New to photography...

Tweet So you're new to photography. You have been interested in photos for a long time, but you don't know where to start... Don't worry we're here for you. If you have never used a SLR (single lens reflex camera) don't worry, they're not as bad as they look. Man can they be intimidating looking though. All of the buttons, dials, levers, lenses that come off, film or digital? These are all things that you may think about, or have questions about. Let me try to help you.

First of all, don't worry we all had the same fears and uncertainties at one point or another. We all thought, "how will I ever figure that all out" when we started. The first thing you need to know is that no matter what brand you choose, and what format you choose(film or digital), the camera can't do anything without you. The camera is just a tool for you the photographer to capture what you see. Much like a paintbrush allows the painter to transfer an image to canvas. The worst photographer in the world with the best, and most expensive camera system in the world will still make crappy photos. I hear all of the time when someone sees my images "wow you must have a nice camera". Well yes I do have a nice camera, but the camera didn't do anything without me, and my vision. This is easy to see when looking at the work of the better photographers around you. Shad Ramsey, a local wedding photographer can make prints to hang on a museum wall with a disposable camera. Another good friend of mine Carrie, surprises me every time she shows me a new image fresh out of post processing, she's one of the most talented up and coming photographers that I know. The point is, pay attention to the content of the photo more than the technical aspect and you will produce better photos. I have been shooting film as of late on most of my personal projects, and people can't believe the quality of the images that I get out of my $15 film SLR. Just food for thought.

You keep hearing me talk about "camera systems" not "cameras". There is a very good reason for this. When making your choice what brand to go with, you have to not only consider the camera's, you have to look at their lenses. Do they have a large variety of lenses? Do they have good quality, both in build and in image quality? Can you attach some of the older lenses and use them with the current cameras? These are really important questions that you have to research and find out before you can make an informed decision on what to buy.

That's it for me for now, I'll be back later to talk a little about third party support for the camera systems, and what effect this should have on your purchase decision. See ya then! Jason