New to photography?

[Grumbledook]

Thought this section could do with something to kick it off, so I had a nose about for some good references to point people too.

So while poking about I found this page that is made by canon that explains the control you have when taking photographs.

Now not all cameras will have control over all these things.
Your basic point and shot may have scene modes (like portrait landscape etc).
The next step up you may have some manual controls to affect the shutter speed and aperture. (Tv and Av modes)
Then there is the SLR camera where you can interchange the lenses as well.

Now while it is made by canon they use terms that are specific to their cameras, eg Av is aperture mode for canon. Nikon it is just marked as A and Tv for shutter speed on canon is just S on nikon. Depending on your camera make, these things may vary.

The basics on what you can control though are the same (if you camera is capable of doing so) its just what the control may be called that can vary.

http://web.canon.jp/imaging/enjoydslr/index.html

So take a read through that and if you have any questions then just ask them. I or someone else will do the best to answer them, or indeed explain any concept further for you.

Enjoy!

[NGM]

yeh i'm complety new! i mean COMPLETLY i know nothing......but its an interest i've had for a while....

I took some photos with my friends camera...he had a nikon d70 with different lenses,and sum sort of flash thingy connected to it (flash thingy? LOL)

anyway,i was thinking about pruchasing a nikon d80,i'm an animator/artist anyway,so good reference photos is always good,but I do want to try my hand at actual great photography...

is the d80 a go0d choice? i had great fun with my friends d70...

[Grumbledook]

Best off asking gear questions in the digital or film gear forums and keeping this for technique questions ;]

On a side note I recommend checking out http://www.dpreview.com for camera reviews.

[John.D]

You'll more than likely find you seem to adapt and understand photography quickly with the artistic mind you have as an artist and animator. I'm guessing you understand computer graphics well with those 2 specialities, so you'll be fine with that side of photography too, and the technical side of the camera. You probably know more than you realise.

As for the camera you were using, the flash 'thingy' your referring to was probably an adapter to connect to an external light source or a flashgun :) The D70 is a very popular camera, and going from what i've read in reviews the D80 continues that legacy ;) - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD80/