Need guidance. New to D-SLR and "professional" photography all together

[lawrence_c]

Hi All,

 

I'm a photography buff (from my dad) but I've never pursued it

seriously outside of a few trips to "scenic" places and regular

photo taking. I always received compliments on my photographs but

never acted on it. I've owned several digital cameras over the last

5 years or so - upgrading as they got better and smaller. (My

friends think I'm crazy but love cameras!) I now own a Casio Exilim

z750 but while researched the later z850 model I decided to instead

buy what I've always wanted a Digital SLR. So, on a whim, I just

bought an Olympus Digital SLR Evolt 300. It's about a year old (not

bad at all) but it was within my price range and a good starting

point for me. Plus it got pretty good reviews on several web sites.

 

So here's my issue: I'm ready to start using it but I want to learn

how to use it first. Are they any recently published books anyone

can recommend where I can learn all about DSLR cameras? I went to a

big chain book store but there were no books specifically on DSLR

cameras, strangely. And all the photography technique books were so

old - written for 35MM/SLR cameras from years ago. A few had

chapters or references to DSLR cameras but that's about it. Is it

that the similarities between 35MM/SLR and DSLR cameras are so much

that a regular SLR/35MM book will do? I want something published

recently so it'll be relevant for a while - until I'm ready to

upgrade my Evolt 300.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm ready to take good quality

photos. Before I can take "professional" quality ones I need to

learn how to work the camera first. Web site suggestions would be

great too but I want something I can take with me an read/reference

if I need.

 

Thank you very much!

[manjo]

my 2 cents

 

Photography is still the same whether its film or digital, so old books still are good wrt fundamentals. I suggest you get a used digital slr and a 50mm lens and fire away. The issue with starting on digital is that you will have a tendency to fix your photos on photoshop and your technique might suffer. If you shot BW film for couple of months you will get a hang of controling exposure etc. If you have your composition and exposure right, you have learned 75% of photography. go to video.google.com and search for photoshop. there are a ton of tutorials videos that you can download and learn how to use photoshop, you must know photoshop tricks inorder to make good use of your digital camera.

[2yellowdogs]

Manoj is right. Assuming you at least have the manual for the Evolt and can operate the camera's controls, you need a book on photography per se, not necessarily digital photography.</p>

 

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0131896091/qid=1144193877/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/104-4243646-5074315?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">"Photography" by London and Upton</a> is far and away the best, most comprehensive book on photography ever written. Yes, it's expensive. Buy a used copy if you need to, but buy this book, read it and you'll learn more about photography than you will from any other book written.

[petusik]

I own the older issue of John Hedgecoe's The Book of Photography. It's pretty well written and with nice examples. You should check also http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789496372/qid=1144232243/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-1019239-0358414?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

 

Though, any book on photography will help you. Good luck.

 

Peter

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

Not sure what stores you shopped or where you live but the local Borders and Barnes and Noble in Dallas at least are crawling with Digital Photography books. And while it's true that many of the basics of photography are independent of the media used, you may as well read a book based on digital imaging since that's the choice you've made. Michael Freeman has a series of books on digital photgraphy by Lark publishers. I'm sure you can find it and many others on Amazon.

[lawrence_c]

Thanks everyone. I'll look into the choices you mentioned.

[ellis_vener_photography]

<I>Are they any recently published books anyone can recommend where I can learn all about DSLR cameras? </I><P>Brst book in this area:

<A HREF = http://tinyurl.com/nyjbm> Real World Digital Photography, second edition </a>by Eismann, Grey, & Duggal

[john grunke]

My fear of buying used is the possibility of a glitch, thinking it was something I was

doing wrong and an interuption in the learning curve.

Beg & Barrow to buy the absolutle best new (!) DSLR of your dreams w/the best glass of

course.

The manual that comes with the DSLR, I found to be the best book after looking for others,

that I am reading most, over whelming at first, but it will continue to make sense as you

shoot,

Read, shoot and continue to read the manual so that the machines functions become 2nd

nature, thusly you can put all your energy into creating the most artistic work for your

new clients. The cameras' manual covers all the functions, the basics of digital are here at

this site. The creativity to please clients is already in you!

After shooting 4x5 for 30 years, I have never been soo humbled than after purchasing the

Nikon D2x. After shopping for books I found most ?s answered in the book that came with

the camera. And also,pay close attention to Photo.net with the kind post masters as Ellis &

Micheal B. Your 1st Pro. assignments will return all your investments.

Kindly.

JG