Beginners, What do you want to learn next?

[ricktas]

Following on from Nikkie's thread about what you have learnt, which is a great discussion, I thought finding out where you are up to with your photographic learnings and what you want to learn next, or don't understand, might prove to be a more valuable discussion.

So what do you want to learn about next? Or what don't you understand? regarding photography

[kiwi]

I think I need to still learn a lot about studio lighting ratios and techniques

I class myself as a beginner in studio work

[ricktas]

Your best friend in the Studio would be a good quality Light Meter Darren.

[kiwi]

Your best friend in the Studio would be a good quality Light Meter Darren.

I have one, Sekonic. It's more about light placement and ratios and especially posing.

I think a lot of its practice, and I just don't do much of it

[Terri]

I would like to learn how to get the white balance right! I only shoot jpeg so I would really like to learn to get it right in camera

[kiwi]

I would like to learn how to get the white balance right! I only shoot jpeg so I would really like to learn to get it right in camera

If you want to get it "right" in camera (you'd be better off using RAW)

Using the right camera preset to start with is a good idea (eg. Cloudy if outside) etc. You can also use devices like an expodisc to preset a "right" wb or use a grey card or neutral reference point in the shot so you can change the wb in post processing

[Nikkie]

thanks Rick this will be a big benefit to all of us not just learners but even those what want to learn more. I am just starting to put ISO and fstops together but the shutter speed is still a big thing for me. IE a bird flying, a car driving, a man chopping wood, dogs running around or playing. There are so many different types of speeds from something not moving at all to a car race horse race so on so there forth in my understanding there would also be so many different shutter speeds that one should use for different types of movement. Is there say a good starting point for each or some of these like for an example the bird flying is not going to be flying in your cameras distance for long so say I am outside taking photos of flowers and a bird fly past I can or should be able to get the camera from the flower to the bird but not having the right shutter speed this I think would be very hard scenario to do to catch the bird. But say I went out to try and shoot a bird flying and waited until on flew by is there a good rule to thumb that I should have shutter speed set to at least for starting point because I also guess this would depend on the speed the bird is flying as well. for one example Darren and Tony told me that a good ISO in most case's is around ISO 100 and a good fstop is around 8 I think that is what it is by memory. So what about shutter speeds.

[Duane Pipe]

Sandy here is a link to a thread with some really good advice from Tony that he gave me regarding birds in flight
http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...terdays-Wedgie

[Terri]

If you want to get it "right" in camera (you'd be better off using RAW)

Using the right camera preset to start with is a good idea (eg. Cloudy if outside) etc. You can also use devices like an expodisc to preset a "right" wb or use a grey card or neutral reference point in the shot so you can change the wb in post processing

Thanks very much for your reply Kiwi. I have not worked out how to process RAW - when I try to open it in Photoshop it doesn't actually "see" the file?

The best luck I've had with in-camera WB has been using "Auto". When I try to get smarter and use settings like cloudy, for some reason I never seem to pick the right one. I guess it's about persistence and practice.

What do you mean by "grey card"? Is that just exactly that - a piece of card coloured grey? And then I would match the card (actual) against the card (photo) on the screen in photoshop? (please don't laugh if I have this all wrong ). Why grey too?

Sorry, maybe too many questions. I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel now (albeit tinged blue ).

[Nikkie]

Sandy here is a link to a thread with some really good advice from Tony that he gave me regarding birds in flight
http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...terdays-Wedgie

thanks very much Duane I will go and read that now thanks a lot

[s1l3nt]

Terri, to get photoshop to "see" your raw file, you need to install a plug in. Which from memory is called CameraRaw, update that and you will be able to see and edit your raw files

To do this you click on help then go to updates. And let it update your application.

[Ms Monny]

Others can probably give you more info, but PS won't open the RAW files, you need either Lightroom, or another program that specifically opens up the RAW file, then you transfer to PS for more editing. I use Lightroom and find it fantastic for editing whitebalance, exposure etc. RAW saves more detail than JPEG (deletes some pixels for compression) but will give you a very flat, dull image when you put it into LR because it doesn't do ANY editing in the camera. If you shoot JPEG, the camera does some editing like exposure and colour, as well as other things. YOU ARE THE EDITOR and you determine how you want the image to look like, not the camera! Love RAW, but I still have to get my head around the dull flat image thing sometimes! LOL

[Ms Monny]

I would love to learn more about Photoshop. I have just started understanding layers and how to dodge and burn in those, but I know there are soooo many other things you can do to make the image 'sparkle'.

I would also love to learn more about taking photos of people - but not the average in-studio look - more the character-down-the-street look. I know that sounds vague. Street photography is starting to become a big interest....pity I live on a property in the hills! Not too many people here!

I would also love to learn how to use a medium format camera. A person is willing to lend me his Hasselblad, so I can have a bit of a play. How to develop properly in a dark room (did this in school but not afterwards) would be fantastic as well.

Soooo much to learn, i can't wait!!

[Terri]

Ms Monny, can you alter WB in Lightroom in a jpeg file, or does it have to be RAW?

[Ms Monny]

Yes, you can alter WB in Lightroom with a jpeg, but because you have set either auto, cloudy etc in the camera beforehand, it will have an affect on the image BEFORE you adjust in LR.

When you set your camera for RAW, then there is no WB done in the camera (don't be fooled by the image you see on your camera screen, this is just what the camera THINKS you should be seeing, not the RAW image).

If you want, why not shoot in both RAW and jpeg at the same time (if your camera does this) and then compare them in Lightroom or Cameraraw? You will instantly see what you can do with the jpeg photo compared to the raw photo, plus you will see just how many megapixels they both have...raw will def have alot more, meaning more detail wasn't thrown away like the jpeg image.

Have a bit of a play, nothing to lose.

[ksolomon]

I have pondered over this question I know what I am currently learning and also need to practise and improve upon which is lighting, flash and off camera flash including exposure. I guess the other thing that has come from this is I really still don't understand when I need to adjust "one or two stops" or exposure compensate I normally just move my f stop and/or shutter speed re-test then adjust again if necessary I would like to be able to know off the top of the head what to do properly.

[salnel]

Well, I guess the next thing I want to work on are actions shots (which, at the moment, are spectacular failures!!) I am saving (and hoping Nikon do something fast) for a long lens as I would really like to get into birding etc..but for now, I plan to use my dogs as subjects. So I have been reading everything I can on fast shutter speeds, etc and, if it ever stops raining here, I hope to get out and try. So stay tuned for some rather ordinary shots! All help and advice gratefully received

[s1l3nt]

@MS Monny - you can alter raw photos in photoshop I know I sure do :P USing a plug in called Camera Raw. I use cs5.1 photoshop. Not sure about older versions Should be fine in them too id say.

[Tommo224]

Flashes and external lighting!

I recently discovered while in a club taking photos of friends, that if I held a card in front of my flash to direct it upwards, they'd come out with more natural skin tones instead of white like ghosts haha.. Upon talking to Keefy, he sparked an interest in Strobing and stuff like that!

[colinbm]

I have gota learn all about RAW, Sigma Photo Pro 5, & the next stage after that, in PP be it PSE8 or CS3 ????????
Cheers
Col