Red Bull Unrailistic | LIVE Broadcast

Member of the Month

PartyBullshiit
March, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Photography Tips?

profile picture
hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
Photography has always been something that's always interested me, and I would love to get  into it more. I have been doing research about the Canon Rebel XTi, and looking over it i realise that using and SLR camera is obviously super confusing and complicated. So I was just wondering if any of you had any tips that may help me out, or if you know of a tutorial - or really anything about how to understand photography in general, because I know you don't just turn it on and take a picture, would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.
Jun 21 2007 8:48PM
0 0
profile picture
quixotic
Posts: 6937 - Karma: 2,978
Well if you get a nice DSLR camera you like, you can purchase tutorial videos on DVD that are like 2 hours long and will teach you everything and anything you need to know about the camera (shooting tips, maintnance, etc). A lot of it is just taking pictures over and over and over time by analyzing your work and analyzing some dope photos other people have taken you'll eventually get your composition down better and shit will start to look good.
Jun 21 2007 11:44PM
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Learn composition skills like

Rule of Thirds

Looking Space

Also learn what DOF is and learn to use it to your advantage.
Jun 21 2007 11:56PM
0 0
profile picture
BSI
Posts: 646 - Karma: 38
spend a significant amount of time with exposure in manual mode. You can have the sweetest angle and composition, but if you can't expose properly your out of luck.
Jun 22 2007 12:25AM
0 0
profile picture
hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
Any chance to explain that a little more?
Bummmmp
Jun 22 2007 1:08PM
0 0
profile picture
xnick11
Posts: 1866 - Karma: 171
Thats why theres a meter,so that you can expose properly.
Jun 22 2007 1:57PM
0 0
profile picture
BSI
Posts: 646 - Karma: 38
Click for larger image
Jun 22 2007 2:48PM
0 0
profile picture
BSI
Posts: 646 - Karma: 38
w/o spending all day on the subject it comes down to this. Your in-camera meter can't identify what color or tone it's looking at so it assumes that it's looking at something grey(aka middle grey, 18% grey). you might notice if you(in manual mode) set the exposure while pointing at something grey and then point at something dark or light the meter fluctuates.

Simple solutions:

If your shooting on snow or have something white, point at at, fill as much of the frame as possible, and over expose by a stop and two thirds.

If you have a bunch of middle tones or something grey do the same as above, but expose correctly.

If you have something black or very dark under expose by a stop and two thirds.

These are basic rules and don't apply to every circumstance. Until you know more about meters and light these basics will get you by.
Jun 22 2007 3:00PM
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
If you're shooting film get a Sekonic light meter with spot metering
Jun 22 2007 3:26PM
0 0
profile picture
rocMALONEYphotos
Posts: 1128 - Karma: 661
i am just getting into photography, and i just recently got the Canon Rebel XTi GREAT CAMERA!!!! i love it i have had it for about two - three weeks now and i love it. pm me if you have any questions about the camera
check out my thread "Check out this website PLEASE" to see some pics i took with the cam it may help u out a lil
Jun 23 2007 1:05AM
0 0
profile picture
tha_CF
Posts: 1696 - Karma: 328
Yes! please learn good rules of third. its such a simple technique that so many people fail to use, and it can make photos so much better.
Jun 23 2007 1:31AM
0 0
profile picture
ProducerXXX
Posts: 1776 - Karma: 13
Word.
Jun 23 2007 2:33AM
0 0
profile picture
hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
I'm not really understanding a word you guys are saying. but that's fine, I can totally see how it's a much more hands on thing to become comfortable and understand it. I'll be looking forward to taking a course on it if I can come fall.
Thanks alot guys.
Jun 24 2007 10:01PM
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
yo man go to forums.skateperception.com

then under the filming catagory, use the search bar and type "composition"

The mod Ryan wrote a huge thing on filming composition with examples and its very easy to comprehend.
Jun 25 2007 2:33AM
0 0
profile picture
FANTASTIC_FUN
Posts: 50 - Karma: 10
take pictures like SHEITT!!!
Jun 25 2007 3:58AM
0 0
profile picture
hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
http://asp.photo.free.fr/Composition/photoProgramCompMainClass.shtml

found this.
it was really helpful i thought
Jun 25 2007 2:31PM
0 0
profile picture
~Joe~
Posts: 2631 - Karma: 57
start with a film camera so you can get the basics on how shutter speed and aperture work together.
Jun 25 2007 7:22PM
0 0
profile picture
hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
That's what I'm doing.
I just happened to fond my grandmas old Nikon EM from 1979 that she apparently gave me.
So im trying to figure out the fucking thing.
Jun 26 2007 3:46AM
0 0
profile picture
Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
that site has some great tips that do help a ton and they're pretty simple to get right. I took photography for a semester and many of those tips were implemented in the pictures we took. It was a little boring taking pics around the school but there were ways of making it interesting. for now all I have is a standard point/shoot camera but eventually I'd also like to get something better. problem is the point/shoot is easier to use/ smaller but I think some features of other cameras are worth it, such as the ability to control shutter speed/ focus manually.
Jun 27 2007 2:49PM
0 0
profile picture
Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
another thing, if you want a good picture take a lot. one of them has to turn out well!
Jun 27 2007 2:55PM
0 0
profile picture
cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
The best thing you can do to increase your photo skils is turn that camera on manual and start taking photos. lots of photos, try and shoot 1000 a month. You will figure out what looks good and what looks like shit.
Jun 27 2007 3:24PM
0 0
profile picture
BSI
Posts: 646 - Karma: 38
That is the cheapest way, but going to a photo school is the best if your serious about photography.
Jun 27 2007 3:28PM
0 0
profile picture
P.J.S.
Posts: 1782 - Karma: 11
what are some decent photography schools? i've heard about brooks institute, but i would never go to california for anything let alone school
Jun 27 2007 4:02PM
0 0
profile picture
BSI
Posts: 646 - Karma: 38
I'm not sure about out west and it depends what your into.

For commercial the School of Visual Arts in NYC is pretty good, for art the Rhode Island School of Design and Cooper Union are pretty sweet. CU is really tough to get in, from what I've heard.
Jun 27 2007 4:29PM
0 0
profile picture
Skipig25
Posts: 10729 - Karma: 256
go to photo.net, and look at the "learning" part
Jun 27 2007 5:30PM
0 0
profile picture
DavidStewart
Posts: 247 - Karma: 416
my friend goes to brooks, says its really good

the workshops at Maine are like 1 - 2 weeks long and are really good too
Jun 29 2007 12:04AM
0 0
profile picture
skiierman
Posts: 28699 - Karma: -5,563
Take a photography class.

Case solved.
Jun 30 2007 10:03PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4)