I thought I’d start off the blog by taking a few minutes just to discuss a common question these days – and one that seems to be asked of those of us with some photography experience. We’ve all been there, whether it’s at work, at home or out with friends, when one of them asks “I’m looking to get a DSLR to take some photos – which is best?” This tends to be followed by trying to make things as simplistic as possible, while they talk about megapixels and the requirement for shooting video also.
I would like to point out that all photographers have different opinions on the subject and my view is quite simply that – mine! Rather than discussing camera brands, features and differences at length here, I will simply start by saying that if you’re looking at splashing out for a DSLR, you obviously have some interest in taking photos – whether that’s because you have a hobby you like to photograph or just takings photos as a hobby in itself.
So if you’re dead set on getting a DSLR, then firstly I would opt to look at both Nikon and Canon cameras and if possible, get a hands on feel with both to see which you prefer. Lenses generally are only compatible with their own brands (i.e. Nikon lenses with Nikon bodies and Canon lenses with Canon bodies) so ideally you want what works for you, rather than switching brands down the line. Although this is common amongst semi/pro photographers as their needs change, I’m trying to save you money in the long run!
Set yourself a budget and stick to it – most DSLRs will come as a kit with a lens and for starting out they are more than sufficient. Don’t get caught up in the hype that a kit lens doesn’t have fancy IS/VR (Image stabilisation / Vibration Reduction) and therefore it means your pictures will come out blurry – they won’t if you know how to take photos in varying conditions! The DSLR world is constantly evolving and new models appearing so there will always be something ‘better’ regardless of what camera you settle with.
What is important and the reason why I’m writing this, is to tell you to focus on what actually matters – and that’s taking the photographs. Give any camera in the world to two different people and they will use it in different ways and quite simply there is no substitute for taking photos, photos and more photos! Practice does make perfect and putting all ‘theory’ aside you should concentrate on the basics – choosing an interesting subject, framing it in an interesting way and then pressing the shutter button. Do it over and over. If you have a DSLR or camera with a lens, don’t use the tele/zoom functionality and keep it set at say 50mm and then do the same again. This forces you to move your body and camera into a suitable shooting position to get the photo you want, rather than be lazy by standing in one place and zooming in and out.
This all seems very basic, but even the best of us sometimes get lazy and it’s always a good way to force yourself to refresh your skills and challenge yourself. I took some photos at a BTCC meeting in 2007 at Thruxton on a Nikon D70 with a 70-200mm lens in pretty low light with a high ISO – the D70 being old tech now compared to what you can pick up these days for a few hundred pounds. However, every time people see the photos they do not for a second believe they were shot on a D70. So it goes to show that it’s not about what kit you use, but the end result that you get. If I can achieve photos like that on ‘old tech’ then it goes to show that you can easily do the same on today’s lower end DSLRs which have more features and better tech than the D70!
It’s about practising your basics – get that right, then you can start to learn how to adapt to different conditions and change the camera settings to suit what you want to capture. Get these basics right and that’s the foundation for your ‘style’ – the thing that will ultimately get you work or interest in your photos by taking photos that ordinary Joe could take, but applying your own technique to make it something different and unique.
So for now, get out there and take at least 1 photo a week of something interesting – don’t play with camera settings – just stick it in Auto and concentrate on taking an interesting picture. Once that’s done, we’ll look in future at how you can take those interesting photos, and then make it even more interesting by starting to experiment with manipulating light – both ambient and off-camera.
Matt.
