New to this

[nearog]

Hullo all

I have recently found myself with a lot of time on my hands and it has been suggested that I take up photography.

This really appeals to me but I don't know how to start. I've read this forum for a while now and it seems to be full of good advice and I think I might enjoy a rangefinder camera. I am not very technical and they seem simpler than these fancy devices advertised in High Street shops. I had a Kodak disc camera a few years ago.

Can anyone give me some basic rules for getting good pictures and also buying a first camera?

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Practice, practice, practice.

If you're not sure about rangefinder cameras yet, I would look at getting a Yashica GSN or Canon QL17 from ebay, don't pay more than 30-40 US dollars for either (that way your initial investment is low).

If you want to shoot Black and White film I suggest using Ilford XP2 Super or Kodak BW400CN, they can be developed at your local camera shop or wherever you get your film developed (they use the same process as color film).

Go to a bookstore or library and read up on photography, the information is endless.

Good Luck,
Todd

 

[Ash]

Well depending on your budget, get the best camera you can.

you may want to start with something that has auto-features if you want to, as you learn the basic principles of photography.

If you go fully manual, its a pretty deep end to jump into.

As for good photo's, you'll define your own style. Look into the Zone system, rule of thirds, depth of field etc.

Hope those pointers will help, but I think first you need to get a camera and take some photo's.

 

[clarence]

If you're around in London in Fall / Winter, we could meet and I could show you the basics of camera operation. Of course, that's some time away, and I'd suggest you take the advice of the good people in this forum and get yourself a cheap but good rangefinder to start learning with soon.

You will probably need to send your film to a lab for processing. I would recommend West End Camera on Tottenham Court Road, next to the Spearmint Rhino gentleman's club. They charge only 3.99GBP for 35mm C41 dev and scan (processing and a Compact Disc of standard 135 format film which most cameras use), which is the cheapest price I know in London.

Unfortunately brick and mortar shops often charge very high prices for their equipment. You will find that it's cheaper to buy cameras online from reputable sources. As for film, you can trust the prices on 7dayshop.com to be very competitive, and often half the price of that in the shops. You can also buy plenty of expired film on ebay for very low prices, without adverse results.

Do let us know if you need any help!

Clarence

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Buy a few disposable cameras and enjoy taking photos.

I would recommend West End Camera on Tottenham Court Road, next to the Spearmint Rhino gentleman's club.

but pop the film in for processing before going inside the lapdance club, cameras in such places are not encouraged.

 

[Ash]

just get a small and quiet-shutter compact camera, with slow speed dial - they'll never notice 😀

 

[clarence]

but pop the film in for processing before going inside the lapdance club

An interesting and convenient way to spend a one-hour wait.

cameras in such places are not encouraged.

Certainly not unless you're from spycameraforum.com. But our methods on rff are one step closer to theirs.

Clarence

 

[Ash]

Heh, I'd never get away with it. Just ask Tony (Fred) about the London meet in june. I took a photo and everyone around stopped dead in their tracks - Zorki's are like a hefty door slamming shut in an echoing alleyway.

nearog, if you're ever down towards swindon, then the same offer applies as Clarence has offered. I can show you the ropes with an FSU camera, just so you know what you're getting into before you think they're a bargain and easy thing to start with!

 

[sf]

Rules for taking good pictures :

1. see something you want to take a picture of.
2. Take a picture of it.

Of course, there are many lines in-between like those about composition and metering, but the real root of taking good pictures is having a good eye for subject/composition and taking the picture when you see it. This means, for me, walking around the city of Seattle (or wherever I may be) and waiting for an interesting subject to present itself. I'm not a creative person, so I vastly prefer reactive photography to proactive photography.

Buying cameras:

buy something that feels nice in your hands
buy something that isn't so pricey that you'll regret it if things don't work out.
buy something that does what you want it to do - as a beginner, you'll likely want something with a meter in it.
Buy something that is well made - don't buy a cheap camera just because you're a beginner - you'll get alot more out of the experience if you're working with a pleasant tool.

Buy a Bessa R2A or R3A or R2, and a Nokton 40. That will amount to nearly $1000, though. You could get a Bessa R and Skopar kit for $500ish - and this would be very decent as well.

Go out, and instead of looking directly at your subjects through the viewfinder, look at each scene as though you were putting a frame around it to hang it on a wall. Pay attention to all your subjects, pay attention to what your camera is metering on, pay attention to where the focus is, and pay attention to the depth of field according to aperture.

and maybe a couple FSU (russian) lenses in the Jupiter line. Maybe an industar.

 

[sf]

oh yeah, and BUY USED. Buying a new camera for your first. . . just not a good idea. If you buy used, you'll have no trouble (so long as you research pricing well and choose a good dealer) selling the thing and getting every penny back if things don't work out.

My choice would be to go online and find a used Voigtlander (make sure it has a well-aligned vf/rf) and some used glass.

 

[Jocko]

It may seem a little blasphemous to advise this, but it might be wise to start with a non-RF camera. The Fed 50 is cheaply available new via e-bay. Although largely automatic, the viewfinder displays shutter speeds and apertures, and gives some focussing indication and parallax correction. It is also very simple to use. A couple of weeks with a FED 50, would perhaps boost your confidence and prepare you for a rather more complex camera, whilst suggesting the different effect of various speeds and apertures.

All the best, Ian

 

[Kevin]

Learn to talk to people and take pictures simultaneously.

 

[lushd]

Hi and welcome - this a very friendly and kind place. I got my first RF by accident when the man in my favourite camera shop offered me a Zorki 4 for £15 just to get it off his shelves. I couldn't resist!

All the advice offered (with the possible exception of the bits conerning lapdancing) is great. Give it a go and have some fun.

 

[Jocko]

All the advice offered (with the possible exception of the bits conerning lapdancing) is great.

I quite agree Donald. King Vidor said that the only things worth photographing were women, wheat and steel - so better go pole-dancing and bring a loaf of bread to ensure a perfect picture! 😀

Cheers, Ian!

 

[jrong]

Hi Nearog!

Well, the first thing is: what kind of photography are you interested in doing ? General photography, landscape photography, portrait photography, or street photography in particular?

The rangefinder really only comes into its own for street work. You will find that more people here worship Henry Cartier-Bresson than Ansel Adams. The rangefinder is compact, ostensibly quieter and more discreet, ideal for street work. But if your main interest is portrait or landscape work, then I'd advise you to buy an SLR - it is also more versatile for general photography and more useful when learning the basics of composition. The rangefinder MAY look like a simpler machine to use, but really - a basic rangefinder is pretty much the same as a basic SLR in terms of user functions. Get a good, manual 35mm SLR - not one of the new-fangled types with 1001 buttons and display screens designed to confuse and befuddle even experienced photographers.

So plan according to your budget. The camera body doesn't matter as much as the lenses, so if you're planning to build a system, buy the best lenses you can afford once you have decided what camera system to go for.

An aside: funny and perhaps quite ironic that you won't usually find TRUE gentlemen in so-called "gentlemen's clubs"...

Good luck to you!
Jin

 

[nearog]

Well it seems like that saying about there being no strangers, just friends I haven't met is really true. Thank you all for your kind comments and thoughtful advice. I must say the comments about the "gentlemans club' made me sit up and take notice - not my sort of thing at all.

I have been doing some research and trying to understand what other people think about good photography and it seems there is at least one convincing answer for each person you ask, so I am having to think very hard.

One thing I have noticed is that there are some pictures in the gallery (for example):

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=34800&cat=500&ppuser=2846&sl=j

that I found unsettling. I asked the photographer what was in his mind but didn't understand the answer really.

I think I may be interested in less controversial pictures. Does anyone here enjoy taking photographs of steam trains or old cars? I think I could really enjoy that.

 

[Jocko]

Those pictures are absolutely disgraceful. The sort of person who would give cider to Elmo should have no place in RFF.

Remember to post comments! Enjoy!

Thank you, Ian!

 

[lynn]

Unsettled by pure and innocent sensuality? How quaint!

Perhaps appreciation of these particular images demands a certain degree of maturity and/or experience, but I find them gentle, and sensitive, and remarkably respectful...

 

[Diggin99]

Yes they do...

Yes they do...

I think I may be interested in less controversial pictures. Does anyone here enjoy taking photographs of steam trains or old cars? I think I could really enjoy that.

The short answer is yes! People have many different styles and preferences for what they like to take images of...as well as what they like see images of. I love to take shots of old cars...I guess what I prefer would be called more documentary or still life...Generally I take all kinds of shots that usually do not have people in them...nature photography, rural stuff, old buildings, old farm equipment...that sort of thing!

I agree with the recommendation of a good used SLR...I love the canon AE-1 for example! But one of the Nikon fm cameras would also be great...something with full manual controls and a decent built in meter. Once you start taking photos and get some experience with general stuff (how to expose an image, getting used to varieties of light, composition etc) then you can explore other types of cameras if you like.

Here is what I would do...get a used slr...get some color film like Fuji and also black and white that can be processed in color (like Kodak 400), then find a car collectors club that (hopefully) meets locally and take pictures!

Nancy

 

[Dougg]

Generally speaking, in the making of every picture there was SOMEthing that caught the interest of the photographer. Very often the result fails to clearly exhibit this, but we keep snapping away in hopes of doing better. I'd suggest you do the same, and just snap things that interest you. Have fun! 🙂