tonycooper

<p>I have a D40, but I wouldn't buy a book on the D40. I can't imagine what you could learn from a book specifically about the D40 that you can't get from the manual and some experimental shooting.<br>

I'd cast the net wider and buy a book on photography in general. I happen to like Scott Kelby's style, but there are other books. A chapter on, say, the effect of aperture setting applies to any camera, so you don't need specifics for Nikon D40 when it comes to aperture.<br>

The D40 has some special mode settings like landscape, portrait, child, sports, etc. Nothing exclusive to Nikon. The best way to learn about these is by experimentation. Shoot a landscape shot with the camera set to "Auto" and then immediately take the same shot with the dial mode set to landscape. Compare the difference (if any) and see if you want to bother with these modes again. Do the same for all of them.<br>

The M, A, S, and P settings are also common to all dslrs. Read about these in general photography book and anything you learn applies to the D40 and any other brand or model of camera<br>

After a few months of ownership of my D40, using it, and reading the manual, there's nothing I need to learn about the D40. I have much to learn about photography, though.</p>

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<p>As far as I'm concerned, any editing of the photograph that does not substantially alter the scene is an unmanipulated photograph. Allowable is cropping, minor cloning, adjustments in color, sharpening, ect. You can't add anything or take out anything important to the scene and claim the photo is unmanipulated. Replacing the sky is manipulation. Cloning out a piece of trash is not.</p>

 

<p>When I was in Kenya I was told that the Masai did not want their photographs to be taken. I snapped off a few shots of a Masai who did not see me taking his photograph, but another Masai quickly told him. The Masai I photographed came up to me and demanded payment. Not verbally, but the gestures were clear. That was in the days of film when images couldn't be deleted, and I wasn't about to burn a whole roll of exposed film.<br>

I gave him 100 Kenyan shillings (US $6.00 at the time) and he left. Apparantly satisfied. My guide was disgusted. He told me that I could have hired the Masai and his family for the entire day as a photographic subjects for 100 shillings.</p>

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<p>A question for Ray House...That's a good job on the photo, but I don't understand "slightly blurred and desaturated edges". How do you go about this? I don't see, in the image, where this has been done.</p>

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<p>Orlando Camera Club < http://www.orlandocameraclub.com/ > has monthly competitions with four categories. Color A, Color B, Monochrome A, and Monochrome B. Professional photographers must enter the "A" groups. On average, there are 50 to 90 submissions (a member can enter only one photo) per month. Any photo that is significently enhanced in post-post processing is considered a "color" photo. I'm fine with this system.</p>

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<p>Colonial Photo and Hobby < http://shop.cphfun.com/ > is the largest camera store here in Orlando, and Harmon Photo < http://www.harmonphoto.com/sitemap.html > is the other dedicated camera store. There is a Ritz Camera outlet, but their selection is limited. I know both Colonial and Harmon carry Bogen/Manfrotto, but I don't know about Gitzo. Both have a good selection of accessories on the floor.<br>

Colonial has an 800 number listed on their website, so you can check for specific products. Both stores are sponsors of the Orlando Camera Club (of which I am a member), so I hesitate to recommend one over the other.<br>

If you come to Orlando on the first or fourth Monday of any month, try to attend an Orlando Camera Club meeting. < http://www.orlandocameraclub.com/ for details > It's a large club with several professional members. You could obtain some good feedback if you'd state your interest at the beginning of a meeting.</p>

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<p>With my Nikon D40 and 55/200 lens, I usually shoot Program or aperture priority and RAW. I have my ISO set to 200 (not Automatic) for sunny Florida daylight shots.<br>

In looking at the EXIF data, I noticed that the ISO ranges from 200 to 1000. I thought that if I set the ISO at 200 that it would always shoot at 200. Did the same thing today when shooting shutter priority.<br>

I convert the images from NEF to DNG when I upload them in Bridge, and it's the DNG file that shows the range in ISO if that makes any difference.</p>

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<p>Go to some of the photography sites and look for images that look like they display properly in your estimation. Cruise through some of the links in this forum and open the sites. Cruise the SmugMug sites. Right click on the images and go to Properties. This will tell you the size of the image you are looking at. You'll probably end up with images that are between 600 and 800 pixel on the longest side. <br>

You can, however, embed a link to a larger version of your image with a simple HTML code so the site has one image that downloads, and a link to a larger version with your image host.</p>

 

<p>Speaking of Florida sky...this image was shot two days earlier than the polo game, but the sky is bluer. No post-processing enhancement or polarizer. I really wouldn't want the blue any deeper. </p><div></div>

<p>Replying to several comments:</p>

<p>1. The person commenting regularly shoots polo matches in California. This was my first time. I see that pale, cloudless, afternoon sky frequently in Florida, so I really didn't think about this aspect. Perhaps the sky color is richer blue in California.<br>

2. I'm fairly adept at Photoshop, but this was series of shots for my SmugMug site (http://www.tonycooper.smugmug.com), and not a single image for judging. I can't see doing a layer mask and adjusting the sky in 30-some images in a gallery. I'm not lazy, but the image is the horses and riders. Besides, masking tree tops like this never come out right.<br>

3. While I appreciate all comments on this example (1 of 39 in the gallery), my real interest here is in the future use of the circular polarizer. I carry it in my bag for water and glass shots. It never occured to me to use it for this kind of shoot. <br>

4. I played around with the polarizer on this afternoon and took in some sky. Florida afternoon sun is bright, bright, bright. And harsh. The "make an 'L' rule" doesn't work because there's no strong direction from the sun. Frankly, I couldn't see much difference between with and without the polarizer.<br>

5. I'm puzzled by Kari's comments about "horrible jpeg-artifacts" in the sky. I can't see them.<br>

6. Back to the question...when do *you* use a polarizer? What do you see in the scene that prompts you to put it on?</p>

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<p>Forgot to include a link to an example: http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f244/cooper213/polosky.jpg</p>

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<p>In another forum, I recently posted some images I shot at a polo match. Someone commented that my sky was washed-out and that I should be using a circular polarizer. It was a cloudless day, and the sky was pale blue. I shot mid-afternoon on a very sunny day. </p>

<p>What's suggested about using a cp? Leave it on all the time when shooting outside on bright days? Use it only when...? Any guidelines when to bring it out of the bag?</p>

<p>I shoot RAW and upload to Bridge/CS4, so I can adjust the .DNG (I use a Nikon D40) post.</p>