So, you’ve finally got your hands on a brand new DSLR. I’m sure now that you have it, you’re wondering, “What now?!” First off, congratulations! Owning a DSLR can be a lifechanging experience. (It’s what helped me make the change from Photography Watcher, to a Photographer Doer.) Below are some tips to help you get started with your new DSLR camera. Feel free to comment after the article with your own tips for people!
#1 – Take your camera off the Auto settings as a soon as possible and start shooting on Manual mode.
Using the Auto setting on cameras can be very tempting. Sure, you will certainly get some lovely photos shooting with the auto setting, but it will limit you from taking your photographs to the next level. Shooting in Manual mode can mean the difference between creating something that’s good, to creating something that’s amazing! Take the time to learn how your camera works and all of it’s capabilities. Switching from Auto mode to Manual mode will open up a world of possibilities such as shooting in low lighting conditions or bright sunshine, shooting action shots and other fast moving objects, creating that lovely blurry background that all photographers desire, and much much more. The list of possibilities is endless.
#2 – Understand the terms “ISO”, “Shutter Speed” and “Aperture”, as well as how to use these settings.
I’ve listed below a few tutorials as a starting point for learning how to control your camera. There are some great articles all over the internet to help you get started, as well as numerous books. Be sure to look into the topics below to maximize your potential in photography.
Also, you can check out the quick little reference guide below to help you understand these three things even more. I found this image on Facebook a while ago.
#3 – Google is and will be, your best friend.
There are a ton of free tutorials, blogs, and YouTube videos to help you develop your photography skills and knowledge. Be sure to use what’s already out there on the internet before buying expensive books and enrolling in expensive photography courses. Google will help you find all that you desire to know with just a few clicks on your own computer.
#4 – Your manual for your camera will be your second best friend.
Are you the type of person who actually reads instruction manuals when you get something new, or are you the type of person who just puts the manuals back in the box to never see the light of day again? I must confess that generally, I’m the latter. Some of the best advice you will find when starting out with your new camera, is to read your camera instruction manual cover to cover. When you are finished doing so, you should probably go back and do it all over again. Why? Because going through your manual for the first time, you will see a lot of “oohs” and “ahhhs” about what to do with your camera, and how to do it. If you haven’t already picked up that little manual book that came in the box, then put it at the top of your photography “to do” list. You will certainly be glad you did. If for some reason your camera did not come with a manual, you can use Google to search for it, and usually you will find a PDF version online. Just search by brand and model number of your camera, and you will likely find it.
#5 – Be sure to take your camera EVERYWHERE!!
This should be a top priority for you if you really want to learn how to use your camera well. Don’t just have your camera tucked away somewhere. Be sure to take it out of it’s bag and hang it around your neck. You’re more likely to use the camera if it is within your immediate reach, and not out of sight. Be sure to get yourself a UV filter to protect the front of your lens, and leave the lens cap off so you’re ready to photograph anything that catches your eye. Don’t miss a moment by leaving your camera behind.
#6 – Friends and Family make great models, but then again so do inanimate objects.
Friends and family can make great models to practice photography on, and will usually be excited when you ask them if you can take a few photos of them. All of our early portrait photos are of friends and family. While having a person to photograph is awesome, don’t let it stop you from practicing portrait photography skills on inanimate objects or even pets, as well.
Place an object on a tabletop or a chair in front of a window and shoot it from every angle. Try different settings with ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture, and find the best settings for the available light you have. Look at the way the light falls on the object and what happens when you move it closer or further away from the light. Once you have exhausted all of the options, be sure to look at your photographs on a computer screen and compare all of the different shots to see what worked well, and what didn’t work out so well. See an example below of a photograph I took just a couple weeks ago during Christmas time. Even inanimate objects help you to learn photography techniques.
#7- Practice makes perfect.
As the saying goes “Practice makes perfect!” We’re so very lucky to be living in a digital world. We are not limited by the number of photographs we can take as we were in the age of film. We can easily upload thousands of photographs to our computer, or delete them all in one go with the press of a single button. Don’t be afraid to take hundreds of photographs. The key is to spend time looking at your photos and analyzing what you could have done differently to make them better. Also, don’t be afraid to go back to images you took in the very beginning of your learning process. One great thing about this digital age, is the ability to look back and actually SEE the difference that your practice has made.
#8 – Mistakes are good – don’t be afraid of them. Learn from them.
It can be quite frustrating when something doesn’t go quite as planned. But, mistakes help you to learn. The more you learn, the fewer mistakes you will make, and the better your photography skills will become. Don’t give up because your photographs aren’t as good as you want them to be. Take plenty of time to read, learn more, and go out and shoot more.
#9 – Be sure to completely master your current gear, before upgrading to newer gear.
Becoming a master of your camera gear will give you an advantage for the really cool (and expensive) stuff you’ll want to purchase later on. You need to know how both your camera and lens behave and how to control them. You need to know how light affects a photograph and how you can work with your environment to create the perfect shot. Once you master this, you will find that when you upgrade your camera or lens, you will be able to get the best of them and use them to their full potential.
Now that you have a few pointers on what you should do with your new DLSR; pick it up, take it outside (or stay in the very room you are reading this article in), and start shooting!
