# How to learn a photography?



## mitrabhanumeher2013 (Nov 13, 2013)

Hi Friends,

I am beginner for photography. Please help me how to learn a photography ....




Thanks
Mitrabhanu Meher
SelectCiti
Chennai


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## joethephotographer (Nov 13, 2013)

This is what helped me get started:

- Online tutorials like Cambridge in Colour - Photography Tutorials & Learning Community
- YouTube
- Pick up a camera and take pictures

It also usually helps if you post specific questions (like how to I take portraits, what settings should I use for night photography, etc).


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## KmH (Nov 13, 2013)

Learn the fundamentals of how the camera works and what features, functions, and capabilities your camera offers. Digital single-lens reflex camera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The best resource for the features, functions, and capabilities your camera is the camera user's manual.
The manual is not fun reading, and while the manual explains what features, functions, and capabilities your camera has it won't detail how to use them to make photographs.

Learn about photographic lighting and how the direction and quality of light affect a photograph.
How Does Different Lighting Affect Photography? | eHow
How the direction and quality of light affect a photograph - Bing

Digital Photography Tutorials | Learning Photographic Techniques
Learn Digital Photography Basics
10 Top Photography Composition Rules | Photography Mad
Advanced Composition -- Part I

*Photographic Lighting stuff:
*
Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting 
Strobist: Lighting 101
http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/


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## The_Traveler (Nov 13, 2013)

joethephotographer said:


> - Online tutorials like Cambridge in Colour - Photography Tutorials & Learning Community
> - YouTube
> - Pick up a camera and take pictures
> 
> *It also usually helps if you post specific questions (like how to I take portraits, what settings should I use for night photography, etc). *


*

*I suggest that, rather than asking general questions, which are already well answered in thousands of places on the web and would require books to answer directly, that you try to learn yourself using tutorials and then only come here to ask questions when you are confused or at an impasse.


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## ronlane (Nov 13, 2013)

Now Lew, you forgot to welcome them first before giving your advice.

Welcome OP, see the links above and search this site for any questions that you have. Chances are very good that it's been asked on here.


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## Braineack (Nov 13, 2013)

starting charging people to take pictures, then go directly to Lew with questions on basic operation/technique.


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## The_Traveler (Nov 13, 2013)

ronlane said:


> Now Lew, you forgot to welcome them first before giving your advice.
> 
> Welcome OP, see the links above and search this site for any questions that you have. Chances are very good that it's been asked on here.



Oops, yes, Welcome.


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## ronlane (Nov 13, 2013)

The_Traveler said:


> ronlane said:
> 
> 
> > Now Lew, you forgot to welcome them first before giving your advice.
> ...


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## peeteygirl (Nov 17, 2013)

I would say learn the definitions of aperture, shutter speed and ISO first, then learn how they affect each other, which is called the exposure triangle. Here's 2 articles about it.
The Exposure Triangle and How it Affects Your Photos
http://jfletcherphoto.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/the-exposure-tiangle-in-beginner-speak-the-end-of-auto-mode/
Google is your best friend in this process, google any and every question and slowly you'll accumulate knowledge :mrgreen:


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## Ihatemymoney (Nov 17, 2013)

Welcome to the forum
Light Science and Magic has helped me more then any other book I have bought.  
Some the online video's on you tube has also been a big help.


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## Tailgunner (Nov 17, 2013)

Braineack said:


> starting charging people to take pictures, then go directly to Lew with questions on basic operation/technique.



Haha! 

Ya, I would hold off charging people for a while...like a couple years. Anyhow, my best advice is buy a camera and start wearing it out.


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## Hampiainen (Nov 18, 2013)

Welcome to the forum. Im newbie at this forum aswell . I learned alot just by shooting. When i got my DSLR, i started right there shoot only with manual settings. It's now about 10 months since i started, and now i know really well how basic things work in camera, and i think i have actually taken some pretty good pictures. 

So basicly
-Shoot alot
-Maybe read something about exposures and stuff.


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## DNel928 (Nov 18, 2013)

> Haha!
> 
> Ya, I would hold off charging people for a while...like a couple years. *Anyhow, my best advice is buy a camera and start wearing it out.*



Some of the best advice I've heard.


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## DiskoJoe (Nov 19, 2013)

mitrabhanumeher2013 said:


> Hi Friends,
> 
> I am beginner for photography. Please help me how to learn a photography ....
> 
> ...



Get camera. Push button. Repeat.


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## 480sparky (Nov 19, 2013)

mitrabhanumeher2013 said:


> Hi Friends,
> 
> I am beginner for photography. Please help me how to learn a photography ....
> 
> ...





Go forth and actuate.


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## maxkennedy (Nov 24, 2013)

Way way back in 2001-2002, I took the mail-order course from the New York Institute of Photography.

Now I wonder what's happening with it with all the Internet and tech advances in photography.

They did give me a book in the course on digital photography but the market was just burgeoning 
in the early 2000s.

Maybe you should check it out!


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## raventepes (Nov 25, 2013)

I learned the hard way. Years of practice, reading, more reading, more practice, and an occasional video. Something I did though, which I'm grateful for, is that I spent about 2 years shooting in nothing but manual mode. It forced me to consider every factor in the exposure triangle (Shutter Speed, ISO, and Aperture) to get the desired result. I also shot on a lot of film, which made me really think of how I was framing an exposure. After a while, I started remembering rough setting for specific lighting, which really helped a lot, as well. Sometimes, you just don't have the time to fiddle with your exposure.  With digital, you can take a picture, immediately look at it and throw it away, if need be. It's cheap to do, and film costs a heck of a lot more to shoot on, hence my desire to actually think about what I was doing. I didn't want to waste rolls of film like I did when I was a kid and not knowing any better. I wanted every shot to count, because every time I pressed that shutter...whatever I shot, I was stuck with. 

I'm not going to say that I don't make mistakes and take an occasional bad picture though. We all do. It's inevitable. But I'm grateful for my experiences and how I learned my craft. It led to me opening my own studio, so it wasn't all bad. I love what I do, even when I don't make a profit.


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## kchoi (Nov 29, 2013)

mitrabhanumeher2013 said:


> Hi Friends,
> 
> I am beginner for photography. Please help me how to learn a photography ....
> 
> ...



Just go out search on Google and you will get a lot of knowledge about photography.
I have also post some of tutorial on my blog which you can learn photography.
After you learn the knowledge and go out and take picture to see if you understand them.
Repeat the steps for a new knowledge.


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## Shr (Dec 6, 2013)

Hi Meher,

I would refer you to read the blog Nature Photography Simplified | Photography Is Simple Unless We Complicate ItNature Photography Simplified 
In this blog they have explained in steps to take photos in manual mode. They have separately explained for Canon and Nikon cameras.
Its very easy to understand.

It helped me a lot. Hopefully its helpful to you as well.


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## Shr (Dec 6, 2013)

Hi Meher,

You can get informmation at Nature Photography Simplified | Photography Is Simple Unless We Complicate ItNature Photography Simplified.

They have explained in steps to take photos in manual mode.

They have explained separately for both canon and Nikon cameras. Very easy to understand.

It helped me a lot. Hopefully it helps you as well.


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## rasmussen4 (Dec 7, 2013)

Yeah, what everyone else already said, and on top of that I'd pick up Scott Kelby's "The Digital Photography Vol.1" book on Amazon. Great for a beginner, really easy to understand.

Amazon.com: The Digital Photography Book: Part 1 (2nd Edition) eBook: Scott Kelby: Kindle Store


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## shaylou (Dec 7, 2013)

mitrabhanumeher2013 said:


> Hi Friends,  I am beginner for photography. Please help me how to learn a photography ....  Thanks Mitrabhanu Meher SelectCiti Chennai



Less then two years ago I was in your same position, I will advise this, shot, examine, and ask questions. Repeat over and over for one year....

Here is where it can get you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47096888@N06/

I'm not saying they are great but I am proud of some.


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## shefjr (Dec 7, 2013)

shaylou said:


> http://www.flickr.com/photos/47096888@N06/
> 
> I'm not saying they are great but I am proud of some.



I checked out your Flickr page and I like many of your photos.


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## thomhend (Dec 8, 2013)

Another great tip is to spend time looking at the work of great artists.  The more you expose yourself to quality work, the more likely you are to produce it!


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## D-B-J (Dec 8, 2013)

Practice, Practice, Practice.  And after you do that for a few years, REPEAT.  

Jake


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## RootBeerTuna (Dec 9, 2013)

rasmussen4 said:


> Yeah, what everyone else already said, and on top of that I'd pick up Scott Kelby's "The Digital Photography Vol.1" book on Amazon. Great for a beginner, really easy to understand.
> 
> Amazon.com: The Digital Photography Book: Part 1 (2nd Edition) eBook: Scott Kelby: Kindle Store



I've been thinking of getting his set of 4 books.  Are they really that helpful?  I've been into photography for close to 20 years or so, only picked up a DSLR about 18 months ago, and feel I've learned a lot.  I've read a few books specific to my camera, and I feel that I understand the exposure triangle and everything pretty well.  My only real major issue that I can think of right now is using flash.  I think I've gotten pretty good figuring out any settings I need shooting in full manual, so I'm wondering if it's worth it to get these books by Scott Kelby or not.  Take a look at my Flickr Flickr: Jeremy Oberg Photography's Photostream or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jeremyobergphotography and let me know what you all think.  What kind of books could I benefit from?  As I said above, I know I need to learn to use my flash, and possibly sometime start doing people photography.  For the most part, I shoot nature, landscapes, night photography, and very very rarely people photography.  Wouldn't mind trying out street photography at some point, but I'm still fairly shy behind the lens.

Edit:  Oh, and I learned most of what I know just from going out there and shooting thousands upon thousands of photos, as well as reading a lot of different blogs and watching YouTube videos.  I'm also enrolled in 2 online courses through http://www.photoartstudio.ca that I got through Groupon, one for digital photography and the other for Photoshop, but I haven't done much with those lately.


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## keethjon (Dec 13, 2013)

For some basics you can try my website, Easy Basic Photography

Keith


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## DougGrigg (Dec 13, 2013)

D-B-J said:


> Practice, Practice, Practice.


 This


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## davf (Dec 15, 2013)

When I started learning photography in art school we were not allowed to use any auto settings. Everything, including focus, had to be set manually. This was all in black and white film. And we had to take note of all settings. A bit complicated you might think, but it made you focus (sorry!) - concentrate - on what you were doing. Because of all the work involved you learned the effects of all changes, how light works and so on. I loved it! 
Take it one step at a time. Eventually it comes together. And learn from what you do, whether it is "good" or "bad".


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## 480sparky (Dec 15, 2013)

davf said:


> When I started learning photography in art school we were not allowed to use any auto settings. Everything, including focus, had to be set manually. This was all in black and white film. And we had to take note of all settings. A bit complicated you might think, but it made you focus (sorry!) - concentrate - on what you were doing. Because of all the work involved you learned the effects of all changes, how light works and so on. I loved it!
> Take it one step at a time. Eventually it comes together. And learn from what you do, whether it is "good" or "bad".



A local community college here requires their beginning students to not only do all-manual, but film as well.


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