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Advice For Beginner Seeking A Future Career??
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Hi, I have been interested in photography all my life, I have an eye for a good photograph but I have no experience with anything more then a cheap 6.0mp camera. I have being looking into some courses and I have found the Online CMIT Photography Diploma Course, it costs 600 euro to do it. I was thinking this would be a good starting point and might open the gate to higher level courses.
As I said I have no experience with “real” cameras, so when it comes to lenses, camera types and the technical side of it all, im lost, which also leaves me clueless when it comes to picking a good camera and equipment to purchase.
Im looking for something that can be easily enough used yet wont need to be upgraded anytime soon, something that can take a high quality picture in a wide range of photography, I would rather something with an LCD screen view.Im into alot of photography such as landscape, nature and wildlife, basically anything that I think will make for a good picture, be it a house, a bird, a bridge, a city skyline or a car. Im not so much into artist or portrait/modelling photography.
Can anyone suggest a camera(s)/equipment that would be good for me?
Can anyone suggest the best way to get started on a photography career and if a course, such as the one meantioned above would be a good idea to get me started and build up some knowledge on using the camera correctly.
Also can anyone tell me what career paths would be available for the line of photography that im interested in and what the best ways to acheive this would be?
I appreciate all your advice,
Thanks,
John.John –
Welcome to the forums. To your first question, any of the entry-level DSLRs from Canon or Nikon would be a fine choice for you. However, if you specifically want to be able to compose using the LCD, then you should look at the Canon 1000D or 450D – at present the cheapest Nikon that offers it is the D300, which runs about EUR1500. By comparison, the Canon 1000D can be had for about EUR600.As to your second question about getting started on a career, it does depend on what sort of photography you’re interested in. In general the traditional path has been to work as an assistant to an established photographer for next to nothing as a way of gaining experience. From your description it sounds like you’re more into ‘art’ photography, though – you’ll find trying to apprentice your way into that area more difficult as there are far fewer financially successful photographers in that area than there are in the social and commercial fields. It might be worth your while working for a while with someone in the social/commercial field to get a handle on the photography and the running of a business, then branch out on your own later.
In my own case (I’m a professional landscape photographer), I scratched my way up to having a successful business by fumbling along for a number of years figuring out for myself what worked and what didn’t. If you want to make a business for yourself, you need to know a lot more than how to take a good photograph – you need to know what you want to sell, how to sell it and who will buy it, along with all the other things that go with running a business. There are plenty of excellent photographers out there who make no money because they aren’t great business people, and there are plenty of poor photographers who are very successful because they have canny business heads.
As to the CMIT course, I don’t know anything about that. I had a look at the description and it looks as though it presses the right buttons, but I don’t have a lot of respect for distance learning courses, especially when it comes to something like photography. It’s much harder to learn that way than it is to learn hands-on (either in a night course where you can actually talk to the instructor, or on a workshop). Just going out and learning with someone that has experience and can show you right there and then when you’re doing something wrong (or right!) can make things clear to you that might have been eluding you for years.
With that in mind, you might have a look at some of the workshops I offer on my photography workshops and courses page. I’ve had several students who came to me looking to use the course as a way to jump-start their knowledge on the subject with a view to getting into the business.
Hope that helps.
Cheers,
PeterHi John,
I started about 1 year ago. so I’m not that far off from you.
I did a very basic course on photography, where I was told about lenses, apertures, ISO, shutters speeds etc. It was free, from the council, once a week for two hours.
I then got a nikon d70, rang about 40 photographers. I ask them to assist and help for free. Two of them accept it! I didn’t like the style of one so I worked just with the other one.
I did it for about 6 months for free, then she started to pay me. ( good feeling by the way!!!)
I still work with her but I’m trying to start on my own.
In the last year, I put together a website with my best shots, I bought a nikon d200, d300, sb800, 17-55,70-200.
I did one wedding on my own and I have two enquiry for next year.I hope that this help….
Good luckAngelo
I have the Nikon D50 which is a really good entry level DSLR. It has been discontinued and some people believe that Nikon made a mistake and then realised it and withdrew it. heres a comment as to why
“My hunch is that it was discontinued after Nikon realized their mistake in including an autofocus motor in a base model, allowing one to mount older AF-D lenses. As everyone now knows, Nikon ended this with the D40 and you must now buy a D80 model (or higher) to obtain that pleasure. I’ve heard lots of former D50 owners who have lamented ever changing models, unless they did a quantum jump to something like the D300. You should enjoy what you’ve got.”
You can pick up a D50 relatively cheap on ebay. eres a link to a forum answering questions and giving opinions on the D50. Note that a few people who moved up from the D50 to more expensive models seemed to regret it shortly afterwards.
http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00QsYy
petercox wrote:
With that in mind, you might have a look at some of the workshops I offer on my photography workshops and courses page. I’ve had several students who came to me looking to use the course as a way to jump-start their knowledge on the subject with a view to getting into the business.
Hope that helps.
Cheers,
PeterJust had a look into this thread out of curiosity but im glad I did,thanks for the good advise peter,ive been looking all over the place for a good course myself,I have a canon eos 350d right now but im planning on buying a canon eos 50d around christmas so I would like to learn how to use it to its full potential,the courses on your site seem perfect for what im looking for,had a look at your work on your site and your photographs are outstanding,
Thanks againfaolan –
Glad you found the advice helpful. I look forward to hearing from you sometime soon!Cheers,
PeterBob,
I’d recommend a d90 if you can afford it.
They’re selling for abut 1099 with an 18-105mm VR lens so covers a good range.
They’ve got movie mode, live view, it’s the most recent DSLR Nikon release so has the newest technologies and won’t be replaced for a while, aperture preview button, has the focus motor built into the body etchttp://www.europe-nikon.com/product/en_GB/products/broad/1617/overview.html
But it depends on your budget of course. Of course, if you could afford it there’s the d700 too. Or the 5d Mk ii!
But seriously for an entry level DSLR – the D90.
And whatever camera you get, make sure to thoroughly familiarise yourself with it [and its manual !] before you start your course. Saves time and money.
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