New To Photography - Discussion (NTP Suggestions & Improvements )

[Kym]

This is an open thread for posting ideas and suggestions to improve the NTP book and the Learning Plan.

Please correct errors or suggest better wording etc. here.

Do NOT discuss actual NTP issues (like How do I...)

Thanks!

[WhoDo]

Posted in the announcement thread before I realised you had created this thread, Kym.

When you click on "Library" it takes you to a page of links for the various "books" of the wiki. When you click on the "New to Photography" book link, it takes you to the threads. Wouldn't it be better to link to the Index page?

[Kym]

Posted in the announcement thread before I realised you had created this thread, Kym.

When you click on "Library" it takes you to a page of links for the various "books" of the wiki. When you click on the "New to Photography" book link, it takes you to the threads. Wouldn't it be better to link to the Index page?

Done! The Library page now links direct to the relevant Book

[WhoDo]

Done! The Library page now links direct to the relevant Book

Great work, Kym! Now the logical order of the NTP section is right there on the first page for all to see!

[cfranks]

Having not posted in the forums (since I really don't know very much) I cannot access the NTP book. I recently retired and need to do something useful during the day and would like to start with the NTP book if it is still available.
My main hobby is Astrophotography and my second camera is a modified Canon 40D that could be put to use during daylight hours. I look forward to developing some skills with this forum and, hopefully, share the results.
Best wishes,
Charles

[ricktas]

Having not posted in the forums (since I really don't know very much) I cannot access the NTP book. I recently retired and need to do something useful during the day and would like to start with the NTP book if it is still available.
My main hobby is Astrophotography and my second camera is a modified Canon 40D that could be put to use during daylight hours. I look forward to developing some skills with this forum and, hopefully, share the results.
Best wishes,
Charles

Of course you can, the NTP book is not blocked from anyone, including non-members. Just click LIBRARY on the main menu, and then go into the New To Photography section, it is all there for you!

[ncarr]

The NTP BOOK is a fantastic resource. Thank you for all the work in producing and collating the content. I understand you may wish to control how the material is shared/distributed however it would be extremely useful if it could be simply printed as a whole. IE as a PDF. Printing each individual article is not really practical. I would love to be able to work through the learning plan as a workbook and have it on hand to refer to regularly when I am looking to improve particular skills. (maybe you could sell it?)

[ricktas]

The NTP BOOK is a fantastic resource. Thank you for all the work in producing and collating the content. I understand you may wish to control how the material is shared/distributed however it would be extremely useful if it could be simply printed as a whole. IE as a PDF. Printing each individual article is not really practical. I would love to be able to work through the learning plan as a workbook and have it on hand to refer to regularly when I am looking to improve particular skills. (maybe you could sell it?)

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions. My goal with the NTP was to create a resource as part of Ausphotography, that would ensure members are provided with information and need to be part of the site to use the full benefits of what the NTP offers (having a linked forum and critique area). If I moved towards producing it as a PDF and/or selling it, then that means people can use it without ever needing to come back to the site.

My thoughts on this have not changed, and at present, unless someone can convince me otherwise, I don't want to go down the path of PDF's etc, for the NTP

[ncarr]

I appreciate the intent, and I can only speak for myself, but I would re-iterate that the usefuless of the material in the book is limited by the fact that I cant (easily) use it in the field as a kind of step by step tutorial. And for me at least, I think I would be MORE inclined to keep coming back to the site regularly and probably have a richer experience on the site, posting some of my work where I had actually been practicing some specific part of the tutorial.

[ricktas]

I appreciate the intent, and I can only speak for myself, but I would re-iterate that the usefuless of the material in the book is limited by the fact that I cant (easily) use it in the field as a kind of step by step tutorial. And for me at least, I think I would be MORE inclined to keep coming back to the site regularly and probably have a richer experience on the site, posting some of my work where I had actually been practicing some specific part of the tutorial.

You have six posts since you joined 14 months ago. So obviously you are not that inclined to be active on the site as it is. Giving you the books in PDF format so you didn't need to visit here, even to get those, is not encouraging you to join in any more than you do now, wouldn't you say?

[Chris C]

Firstly, thank you for a fantastic resource.

I have started working through the NTP pages and have reached something that probably isn't an error as such, but which seems not to work. Perhaps some clarification in the text might help.

It's on this page:

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...ke_photographs

This is the text:

[top]Start by using Automatic or Green mode

Goal: To become familiar with your camera and use it to take well composed photographs.

Before you go of and try to learn all the technical features of your camera,
start taking photographs in the default settings of your camera (i.e. automatic or green mode).
Start by setting your camera on ISO 400; we will deal with ISO later, but suffice it to say
ISO 400 is fast enough to generally ensure a fast shutter speed and avoid camera shake
with the focal lengths we will be using at first.

I can do either one or the other - set my camera (Canon 600D) on Automatic (the green symbol) or on ISO 400 - but not both. Automatic apparently takes control of all aspects, including ISO. Unless I've misunderstood something (always possible) I can set the ISO on P, Av, TV, M, or A-Dep but not on Auto or the other controlled ones such as Portrait and Landscape. If I try I just get a message saying "This function is not selectable in the current shooting mode".



Cheers,

Chris

[Kym]

Concur with Rick, also the content would require significant work to be put into a PDF as it's factored for a Wiki not a book.

The NTP materiel should be second nature to experienced photographers.
I.e. give me a scenario and I should be able to advise which lens, ISO, aperture and shutter speed etc. without looking up reference material.

So a book might help new 'togs a little bit, it is the posting of images and getting CC feedback that really make it work.

[ricktas]

Thanks Chris. Some brands allow control over ISO, whlist being on Auto. Nikon for example has an auto-iso feature that allows you to let your camera use ISO 100-400 only, or 100-800 only, when in auto mode. Thus the camera can select and auto ISO, but only within the range that the user allows.

The NTP is not going to cover all situations of all brands, and the unique functions that one brand allows over another. So we have worded it the best we can, to cover as much as possible, given the variations in control of the settings that the different manufacturers allow.

Confusing eh!

[LinkGorgeous36]

This is an open thread for posting ideas and suggestions to improve the NTP book and the Learning Plan.

Please correct errors or suggest better wording etc. here.

Do NOT discuss actual NTP issues (like How do I...)

Thanks!

New to photography and so interested in this field. I will check out the NTP book.

[Xenox]

Thanks for thread !

[snoopy]

I appreciate your post. I have been to scared to muck around to much with my settings playing it safe on auto. Your post has encouraged me to have more fun.

[ivans75]

I appreciate your post. I have been to scared to muck around to much with my settings playing it safe on auto. Your post has encouraged me to have more fun.

Hi snoopy welcome I am new too, I ve been getting fantastic helps/tips/tutorial from pro members at this forum. Looking forward for your masterpiece!