Novice SLR shooting advice

Novices may think that SLR cameras are not as light as card machines, but they also have irreplaceable advantages. The following are my suggestions for novice SLR shooting. Let's have a look.

Suggestion 1: Read the instructions.

I know it's boring, but reading the instructions carefully can really help you use your new camera flexibly and confidently. Understand the function of each function and key, so as not to be at a loss when needed. Remember that your SLR camera can do more and better than you think.

Read the instructions

Recommendation 2: Learn the most basic knowledge of shutter, aperture and sensitivity.

One of the most powerful features of digital SLR camera is that it provides a complete manual control function, which allows photographers to get the photos they want accurately. This function is very powerful, but it may also discourage novices who are at a loss in the face of a bunch of numbers and icons.

The only way to give full play to this advantage is to learn the basic knowledge about shutter speed, aperture and sensitivity, and understand how they affect photo shooting.

Recommendation 3: Turn off the automatic mode.

Once you understand the above basic knowledge, you can enter the lowest level of SLR camera ability-creative mode. Keeping the automatic mode allows you to take decent photos, but you never really know what you get, because the camera decides everything.

It is recommended to start with aperture priority mode. In this mode, the user controls the aperture and the camera will automatically select the appropriate shutter. First, choose a sensitivity suitable for light environment (low light or bright environment), and then see what effect it will have if you change to a different aperture-pay attention to the change of shutter speed.

Manual mode adjustment

Recommendation 4: Turn off the overhead flash.

The overhead flash will emit direct strong light, which will destroy the atmosphere at the scene. Modern cameras have amazing shooting ability in low light environment. Turn off the flash to improve the sensitivity, and you will get satisfactory results.

Shooting in low light environment

Suggestion 5: Try a cheap fixed-focus lens.

If your camera has a hood, it should be a standard zoom lens, covering the most commonly used focal length range. The pullover can be used in most cases, but it is not very good in low light environment and the picture quality is not beautiful enough.

Canon, Nikon and Sony all have very cheap 50mm fixed-focus lenses. You can get a shallow depth of field with this lens, and you can get better picture quality with a large aperture in low light. My old camera Canon 350D and plastic EF 50mm f/ 1.8 can take very good photos.

However, I give you a warning that these lenses will "poison" many people and lead them to pursue expensive lenses.

Cheap fixed-focus lenses can also make good films.

Suggestion 6: shoot all kinds of different things.

Most people don't know what kind of photographer they are when they first come into contact with SLR cameras. Still life, street shooting, pets, objects, portraits ... you can try to shoot once and see which ones will excite you. Even if you find that you are not very interested in some fields, you can learn to broaden your photography skills.

Try different types of shooting.

Recommendation 7: shoot more.

For film cameras, every shutter press is a cost, but for digital cameras, it is completely free. I'm not suggesting "taking pictures everywhere"-you should think carefully before taking every picture. The more you practice, the faster you will learn.

When you are at home, get your camera ready and take it with you when you go out. You can find some time to go out and take pictures if you have the conditions.

Take the camera with you

Recommendation 8: shoot with RAW

Digital SLR cameras allow you to choose to save files in RAW or JPEG format. JPEG photos have been processed by the camera-saturation, contrast and other settings have been adjusted. The RAW file retains all the information generated by the sensor, and you need to do post-processing on the computer.

It sounds like JPEG files are easier to handle, but the opposite is true. RAW files give you a lot of freedom to correct mistakes in shooting (especially exposure and white balance). Software such as Apple Aperture or Adobe Lightroom can make post-management and editing of photos easier.

Save as original file.

Recommendation 9: Print some large-size photos.

In the era when our hard disk is full of thousands of photo files, the pleasure of printing large-size photos will never be satisfied. Looking at physically real photos is a special feeling, which you can't feel in front of the display screen.

Even the lowest-end digital SLR camera can print large-size photos with excellent quality. You can hang it at home or make a photo album. There are many ways to bring photos into real life.

Real photos are more fulfilling.

Suggestion 10: Share photos.

Like printing photos, sharing photos online is one of the ways to make photos more existential. POCO.CN is such a photo sharing platform, where it is easy to find the audience of your works and a group of people who share your hobbies and skills. Offline parties often start online. When you get familiar with your new camera, you can find like-minded friends around you to participate in offline shooting of POCO.