This week I’ll be spending the majority of my blogging energy on daily photography posts.
I’ll be covering subjects such as:
* Aperture
* Shutter Speed
* Maximizing your camera
* Composition and Cropping
* Getting Creative
I would love to open up a forum where you readers are given an opportunity to ask questions, as well as answer questions that others might have. I’ll be trying to answer questions throughout this series of posts, and if I don’t know something…I’ll try to point you in the right direction where you can find the answer.
I’ll be covering APERTURE later on today.
Any photography related questions that you might have (no matter how dumb you think they are) can be asked here. It’s time to start getting some better pictures.
Ask away…
Great!! I can’t wait for these posts! I have always used a point-and-shoot but recently got a used Fuji FinePix S2 Pro from a pro photographer friend. I love, love, love this camera, but I am having a really hard time understanding how to use it. Especially do not understand what the different markings mean on the lens and how to use those!!!
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So exciting. Got an entry SLR (Nikon D40) and I need help with everything. Can’t wait.
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Ryan, could you list your photography equipment so we know what you’re shooting with? Also, I’m super interested to find out which lens you use for all of the cool wide-angle shots you get. Thanks!
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w00t! I am excited for this!
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Hey Ryan I just bought a Sony digital camera $149 so not very expensive. Oh I am so rookie at all this so please excuse my cluelessness. Its a cyber shot and really all I could afford. I started a blog on blogger. I am a baker and want to show off conquests. My memory card doesnt fit in my pc anywhere. Do I need a flashdrive adapter thingy or a usb cord? There is a small plug in camera with usb symbol but tiny. Which would be better? Help if you have time please. Karyn
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I own a Nikon D80 and understand on an intellectual level all of the basic aspects of photography — aperture, shutter speed, ISO. My problem comes with encountering a situation where I want to photograph, and remembering to tackle ALL of the settings. What to do in each situation to get the best picture with as little tinkering in Photoshop as possible. Especially with intense sunlight/backlit images and low light situations. What’s the most important settings to remember for a variety of situations? What can you sort of skimp on if your memory fails, and what’s too important to forget?
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I love some photo tips. I guess I need a better camera first.
Come visit my blog today if you’d like to participate in my Pay It Forward Contest. Sharing with all the daily readers and bloggers I read daily.
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how about shooting moving (children) indoors when lighting is less than ideal. (I’ve tried to bump the ISO and lower the aperature) – but what if you want a crisp picture? Help!
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Oooh, this sounds exciting! I have no specific questions (I’m a newbie to photography so I’ll take any pointers I can get), but wanted to let you know that I eagerly await your first post!
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I can’t wait to read these posts! Thanks!
I would like to know how to achieve Nikon’s “Vivid” mode in a Canon? What should the parameters be set at?
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I am just now beginning to use a digital SLR after many (20 +) using a Minolta SL201 35mm camera. I am struggling to convert that knowledge to my new Canon XTi DSLR. So any basic stuff would be great. I’ve had problems with my pictures being a bit too dark but now that I’ve adjusted the ISO and set the aperture manually I seem to be over exposing my shots. Frankly I’d rather have them a bit dark rather than over exposed. Much easier to lighten then darken.
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Sounds fun! I’ve been reading here since you and Pioneer Woman began partnering up for some posts, and I have really enjoyed your photography.
I am kind of a newbie at serious photography, and while I am quite comfortable and decent at taking photos of stationary things, I’m crap at photos of moving objects. You capture your lovely daughter very well, and I bet she’s bouncing all over the place for half of your shots. …This is my very long way of asking how you adjust your settings for action shots, especially those in variable lighting conditions.
Also, how do you take care of your camera lenses? Do you use filters for protection (or filtering)? What’s a good method/product for keeping them clean and dust-free?
Can’t wait to read your posts in this series!
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Can we get a tutorial on lenses? S’il vous plait. I have the basic 18-55mm that came with the camera, but would like to get an overview of what wide angle does, wide angle macro, zoom, all the different sizes and lengths. When I start looking at them, I get overwhelmed very quickly.
Thanks!
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PLease let us know what kind of camera and lens you’ll be using. I don’t have a dslr, just a point and shoot (Canon I3) that has the ability to have lenses put on it and I’ve been making do with that. SO I usually take what the more fancy cameras have instructions for and trying to modify them for us poor folk!
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I’m looking around for my first SLR camera. What would you recommend for a beginner? I’d prefer to work in digital. I will be shooting people mostly.
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I think what lazy noobs like me would really want to know is: Do you have some sort of short-cut formulae for shooting certain stuff? Like, for kids: aperture A, shutter speed B; indoor shots: aperture X, shutter speed Y, etc. Do you ever use turn that knob to ‘Auto’? Come on, ‘fess up
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I am looking forward to these posts. Between the photography I have seen on your site, Pioneer Woman’s Site and Bakerella’s site I am on a quest to become a better photographer. I know I have it in my genes. Both my brother and dad have made careers in photography. It is kind of funny that I am just now fascinated by it. I am definitely a sponge for information! Especially info presented in a very easy to understand non-technical way.
Thanks!
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Yay! I love photography tutorials! I’m an SLR newbie and need all tips offered.
Looking forward to the posts…
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What do I do in order to have items in focus not just on the closer item of main focus, but also behind that item (rather than being blurred out)? I have a Nikon D70 digital SLR.
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I always shoot on auto focus b/c I don’t know enough about the manual settings. Is there a concise way to remember what setting means what, and how photos are affected by going higher or lower w/in that setting. I sometimes see category definitions, but not a description of how that manifests, and whether one needs to ramp it up, or simmer it down.
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Hi, I’d love to hear about the application of different lenses. My husband and I are going on a road trip to Yellowstone in a couple of months and we were thinking of renting a wide angle and a telephoto lens. Any advice on who to rent from, and the best way to capture outdoor shots? We have a Cannon digital rebel slr. Oh, and any advice on lighting you may have (natural, that is)… Thanks!
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I’m so looking forward to this! I took photography in HS, a bazillion years ago. I no longer shoot with film, but I understand the basics of aperture, shutter speed, depth of field. The trick is translating that to my Canon point & shoot (Powershot A570). It’s capable of playing with all those things, but I’m pretty lazy about it! I dream of getting another camera, bigger zoom, but I don’t really need it for what I usually do.
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I recently was gifted with Photoshop Elements, and I would love to have a starting point for that. I don’t even know where to begin when opening the program. Do you have book recommendations, maybe?
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Assuming we are leaning towards digital cameras, a good topic to cover would be the difference between RAW and JPG image types.
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oh my goodness! This is a great blog! Thank you so much! What photo shop do you use? I have CS3 and the learning curve is ugh!
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I have trouble shooting indoors, in FOCUS with my current kit lens. Does opening up to a wide aperture (my lowest is 3.5) mean that I am choosing a shallow depth of field and prevent me from capturing much beyond portraits?
Also, what’s a good aperture to shoot group shots with? With several people in the shot, I have a really tough time getting all those faces in focus. I have an Olympus E-volt 520 with the 14-42mm kit lens. Thanks P. Ryan!
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Does “How do I convince my husband to let me buy a new 40d?” count as a photography question? If not, then proceed.
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Ah, you are an answer to prayer!!!! I need this more than you know. Well, how would you know? Anyway, I’m stoked!
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By the way, I need to know how to shoot indoors, in the evening (this Wed. evening!!! AAHHH!!!), without a flash. I have a D80 and D50 and my lowest (besides my 50mm) is 3.5. Thanks!!!
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I look forward to this!! I have a Nikon D40 and I know it can do more than I currently do with it… so I’m hoping to learn a lot from you!
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I too need to buy a digital camera. Where should I start? Just want to be able to zoom in closer to my subjects for better shots on my blog. Not planning to do any photo shopping or anything. Just the basics.
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Oh I am so excited for this!
One of my biggest questions is about focusing. I have a nice digital camera with 12x optical zoom, but say I want to get a close up photo of a flower. I have tried being further away and using the zoom, or getting physically closer and not zooming so much, but the result is that my camera focuses on a tree way far away, rather than on what I want to take a picture of. :-/ I know I am probably going to have to go manual to get it not to do that, but I sure was hoping there was some way to get the automatic to focus on what I want it to focus on!! You said dumb questions were allowed, so there it is! 
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I would like to know why it is that sometimes I can get more than one subject in focus with my aperture wide open and other times I can only get one subject in focus? I am using a 50mm 1.8.
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Focal points….do you keep switching yours around? I take a lot of sports pics of my kids and can’t decided if the center spot or all the points selected gives the better outcome!
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here’s a dumb question….what the heck is aperture?
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I have a Nikon D40. Recently I’ve noticed that my photos are coming out blurry when I upload them to my computer. They don’t look blurry on the camera’s preview. I may be crazy though.
How could I improve the clarity of my shots? Both indoors and out.
Thanks Ryan!
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Hi Ryan,
What settings do you use when you take indoor shots? My flash always thinks it needs to be used and it makes my pictures so ick! I’m not always very handy with manual settings, but am willing to learn. What’s your trick??
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Can you start with the basics? I just received a Canon Rebel SLR, and all I can do is use the automatic settings. I’m very confused about adjusting the shutter speed. Also, for those of us who have no way of getting the super-expensive photoshop, do you have any other program recommendations for photo editing?
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What kind of camera does one need to understand the camera language you are using on this post. Yeah real dumb question but I know you’ll forgive….I have a lame point and shoot camera, you can zoom but nothing like the shots I’ve seen you take! I’m hopeless! I have such photo opportunities too and someday soon want the camera like you have or similiar so I can learn the lingo, etc. Plus my 9 year boy has the most amazing eyes and eyelashes and would love to take a close up of that someday….God bless!
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YEAH! I am SO excited about this. I have been requesting that you please talk about photography on your blog and now my wish has come true. I can’t wait for you to get started.
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Wow, this is great! Just last week I got my first digital SLR and need all the help I can get!
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I’m with a bunch of other commenters…How do I pick out a camera? Thanks for doing these posts!!!
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What kind of camera do you use? After MUCH research, I ordered a Canon Digital Rebel last week and am waiting to receive it. I hope I didn’t make a mistake. . .
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can’t wait! this is just what i’ve been obsessing about lately and i love your photos perfect.
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Question on sharpening using unsharpen mask. Do you have favorite sharpening settings?
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I have a Nikon D40. Seriously, I have no idea what all those letters are on top of the camera: M A S P. I just end up using Auto.
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I can’t seem to get metering under control. I understand how my camera’s internal light meter works (Nikon D70s). But how do I know which metering mode to use (spot, center-weighted) and how do I go about using my light meter creatively? Or at all for that matter? my shots always seem overexposed!
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I’d like to know how to get the most out of my Nikon D40. I only have the kit lenses 18-55 and 55-200. Those will have to do me for a long time. Also, indoor photography and flash/no flash. How to reduce noise at the higher ISOs. I’m looking forward to this series!
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Unfortunately, I’m not a photographer. See you next week
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Cool of you to do this. Finally replaced my Minolta point and shoot that died a couple of years ago with the Canon Powershot SX110. Should have seen my husband power shopping with all the other guys. Anyway I loved my Minolta and took great shots with it and there is big gap in my kid’s growing phase missing because of it. But I’m back at it. I need to learn to use the manual thing. I have the same problem with the flash someone mentioned earlier too. If I use the flash I have small shiny light spots.
I really need to learn how to get my old pictures (and some really really old pictures) scanned. So if you know anyone or place that can help with that too, please help. I have a scanner at home (no clue what) and one at work (on the big really nice copier).
Photoshop is great to play around in so I am looking forward to what you do. Loved the previous posts. Almost by accident I made a cool looking cross stitch picture with a flower photo.
Thanks Ryan
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Yay! I’m looking forward to this…
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I would love to know about ISO – when to change it. I keep my camera on ISO 1600 for just about everything, but I know I should change it some of the time….I just don’t get it. I’m confused about how it all relates – ISO, Aperature, Shutter Speed.
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