How did you learn?

misscrossbee

Mouseketeer
Joined
Nov 18, 2007
Messages
327
Hi everyone,

I've been mooching around this board for several weeks now, picking up tips and generally marveling at all your knowledge and fantastic photos (and posting a few of my own photos, just to make yours look even better!).

I'm very new to all this - my other half bought me a Fujifilm S5700 for Christmas 2007, which I only really started using during our trip to Disney this past October. I've found - to my surprise - that I really enjoy photography, but I'm also feeling overwhelmed with how much I've got to learn about it.

So, I was curious as to how you all learned to take such great shots? Did you take a course? Read books? Trial and error? All three?

Thanks in advance!
 
Read. Participate a lot (and still do) in photography specific boards. Trial and error. Practice. Read some more. Workshops. Seminars.

Everyone has their own timeline of learning and their own path. Take time to enjoy the journey, because there is never a true destination. :) You should always been on your journey.
 
I think it is much easier to learn faster today because of the instant nature of digital. You can see your results and learn from your mistakes. To remember how you took a picture after you took them on vacation, came home and took to get processes was expensive and laborious. You can chimp as you take them and download them at the end of the day!

I am a visual learner. No pun intended. I learn better by doing than by reading about it.
 
I think it is much easier to learn faster today because of the instant nature of digital. You can see your results and learn from your mistakes. To remember how you took a picture after you took them on vacation, came home and took to get processes was expensive and laborious. You can chimp as you take them and download them at the end of the day!

I am a visual learner. No pun intended. I learn better by doing than by reading about it.

misscrossbee, you do know what chimping is, correct?
If not, it is when you review a photo and it appears to be a great shot, you find yourself saying "ooh ooh oooh" while rushing to show someone, anyone. Heheheheee.

I agree it is much easier to learn on a digital camera. You can take a shot in many different camera settings and review them almost immediately on a big monitor to compare the results. Take a few shots on auto then try other manual or partial manual settings and see if it looks better.

I read the camera manual, then took lots of shots. Then read it again! and took more shots. then signed up at www.dpreview.com and read pages there every night, while taking more shots. then I got a book and took more shots while reading. then got another and took more shots. then I found this place. and took more shots..... heheheheh

then I got a new camera! and took more shots...
Mikeeee
 

Basically reading and practicing, over and over. Good news is that I learn something new just about every time I shoot. Good luck. :thumbsup2
 
The first thing I did was read and understand my camera's manual. Next, I made sure I knew how to use my camera. Then there was a period of trial and error. After becoming frustrated, I joined Flickr groups that were related to my camera and likes, such as Disney. I would also stop by the library and take out photography books, mostly older SLR books. These books were great learning tools as they helped me understand the basics of photograhy. In fact these books were 100% film based, but the fundamentals still apply to digital. I just skipped the film chapters except for the ISO parts.

Feel free to experiment and break the rules (ocassionally).
 
Trial and error LOL

Take lots lots and lots of pictures now that you dont have to worry about film its even easier to experiment.

I bought almost a whole shipper one time of 12 exposure 35mm film just so I didnt waste a whole roll trying out shots and some were dogs and then others were some of my best.

I took what I have learned about what settings I used for both and just kept on learning.

You never ever really stop learning there is always a new challenge out there because even if you take the same picture of the same spot at the same time 3 days in a row they will all be different (unless you photoshop it) and that uniqueness is something that I really like about photography.
 
Pretty much in three steps for me:

1. 1977 got my first SLR as a Christmas gift. Took snapshots and vacation pics with it until 1997. Learned to set camera on auto shutter, adjust meter needle to roughly center by turning aperture ring, and manually focusing until little halves in center of viewfinder were sharp. Not much else.

2. Bought first digital camera in 1997. Finally understood a bit more about why some photos come out really dark and others really light, through use of brand-new tool called 'spot meter', and the new advantage of seeing real-time changes to the image on the LCD as I moved the little crosshairs around. Still used Auto mode, but in spot metering mode, I could fine-tune the metering as I wanted to see it. Moved up a notch in photography, and started taking a whole lot more.

3. Bought a more advanced digital camera in 2003 with full manual capabilities, which overwhelmed me because I realized I still didn't know what apertures and shutter values really meant. So I found some photography message boards and began posting my shots for critique. Received harsh critique and advice on what I was doing wrong. That was the turning point for me - nothing is better than honest and harsh critique, as long as advice follows on how to learn from your mistakes. I consider the year from 2003-2004 to be the time I actually became a photographer, despite having owned cameras since 1977 (1974, if you count a Kodak Instamatic).

Since then, it's mostly been through constant desire to try new forms of photography and new angles, subjects, and styles, and continually learning from any mistakes or flaws and trying to improve results. And the realization that you'll never be as good a photographer as you want to be, and there will always be many people much better than you who will continue to awe and inspire you to keep trying to improve.

Sharing and viewing photography online was the biggest catalyst for change in my own photography...I'd say you're on the right path!
 
[oquote=misscrossbee;29469285]Hi everyone,

I've been mooching around this board for several weeks now, picking up tips and generally marveling at all your knowledge and fantastic photos (and posting a few of my own photos, just to make yours look even better!).

I'm very new to all this - my other half bought me a Fujifilm S5700 for Christmas 2007, which I only really started using during our trip to Disney this past October. I've found - to my surprise - that I really enjoy photography, but I'm also feeling overwhelmed with how much I've got to learn about it.

So, I was curious as to how you all learned to take such great shots? Did you take a course? Read books? Trial and error? All three?

Thanks in advance![/quote]

All three. Well, sort of. I've never taken a course, but one of my best friends is a photographer, so over the years he's taught me an awful lot of what I know, which is kinda like taking a course.

I learn through a combo methed; I see a pic somewhere with a technique I want to replicate, and I either ask my friend or ask online or look up in a book how it's done, then I try it myself as best I can.

Neither reading nor instruction alone ever sticks in my brain - only experience does. I can read about something all I want, and listen to others tell me how to do it, but until I actually do it myself a few times it doesn't fit in my neural pathways.

As such, I usually focus on trying to learn one new thing at a time. The hardest one to force myself to use has been the Rule of Thirds. It's easy to leand and easy to remember, but as you're lining up a shot, it's hard to force myself to slow down and implement it - my instinct is usually to center things. Other things like learning the relationship of aperture to depth-of-field, are even harder to remember, but I'm slowly learning.
 
I've been learning by reading, discussing, and experimenting.

I've read lots of books, magazines, and websites with great information. I particularly like to focus on those that explain why things work rather than just giving me a recipe to follow.

I also like to discuss ideas with other photographers. I've attended a few seminars, gone on shoots with the local photography club, and spent time with other enthusiasts. We swap ideas, suggestions, etc.

I also do a lot of experimenting. I try different techniques. I review my shots with an eye for what worked, what didn't work, and why.

I still have a lot to learn. I probably always will. I can look back at old pictures and see that I've improved in many ways. I see a lot of other people's pictures and know that I've still got a lot of improving to do. Learning is an contintuous adventure, not a journey with a destination.
 
It's amazing that the more you learn, you realize that there is still so much more to learn. I'm finally grasping the concept that even though the camera tells you that you have a correct exposure that it isn't always the best exposure.
 
A few different ways... I've been interested in photography for a while now, but just took shots of things without any real composition or technique in mind (this was on my film camera).

I got a bridge camera (Sony DSC-H5) in 2006 and took a ton of pictures with it. I had always wanted to learn manual modes but was too intimidated by buying a dSLR and just figuring it out myself.

Then this past August I decided to take a class since I had some free time in my life (lots of changes). I sort of looked at photography as something I could throw myself into and learn more about.

I bought a Canon XSi in August and started taking a class at a local community college. I then bought a book (Understanding Exposure) and practiced a lot, and also read the manual. It was great to have someone show me how to use the camera, and it was kind of fun to be "forced" to take pictures of certain subjects and use certain techniques I wouldn't have normally tried.

I loved the class and can see growth in my shots since the beginning. Just yesterday I was looking at pics from my Disney trip in September and thought SO many times "oh I wished I had composed that a little differently," or "I wish I had used a different aperture," etc etc. I can't wait to go back this September and try again.

I was at a time and place in my life where a class was really rewarding and beneficial to me. And I don't know how motivated I'd be to try as many different techniques as I have without the class. I'm taking a second this semester that starts next week- I think it focuses a little more on photoshop, which I'm excited about. I love that the classes make you go out and shoot each weekend. I'm very busy and knowing I have to work this into my week helps me to keep up with it. :)

I think I'm really lucky that a local community college offers a full 15 week course, 5 hours/week for $300. I think that's a pretty good price- and it's all digital which is nice. The other college near me does film only.

I love reading this board, and for Christmas my friend bought me a subscription to Popular Photography so I'm excited to start reading that as well.
 
Reading everything and anything I could get my hands on - studying other peoples work and practice, practice, practice.
 
I love reading this board, and for Christmas my friend bought me a subscription to Popular Photography so I'm excited to start reading that as well.

I've been a subscriber to Pop Photo for a few years now. Each month I look forward to reading the new issue. I just wish there was more content and less ads, but that is a magazine for you.
 
I in no way wish to start a disagreement or anything, but I do not recomend photograpy magazined like pop photo as a way to learn photography. My experience over many years is like the comment made above. Those magazines are to sell magazines. The advertisers want to sell cameras, so many of the magazines, even in the articles are sales pieces on equipment laced in an "article" about technique. Do not get me wrong, I like to look at them as much as anyone. They are just not a great training tool in my opinion.

I also agree with all the other posts that state I learn how much I do not know everyday about photography. I think that is part of what I like about it.
 
Thank you so much to everyone for taking the time to reply. It's very reassuring to know that so many people are self-taught (although I'm still considering taking an adult education course at the local college this year).

And I love the definition of chimping!

Thanks again!
 












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