For the experienced DSLR users, what tip did you get that helped you early on?

OrangeCrush · August 9, 2017

I got a hand me down Nikon D50 2 summers ago and had some fun with it for while, later that year I got an iPhone 6S and liked how it took pics but obviously a phone has it's limitations.

Earlier this year I hurt my knees pretty bad for 2 months and then my back so my golf has been shelved (seeing a Dr in 2 weeks to save my season) so I have really ramped up my D50 shooting. I have taken more pics in the L90 days than maybe the 2 years before that combined. It seems like weekly I am reading cool new tips on compositions, aperture usage, taking long exposure pics etc so I am having FUN.

When you got started, what tips did you get that was the "light bulb going off" that made it more fun for you?

MiniJ83 · August 13, 2017

I'd love a couple pointers as well. Just bought my wife a Canon SL2, and I've never used a camera outside of my phone.

dcmidnight · August 13, 2017

Go out and use it.

I know that might sound like a copout but thats really the best tip I can give you. I bought a D7000 before a trip to Africa a few years ago and that's the best tip I got. You can do all the reading you want on settings, adjustments, lighting/ISO charts, devouring the manual etc. But until you go out and start to actually just use your own camera - those things are hard to put into practice. Once you start to use it regularly you'll have a ton of those "lightbulb" moments. Walk around your neighborhood, find some old buildings.cars to shoot, head into a city for the day...just get out there. Conversely, when you stop using it, its like your golf game, the skill really does start to go away.

stevepoz · August 13, 2017

From a composition standpoint, think about a viewers eye starting in the lower left of the frame and moving diagonally up from there.

OrangeCrush · August 14, 2017

I have tinkered with the settings for the quality of the image. What is the difference between FINE vs Normal?

I have been taking some nice shots using the NIGHT mode and while I do hear the shutter slowing down, I am getting a touch of graininess to the image. I am using a tripod.

I also last week was tinkering with the MANUAL mode and learned to set the aperture to f2.8 and set the shutter to a 10-15 second delay. I can't get it to do it anymore for some reason.