So im going on a photography course thing(WENT LAST NIGHT)

[LowlifeDubber]

It does yes. I've stayed away from it mind 

[T_J_G]

Start using it before you go to explore the relationship of exposure/aperture/iso

[stealthwolf]

As above, does it have a manual mode? The first step to getting good pics is to take it out of auto!

Remember, there are people who've taken stunning pics with their iPhones. It's more about the photographer and the photographer's eye than about equipment.

[LowlifeDubber]

Ive actually been having a play last night and i was taking pics of the laptop keyboard in the dark with the flash and it was terribly grainy.Flicked it into manual mode,messed about with the f stop,sped up the shutter time and upped the iso to 800 and they look crystal clear!
Fair enough its just a keyboard but i was looking at guides on the laptop and couldnt be bothered to go outside and take pics lol

Went to a meet tonight after spending most of yesterday setting the camera up ready to take some pics.Got there and realised it was sat on the bloody microwave  numpty 

[T_J_G]

Read up on composition too, photography is 90% the person behind the camera and not the camera itself. Although a DSLR may help you (it did me)

[LowlifeDubber]

Will do thanks!Im gunna finish this course and if i grasp it i will be purchasing a grown up camera at the end of it!

[LowlifeDubber]

Well i went on my course last night.It was a little basic but I learned a lot i didnt know so it was well worth it.There seemed to be a lot of older people on there having trouble actually turning their cameras on  so i wasnt over my head.

The guy doing it is a pro photographer and has a shop here in Lincoln.
http://www.adamwinfieldphotography.co.uk/
http://www.through-the-lens.co.uk/

Nice guy,very down to earth but you kind of get the impression as this course is free he is possibly touting for business on his paid course.
He said on this course he wont be getting into any technicalities of photography but will concentrate on setting the camera in different scene modes.
I started asking him about f.stops and bits and pieces and he said thats styuff for the next level of the course.


Anyway he is doing a course at the end of april with only 10 spots available 4x2.5 hour lessons getting into the manual settings of the camera and going into depth of field and the such.Unless its vehicle related i tend to be better at someone showing me how something work so i was thinking of doing it.

It's £50 for all the lessons and i reckon thats not too bad so was going to book my spot.What do you guys think?( http://www.through-the-lens.co.uk/ )

He did stipulate numerous times that people should forget about what camera they have and not to rush out and buy the best and latest lens etc as he will teach us to get the most of the camera we have and its 90% person 10%camera that takes good pics which is a good thing.

Anyway sorry for the long post,just thought id update and get some advice.

[Diamond Hell]

Half the fun for me has been and still is learning to use the camera.

If you want to shortcut that and have someone spoon feed you all that stuff then go for it.  Personally I think it's a lazy way to learn to shoot AND it won't actually teach you much about how to shoot, just how to drive the camera.  It's like they say you learn to drive after you pass your driving test.

[LowlifeDubber]

I see what your saying mate.I have tried different settings and still not had a lot of luck. Things like f.stops and that funny graph thing scare me a little.
I do prefer to fast track most things,but if you more advanced guys think I would benefit better from sitting for a few hours and changing settings on the same pic and review my work on the Pc and see what works the best I'd give that a go before I booked anything.
Elsecar is coming up next weekend so I might be able to put some stuff into practice there.

[shepgti]

I would say the complete opposite to DH as if you are explained what the functions do you can set about achieving the pics.you want. id say the course was well worth it.