lot of people on here buy their equipment on ebay as well and seem to get on fine with that.
 
wq0pco said:
Well the camera issue, is one of my main worries.... I don't have one yet and as I say don't want to go over the odds as it may take me some time to get to a decent standard.

Especially if I found out I am really crap and am stuck with an expensive camera which is not getting used.

I suppose it's a bit like going to the gym, you start off with light weights and build up over time :lol::lol::lol:

PS - thanks for replying.
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Why don't you start with a point and shoot digital camera first, can be had for under a £100. See how much you like photography. Then you could progress to a second hand DSLR perhaps. Read as much as you can and learn some basic principles of photography.

I only use a point and shoot, mostly in manual mode as opposed to automatic mode. I managed to win a month :)-D), so even though perhaps not a fantastic photograph (not my favourite of mine in the competition), because it met the theme it secured the most votes therefore proving you don't have to have a top notch camera to enter and win.

Good luck anyway.
 
I am looking to photograph models and possibly wildlife once I get more confident. Just want something that can transfer pics to my laptop, not going for display, just personal use in the first instance.

Have to be honest, I am a bit reluctant to spend £350+ on my 1st camera, even if it is recommended.... just shows you how little I know. Did not have any idea regarding price range :oops::oops::oops:

Thanks for the replies btw.
 
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wq0pco said:
I am looking to photograph models and possibly wildlife once I get more confident. Just want something that can transfer pics to my laptop, not going for display, just personal use in the first instance.

Have to be honest, I am a bit reluctant to spend £350+ on my 1st camera, even if it is recommended.... just shows you how little I know. Did not have any idea regarding price range :oops::oops::oops:

Thanks for the replies btw.
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Go for a point and shoot to start off with.

Out of interest where will you find models? I would have thought you would have needed some kind of studio set up and quite a lot of lighting for model photography.
 
I also think a point and should to start with, something basic and try and get creative.

Everybody is really helpful and would help with any questions etc that you have.
 
peachbum said:
Go for a point and shoot to start off with.

Out of interest where will you find models? I would have thought you would have needed some kind of studio set up and quite a lot of lighting for model photography.
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thats what i thought too, there is plenty of sites out there to hire models from but you would need to be quite confident and have some experience and if its indoors or outdoors you need lighting equipment to get best out of situations, well you wont always need it but it will certainly help....also i can imagine too many models being happy about being shot with a cheap point n shoot...not having a dig, just saying.
personally i have been taking this quite serious for almost 2 year now and i'd shit me pants if i had to shoot a model, i'd like too one day but dont know if i ever will:p
 
Someone asked what I would be doing, long term, so I answered?

I had assumed that (may be incorrectly) that there are studios in the region who let amateurs on group shoots or the like when they start off?

As I say, just at the start, so may be beeing a little naive in what is out there?

I have come across something on the internet in Hebburn that offers a day DLSR beginners course for £85. Does this seem reasonable??
 
wq0pco said:
Someone asked what I would be doing, long term, so I answered?

I had assumed that (may be incorrectly) that there are studios in the region who let amateurs on group shoots or the like when they start off?

As I say, just at the start, so may be beeing a little naive in what is out there?

I have come across something on the internet in Hebburn that offers a day DLSR beginners course for £85. Does this seem reasonable??
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Photographic magazines will have details of course and studios etc. I would still get a point and shoot, do some reading of the basic skills, try different stuff out and see what appeals.

Model photography is probably not for a beginner, but could be something to aim at in the future? Are you just looking from a hobby point of view?

Get yourself a copy of photogrpher monthly (I assume it still exists) it details cameras/techniques/all sorts.
 
sorry mate, didn't mean to come off sounding like a twat...i'm always one for helping others.

anyway, i'd keep that £85 and put it toward a camera, a couple of hours out n about with other like minded individuals will learn you a lot, there is also a lot of info online and always some one willing to offer advice in here too.
 
wq0pco said:
Someone asked what I would be doing, long term, so I answered?

I had assumed that (may be incorrectly) that there are studios in the region who let amateurs on group shoots or the like when they start off?

As I say, just at the start, so may be beeing a little naive in what is out there?

I have come across something on the internet in Hebburn that offers a day DLSR beginners course for £85. Does this seem reasonable??
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where in Hebburn is the course, I wouldn't mind looking into that. You say you may be interested in taking wildlife photos, if so then you will need a long lens and these can cost more than the camera, I have a 2nd hand one which cost me £500. You may want to look at the range of bridge camera that are out there with a long zoom built in. With DSLR cameras you can spend so much money on lenses as you need them for diferent situations.
 
I can understand you'd be nervous about getting a DSLR in case you don't make use of it, but bearing in mind that they can all be used as good quality point and shoot cameras anyway, with almost no technical expertise required, even if you don't go in for photography in a big way you'll still have a camera that will take excellent 'snaps' on holiday etc.

Taking good photos is mainly about composition, scale, lighting etc, and not actually that much about the quality of the camera. I was reminded about this the other day, when I was out with the kids on a beautifully lit morning in interesting surroundings with time on my hands and plenty to keep them occupied while taking candid photos. Armed only with a £60 digital compact, I got a series of beautiful shots, far better than most of the photos I have taken recently with my relatively high end SLR that should in theory take better photographs.

So it's worth learning a little about the basics of composition (even just from a good book) before worrying too much about the level of equipment you need.

Anyway, another camera option: do you know anyone with a camera that you could borrow for a week or two to start with? At least then you can get a feel for how interested you really are and take it from there.
 
if you do jump straight in and buy a dslr for around £300 and then discover you dont use it much you will be able to sell it on ebay and get pretty much what you pad for it back, they do hold there price really well.
i paid £247 for my sony a200 out of asda about sept last year, sold it on ebay in november this year with a couple of old cheap minolta lenses and got around £270 for it, it had been hammered for over a year too.
 
I find most of my models here.

There'll usually be plenty around who will do a session in exchange for a CD of their shots - and you don't need a studio - just a camera and a reflector usually works.
 
"Model photography is probably not for a beginner, but could be something to aim at in the future? Are you just looking from a hobby point of view?"

Yes, just a hobby, nothing serious or for display or competitions etc.

I would like to thank those who have responded; Christ it's actually throwing up more questions than answers... may have to take up stamp collecting or something!!!! LOL

Does anyone know of amateur photography clubs in Sunderland/N.E. area?

Cartman said:
where in Hebburn is the course, I wouldn't mind looking into that. You say you may be interested in taking wildlife photos, if so then you will need a long lens and these can cost more than the camera, I have a 2nd hand one which cost me £500. You may want to look at the range of bridge camera that are out there with a long zoom built in. With DSLR cameras you can spend so much money on lenses as you need them for diferent situations.
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website is www.photographycourses.co.uk and there are links to the various courses they offer on the LHS of the page.
 
AB22 Easy Tiger said:
I find most of my models here.

There'll usually be plenty around who will do a session in exchange for a CD of their shots - and you don't need a studio - just a camera and a reflector usually works.
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Agreed, but still probably not a project for a beginner?

Borrow a camera OP (I can't remember the order of your name :oops:) and enter Contre Jour - January competition and take it from there.
 
Hello again!! The pain in the arse is back......

Sought some advice from tog's and Jessops and the lowdown is I was recommended the following:

Togs
Canon
30D
500D plus kit lens, longer lens 80 to 200mm

Or Nikon equivalent.

Jessops
Sony A290 + 18.55mm £310 - new
Sony A390 + 18.70mm £350 - new

Any thought/comments (especially those who have or have had these camera's) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
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