[bethanhearne81]

Hi my name is Beth,
haven't really done much photography over the last year but i am slowly getting back into it so would be really grateful for any tips on nice shots to take in the winter and the best types of shots to take in the dark.
thanks,
Beth

[WesternGuy]

Hi my name is Beth,
haven't really done much photography over the last year but i am slowly getting back into it so would be really grateful for any tips on nice shots to take in the winter and the best types of shots to take in the dark.
thanks,
Beth

Hi Beth, I am not convinced that "winter" changes much, some things yes, but a lot of things, no. You can still do landscape photography, you just have to allow for the "whiteness" of the snow in your exposure. Winter also brings things like hoar frost, so images of this weather phenomenon are always nice. I find they lend themselves to macro shooting more than anything. Birds can be a little tricky, but depending on where you live, you may be able to photograph snowy owls or other birds that stay over winter. One way to do this is to establish a feeder and setup to photograph the birds that come there. Remember that once you start a feeder, you do need to keep it going year-round.

One thing that is unique to winter, actually any very cold weather, is frozen water - waterfalls, rapids, even ponds and lakes can present some interesting subjects. For example, ponds/lakes may have bubbles trapped beneath the ice and there may be patterns in the ice that develop as it freezes - sky is the limit and Google is your friend.

You can Google "winter photography tips" or replace "tips" with "ideas" and you will get more references than you can handle. For example, this is just one of over 100 million hits that I got from searching Google with the terms "winter photography tips" - http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2012/0...or-winter/.

I would suggest that you should search the web for ideas and come back here if you have very specific questions.

As far as shots in the dark are concerned, it is difficult to offer any suggestions as to subjects unless I have some idea of what you are looking for. Do you want to photograph street scenes, stars, moon, etc. The only advice I would give, if you are not already aware of this is to use a tripod, mirror lockup and a remote shutter control. You may also have to shoot at fairly high ISOs as well.

Hope this helps a bit.

WesternGuy

[bethanhearne81]

Hi my name is Beth,
haven't really done much photography over the last year but i am slowly getting back into it so would be really grateful for any tips on nice shots to take in the winter and the best types of shots to take in the dark.
thanks,
Beth

Hi Beth, I am not convinced that "winter" changes much, some things yes, but a lot of things, no. You can still do landscape photography, you just have to allow for the "whiteness" of the snow in your exposure. Winter also brings things like hoar frost, so images of this weather phenomenon are always nice. I find they lend themselves to macro shooting more than anything. Birds can be a little tricky, but depending on where you live, you may be able to photograph snowy owls or other birds that stay over winter. One way to do this is to establish a feeder and setup to photograph the birds that come there. Remember that once you start a feeder, you do need to keep it going year-round.

One thing that is unique to winter, actually any very cold weather, is frozen water - waterfalls, rapids, even ponds and lakes can present some interesting subjects. For example, ponds/lakes may have bubbles trapped beneath the ice and there may be patterns in the ice that develop as it freezes - sky is the limit and Google is your friend.

You can Google "winter photography tips" or replace "tips" with "ideas" and you will get more references than you can handle. For example, this is just one of over 100 million hits that I got from searching Google with the terms "winter photography tips" - http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2012/0...or-winter/.

I would suggest that you should search the web for ideas and come back here if you have very specific questions.

As far as shots in the dark are concerned, it is difficult to offer any suggestions as to subjects unless I have some idea of what you are looking for. Do you want to photograph street scenes, stars, moon, etc. The only advice I would give, if you are not already aware of this is to use a tripod, mirror lockup and a remote shutter control. You may also have to shoot at fairly high ISOs as well.

Hope this helps a bit.

WesternGuy

Hi thanks so much for your kind reply. The shame is that i am in the most boring area of the uk, Wales. We don't really get snow, it is either rain or thunderstorms which are hard to photograph in however i am taking a trip up north where they have snow so will definitely try out some of your tips.

On the topic of shooting in the dark i mean as in lights. For example I have seen some brilliant photography of street lights. You know when the light causes almost an 'x' of light. I am not sure if that makes sense but I don't want the camera to blur out the beams of light crossing when you take the shot. If you don't understand what i mean please say and i will post an example.

Thank you ever so much.
Beth

[WesternGuy]

Rainy days and thunderstorms in winter, not something we get in Western Canada, although we have had thunder during a thunder storm once or twice in the last 20 years or so. There are a lot of things to photograph on rainy days. Again, Google is your friend. You could start here - http://www.lightstalking.com/learning-lo...otography/. He has some very good ideas on things to do, photographically speaking. There is always lightning in thunder storms, but you have to be very patient and very quick, or have a "lightning trigger" for your camera.

As far as the "nighttime" photos go, my advice about the tripod, mirror lockup and remote shutter still stand. I do think I know what you mean by the "X" of street lights. Google is your friend. For example, take a look at these sites - http://digital-photography-school.com/in...otography/ and http://www.lightstalking.com/essentials-...otography/. I would pay particular attention to the first post and its thoughts on personal safety at night.

Hope this helps.

WesternGuy

[bethanhearne81]

Rainy days and thunderstorms in winter, not something we get in Western Canada, although we have had thunder during a thunder storm once or twice in the last 20 years or so. There are a lot of things to photograph on rainy days. Again, Google is your friend. You could start here - http://www.lightstalking.com/learning-lo...otography/. He has some very good ideas on things to do, photographically speaking. There is always lightning in thunder storms, but you have to be very patient and very quick, or have a "lightning trigger" for your camera.

As far as the "nighttime" photos go, my advice about the tripod, mirror lockup and remote shutter still stand. I do think I know what you mean by the "X" of street lights. Google is your friend. For example, take a look at these sites - http://digital-photography-school.com/in...otography/ and http://www.lightstalking.com/essentials-...otography/. I would pay particular attention to the first post and its thoughts on personal safety at night.

Hope this helps.

WesternGuy

Thanks I have taken a look at those sites that you included and they were a real help. Thank you so much!
Beth

[Barbara G.]

Hello Beth,

Welcome to the photography forums! Let us know if you need more assistance! Enjoy your time here!

[WesternGuy]

Beth, it occurred to me that if you get thunderstorms in the winter, well, any storm in fact, that shooting the clouds associated with these storms can also present some interesting photography and some interesting photography challenges. At the risk of being accused of blatant promotion, I would refer you to one of blog postings - http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/. Hopefully, this will give you some ideas for clouds.

WesternGuy

[bethanhearne81]

Beth, it occurred to me that if you get thunderstorms in the winter, well, any storm in fact, that shooting the clouds associated with these storms can also present some interesting photography and some interesting photography challenges. At the risk of being accused of blatant promotion, I would refer you to one of blog postings - http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/. Hopefully, this will give you some ideas for clouds.

WesternGuy

Wow! Yes that blog post was extremely helpful! I will definitely try that! Thanks!!
Beth

[Pegger3D]

Rainy days and thunderstorms in winter, not something we get in Western Canada, although we have had thunder during a thunder storm once or twice in the last 20 years or so. There are a lot of things to photograph on rainy days. Again, Google is your friend. You could start here - http://www.lightstalking.com/learning-lo...otography/. He has some very good ideas on things to do, photographically speaking. There is always lightning in thunder storms, but you have to be very patient and very quick, or have a "lightning trigger" for your camera.

As far as the "nighttime" photos go, my advice about the tripod, mirror lockup and remote shutter still stand. I do think I know what you mean by the "X" of street lights. Google is your friend. For example, take a look at these sites - http://digital-photography-school.com/in...otography/ and http://www.lightstalking.com/essentials-...otography/. I would pay particular attention to the first post and its thoughts on personal safety at night.

Hope this helps.

WesternGuy

Thanks I have taken a look at those sites that you included and they were a real help. Thank you so much!
Beth

Hi Beth and Welcome!

In the last six months I have taken up photography as a hobby. It would be helpful to Know (you can add to your profile) what camera and equipment you have and if you are looking for suggestions on additional accessories?

In this time I have bookmarked at least 200 tip pages on just about every type of shooting methods and post production.

From the brief information, I can suggest this:

Because you may shoot in rain and/or mist, you need to protect the camera.
There are lots of stuff you can buy, but the easiest is just a large freezer bag cut in a half circle or just plastic grocery bags with a hole cut in the bottom and some masking tape. Take several bags as you may have to change them.

IMO, shooting in the dark and low light requires a better than average tripod and especially a camera that is superior in low light situations.
That said, the old adage that great shots are 90% the shooter and 10% the equipment still applies. Its just a lot easier with better equipment.

http://digital-photography-school.com/9-...-at-night/

http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/

http://www.photographytalk.com/photograp...hotography

http://digital-photography-school.com/5-...excursion/

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/0...her-makes/

http://digital-photography-school.com/li...bad-light/

http://selfhelpphotographer.com/milkyway7.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/wh...ainy-days/

http://www.lightstalking.com/

https://iso.500px.com/cityscape-night-photography-tips/

I think this last one is what you want to do-capture light trails of city lights.

I hope these are of some help.

[bethanhearne81]

Rainy days and thunderstorms in winter, not something we get in Western Canada, although we have had thunder during a thunder storm once or twice in the last 20 years or so. There are a lot of things to photograph on rainy days. Again, Google is your friend. You could start here - http://www.lightstalking.com/learning-lo...otography/. He has some very good ideas on things to do, photographically speaking. There is always lightning in thunder storms, but you have to be very patient and very quick, or have a "lightning trigger" for your camera.

As far as the "nighttime" photos go, my advice about the tripod, mirror lockup and remote shutter still stand. I do think I know what you mean by the "X" of street lights. Google is your friend. For example, take a look at these sites - http://digital-photography-school.com/in...otography/ and http://www.lightstalking.com/essentials-...otography/. I would pay particular attention to the first post and its thoughts on personal safety at night.

Hope this helps.

WesternGuy

Thanks I have taken a look at those sites that you included and they were a real help. Thank you so much!
Beth

Hi Beth and Welcome!

In the last six months I have taken up photography as a hobby. It would be helpful to Know (you can add to your profile) what camera and equipment you have and if you are looking for suggestions on additional accessories?

In this time I have bookmarked at least 200 tip pages on just about every type of shooting methods and post production.

From the brief information, I can suggest this:

Because you may shoot in rain and/or mist, you need to protect the camera.
There are lots of stuff you can buy, but the easiest is just a large freezer bag cut in a half circle or just plastic grocery bags with a hole cut in the bottom and some masking tape. Take several bags as you may have to change them.

IMO, shooting in the dark and low light requires a better than average tripod and especially a camera that is superior in low light situations.
That said, the old adage that great shots are 90% the shooter and 10% the equipment still applies. Its just a lot easier with better equipment.

http://digital-photography-school.com/9-...-at-night/

http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/

http://www.photographytalk.com/photograp...hotography

http://digital-photography-school.com/5-...excursion/

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/0...her-makes/

http://digital-photography-school.com/li...bad-light/

http://selfhelpphotographer.com/milkyway7.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/wh...ainy-days/

http://www.lightstalking.com/

https://iso.500px.com/cityscape-night-photography-tips/

I think this last one is what you want to do-capture light trails of city lights.

I hope these are of some help.

Ok thanks that is a great help!!

Right, information.

My personal camera that I take around with me usually is the canon 1100d, as I am only 16 this is perfect and allows me to get some pretty decent shots. However i am going to have to take some sort of photography course as i really need a better understanding of aperture etc.

However on occasions where i know there will be a good photo opportunity I take out my dads canon 550 - which is much more complex but i can often get some decent shots playing around with the settings..

For example i posted some 'beach time shots' the other day and they were all taken on the 550.

Thank yo for all your help and if you can give any more on this info that would be amazing!!

[WesternGuy]

Beth, you might want to take a look at a book by Bryan Peterson entitled Understanding Exposure (Revised Edition). You can probably get it through your local book seller. He covers the basic aspects of shutter speed, aperture and exposure. As well, You might want to check out web sites on composition, such as http://photoinf.com/. I would also encourage you to bookmark photography sites such as "digital photography school", "lightstalking", "learning to see", etc. If you google these phrases together with the word "photography" where necessary, you will find more information than you could probably read in months. You can also subscribe to newsletters of various sites. These newsletters come out at various periods, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly etc. One that I find particularly useful is PictureCorrect - http://www.picturecorrect.com/. They have an almost daily news letter that comes out with a number of relevant, or not so relevant articles by various photographers. I find it quite useful as a site to subscribe to and I can pick and choose to read only those that I find interesting.

WesternGuy

[Pegger3D]

Rainy days and thunderstorms in winter, not something we get in Western Canada, although we have had thunder during a thunder storm once or twice in the last 20 years or so. There are a lot of things to photograph on rainy days. Again, Google is your friend. You could start here - http://www.lightstalking.com/learning-lo...otography/. He has some very good ideas on things to do, photographically speaking. There is always lightning in thunder storms, but you have to be very patient and very quick, or have a "lightning trigger" for your camera.

As far as the "nighttime" photos go, my advice about the tripod, mirror lockup and remote shutter still stand. I do think I know what you mean by the "X" of street lights. Google is your friend. For example, take a look at these sites - http://digital-photography-school.com/in...otography/ and http://www.lightstalking.com/essentials-...otography/. I would pay particular attention to the first post and its thoughts on personal safety at night.

Hope this helps.

WesternGuy

Thanks I have taken a look at those sites that you included and they were a real help. Thank you so much!
Beth

Hi Beth and Welcome!

In the last six months I have taken up photography as a hobby. It would be helpful to Know (you can add to your profile) what camera and equipment you have and if you are looking for suggestions on additional accessories?

In this time I have bookmarked at least 200 tip pages on just about every type of shooting methods and post production.

From the brief information, I can suggest this:

Because you may shoot in rain and/or mist, you need to protect the camera.
There are lots of stuff you can buy, but the easiest is just a large freezer bag cut in a half circle or just plastic grocery bags with a hole cut in the bottom and some masking tape. Take several bags as you may have to change them.

IMO, shooting in the dark and low light requires a better than average tripod and especially a camera that is superior in low light situations.
That said, the old adage that great shots are 90% the shooter and 10% the equipment still applies. Its just a lot easier with better equipment.

http://digital-photography-school.com/9-...-at-night/

http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/

http://www.photographytalk.com/photograp...hotography

http://digital-photography-school.com/5-...excursion/

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/0...her-makes/

http://digital-photography-school.com/li...bad-light/

http://selfhelpphotographer.com/milkyway7.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/wh...ainy-days/

http://www.lightstalking.com/

https://iso.500px.com/cityscape-night-photography-tips/

I think this last one is what you want to do-capture light trails of city lights.

I hope these are of some help.

Ok thanks that is a great help!!

Right, information.

My personal camera that I take around with me usually is the canon 1100d, as I am only 16 this is perfect and allows me to get some pretty decent shots. However i am going to have to take some sort of photography course as i really need a better understanding of aperture etc.

However on occasions where i know there will be a good photo opportunity I take out my dads canon 550 - which is much more complex but i can often get some decent shots playing around with the settings..

For example i posted some 'beach time shots' the other day and they were all taken on the 550.

Thank yo for all your help and if you can give any more on this info that would be amazing!!

HI Beth,

At your age you should be able to absorb all the information you need from websites without spending cash on books or courses.
When I first started out I bought a course through Groupon coupon sites and although it was worth the small amount for some good tips, a lot I knew beforehand.
The one e-book I spent $10 on was the best use of money of all. It not only showed me in pictures about my particular camera (D7100), there is a wealth of knowledge about several photography topics (by John Batdorff).

http://johnbatdorff.com/books/

IMO, exposure is very important, but I found the best use of time is to just go out and take tons of shots on any subject (take your camera everywhere) on Auto setting and mark down the exposure settings the camera decides is best and then change to Manual and experiment. With a digital camera, the only cost is time.

IMO, more important is understanding light and the use of the different light sources in different shooting situations.
Again, the cheapest is experimentation, but there are several places to get tips that will save you time and accelerate your learning curve.

my 2 cents.

[Pegger3D]

Rainy days and thunderstorms in winter, not something we get in Western Canada, although we have had thunder during a thunder storm once or twice in the last 20 years or so. There are a lot of things to photograph on rainy days. Again, Google is your friend. You could start here - http://www.lightstalking.com/learning-lo...otography/. He has some very good ideas on things to do, photographically speaking. There is always lightning in thunder storms, but you have to be very patient and very quick, or have a "lightning trigger" for your camera.

As far as the "nighttime" photos go, my advice about the tripod, mirror lockup and remote shutter still stand. I do think I know what you mean by the "X" of street lights. Google is your friend. For example, take a look at these sites - http://digital-photography-school.com/in...otography/ and http://www.lightstalking.com/essentials-...otography/. I would pay particular attention to the first post and its thoughts on personal safety at night.

Hope this helps.

WesternGuy

Thanks I have taken a look at those sites that you included and they were a real help. Thank you so much!
Beth

Hi Beth and Welcome!

In the last six months I have taken up photography as a hobby. It would be helpful to Know (you can add to your profile) what camera and equipment you have and if you are looking for suggestions on additional accessories?

In this time I have bookmarked at least 200 tip pages on just about every type of shooting methods and post production.

From the brief information, I can suggest this:

Because you may shoot in rain and/or mist, you need to protect the camera.
There are lots of stuff you can buy, but the easiest is just a large freezer bag cut in a half circle or just plastic grocery bags with a hole cut in the bottom and some masking tape. Take several bags as you may have to change them.

IMO, shooting in the dark and low light requires a better than average tripod and especially a camera that is superior in low light situations.
That said, the old adage that great shots are 90% the shooter and 10% the equipment still applies. Its just a lot easier with better equipment.

http://digital-photography-school.com/9-...-at-night/

http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/

http://www.photographytalk.com/photograp...hotography

http://digital-photography-school.com/5-...excursion/

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/0...her-makes/

http://digital-photography-school.com/li...bad-light/

http://selfhelpphotographer.com/milkyway7.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/wh...ainy-days/

http://www.lightstalking.com/

https://iso.500px.com/cityscape-night-photography-tips/

I think this last one is what you want to do-capture light trails of city lights.

I hope these are of some help.

Ok thanks that is a great help!!

Right, information.

My personal camera that I take around with me usually is the canon 1100d, as I am only 16 this is perfect and allows me to get some pretty decent shots. However i am going to have to take some sort of photography course as i really need a better understanding of aperture etc.

However on occasions where i know there will be a good photo opportunity I take out my dads canon 550 - which is much more complex but i can often get some decent shots playing around with the settings..

For example i posted some 'beach time shots' the other day and they were all taken on the 550.

Thank yo for all your help and if you can give any more on this info that would be amazing!!

HI Beth,

At your age you should be able to absorb all the information you need from websites without spending cash on books or courses.
When I first started out I bought a course through Groupon coupon sites and although it was worth the small amount for some good tips, a lot I knew beforehand.
The one e-book I spent $10 on was the best use of money of all. It not only showed me in pictures about my particular camera (D7100), there is a wealth of knowledge about several photography topics (by John Batdorff).

http://johnbatdorff.com/books/

IMO, exposure is very important, but I found the best use of time is to just go out and take tons of shots on any subject (take your camera everywhere) on Auto setting and mark down the exposure settings the camera decides is best and then change to Manual and experiment. With a digital camera, the only cost is time.

IMO, more important is understanding light and the use of the different light sources in different shooting situations.
Again, the cheapest is experimentation, but there are several places to get tips that will save you time and accelerate your learning curve.

my 2 cents.

PS:

I would be remiss if I did not mention the following important notes...

1. A good photo course will get you to take lots of black and white shots to learn shadows and how they influence a picture.

2. You need patience and good observatiion skills to improve from good to great pictures. (the famous Ansil Adams spent months to set up one shot).

3. We humans have the best camera in the world-our amazing eyes.

We see in 3D and there is yet a film camera that can re-produce that.

Therefore to try and compose a shot that appears to have perspective we have to trick the camera with angles, lighting and color in some cases.

You will also realize that the camera sees colors different than our eyes do.

The better one gets at those skills, the better the shots will be.

4. A good exercise is to try a specific scene in as many angles, positions and time of day as possible. Review your shots and then go back to the same subject and start all over again.

5. Even when you are not shooting, whenever you are walking around (even a place you have been to several times before) keep looking around the scene for as many things you may have not noticed before. You will be surprised with the results.

Did I mention PATIENCE?

[EdMak]

Re Stereo Cameras, Rollei made one, Viewmaster made one, and Illoca made one, these I have used. Ed.

More here.

http://www.stereoscopy.com/cameras/index.html

[Pegger3D]

Thanks I have taken a look at those sites that you included and they were a real help. Thank you so much!
Beth

Hi Beth and Welcome!

In the last six months I have taken up photography as a hobby. It would be helpful to Know (you can add to your profile) what camera and equipment you have and if you are looking for suggestions on additional accessories?

In this time I have bookmarked at least 200 tip pages on just about every type of shooting methods and post production.

From the brief information, I can suggest this:

Because you may shoot in rain and/or mist, you need to protect the camera.
There are lots of stuff you can buy, but the easiest is just a large freezer bag cut in a half circle or just plastic grocery bags with a hole cut in the bottom and some masking tape. Take several bags as you may have to change them.

IMO, shooting in the dark and low light requires a better than average tripod and especially a camera that is superior in low light situations.
That said, the old adage that great shots are 90% the shooter and 10% the equipment still applies. Its just a lot easier with better equipment.

http://digital-photography-school.com/9-...-at-night/

http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/

http://www.photographytalk.com/photograp...hotography

http://digital-photography-school.com/5-...excursion/

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/0...her-makes/

http://digital-photography-school.com/li...bad-light/

http://selfhelpphotographer.com/milkyway7.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/wh...ainy-days/

http://www.lightstalking.com/

https://iso.500px.com/cityscape-night-photography-tips/

I think this last one is what you want to do-capture light trails of city lights.

I hope these are of some help.

Ok thanks that is a great help!!

Right, information.

My personal camera that I take around with me usually is the canon 1100d, as I am only 16 this is perfect and allows me to get some pretty decent shots. However i am going to have to take some sort of photography course as i really need a better understanding of aperture etc.

However on occasions where i know there will be a good photo opportunity I take out my dads canon 550 - which is much more complex but i can often get some decent shots playing around with the settings..

For example i posted some 'beach time shots' the other day and they were all taken on the 550.

Thank yo for all your help and if you can give any more on this info that would be amazing!!

HI Beth,

At your age you should be able to absorb all the information you need from websites without spending cash on books or courses.
When I first started out I bought a course through Groupon coupon sites and although it was worth the small amount for some good tips, a lot I knew beforehand.
The one e-book I spent $10 on was the best use of money of all. It not only showed me in pictures about my particular camera (D7100), there is a wealth of knowledge about several photography topics (by John Batdorff).

http://johnbatdorff.com/books/

IMO, exposure is very important, but I found the best use of time is to just go out and take tons of shots on any subject (take your camera everywhere) on Auto setting and mark down the exposure settings the camera decides is best and then change to Manual and experiment. With a digital camera, the only cost is time.

IMO, more important is understanding light and the use of the different light sources in different shooting situations.
Again, the cheapest is experimentation, but there are several places to get tips that will save you time and accelerate your learning curve.

my 2 cents.

PS:

I would be remiss if I did not mention the following important notes...

1. A good photo course will get you to take lots of black and white shots to learn shadows and how they influence a picture.

2. You need patience and good observatiion skills to improve from good to great pictures. (the famous Ansil Adams spent months to set up one shot).

3. We humans have the best camera in the world-our amazing eyes.

We see in 3D and there is yet a film camera that can re-produce that.

Therefore to try and compose a shot that appears to have perspective we have to trick the camera with angles, lighting and color in some cases.

You will also realize that the camera sees colors different than our eyes do.

The better one gets at those skills, the better the shots will be.

4. A good exercise is to try a specific scene in as many angles, positions and time of day as possible. Review your shots and then go back to the same subject and start all over again.

5. Even when you are not shooting, whenever you are walking around (even a place you have been to several times before) keep looking around the scene for as many things you may have not noticed before. You will be surprised with the results.

Did I mention PATIENCE?

BTW, this link is to THE BEST book on how light affects photography and how our eyes see light...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-c...0895860590

It was published in 1987 so some of the photo equipment is way out of date but the concepts of lighting are still pertinent today.

For a couple of dollars plus shipping it is a real bargain but check your local library, it might be there. Amazon.com has it as well.

[Pegger3D]

Thanks I have taken a look at those sites that you included and they were a real help. Thank you so much!
Beth

Hi Beth and Welcome!

In the last six months I have taken up photography as a hobby. It would be helpful to Know (you can add to your profile) what camera and equipment you have and if you are looking for suggestions on additional accessories?

In this time I have bookmarked at least 200 tip pages on just about every type of shooting methods and post production.

From the brief information, I can suggest this:

Because you may shoot in rain and/or mist, you need to protect the camera.
There are lots of stuff you can buy, but the easiest is just a large freezer bag cut in a half circle or just plastic grocery bags with a hole cut in the bottom and some masking tape. Take several bags as you may have to change them.

IMO, shooting in the dark and low light requires a better than average tripod and especially a camera that is superior in low light situations.
That said, the old adage that great shots are 90% the shooter and 10% the equipment still applies. Its just a lot easier with better equipment.

http://digital-photography-school.com/9-...-at-night/

http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/

http://www.photographytalk.com/photograp...hotography

http://digital-photography-school.com/5-...excursion/

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/0...her-makes/

http://digital-photography-school.com/li...bad-light/

http://selfhelpphotographer.com/milkyway7.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/wh...ainy-days/

http://www.lightstalking.com/

https://iso.500px.com/cityscape-night-photography-tips/

I think this last one is what you want to do-capture light trails of city lights.

I hope these are of some help.

Ok thanks that is a great help!!

Right, information.

My personal camera that I take around with me usually is the canon 1100d, as I am only 16 this is perfect and allows me to get some pretty decent shots. However i am going to have to take some sort of photography course as i really need a better understanding of aperture etc.

However on occasions where i know there will be a good photo opportunity I take out my dads canon 550 - which is much more complex but i can often get some decent shots playing around with the settings..

For example i posted some 'beach time shots' the other day and they were all taken on the 550.

Thank yo for all your help and if you can give any more on this info that would be amazing!!

HI Beth,

At your age you should be able to absorb all the information you need from websites without spending cash on books or courses.
When I first started out I bought a course through Groupon coupon sites and although it was worth the small amount for some good tips, a lot I knew beforehand.
The one e-book I spent $10 on was the best use of money of all. It not only showed me in pictures about my particular camera (D7100), there is a wealth of knowledge about several photography topics (by John Batdorff).

http://johnbatdorff.com/books/

IMO, exposure is very important, but I found the best use of time is to just go out and take tons of shots on any subject (take your camera everywhere) on Auto setting and mark down the exposure settings the camera decides is best and then change to Manual and experiment. With a digital camera, the only cost is time.

IMO, more important is understanding light and the use of the different light sources in different shooting situations.
Again, the cheapest is experimentation, but there are several places to get tips that will save you time and accelerate your learning curve.

my 2 cents.

PS:

I would be remiss if I did not mention the following important notes...

1. A good photo course will get you to take lots of black and white shots to learn shadows and how they influence a picture.

2. You need patience and good observatiion skills to improve from good to great pictures. (the famous Ansil Adams spent months to set up one shot).

3. We humans have the best camera in the world-our amazing eyes.

We see in 3D and there is yet a film camera that can re-produce that.

Therefore to try and compose a shot that appears to have perspective we have to trick the camera with angles, lighting and color in some cases.

You will also realize that the camera sees colors different than our eyes do.

The better one gets at those skills, the better the shots will be.

4. A good exercise is to try a specific scene in as many angles, positions and time of day as possible. Review your shots and then go back to the same subject and start all over again.

5. Even when you are not shooting, whenever you are walking around (even a place you have been to several times before) keep looking around the scene for as many things you may have not noticed before. You will be surprised with the results.

Did I mention PATIENCE?

PPS:

Amazon.com has an updated version (2yrs) for $8...

http://www.amazon.com/Control-Photograph...895868245:)

[bethanhearne81]

Hi Beth and Welcome!

In the last six months I have taken up photography as a hobby. It would be helpful to Know (you can add to your profile) what camera and equipment you have and if you are looking for suggestions on additional accessories?

In this time I have bookmarked at least 200 tip pages on just about every type of shooting methods and post production.

From the brief information, I can suggest this:

Because you may shoot in rain and/or mist, you need to protect the camera.
There are lots of stuff you can buy, but the easiest is just a large freezer bag cut in a half circle or just plastic grocery bags with a hole cut in the bottom and some masking tape. Take several bags as you may have to change them.

IMO, shooting in the dark and low light requires a better than average tripod and especially a camera that is superior in low light situations.
That said, the old adage that great shots are 90% the shooter and 10% the equipment still applies. Its just a lot easier with better equipment.

http://digital-photography-school.com/9-...-at-night/

http://photowestguy.wordpress.com/2014/1...mposition/

http://www.photographytalk.com/photograp...hotography

http://digital-photography-school.com/5-...excursion/

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/0...her-makes/

http://digital-photography-school.com/li...bad-light/

http://selfhelpphotographer.com/milkyway7.html

http://digital-photography-school.com/wh...ainy-days/

http://www.lightstalking.com/

https://iso.500px.com/cityscape-night-photography-tips/

I think this last one is what you want to do-capture light trails of city lights.

I hope these are of some help.

Ok thanks that is a great help!!

Right, information.

My personal camera that I take around with me usually is the canon 1100d, as I am only 16 this is perfect and allows me to get some pretty decent shots. However i am going to have to take some sort of photography course as i really need a better understanding of aperture etc.

However on occasions where i know there will be a good photo opportunity I take out my dads canon 550 - which is much more complex but i can often get some decent shots playing around with the settings..

For example i posted some 'beach time shots' the other day and they were all taken on the 550.

Thank yo for all your help and if you can give any more on this info that would be amazing!!

HI Beth,

At your age you should be able to absorb all the information you need from websites without spending cash on books or courses.
When I first started out I bought a course through Groupon coupon sites and although it was worth the small amount for some good tips, a lot I knew beforehand.
The one e-book I spent $10 on was the best use of money of all. It not only showed me in pictures about my particular camera (D7100), there is a wealth of knowledge about several photography topics (by John Batdorff).

http://johnbatdorff.com/books/

IMO, exposure is very important, but I found the best use of time is to just go out and take tons of shots on any subject (take your camera everywhere) on Auto setting and mark down the exposure settings the camera decides is best and then change to Manual and experiment. With a digital camera, the only cost is time.

IMO, more important is understanding light and the use of the different light sources in different shooting situations.
Again, the cheapest is experimentation, but there are several places to get tips that will save you time and accelerate your learning curve.

my 2 cents.

PS:

I would be remiss if I did not mention the following important notes...

1. A good photo course will get you to take lots of black and white shots to learn shadows and how they influence a picture.

2. You need patience and good observatiion skills to improve from good to great pictures. (the famous Ansil Adams spent months to set up one shot).

3. We humans have the best camera in the world-our amazing eyes.

We see in 3D and there is yet a film camera that can re-produce that.

Therefore to try and compose a shot that appears to have perspective we have to trick the camera with angles, lighting and color in some cases.

You will also realize that the camera sees colors different than our eyes do.

The better one gets at those skills, the better the shots will be.

4. A good exercise is to try a specific scene in as many angles, positions and time of day as possible. Review your shots and then go back to the same subject and start all over again.

5. Even when you are not shooting, whenever you are walking around (even a place you have been to several times before) keep looking around the scene for as many things you may have not noticed before. You will be surprised with the results.

Did I mention PATIENCE?

PPS:

Amazon.com has an updated version (2yrs) for $8...

http://www.amazon.com/Control-Photograph...895868245:)

Wow thank you so much for the comments, I couldn't have asked for better answers!! I have a few photography books and 1 course that is a 'nighttime city' photography course learning about lighting and interesting shots such as light trails etc. It was just a cheap one as I found it interesting. I will definitely check out that book.- so long as I can get it in the UK it sounds very interesting.

It is interesting about what you said, to take your camera everywhere because sometimes when I dont have it with me and wish I did as I spot a great opportunity and I live really close to the beach so that is a great place to get different types of shots at the same place.

I will definitely try out some of your tips, thank you very much for helping!!