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[–][deleted] 4 points5 points ago

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http://stopshootingauto.com/ was recommended when I posted here asking for help on improving my technique.

[–]mobileF 7 points8 points ago*

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I'm not sure why no one uses http://www.digital-photography-school.com but i love it. I get an email every Thursday with tips/assignments and other stuff.

edit: http backslash, yo

[–]ScannerBrightly 4 points5 points ago

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I really enjoy this site. Not only does it have pretty good info, it has many ideas to get you off your butt and pressing the shutter release button.

[–]gong 2 points3 points ago

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Don't know why but I feel very frustrated after visiting their site, because it's so slow on the render html part. Scroll down/up is boring in all the browsers I have.

[–]Jeremy7508 2 points3 points ago

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I love this site and the emails as well.

[–]cabbit 1 point2 points ago

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Because the guy who runs it is kind of a douche. He made it as a moneymaking vehicle and has handed off most of the operation.

It has a lot of useful information, but it doesn't have any passion like Photocritic or Strobist or Epic Edits or any number of other sites.

[–]Doctor_Watson 2 points3 points ago

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Sure. Sell it then buy my D80 for half the price. :)

But seriously, "Understanding Exposure" and a Magic Lantern Guide will do you wonders.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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You're selling your D80?

[–]Doctor_Watson 1 point2 points ago

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Yes. Most definitely. I have the D80 body, a kit lens, the MB-D80, remote, cullman magic 2 tripod with ball head, charger, all boxes and original receipts and documentation, cables, yada yada yada, everything. It's completely a pro-sumer package.

[–]MDPhotog 1 point2 points ago

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D80/D200's are great deals right now if you don't need to shoot anything over 1600iso.

[–]lilzaphod 3 points4 points ago

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[–]sc_yang 2 points3 points ago

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fmreviews.com for lens reviews (http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/)

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/ for buttloads of information.. if you learn everything on this site, you will be like unto a god

potn forums are great (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/) but i'm a canon user so take it fwiw

dpreview.com for news on the industry

and flickr explore to get inspired

[–]locriology 1 point2 points ago

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Another vote for Cambridge in Colour. Their information is extremely useful, and it helped me pick up the basics right away.

[–]kickstand 2 points3 points ago

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Photography is a very expensive book but maybe you can get it in a library. It's a standard photo class textbook:

http://www.amazon.com/Photography-10th-Barbara-London/dp/0205711499/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268423249&sr=8-4

The Photo Idea Index has dozens of self-assignments which will give you experience and have fun.

http://www.amazon.com/Photo-Idea-Index-Jim-Krause/dp/158180766X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268423296&sr=8-1

[–]Jeremy7508 2 points3 points ago

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This is hands down the best book I've read that's helped my photography skills. Its not a "camera" book, it's more of a "theory" book. It shows you the different parts of pictures that make photographs interesting.

Michael Freeman - "The Photographer's Eye"

http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Eye-Composition-Design-Digital/dp/0240809343/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268435456&sr=8-3

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

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Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson is a great place to start. The manual should be your first stop, though.

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points ago

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The manual. No really. Then go take pictures.

[–]iDrifter 1 point2 points ago

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dukthen is right. Read the manual, shoot then read it again.

[–]ubr 0 points1 point ago

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rtfm.

[–]YahoKa 4 points5 points ago

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Don't forget to read your manual. Know how to change each setting and what every option means.

Obvious, but often not done.

[–]JimmyJamesMac 1 point2 points ago

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Love the downvotes you got there...this subreddit is so strange. Good advice often is downvoted, and hyperbole is rewarded. Most owners manuals are great lessons in general photography, often including rudimentary lessons complete with examples.

[–]kanakana 1 point2 points ago

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[–]DarkColdFusion 1 point2 points ago

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That guide your camera came with? Learn it. I know there are tons of sites about taking photos, but when you get a new tool learn everything it can do so that way you understand what your limits are, and can look for specifics on how to utilize specific aspects of your camera. I know it's boring but all those buttons and menu's do stuff :P

[–]caractacuspotts 1 point2 points ago

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Go out and shoot. Learn your camera. Read some basic articles about shutter / aperture / iso. Shoot some more. Shoot some more. Shoot some more.

[–]thebrian 1 point2 points ago

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If you're a hands-on type, set it to manual mode and experiment. Don't be afraid to experiment. You'll learn a lot by fidgeting with the aperture and shutter speed.

[–]zmcintyre 1 point2 points ago

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Go out side and use it, look at lot's of photography

[–]midava 1 point2 points ago

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Check out Thom Hogan

He writes comprehensive guides to most Nikon cameras including the Complete Guide to the D300

[–]areus 4 points5 points ago

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Read this: http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268421030&sr=1-1 This book will keep you from setting your camera in auto-mode :)

Also, ignore 90% of what ken rockwell writes.

[–]sc_yang 2 points3 points ago

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you don't have to go that far.. just take his opinion for what it is--an opinion. that's why i like fmreviews. you have a ton of opinions, rather than just one guy's.

[–]Crunchy777 2 points3 points ago

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+1 to Understanding Exposure

This is the book I recommend to everyone that is converting to a DSLR and want to use it for more than the auto-mode.

[–]drivingmeupthewall 3 points4 points ago

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http://www.kenrockwell.com/index.htm - This guys got some great info.

[–]mechtonia 1 point2 points ago

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Came here to say this. Got my (wife's) first DSLR at Christmas and kenrockwell.com probably has more to do with me getting good pics than the all the equipment that I have bought.

I think Ken has a user guide for the D3000. You should read it. If not read the one for the D5000.

FWIW> I highly recommend adding the 35mm f/1.8 lens if you do any indoor shooting. This lens/camera combinations will really make your pics stand out from anything that a P&S could do.

[–]arrgh406 1 point2 points ago

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Many people dont like Ken Rockwell, but I think that he is pretty helpful early on.

[–]mechtonia 3 points4 points ago

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He's opinionated and paints things in simple absolute terms. Perfect for a beginner, abrasive to an expert.

[–]FuckingJerk 3 points4 points ago

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LOL you just jerked off nearly everyone in this subreddit by implying that anyone who finds Rockwell abrasive is an expert.

[–]vwllss 0 points1 point ago

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One of those people being me. He paints some decent ideas but also says a lot of things that are outright incorrect. While I'm not going to say that there's nothing at all useful on his site, I will say that I would avoid it in order to escape being messed up by any false info.

[–]duxup 1 point2 points ago

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IMO the best bet is to start shooting and then start wondering what you did wrong ;) or could have done better, or what went right.

Photo.net has a number of articles on the technical aspects and types of photography, although some of the folks on the forums are pretty snotty. Also on photo.net they have a critique system that I find just going thru provides some nice ideas and new points of view to consider.

luminous-landscape.com has some interesting articles on equipment and technique.

[–][deleted] ago

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[deleted]

[–]Bleach-Free 3 points4 points ago

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I prefer B&H to Adorama.

[–]HelenOster 1 point2 points ago

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We are always keen to learn from our customers; is there anything we can do to improve your experience of purchasing from Adorama?

Helen Oster Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador http://helenoster.blogspot.com

helen.oster@adoramacamera.com www.adorama.com

[–]Bleach-Free 0 points1 point ago

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99% of the time, I find that their prices are better. I prefer the layout of their website too. I find it much more user friendly.

[–]ubr 0 points1 point ago

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i comparison shop b&h versus adorama quite a bit and for the stuff i've bought adorama comes out cheaper. as far as service goes i have no complaints whatsoever and often recommend it to my friends for their gear and prints.

the adorama website does have some issues though. once you understand how the site is organized it is very powerful, but there are often too many choices and subdirectories which make it hard to find the products you want. especially in the lighting department.

[–]xsidekick409 1 point2 points ago

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Words and textbooks will teach you nothing useful about photography. Learn through experience, since you have a DSLR you don't need to worry about the cost of film, so go shoot. Know the basics of ISO, shutterspeed, and aperture and you're ready to go. Look up some popular photography class assignments and complete them on your own, or design your own projects. Best theme to pick for a starting photographer is light, since its easy to take pictures of yet extremely difficult to master.

[–]kickstand 6 points7 points ago

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Words and textbooks plus experience add up to a lot, though.

[–]Your_Left_Hand 0 points1 point ago

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You could always go browse your local library as well. They tend to have quite an assortment of photography books at them.

[–]uberdisco 0 points1 point ago

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photography.alltop.com