Just bought a Canon Rebel t3i...any tips?

[Compaq]

I say screw every tip you get that says you need more gear. If you want to learn photography, then start off with your body and the kit lens. You don't need a tripod unless you feel a specific need for it. You don't need a Canon 70-200/2.8 IS unless you feel a need for it. If you got the 18-55 kit lens, then you have a good lens right there. Learn to use it, and learn to use your camera. You absolutely MUST understand the concept of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, depth of field, exposure. If you don't, then you're not better than any "snap shooter". Don't misunderstand me, I have nothing against snap shooters. Heck, I'm one of them myself. But if you want to take photos that are better than most others, then you need to THINK about what you're shooting and how you're shooting it.

Here are some links that I've found useful. Read them, and apply what you read. Take photo walks where you focus on one element of composition. Make rule of thirds to second nature. To be able to break the rules, you must understand them.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm
http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition_introduction.html
http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/10-top-photography-composition-rules
http://photoinf.com/General/Robert_Berdan/Composition_and_the_Elements_of_Visual_Design.htm
http://digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-composition-tips

 

[Edcculus]

I'd have to agree with Compaq as well. If you really want to learn Photography, forget about all the bells and whistles your camera has, and treat it like its a fully manual mechanical film camera (I'll concede and let you use auto focus though).

Set the camera to Manual mode, and learn how to manipulate shutter speed, and aperture, and how changing them will 1 - change your exposure, and 2 - manage different end results (stopping or blurring motion, depth of field etc).

I'm still a fan of a fixed lens for learning though. I think sometimes zooming can confuse things when you are trying to learn. Using a fixed lens takes out another variable, and lets you really learn composition and framing. If you use the zoom for a while, try to keep track of the focal length you tend to use most on the lens. That might lead you in the direction to which fixed length lens you want.

 

[mdunn]

As a thread hijack, Ive spent the last few days having fun in the priority modes. It usually takes me a few pictures to get what I was trying (specific DOF, specific motion blur etc) but its been good.

 

[scottish steve]

Don't get photoshop!

 

[Compaq]

Using prime lenses is a great advice. If you don't want to buy one, just never zoom on your kit lens Set it to 35mm or 50mm or something like that, in the normal range, and start framing

 

[Ollie4ISU]

My wife and I got that exact camera with the 18-55 and 55-250 lenses. I really like it, but haven't really figured out how to run everything correctly yet. It really shoots some great pictures when set to full auto, but I know it can turn out some REALLY great images once I learn how to use it properly.

 

[Talltexan]

I would suggest Scott Kelby's three series of books on Digital Photography it can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Kelbys-...F8&qid=1343861023&sr=8-8&keywords=scott+kelby

My question would be:

1. What do you like to photograph?
2. How often do you photograph?
etc.

If you'd like to talk more I would be very glad to help. Just PM me

Best,
Jerry

 

[cluelessdude]

I have the same camera and am such a newbie still. I have a question: I bought the seperate Canon flash (450 something I think?) but when I take pictures it still seems like the flash is not much better than the awful built in camera flash. I do check and it does seem like the flash is coming from the external flash. Not sure if it's my picture taking skills or if I had to adjust some settings...

 

[Legion]

Don't get photoshop!

Yeah. Everybody in the industry is wrong.

 

[Edcculus]

I have the same camera and am such a newbie still. I have a question: I bought the seperate Canon flash (450 something I think?) but when I take pictures it still seems like the flash is not much better than the awful built in camera flash. I do check and it does seem like the flash is coming from the external flash. Not sure if it's my picture taking skills or if I had to adjust some settings...

There is a lot that goes into good flash photography, and I'm by no means an expert. One feature you should always look for in a flash, is the ability to tilt the head. Swivel is nice too, but tilt is the most important. That way, in most situations, you can point the flash up so the light bounces off of walls or ceilings, creating a much softer flash effect. Compare that to the straight on flash provided on the camera. Sometimes it can work pretty well as a fill, but thats about it.

 

[Edcculus]

Yeah. Everybody in the industry is wrong.

Haha, I agree. But to most people, Photoshop is synonymous with cloning in fake backgrounds, or huge fake sharks. They have taken photo manipulation to mean something has been faked. In most cases, a picture straight off of the camera (or film for that matter) needs some sort of manipulation, whether in a physical or digital darkroom.