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Everyone! This is my first time posting in the photography section, and I'm hoping you can all help me a little bit.
I've been wanting a DSLR for a very long time, but could never take the plunge and buy one. I love to take pictures, but I know nothing about photography so that was my reason not to make the purchase. I had been looking at several cameras and knew I wanted to go with a Nikon and had a few in mind. Well, my DH decided to surprise me and bought me the Nikon D3000 for mother's day.
At first I was sooo excited, because this is one of the cameras I was interested in, but now I'm a little scared of it. I opened the manual and just saw a lot of gibberish I didn't understand, and I'm thinking it was a silly purchase because I don't know anything about this camera.
Plus, I'm wondering what I'm going to do with it when I go to WDW and want to go on a ride. I can't just leave it in my daughter's diaper bag, and I wouldn't want to take it on the ride with me. All of these questions are going through my head...am I being totally silly or do I have legit concerns?
I would suggest taking an online course on how to shoot in the other modes (other than auto). And get a book on the camera from a book store.
If you would like a suggestion on a short class (around $50), PM me!
I carried my D90 on my person. There was no way that I was going to leave it on the stroller.
Once you get going with your photography, practice, practice, practice!!!
__________________
Been to WDW a million times... was even a Cast Member! Next Trip: March '12
Still thinking of going to the F&W Festival again....
Practice and experiment -- that's how I've learned using my Sony a100. It goes on all the rides with us (though we did manage to lose the lens cap in October, but I retrieved it from the Lost and Found).
I have this camera and it is pretty easy to use. I was a P&S kind of gal before I bought my Nikon. I have done some reading online and I am planning on taking a course at my local camera shop to learn more. I hope you enjoy your new camera!
Thanks everyone! I would love to take a class at our local community college, but my spare time is so limited right now. I guess I'll look into an online course and just play around with it. I'm still nervous about using this expensive camera with no experience, but I guess I've got to learn sometime right? So here goes nothing...we're going to the D.C. zoo this weekend so I guess that would be the perfect time to try this thing out.
The trip to the zoo sounds the perfect time to try it out. I felt the same way when I first got my DSLR, but as I've played around with the settings and special effects I'm finding that I know more about it all the time. using it! And I hope we'll get to see some pictures.
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Thanks everyone! I would love to take a class at our local community college, but my spare time is so limited right now. I guess I'll look into an online course and just play around with it. I'm still nervous about using this expensive camera with no experience, but I guess I've got to learn sometime right? So here goes nothing...we're going to the D.C. zoo this weekend so I guess that would be the perfect time to try this thing out.
Congrats on the new camera!
And the zoo is a wonderful place to start using it.
The only way you're going to really learn the camera is to use it. For starters, put the camera in auto or "P" mode. In these modes, the camera will act like a point-and-shoot, it will set everything, all you have to concentrate on is focusing and composing. This lets you take relatively great pictures without constantly worrying about all those special features/functions. It also lets you get used to handling the camera.
Once you're used to it, get into the manual and play. Every day take it out and play for a little bit. Explore the manual with the camera in your hand. Take pictures of everything, the walls, the house, the kids, the yard, bugs, birds and the sky. The more you use it, the more comfortable you'll become with it.
And the zoo is a wonderful place to start using it.
The only way you're going to really learn the camera is to use it. For starters, put the camera in auto or "P" mode. In these modes, the camera will act like a point-and-shoot, it will set everything, all you have to concentrate on is focusing and composing. This lets you take relatively great pictures without constantly worrying about all those special features/functions. It also lets you get used to handling the camera.
Once you're used to it, get into the manual and play. Every day take it out and play for a little bit. Explore the manual with the camera in your hand. Take pictures of everything, the walls, the house, the kids, the yard, bugs, birds and the sky. The more you use it, the more comfortable you'll become with it.
and have fun!!!
Thanks so much for the great advice. It's nice to know that I can use it in a mode that won't be too confusing for me...I didn't even know I could do that.
I also work in Baltimore, and I'm a couple of blocks away from the inner harbor, so on my lunch break I can play around with it as well. I'll look like a tourist in my own city, but oh well, if that's how I'm going to learn than I'll do it.
This is what I love about these boards, all of the wondeful people that help each other out so much!
If it becomes to much for you, you can give it to me.....I would even pay the
shipping...LOL
I use a padded shoulder bag to hold my camcorder (Im a video person)
and it goes on all the rides with me. On Rockin Roller Coaster or Space Mountain
if the camcorder is not in my hand its in the bag
with the strap around my leg. So its not going anywhere
Now if you have the D3000 with the smaller lens
it should not be a problem.
LizardCop, Dave Marx, Willcad all carry large camera's and should be
able to suggest some things to put your camera in.
As far as learning your camera, check out some local camera shops. Most have classes/workshops for DSLRs as well as one that are camera specific. The few that's I've done over the years have been very affordable and informative. If you don't want to take a class, just get out and practice. The more you use it, the more you learn. Also, most camera shops are staffed by folks who are photographers themselves or love to take pictures and can offer some advice. Nikon's website might have some tutorials as well. I have a Canon 50D and I know their website has some. As for taking the camera out and about with you. Take it!! Mine goes everywhere in all sorts or bags and just out on it's own. I have a few different bags depending on how much gear I want to take with me. Have fun experimenting!
Thanks so much for the great advice. It's nice to know that I can use it in a mode that won't be too confusing for me...I didn't even know I could do that.
I also work in Baltimore, and I'm a couple of blocks away from the inner harbor, so on my lunch break I can play around with it as well. I'll look like a tourist in my own city, but oh well, if that's how I'm going to learn than I'll do it.
This is what I love about these boards, all of the wondeful people that help each other out so much!
Congrats on your new camera; that's a pretty nice Mothers Day present.
I live in Cockeysville and have gone to the Inner Harbor to shoot pics many times over the years. It's a great place to practice, and has a lot of photographic situations that are similar to WDW - crowds, buildings, water, sky, indoor, outdoor, food, etc.
As IncredaMan mentioned, I also carry a big camera at WDW, typically on a harness rather than a strap. But I rarely have trouble with it on rides, because few of the rides at WDW are constricting thrill rides. On rides like POTC, TTA, SM, Buzz, and even ToT, my camera generally stays on the harness. On Mission: Space, Star Tours, Dinosaur, and a few others, the camera fits in the storage compartment that's provided. On thrill rides like RnRC and BTMRR, the camera usually gets put between my feet, with the harness twisted around my legs to hold it in place.
For water rides and rainy days, I usually use a home-made camera poncho. It keeps the camera totally dry and can still allow shooting while inside, though it takes a little practice.
As for "learning the camera", you can forget that! Instead, "learn photography." Or, at least, learn a little more photography.
Take LizardCop's advice and start with your camera in P mode, which is an automatic mode that's far superior to the Green Box mode. As you learn more about the basics of photography, like exposure and composition, you can try someof the other modes and learn the techniques you need to make them work. I've been using SLR cameras for 10 years, and I'm still learning those basics, so you can obviously take your own time with it.
And to start your learning process, here is a link to an online glossary that lists basic photographic terminology. This should help to explain some of that gibberish you see in the manual of your new camera. Glossary of Digital Photography Terminology
Just remember: The camera doesn't take pictures. YOU take pictures. The camera is just a tool that you use when you take pictures.
. Well, my DH decided to surprise me and bought me the Nikon D3000 for mother's day.
Yay! I got one for Christmas and I am still trying to learn how to use it. I plan to take it on vacation with us in a couple weeks to Mackinac Island, MI so we will see how it goes. I really hope this fall I can take some classes either online or at a local shop.
Thanks everyone for all of the great advice and information! So far I have been taking all of my pictures in the P mode, because I really have no choice, I don't have a clue what I'm doing in any other mode. I am an impatient perfectionist, which makes me the worst person to be learning this, but I'm taking it little by little, and it's nice to know there are people out there that have been doing this for years and are still learning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WillCAD
I live in Cockeysville and have gone to the Inner Harbor to shoot pics many times over the years. It's a great place to practice, and has a lot of photographic situations that are similar to WDW - crowds, buildings, water, sky, indoor, outdoor, food, etc.
I live in Bel Air, but like I said, I work in Baltimore City, so if you see a girl by the inner harbor looking absolutely clueless while using her new camera that would be me. Just make sure you stop me and say !
I've been playing around with all the different settings in auto & P-mode, and I've also been reading Nikon D3000 for Dummies, which is helping me a lot. Once I've got all the basics understood, then I will move on to bigger and better things...like a better lens. I'm going to put that on my Christmas list! The real challenge will be taking it to WDW when we go in September and seeing how well I do with it there.
About This Page: 
Everyone! This is my first time posting in the photography section, and I'm hoping you can all help me a little bit.
I opened the manual and just saw a lot of gibberish I didn't understand, and I'm thinking it was a silly purchase because I don't know anything about this camera. 
or do I have legit concerns?
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
using it! And I hope we'll get to see some pictures.
but oh well, if that's how I'm going to learn than I'll do it. 
Just make sure you stop me and say 
Linear Mode
