Where do I start?

I used to be an advanced photographer but haven't been able to do much for a few years.  I seem to have forgotten  many basics.  Can you suggest where/how I should start again?


2016-02-06

wideangle1 wrote:I used to be an advanced photographer but haven't been able to do much for a few years.  I seem to have forgotten  many basics.  Can you suggest where/how I should start again?

Try to make it about the things you photograph, and not the photography itself.  

Get out there and enjoy nature.  Look around and take note of the things you see that you find to be most interesting and most beautiful.  Return to those places later in the day to see how they look different as the light changes.   

Find things that would make for interesting subjects, and then look all around for the things that would make the most interesting backgrounds for those subjects.  Start thinking about how the subject will look at different times of the day, and how the backgrounds will look at different times of the day.  

Figure out what inspires you the most, and then concentrate on that thing.  

All of this can be done with - or without - a camera.  

Tom Reichner wrote:

wideangle1 wrote:I used to be an advanced photographer but haven't been able to do much for a few years.  I seem to have forgotten  many basics.  Can you suggest where/how I should start again?

Try to make it about the things you photograph, and not the photography itself.  

Get out there and enjoy nature.  Look around and take note of the things you see that you find to be most interesting and most beautiful.  Return to those places later in the day to see how they look different as the light changes.   

Find things that would make for interesting subjects, and then look all around for the things that would make the most interesting backgrounds for those subjects.  Start thinking about how the subject will look at different times of the day, and how the backgrounds will look at different times of the day.  

Figure out what inspires you the most, and then concentrate on that thing.  

All of this can be done with - or without - a camera.  

Thanks Tom.  I agree with everthying you said.  I know what I want to shoot, though.  It is the beauty of nature, with special emphasis on the light.  It's the technique that I am rusty on 

Good composition can take an ordinary house sparrow picture and turn it into a masterpiece..

Have you thought about taking a workshop in the area you are interested in to fast track your skill set up to where you need to be. May only need to be a weekend session to cover the basics and get you going.

Alternately why not do a search on the internet as there are numerous video tutorials that will cover all the basics for your particular gear as well as generic advice on the subject.

Kim wrote:Have you thought about taking a workshop in the area you are interested in to fast track your skill set up to where you need to be. May only need to be a weekend session to cover the basics and get you going.

Alternately why not do a search on the internet as there are numerous video tutorials that will cover all the basics for your particular gear as well as generic advice on the subject.

Kim,  Thank you so much.  I will search the internet for a good tutorial.  Luckily I still know about composition and some about lighting.    How about this idea: I could go find a subject & time when the light is right & then try different combinations of shooting, starting with automatic and then going to more advanced settings.  I could number the shots & hopefully be able to identify them.  That way I might recover some of my skills. 

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