elnoralouisa

<p>My only comment is whether a person would need it or not. I have found these batteries stay charged longer than any camera I have ever had. I have made it through probably 500 pictures minimum with one battery charge.</p>

<p>IS can make a big difference, especially if you are at 1/20. Even with IS on a DSLR, handheld there will be a problem. The thing is these p&s cameras can give you VERY sharp pictures. For general photography, nothing wrong with them. Most photographers have one. BUT, you will never get the beautiful blurry depth of field with them, and they do have other limitations. <br>

Hope you weren't going for composition on this picture. As far as flower photography, it needs a little work :)</p>

<p>For ppsop, the flower class was the best. The instructors from that also teach the Joy of Photography. I also really enjoyed the 'color' class from there.<br>

I prefer not to mention the teacher I didn't care for at betterphoto.com. Many people say it's a wonderful school, but I have only had experience with one teacher, so don't know how the rest are. This one, more or less ignored anyone who didn't have top of the line photo stuff. He said you had to have it, or you just weren't going to get decent pictures (I did actually learn something from the class, though), but I got to the point where I just quit submitting pictures. Even people in the class were saying on the discussion board that he wasn't being fair about it. I wrote a LONG recap of the class at the end, and never received a response from betterphoto about it.</p>

 

<p>I kept looking at that, and thinking that isn't the way you spell Picasa. <br>

You also don't say what you want to do with the software. If you want to get into cloning, and color channels, and more than simple highlight/shadow changes, and layers, etc., then you need at least Elements, if not the full Photoshop. The cloning in Pisasa is for the birds, but exactly I like the program a lot for basic stuff, and then pictures I really want to work with I go to Photoshop for.</p>

<p>Wow, that's really two ends of the scale. Piscassa is free, and actually great for many little things. Photoshop is several hundred $$, most of it requires training, but is what is used by the majority of pro photographers. Also, how much time do you have for training? Picassa, you can play around with by yourself. Photoshop is going to take hours and hours worth of training if you really want to get anything out of it. Best website for training on photoshop is <a href="http://www.lynda.com">www.lynda.com</a> There is also the in-between Photoshop Elements. <br>

If I were you I would download Picassa for free, and use it. When you need to do more, than think about Photoshop Elements. </p>

<p>I have taken several from <a href="http://www.ppsop.com">www.ppsop.com</a> , which is Bryan Peterson's school. I could recommend them highly enough.<br>

I also took one from better photo. Didn't think that much of it, but might have been the teacher. They have a big following.</p>

 

<p>Wow, those are pink! While I usually use my camera on bright for flowers, for these if you have it on bright, you might want to go down to natural. Also, you should be able to fix it a bit in photoshop. After taking a flower class at <a href="http://www.ppsop.com">www.ppsop.com</a> (if you are really into flowers, you might want to check that out), I learned it's usually better just to work with one flower, unless you have like a field of something like tulips. Try concentrating on one flower, and I think you will be able to get more detail on it.</p>

<p>You need to have what works for you. I had a nice camera that was weatherproof, and very heavy. I traded down to a smaller one that was newer, suits me better, and actually, because it's a newer model, I think the picture quality is better. <br>

You don't have to have the biggest heaviest camera. You need a camera that is best of your type of photography (and if you do a lot of walking around with it, a lighter one!).</p>

<p>I totally 100% recommend <a href="http://www.ppsop.com">www.ppsop.com</a> I have taken several course through them. My favorite will always be the flower class. As far as Photoshop, though, there are cheaper ways, like <a href="http://www.lynda.com">www.lynda.com</a> to learn it.<br>

Many people like BetterPhoto. I have only taken one class through there and happened to end up with a teacher who ignored students who didn't have the best equipment. He basically told me that without this and that, I just wasn't going to get good pictures. That was one teacher so who knows. When I gave my opinion about the class in the after class feedback, I got no response.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I think one of the best places is <a href="http://www.lynda.com">www.lynda.com</a> you can get a monthly subscription for I think $25. I don't know if that Capture one is listed, but Elements for sure is. You can watch videos 24 hours a day if you want :)</p>

<p>Your question isn't really clear. I have had absolutely no problem with flower photography with this camera. Couldn't ask for much better from a kit lens. One thing, are you trying to get too close to the flower with the longer lens? Won't work, it will just keep searching. You have to be a certain distance from the flower. You'll know that you are back far enough when the camera stops searching. Agreed with William about the manual, even though auto does work, even though you have to use single focus.</p>

<p>In addition to exposure comp. you can also bring the highlights out by software. Even something like Picasa will do it. I spent several years doing pictures for a dog rescue, and we had tons of black dogs, but I wasn't always in places where I could set the lighting, etc., so somethings you have to resort to bringing the highlights out with software.</p>

<p>You might want to try a different course online somewhere. I recommend either <a href="http://www.ed2go.com">www.ed2go.com</a> which has some beginner courses, or also <a href="http://www.ppsop.com">www.ppsop.com</a><br>

I also started a 'beginner' course when I first got my camera. They asked for the info from the pictures, something like ISO, apet., shutter speed. etc. I copied it all down. What a pain for several pictures. I had absolutely no clue what any of it was. I didn't go any further in the course. <br>

If you don't understand what you are doing, and why, there's no sense in taking the course.</p>

<p>Also, if you liked Understanding Exposure, he has his own online school at <a href="http://www.ppsop.com">www.ppsop.com</a> where you could learn the stuff, and get feedback right away on your pictures.</p>

<p>If you care anything about the pictures, you will use a pro lab, and not a 'one-hour' lab (I realize film can take longer). The machines are not tested all the time, and every time you print there, you will get different results. Only use these places if you absolutely have to have pictures back within a certain amount of time. Learned this from a relative years ago that worked in the industry, but also had a horrible experience when a family went to have pictures printed for a baby's funeral. The one hour place (will not mention names, but it's on your list) totally messed up the pictures. I had to call the local pro lab, and because of the circumstances, they rushed the order through. That was the end of one hour processing for me.</p>

<p>I don't know how long you have to do this, but <a href="http://www.ppsop.com">www.ppsop.com</a> has a wonderful course in food photograpy. If you go there, you could at least find the link to the instructors websites, and see what they have done.</p>

<p>My first DSLR was an E500, and I switched brands even though I loved it to get Image Stablization. Now back to Olympus with the E620. I love it. I don't know if the kit lenses have improved or not, but that is what I am using. There is just a world of difference between the two. Alot has changed for the better in the last few years.</p>

<p>A lot of people I know (including me), are using <a href="http://www.lynda.com">www.lynda.com</a> It's $20 a month to watch as many videos as you want. They are totally up-to-date with all the latest versions of software. I have taken a few classes in it, and not worth the money usually for the amount you learn.</p>

<p>Darkroom has become a hobby. For people going to college that are looking for a career, and spending all the money to go to college, they need to learn things that are going to get them jobs in the world. So many of the darkroom labs are closing down now. Just no demand for them. <br>

Still an important hobby, and part of our history, but I see no need for it to be a course that is taught in schools any longer.</p>

<p>Don't waste your money. I did the same thing. The best stuff is the already $50 that you spent. There are online courses, such as <a href="http://www.ppsop.com">www.ppsop.com</a> which are current, where you can also see the feedback received by other students, and there are bulletin boards where you can ask questions, and learn not only from the instructors, but people that are interested in the same thing you are. For the $750, you could almost take four course worth. Also, you get feedback within days, instead of months.<br>

From what I heard the updated material isn't all that updated. They moved the same stuff from the cassettes and VHS to CD and DVD, and went and updated a few things in the books. Most of the feedback wasn't worth two cents.</p>

<p>I highly recommend any of the courses at <a href="http://www.ppsop.com">www.ppsop.com</a><br>

That's Bryan Peterson's online school. Have taken several of the courses.</p>

<p>I do Senior pics for friends' kids (not studio), and most of them don't even want to dress up anymore. It's jeans, as many pictures outside as possible, bright colors, and the a million poses. As many weird backgrounds as you can get are the best. I know some of the more expensive studios are able to get the cap and gown colors of the school the kid goes to, but even that isn't done that much anymore. They should be supplying their own clothes, and you should plan on at least a couple of clothing changes. There are hundreds of examples of Senior pics on the web, as most portrait studios offer them. If at all possible, offer them a slideshow of their pics. </p>

<p>Lens are for sure light. Also, flash is lighter. Noise Ninja just becomes your best friend :)<br>

Yes, kit lenses are very nice.</p>

<p>For some of us that aren't professionals, it came down to money. Olympus has the in-camera stablization, so you aren't paying a ton every time you want a new lens. With Canon or Nikon, you have to spend the big bucks right away for lenses, and will continue to. Sharpness on Olympus is great (don't know about comparsion to Canon, just a few of the other lesser brands). If you want to be part of the crowd, then go with Canon or Nikon. Also Canon is greater as far as noise in the pictures. A lot will depend on your long term goals.</p>

<p>Ok, thanks! Guess I didn't lose it!</p>