Recently, friends and colleagues around me started getting DSLR. The marketing campaign from the camera makers are really going well. Every man and woman on the street believes they can easily achieve those award worthy shots shown in the TVC advertisements. That plus it is cool to be seen hanging a sophisticated piece of technology around one's neck.
Anyhow, a friend living in the states recently, by twist of fate, got hold of a DSLR and got curious how to take the hobby to the next level. She asked me some newbie (aka noob [dont know why so]) questions that under normal circumstances, would get slammed by my cynicism. But coming from a friend, and knowing she is a serious person, I took a kinder approach and gave her as objective an advice that I possibly can. While I was at that, I thought I'd put those down in my blog as well.
Here is the email:
Hey,
I've finally decided to learn to use my D5000 and now has an idea of how to use M mode!! Still trying to get the hang of what does what but so far has been interesting.
Wanted to ask you if you have any recommendations for the followings:
- tripod
- lens for landscape photography
- Filters to get
- software - Photoship CS or Lightroom or others.
Before I even continue to read further, I was very irked by her first sentence about the "M" Mode. Why?! does everyone thinks that SLR users = "M" Mode?!!! What, SLR = sophisticated people hence we must use "M" Mode? Duh.
That went through my mind, but my answer came much toned down:
Getting SLR or DSLR does not mean one HAS to use the deaded “M” mode. Truth: 90% of my shots are in 1 auto mode or another. I use M mode only when the lighting is really too tricky for the camera’s sensor to handle. So don’t be too concern. As long as you understand the 3 things that control the exposure: shutter speed, aperture, sensor sensitivity (aka ISO); and you understand how to use them to get what you want from the picture. example:
a. Motion: fast shutter to freeze motion or to prevent hand shake blur, slow shutter to create motion blur. If neither are important in that shot you want, then shutter is the last thing you’d think about in that shot.
b. Sharpness and depth of field: controlling aperture when you want large amount of objects in the shot to be relatively sharp, or limit the focus so as to create attention to your intended subject (this is usually the time when you need a tripod, later)
c. My rule for ISO (I stress that this is my rule because no other books will say this): use as low as possible the ISO setting that your environment allows. This helps to retains as much details as possible. There will be exceptions, but only when you need it to be otherwise.
Breathe... ok. I shall deal with the other questions after my National Service and a much awaited holiday to Europe.
