Getting Started: Trial and error the Gilman way!

Now starting this project/blog was a bit of a random thing to do and my approach to finding out where I needed to start is going to be no different. The hardest thing I came to find when starting my search for beginners tips and advice on-line is the vast amounts of information there is to go through. When doing my 1st few searches I came across nothing but search results like 'buy this overpriced book' or 'sign up here for free and get ripped off at a later date'. Don't get me wrong, I am all for people running businesses online and using the Internet to publish material to help others for a decent price but it doesn't give new-bees like me a chance to get started.

Talking to friends and others who actually knew something about photography they all asked the same question why didn't I join the photography society when whilst at uni? I don't have an answer other than I simply didn't realise how much I enjoy it until recently. I did however get some useful hints, advice and links to beginner websites but for now I will talk to about the best beginner advice I got which was simply get to know your cameras handbook back to front.

If you like me worry and want to cry at the idea of trawling through 148 pages of a booklet on how to use your new cameras key features you ll be as surprised as I was with how much you can learn that only a large amount of trial and error would have discovered. It took me a good hour or so to read through the whole thing but now I have an idea of some great key features and like most digital cameras the electronic handbook  makes everything so much easier. Now if I need to go back to any particular section it takes two secs and with the amount of information on different modes and options there are this is definitely, definitely going to happen.

One of the best things about the guide is getting familiar with the terminology and for a complete beginner like me (and a man who admits science has never been a strong point) learning about new terms and what they mean like aperture and white balance and how they affect each picture. Take your time taking pictures using each setting and try and pick a view objects or subjects to focus on. I spent my time taking a few different pictures of random items in my living room experimenting with different lighting, zoom and angles. This is a lot of fun and even after only one session I already feel a lot more confident using my camera to take pictures in most situations.

The most useful thing I learnt in all of this is that manual mode is actually best. There are modes for everything (even a food mode!!!) each with their own unique settings already set-up however I see this as cheating and although I used to take the easy way out I found the more I've experimented and got used to knowing what settings to use for different situations, the more fun I had.

To sum use your guide, get to know it, treat it like your photography bible. Experiment, have fun and make mistakes as it is the only way you will learn and understand why something you tried didn't work the 1st time. Below you will see examples of how the trial and error panned out for or at least a select few that came out and that I particularly liked. They aren't the best quality but I know in time I will improve. Feel free to comment and give me some advice or just say how you feel I got on. Remember and this is very important I see this as a project if others get involved then it will work and hopefully I ll improve and help others do the same. 

A zoomed in shot I thought was quite
nice, showing the leap from my basic
pay as you go 'old skool' phone to the
iphone. Amazing how times change.

ME!!!: Pretty straight forward basic photo with flash! (If you
choose to comment on this pic remember I was tired!!)

ABOVE: A picture of a plant which I took and lighten from the picture
below using one of the many light, size and editing features I learnt
about whilst going through my guide.

My brother: Tired and just in from work I thought it would be fun
to capture him looking like the world had beaten him, I like this photo
even if the quality isn't the best.

Each blog I will give you an idea of what’s coming up next:

Featured topic:

Getting started Part 2: Giving the online guides a go!