How Did You Learn Photography?

[redwing210]

I was wondering how everyone got to grips with photography when they first started out?

I am asking because I am 3 weeks in to a photography course for begginers, however it is slightly to basic, and because of other peolple with less knowledge of cameras they hold the class back a bit (which is fair enough as it is for begginers) so I really wanted to know if other people went to courses, or learnt from books etc.

Thanks

redwing210

[Ollie]

I didn't go to any courses, learnt most of what I know and that isn't much by reading books and taking advice from other people. Many of them on this site I might add. Also learnt a lot by experimenting a great deal. Sometimes it worked, often it didn't but it's fun learning
Roger

[pressld2]

I've never done a photography course - yet.

When I first started I learned more from my mistakes than from any other source. Once I reached a reasonable degree of competence I started to buy books and magazines and these gave me some good background about why some things worked and others didn't, plus some tips for new things to try (new mistakes to make ).

Nowadays I really value the advice of my peers given on forums like this one and I'm seriously considering signing up for one or two courses run by professionals like Chris Weston or Andy Rouse.

Dave P.

[redwing210]

I bought a Lonley Planet guide to wildlife photography by Andy Rouse, spectacular images although a lot of the info went over my head...guess I will have to keep on snapping till' it starts to make sense!

[Ollie]

Hi again redwing. I don't know what level of photography you are up to if you see what I mean so what I am going to say you may already be familiar with, but once you have learnt the relationship between shutter speeds and ISO speeds for example the higher the ISO speed the higher the shutter speed it will all come together. Another feature that I use much more as I gain experience is exposure compensation

Also don't be afraid to experiment it may get you that image you were after and assuming you are using digital you have nothing to lose.

Please excuse any spelling mistakes, I'm not on my PC at home and this one doesn't appear to have a spell check on it.
Roger

[mystictonka]

I have learnt through trial & error, this can be frustrating. When I used film I had a book called the wildlife photographers handbook by Micheal freeman, this really helped & now my camera is continually on manual!!

[Interpreter]

Eighteen months full time course at RAF Cosford as a boy. Then I started learning photography! Became an Incorporated Photographer and went on from there.

[Wolfhill]

Well my Dad is a professional photographer so I dabbled in and out as a child, but I only really got into photography in 2004 when I was 12 after a wonderful encounter with a couple of sanderling, and I've gotten really into it over the last three years It helps having a good teacher

[jennyb]

The great thing about Digital cameras is that you can experiment as much as you like and it does not really cost anything - unlike film cameras. So my suggestion is practise. I am still practising but if you take enough photos, once in a while you get a good one! I am definitely improving.

The exif data on digital photos is also really useful. If you get a good one, you can see what your settings were!

Jenny

[nightshade]

Tried, just used the camera (to the dismay of my parents who had to foot the bill) discovered bulk film and books.
I think one of the first I bought was The Penguin Book of Photography and
a jumble sale Henri Cartier Bresson (progressed to Helmut Newton)
Photos through a magnifiying glass then dioptre lenses tubes etc.fascinating
new world then a telephoto 300mm Sniper and a mirror lense colour slides
and finally digital

[Nick T]

Haven't really learned yet I bought a camera to take photo's of one thing and then sort of drifted into others. I've never been into the Arty shots that some folks take and the thought of shooting a wedding terrifies me but I'm happy snapping away in my own little world and if I get the odd good foto it's a bonus - and now I have digital it's a lot cheaper as you can delete the duds before anyone get to see them

[Words]

Having ignored cameras for years, I picked up a cheap (and I mean cheap) digital in 2005 to snap the foxes in the garden. I caught the bug and have upgraded several times now to my current DSLR set-up, learning as I go. Lots of it is trial and error, but then I take a lot of photos (40,000 a year approx) so some are going to be ok.

I've read plenty on websites, but no formal lessons (though I'm sure they could help). As Ollie said, once you figure out aperture, speed, ISO and exposure compensation you are sort of there. Plus I take lots of the same shot at different settings to check out differences.

Some lessons on composition and post-processing would help me a lot though.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Nick T

Haven't really learned yet I bought a camera to take photo's of one thing and then sort of drifted into others. I've never been into the Arty shots that some folks take and the thought of shooting a wedding terrifies me but I'm happy snapping away in my own little world and if I get the odd good foto it's a bonus - and now I have digital it's a lot cheaper as you can delete the duds before anyone get to see them

Just about sums me up as well!
You can't beat going out and trying all the camera options, there's nothing to lose. Click away as much and as often as you can, it's by far the best way to learn.

[barquar]

I took an interest after seeing a Humingbird hawk moth last year.Only had a throwaway camera.thought about it for 6month then bought a Canon EOS 400D with a 18-55mm lens took some good photos off Butterflies after croping. Had some put on bbc@ Stoke.co.uk. Got restless with the lens. Whent mad this week and bought a second hand Bigma 50- 500mm very heavy so got a sigma 28-300mm (second Hand)for everyday. Just need a Good Macro lens now.(Both seem in good order )But Havent a clue what I am doing just keep clicking away like you say you do get some good photos. But i follow all advice you chaps give out and try to get me head round it all.
Barquar

[RichBrew]

I cut my photographic teeth with the Olympus OM 1. I learned the reciprocal relationship between aperture and shutter, and how they affected the final image, and then how to take a meter reading using reflected or incident methods. Photography magazines kept me up to date with the technology, as well as tutorials, plus the odd specialist book as and when I felt the need.

I started shooting using monochrome exclusively, developing and printing the results myself. This darkroom grounding has stood me well with Photoshop techniques such as dodging and burning-in, and although I'm almost totally digital now, I still shoot and process infra-red film from time to time using my Nikon F5.

Of course, the Internet has a vast amount of knowledge and experience to draw on these days, but even after all these years, I still try to learn something every day.

RichBrew

[rlchew]

1. Practice .... practice .... practice

2. Learning from mistakes and being willing to invite and accept constructive criticism

3. Learning from others .... not least looking at some of the excellent photos here on WAB

4. .... and practice!

Richard

[demicav]

Trial and error with me, and learning all the time.

[Chris_Johnstone]

I've learnt everything mainly from books and advice and, of course, from learning from mistakes. I took a small course 5 years ago but never really learnt anything although it was mainly about film cameras.

Books are really great but nothing can replace experience.

Chris

[mh68]

Most of what I`ve learnt is through either trial and error (the joys of digital - no wasted film! )and reading up as much as possible on all the relevant subjects.One great source of learning has been the proper photography forums.It can be a real eye opener when you see what your particular camera is capable of in the hands of someone who knows what theyre doing.Such forums are excellent for getting info/advice on specific camera models too.
Got to agree though the best way to learn is get out there and do it - theres no substitute for experience

Mark H

[NickCantle]

I learnt what I know now from experimenting in the field. (Maybe quite literally ) I was inspired by 2 things, one of them is of course nature, the second was my Grandad. He gave me the push I needed to really get into it. He bought me my first digital camera for my 18th Birthday (last year) and I couldn't get enough of it. A few of you will recognise me from the fungi forum as I am a bit of an obsessive . I was captured by mushrooms and all of the various forms of fungi ever since I set eyes on it as a wee lad. From this love of both nature and photography, I thought it best to make a combination hobby. Here I am now, a year later with a Canon A1 SLR and a Canon EOS400D with a Sigma 105mm macro, studying for an Honours Degree in Photography at the University College Of Creative Arts. Isn't it funny how life twists and turns...Wouldn't change it for the world though...

Nick

[russj1975]

I took photography as a module on my Art and Design course, but only really got serious about it when the course had finished. Digital has made photography so accessible for me, but i have been through 35mm and medium format SLR's in the past as well as home developing and printing, and thoroughly enjoyed all of it.

[ron1863]

I learned a bit from my father who loved photography, but he advised me to try different things for myself as I would quickly learn from any mistakes I made. I started with a Russian Zenith film camera, which I loved then progressed to more complicated Minolta cameras before moving onto digital. I think that working with film has made me a better photographer as you have to think about light, apertures and settings. With digital you can take a picture, review it and change the settings without losing any shots.

In the days of film you had to develop the photo first or wait until it came back from the lab.

For the beginner there is a massive amount of material on the internet to help photographers.

[Maccattack]

Can't resist recalling the old days . Learnt most when I dropped a camera my Grandad left me , the meter stopped working it was a rangefinder so totally manual.I had to guess distance shutter speed and aperture ( soon bought a cheap lightmeter ) . Amazing how complicated only 3 variables can seem .I just used a limited range of settings (all in focus- F16 or blurry background F4 ) I'd advise leaving the camera on a regular setting and concentrate on composition - go in close and leave out as much as possible . Mind you wouldn't say Id got to grips with the whole amazing process just yet.
Have fun
Malcolm Mac

[colincurry]

I am only a fairly recent snapper (photographer sounds too grand for me). My wife had an Olympus Pen that took two pictures on one piece of film so that we got 72 from a roll of 36. We went on an outing to Bodnant in Spring and it was absolutely beautiful. I was amazed at the economy of the camera and the fact that I didn't need to change the film. When we had the film developed, there was nothing there as I had not wound on the film. I have still not been forgiven for this. Consequently, I went for an idiot proof camera and chose a Pentax with a 90 zoom. This went well for a while and packed whilst on holiday in India, where I was introduced to digital cameras. Next was a Kyocera with a Zeiss lens and this is still going strong. On holiday in Peru, one of our party had an Olympus SLR which was very enlightening. I was not yet convinced about DSLRs and chose instead a Panasonic FZ0, superceded by an FZ30 that is now my walk around camera. I am now blessed with a Canon 30D and pump. You will see how I haved 'graduated' to the DSLR. All along, I have been practising and learning from my mistakes - and will continue to do so. One of my friends is a WABer with much more experience than I and his help has been valuable. I echo sentiments expressed earlier in this thread saying how instructive and helpful is the WAB site and its members. I have learnt a great deal by looking at pictures and reading threads - and this applies as much to the choice of equipment as pure photography. I have not been on any courses (probably self-evident) but think that I will continue to bumble along as at present.

Thanks again to WAB

Colin

[Paul.GT]

I went out to buy a point and shoot c