Starting out...


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Crysania

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May 11, 2003
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Hi... Newbie here. Did post some pictures but I guess they aren't well taken... Anyway I have some questions to ask..
1) Where did you learn photography from?
2) Basic equipment to get started. (Estimated cost will be good)

Heard that its very expensive to get good equipment, there are so many terms that I don't understand.
I take close shots, like food, flowers, animals and also small objects like ring pillows
Currently I have a sony cybershot digital camera.
 

1) Where did you learn photography from?
In general, people learn by reading books and browsing and participating in forums like Clubsnap. You can also pick up photography by experementing on their own base on the manual that comes with the camera. Alternativelt, you can join basic photography courses conducts by the various societies

2) Basic equipment to get started. (Estimated cost will be good)
This is quite hard to answer as it depends on your budget. Basically any camera with manual settings capability is sufficient to start. If you want to start low cost then get second hand SLR stuff ... anywhere from $450+++ for 1 SLR body and 2 lens.
 

Originally posted by Crysania
Hi... Newbie here. Did post some pictures but I guess they aren't well taken... Anyway I have some questions to ask..
1) Where did you learn photography from?
2) Basic equipment to get started. (Estimated cost will be good)

Currently I have a sony cybershot digital camera.

1) Learn from books, internet, forum and friends.

2) Basic in term of film?
If yes, a camera body, 1 lens, tripod, bag and dry cabinet.

Since you like closeup on non-living things. Get a 60mm macro + a body. (any brand will do, but the mainstream are nikon and canon)

Eg, Nikon F65 + Sigma 105mm mico = $450 + $580 (New price)
 

Hi Crysania. Seen you in sgForums but guess you don't post there anymore.

I first picked up (what little knowledge i have about) photography from my brother when he started. he just couldn't stop talking about it and i was also willing to listen to him, but not even half as interested as he was.

anyway there was once i decided to take pics of my car that was quite heavily modified (in australia at the time studying) so i borrowed his cam (EOS 300). ended up taking more pics of my then gf than my car and a few of the pics turned out really REALLY good (imo anyway, helps that she was pretty too!)

so i guess that's how my interest grew, but it's only recently that i started owning my own equipment, which is digital tho. thot i might spend more ($1800+ all up for a CP5700) on the initial costs on a pretty high end digicam and do my "learning" without having to pay for film and processing. i'm sure if my interest continues i'll move on to a dSLR and as for film i have no idea yet. i know nuts about film besides them being either negative or positive (slide)!!

er.. hope i haven't been too lor sor and have answered ur questions.

:gbounce: :gbounce:
 

i started from a mju then to a v3...learnt from mistakes and fellow photographers thru forums and eventually picked up the finer skills from my boyfriend when i hopped over to DSLR.. ;)

basic equipment? tripod, good lens range, flash (if possible!) and of cos, a very efficient camera... ;p
 

hi..
i started in dec after getting an old 2nd hand slr from my friend ($200 for an eos 500n. very good cam!) and wat i do is that i go to lib and borrow and read. lots of basic photograpgy books lyig in lib and its free!!!! michael langford and john hedgecoe if i speel correctly, they both have very decent baisc startup books.
then shoot lor then be think skin and post up here, be open to comment good or bad, ask qn when u dun know, no matter how dumb it seems coz u learn. hahah must be thick skin( even to approach pple to shoot them):)
look at peoples pic here and comments and think abt ur own ones... review reviews, tips and other newbies qns....

equipment? i personally buy second hand coz i think slrs are well built and if owner takes good care, a good 3 year old upper end model cost as much as a mid range new model and its better. same for lens. just drop by buy and see to see prices. would not recommend equipment (not abt to get flamed!) but up to u. like a medical joke i heard, its not the sethoscope that counts, its wats between teh ear piece that counts! most standard brands make good cam.

just my tw cents worth, hope its helpful
 

If you want to get started, there's no better time to start now.
Canon is having a promo offer for their line of SLRs....
Think a EOS 300 kit now comes also with a 75-300mm non-USM,
and the dry-cabi dry cabnet for about $720.
 

Think the Canon EOS 300 package is very good.....
Pity I not into film... Otherwsie will go for that....
Really seems like a good offer....
 

Thanks for all the responses... thought that no one will reply. ;p
I'm more interested in digital photography... Guess I'll need a good camera (got to refer to the sticky thread)
What's a dry cabinet for? (Sounds stupid but I'm really new!)
 

develop your inner vision...
 

Originally posted by Crysania
Hello, so long ago still can remember me ar? :)
not say remember u lar, cos when i join that time i think u stop posting liow..

just that sometimes i go thru the old threads when i'm UTTERLY bored and remembered ur nick. ;)
 

1) Where did you learn photography from?

- books, friends, internet, trial-n-error

2) Basic equipment to get started. (Estimated cost will be good)

- 1 film slr body (eg. canon eos 66, $300+)
- 1 zoom lens (eg. standard zoom 28-80? with the eos 66 kit)
- 1 compatible flash (eg. metz, archiever)
- total less than $450

or maybe u can juz buy a digital camera to play first loh...
 

Originally posted by Crysania
Thanks for all the responses... thought that no one will reply. ;p
I'm more interested in digital photography... Guess I'll need a good camera (got to refer to the sticky thread)
What's a dry cabinet for? (Sounds stupid but I'm really new!)

a dry cabinet is used to store your photographic equipment in humidity levels lower than standard atmosphere. this is to prevent fungal growth on lenses and such.
 

Crysiania from sgforums??? hmmmm

is Joho from sgforums as well?

Amazing how small the world can be :p

anyway..sorry for OT, pls ignore me~
 

Another sony cybershot user. What camera are you using?

I am using the DSC-F717. :D

As for photography, I'm also still picking things up, Took me some time to even know what the various terms mean, let alone start learning about it.

TTL Fill-flash, Rear sync flash, f/stops, vignetting, lens flare, ND filters....arrghh...

Had a close friend to ask, which is a plus. :thumbsup:

But did not want to bother him too much, so I picked up an idiot's book. Yes, it's an Idiot's guide to Photography.

Quite informative to me, still in the midst of reading it.
But I must say the KEY to be better at photography is ( to quote Wolfgang's fav phrase) to Keep shooting!

As practise makes perfect.

It's helpful to take note of the settings used when taking a shot, change a setting or two and re-take the scene again. And you will know, how various settings change the result of the shot, like high shutter speed, low shutter speed...etc

As for equipment, any P&S with manual settings is a cheap and good start.
Try not to be too dependant on the Auto modes or Program modes.
 

DSC - P71 is a pretty good camera.... 3MP and 3X Optical zoom rite?
U wanna upgrade from that meh?

Think from there will either be prosumer camera or DSLR....
 

Hi Crysania. Welcome to CS! :)

1. Took a basic photography course at the substation. Courses are also offered at Photographic Society of Singapore and Safra. Such courses can only introduce you to the basics of photography, you'll still need to have a good eye (that can be trained), a passion for what you do, as well as huge amounts of perserverance in order to improve on your craft. Take lots of pictures. Make that tons. Initially, most of your photos will be crap. :D Examine all of them, and try to figure out what worked and what did not. Like the rest, I'll recommend that you read a lot of books and magazines on photography. I think learning from others cannot be over-emphasised. The internet is also a great source of information for all levels of photographers, so read the old threads, post your questions if you can't find the answers here, and post your photos for critiques too.

2. Consider getting a digital camera with manual controls, ie. aperture priority, shutter speed priority, manual mode, manual white balance. And given the type of photography you do, you'll need one that has macro mode. When you're doing macro/close-up photography, the shutter speed can be rather long, so I'll suggest getting a good tripod (the Slik 330DX is stable yet reasonably light-weight. Price is about $130 with pan-tilt head).

As to which exact model of digital camera to get, I'll recommend that you try out some models in the shops first. Handle them, take sample shots, make sure you like the size and weight of the camera and the position of the controls. Some cameras have controls that are well laid out, while others require you to access the menu for the slightest changes in settings. There's nothing worse than getting a camera which everyone says is fantastic, and then finding out that you don't like using it. It's happened to me before. :p

Also keep in mind your budget, and don't forget to factor in the price of accessories like memory cards, external flash (that will probably come later), batteries and filters.
 

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