Newbie's guide?


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Minister

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Jan 6, 2006
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I was just thinking, being a newbie myself if there was a way to come up with a "syllabus" or "project guideline" for Newbies. Often times, newbies like myself buy a camera but then don't know where to start. There are so many books, so little time. If we follow this guideline, maybe we can graduate to become no-so-newbies.

Just like how school children have to follow fixed syllabus in school (some say at the expense of creativitiy) so that they will be well equipped for the real world, is there a recommended path to which a newbie should take?

Is there a good book for beginners?

Eg:
1) After First Purchase of DSLR
Buy dry box or even a electrical dry cabinet
Read the manual
Understand the manual. Refer to xxxx for common acroymns in photography
Look at book xxx. See what kind of shots impress you or you like to do most
Look at website xxx. for general suggestions
Go for class?

2) After 6-12 months
Consider looking for new lens (replace the stock lens)
...
...

Just thinking out loud.
 

I am a newb myself, and as to your point about reading books and finding out what you like to shoot most, my advise is to just go out and shoot, and since you are going to get a DSLR, the cost of trigerring is already paid for , so no issue of wasting shots.

I realised what you see in books and what you actually have an eye for could be totally different. Eg for me, I like to shoot old buildings and I feel I am comfortable doing it, although not totally professional looking shots, but would say decent. and when I read books and magazine, I really love those people shots that they have but when I walk on the streets, I just cannot pick up any shots that I would like to take, maybe this is what I would call "No eye for such details" .

if you need a plan, I would suggest the following

1) Just go out and shoot whatever you want
2) and when you have enough shots , say a few hundreds, take some time to browse through them, usually there will be a few shots that you will take a few extra look, ....again and again,.....it could be a building, people, artistic shots, abstract shots,... chances is that these are the things you would like to take or have an eye for


.....just a newb point of view
 

Minister said:
I was just thinking, being a newbie myself if there was a way to come up with a "syllabus" or "project guideline" for Newbies. Often times, newbies like myself buy a camera but then don't know where to start. There are so many books, so little time. If we follow this guideline, maybe we can graduate to become no-so-newbies.

Just like how school children have to follow fixed syllabus in school (some say at the expense of creativitiy) so that they will be well equipped for the real world, is there a recommended path to which a newbie should take?

Is there a good book for beginners?

Eg:
1) After First Purchase of DSLR
Buy dry box or even a electrical dry cabinet
Read the manual
Understand the manual. Refer to xxxx for common acroymns in photography
Look at book xxx. See what kind of shots impress you or you like to do most
Look at website xxx. for general suggestions
Go for class?

2) After 6-12 months
Consider looking for new lens (replace the stock lens)
...
...

Just thinking out loud.


You chose a very suitable nick, Minister, for making such a suggestion.

Anyway are you serious, or are you making a political pun?
I can imagine the headlines:

Gahmen Regulates Photographers
=========================

With effect from XXXX, anyone who wields a camera in a public place must be in possession of a Photographer's License. The aim, as Minister mentioned, is to "Raise the quality of photographs taken in Singapore. We want to be a world class city, so the people must take world class pictures to show the world-class audience. We cannot have any tom-dick or harry going around any-how shoot hor?"

The Photographer's License will be issued to Singaporeans after they have undergone 6 months of BPT (Basic Photography Training) and pass both a Basic Theory of Photography Test, as well a Practical Photograpy Test conducted by SBPTC (Singapore Better Photography Training Centre). To promote tourism, foreigners will be exempt from this requirement, although PRs must still apply for the license.

Police will be empowered to check on anyone who uses a camera in a public place. Photographers caught without a valid Photographer's License will have their equipment confiscated, and fined $1000. Repeat offenders will be made to serve jail terms.

Added Minister "Just as we want all our children to have basic education to equip them with essential life skills, we must ensure that all our photographers have some basic training so that they are better prepared to handle the myraid of photographic challenges out there. Its for the good of all."

===========================

Hey Minister, don't take offence and send the ISD guys after me. Freedom of speech. I just need a laugh.
 

solarii said:
You chose a very suitable nick, Minister, for making such a suggestion.

Anyway are you serious, or are you making a political pun?
I can imagine the headlines:

Gahmen Regulates Photographers
=========================

With effect from XXXX, anyone who wields a camera in a public place must be in possession of a Photographer's Licence. The aim, as Minister mentioned, is to "Raise the quality of photographs taken in Singapore. We want to be a world class city, so the people must take world class pictures to show the world-class audience. We cannot have any tom-dick or harry going around any-how shoot hor?"

The Photographer's Licence will be issued to Singaporeans after they have undergone 6 months of BPT (Basic Photography Training) and pass both a Basic Theory of Photography Test, as well a Practical Photograpy Test conducted by SBPTC (Singapore Better Photography Training Centre). To promote tourism, foreigners will be exempt from this requirement, although PRs must still apply for the licence.

Police will be empowered to check on anyone who uses a camera in a public place. Photographers caught without a valid Photographer's Licence will have their equipment confiscated, and fined $1000. Repeat offenders will be made to serve jail terms.

Added Minister "Just as we want all our children to have basic education to equip them with essesntial life skills, we must ensure that all our photographers to have some basic training so they are better prepared to handle the myraid of photographic challenges out there. Its for the good of all."

===========================
I'm sure Mr Brown or Neil Humphreys will have something to write about when they read yr post.


Haha.. this is interesting..... :bsmilie:
Dun forget to renew ur licence & re-certification every 2 years. ;)
 

solarii said:
You chose a very suitable nick, Minister, for making such a suggestion.


Hey Minister, don't take offence and send the ISD guys after me. Freedom of speech. I just need a laugh.

Heheh, I'm a MINIster but don't know of which Minister of Finance, Photography, etc :p My nick comes from me having a O2 MINI :p
:D
Thanks for taking time to write about me!


Hi Nikonnew,

I guess you are right. After taking a heck of a lot of photos, surely I will find something I like... Practice makes perfect.
 

Haha in the article the Minister isn't referring to you or making fun of you... Its a generic term used in the style similiar to talkingcock articles.

Rather, I'm taking a jibe at the idea of a regimented curriculum for photographers, and its comparison to the education system. In an era where people demand the freedom to choose their own path, I find it strange that you would suggest a scheme which would introduce regimentation to photography, one of the foremost forms of art and freedom of expression. All this for the sake of "being a better photographer"

Haha watch V for Vendetta.
 

Best advice I can give is to join CS outings. These outings give you a chance to make new friends and learn tips from people who've been there and done that.
 

As a complete newbie myself, I chanced upon this website by a posting from a fellow CSer "Veryweird". Thank you!

http://photoinf.com/General/

I found this to be very useful as it provides the basics of photography in easy to understand format, complete with pictures to illustrate their point. It serves as a quick reference to the do's and don'ts of photography in terms of composition, framing, etc.

Just going out and shoot is fine. But it is better to be equipped with the basic rules of photography before doing that, as I have found out. I have hundreds of photos and none of them seems right, just because I did not stick to certain rules/guides of photography.

Now that I have a better understanding, I can at least try to stick to the proven methods for my future shots and see if I can come up with some decent photos. Still a lot to learn... :sweat:

Cheers!
 

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