 BetterPhoto Member |
COURSES: A steady course Love this site and thank you for being everything I would look for in a photo site! The question is based on shear confusion. "Where do I begin?" I have picked up photography again after years of being out. I am familiar with the basics but still troubled with knowing where to set the aperture, etc. for different types of light. Creating a mood, etc. I am so eager to learn more about using flashes, lighting for studio and light meters, filters, special FX (with SLR),as well. Light is always the issue. I am needing further education and truly unsure of where to begin. HELP! AND Thx. -Jeanmarie
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doug Nelson |
I know how you feel. It's like picking up a guitar and wanting to play jazz chords. Take it in stages. Start with the camera set for manual exposure, and use a 50, if you have one. See Jim's book on this website, and/or one of several excellent Kodak books. The Time-Life photography series is a favorite of mine, and the volumes are often available at flea markets fo about a buck each. There are several good on-line courses right here. You're on the right track. For me,light is what photography is all about. It's not the subject, but how the light falls on it. Often, your light meter will read the scene correctly, because all the tones taken together average out to the middle gray to which a light meter tends to reduce them. The special lighting situations you're asking about may require some adjustments, but if you meter from the part of the image that is closest to a middle gray, the other tones will fall into place. Don't complicate your learning experience with filters, special effects, and gadgets for now. You might consider keeping records of your exposure settings, especially if you try several for a scene. Even pros "bracket" exposures, trying several exposures.
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