Help taking better pictures with the D5100

[WhiteLight]

The pictures are not bad at all.
Specially for someone who's just beginning.
Never mind the technicalities of aperture, shutter speed & all that (it will come eventually), the important point here is that you are 'seeing' with the photographer's eye.
It isn't bland straight forward snapshots, but you have given some thought to your shots & that's the most important point in being a 'photographer' rather than a 'snapshotter'
Once that comes naturally to you, the settings and the rest are all but a formality.

 

[donaldjledet]

Agree with everyone here so far.Keep shooting and shooting you will Learn.
This is a good forum to learn from, as I'm doing myself. You should see some of my photos
that I thought was right and then when I uploaded to computer I could see they were off
on focus or exposure.

 

[Moab Man]

As everyone else said...

1. Expectations too high out of a beginner.
2. Photography comes with experience and not just the book smarts.
3. Your shots are planned out - not snapshots.
4. And finally, your shots are not as bad as you think. Of course we all set up the shot with our camera to get it dialed in. However, the icing on a photo comes in the post work. And if you have raw (nef) files there is a lot you can do to save a photo if you get it wrong. Here is what I did off of using a crappy low resolution jpeg. Crappy not a reference to the picture, but the fact I didn't have much to work with and it looks pretty good like the photo someone else edited on here.

Sure, it's easy to say, but don't get so frustrated with yourself. Just keep shooting. It comes in time.

 

[ducz24]

I know exactly how you feel. I'm sure everybody knows exactly how you feel. We have all been there. Practice.. Practice.. Practice..Take a picture in auto, study the settings it chose. Then try to duplicate it using the "A" mode and adjust per your standard. Every lighting conditions are different so you have to practice. My only suggestion is to leave the iso setting to "auto" and just play with your aperture and shutter to get the shot that you are looking for. Good luck and happy shooting!

 

[Viktor]

Hey there, thanks for all your encouragement!

BTW, is this a good book to purchase? Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography: Tony Northrup, Chelsea Northrup: 9780988263406: Amazon.com: Books

 

[Horoscope Fish]

Hey there, thanks for all your encouragement!

BTW, is this a good book to purchase? Tony Northrup's "How to Create Stunning Digital Photography"

Yes. That's an excellent book.

Another one to consider would be Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

 

[Viktor]

Hello guys,

So I was doing some shooting last night before going to bed. I don't have much time to shoot during the day. This is what I got what do you think of it?

 

[Moab Man]

Getting better. Time and practice. Shoot everything and anything.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

So I was doing some shooting last night before going to bed. I don't have much time to shoot during the day. This is what I got what do you think of it?

Shot #1 (top-most) is clearly the stronger of the two.

Now tell me why.

.....

 

[Viktor]

Hi guys!

Just here to share with you a quick snapshot of my daughter... as you can see, she is not an "every day model" :-/

Suggestions welcomed! Thanks.

 

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

Hi guys!

Just here to share with you a quick snapshot of my daughter... as you can see, she is not an "every day model" :-/

Suggestions welcomed! Thanks.

View attachment 53424

When shooting children or anyone for that matter get on the same level with them. When you shoot down on a child it makes them look like bobble heads. Big heads, little bodies.

 

[Viktor]

That was intended lol. I read that in the book and thought about how cartoonish she would look at that position. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Moab Man]

If that was the intended goal then it worked. It's a fun photo. Although with my big head I get that same look no matter what the angle.

 

[Lawrence]

What an awesome thread. Thanks for putting it out there Viktor. I am getting my D5100 tomorrow and will be doing 2 things:
1. Coming back to this thread and
2. Asking you for advice
Lots to read from this thread alone.
Awesome forum and awesome group.
​

 

[Viktor]

Welcome to Nikonites Lawrence!

First I'd like to say, (though I don't know your photography experience), if I can take decent pictures, you will surely do better... enough said.

I literally devoured a few books (big book worm here) in order to get a grasp of the basics. Of course, my knowledge is less than the other guys here which by the way are a great source of help. But if I can do anything for you, just let me know. I am by no means a photographer, but I do understand the "theory". I am also an internet/forum freak.

Once again, welcome to this forum!

Viktor

 

[Viktor]

Hi all!

Took this one yesterday. Advise always welcome!



Thanks for your help.

 

[jeplane]

Not bad, but...
What about adding a ND filter and a tripod and do a long exposure?

 

[Horoscope Fish]

Took this one yesterday. Advise always welcome!

I'd like to see them without the vignette filter. Personally, I just don't think it's working here.

......

 

[Viktor]

Sorry I don't have any filters .. I need some help on that, I mean, on how to select filters. I bought one that said "55mm" but it didn't fit; it was the same size as the lens. Also I will bring a tripod next time, this time I was out with the family just driving around (I always bring the camera) and thought that would be a good spot for a quick snapshot; this was an unplanned shot.

@Horoscope Fish: Here's the sans vignette photograph - I modified the exposure/contrast a bit to make the shadows darker.



Thanks for suggestions!

 

[nickt]

Sorry I don't have any filters .. I need some help on that, I mean, on how to select filters. I bought one that said "55mm" but it didn't fit; it was the same size as the lens.

The filter size is almost always on the lens somewhere. All my Nikon lenses have a diameter symbol next to the filter size on the barrel somewhere. The diameter symbol is an 'o' with a slash through it.