Tips for a newbie?

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SandyM

New member
As I have only had my camera a couple of days I am looking for any tips for a newbie. Any suggestions of books to get, tutorials that I can find on-line. Took a class yesterday but honestly a little overwhelmed. Class did help as I now know what many of the buttons on the camera are for. I am going to read the manual again but wish it had more info in it. Instructor showed us how to trim and edit photos. Simple enough when we did it in class and I spent an hour last night trying to save the photos I trimmed and it kept returning me back to the original photo. I know it is a simple thing to do but I am doing something wrong. So much to learn!!!
 
K

Kodiak

Senior Member
•

Hi Sandy,

Contrary to, or like, many other subject, photography is a SYSTEM where everything
is linked to something else.

The first place to start is your instruction manual. This tool will permit you to get
acquainted to your gear and from there the world is opened!

At the beginning, you need to invest a little time… but then!

Start with the book!

Have a good day…
 
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Crystalclearimages

Senior Member
I learned a lot from the online courses I took from flying photo school. They are really good at talking to for a newbie. Take the one that 101 first u will learn so much and the way they do it u learn one topic each week so u get to practice all week and turn in pic to be check and they give u pointers then they move on to a new subject. Also if u have the groupon app they put some in there and u can get the class for as little as 29.00. Instead of 99.00. Hope this helps.
 
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ladytonya

Senior Member
I don't have a 3200, but for the 3100 the absolute best resource that I have found was a book entitled the Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide by J. Dennis Thomas. I was referred to that book by someone here when I first joined and it has been a life saver! I bought it digitally so I have it on my iPhone and my iPad, just searched the app and it is available for the 3200 also. Another great book that someone here referred me to as a beginner was entitled Understanding Exposure. It is also in the iBookstore and it explained a lot about photography on a level that I understood!

I would also look at Crystal's suggestion as I have seen some great photography courses online. Also, our local community college offers a photography class that is more than just one day. From the description it sounds like it goes more in-depth that just using the camera, it seems to cover some processing which is what I sorely need. Of course, for me I am still learning how to shoot manually. By the time I go through and remember how to change the ISO, f-stop, and shutter speed, the opportunity for the shot is gone. Anyway, welcome to Nikonites! Hope you learn as much here as I have!
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
ladytonya said:
I don't have a 3200, but for the 3100 the absolute best resource that I have found was a book entitled the Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide by J. Dennis Thomas. I was referred to that book by someone here when I first joined and it has been a life saver! I bought it digitally so I have it on my iPhone and my iPad, just searched the app and it is available for the 3200 also. Another great book that someone here referred me to as a beginner was entitled Understanding Exposure. It is also in the iBookstore and it explained a lot about photography on a level that I understood!
Click to expand...

Yeah, that was me... I recommend those digital field guides a LOT because they really are what the manual that came with your camera *should* have been. They're very good for getting people familiar with what all those buttons and menu items actually DO to your pictures, not just what the words and symbols mean. They're quick and dirty and don't intimidate with too much information.

The D3200 Digital Field Guide is available at Amazon if nowhere else.

There are several books called "Understanding Exposure" but the one I suggest is by Bryan Peterson and while Amazon doesn't carry the latest edition, Barnes and Nobel does: Understanding Exposure, 3rd ed..
 
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