photography book

[Chantal]

I am hoping for some advice. At the moment I have a normal point and shoot digital camera that I never take off auto (Dimage Z2). I love it very much, but think I should learn to take it off auto. The instruction leaflet (which is the size of War and Peace) has me foxed.

Can anyone recommend an idiot proof photography book that will make me brave enough to start to try some of the other settings on the camera? I have had a look on Amazon and some of them seem too basic (how to print photos etc)......

thanks

C xx

[Julesmichelle]

Books have to be very general, as every camera has different features and capabilities and they do not want to restrict readership. As a professional photographer, I would suggest you just play with your camera. Obviously, do not try anything new when you are wanting to get some images that are important to you but take the camera out and shoot....anything and everything....if need be take a notebook with you and jot down the image number and what settings you have the camera on and what the natural light etc was like at the time. Take each image several times using a different setting each time. Come back, download the images and see which ones worked...then go out again with that knowledge and take some more and see how they turn out. It is digital so you can afford to play....no expensive printing costs - just your time. Much more fun than reading the manual!:wacko:

[gilly_dragon]

Chantal, Chrism and I are in much the same situation as you. We both bought identical Fuji S9500's in March this year, although we can take reasonable photos, we want to get more use out of them. We have found a photography club very local, and we are going to our first meeting on Monday next week. Hopefully, we will learn how to use them ...........in time. Will let you know how we get on.

Is there any photography groups near to you?? Just a thought.

[Chantal]

Thank you both! Will have a look around for a photography club. I think the problem is that I do not feel like a beginner because i know the basics of how to take a photo on auto and the basics of composing a shot etc, how to use photoshop but want to be abit more adventurous wiht the actual camera-guess I get out there and take more photos!

thanks

cx

[gilly_dragon]

We don't consider ourselves as beginners either, I won the photography comp on here in April with a photo of a Mandarin duck, and I had put a couple in the comp for this month (didn't get chosen:() Take a look at them if you want. I also have a link to my flickr photo album in my signature line, not a lot of photos in there just yet, but hopefully there will be more soon.

Gill

[Chantal]

I could not find your duck in your gallery and cannot access the flickr gallery as I am at work (security settings). However the other photos are great-I think I am weaker than you in that sense. The ones of the cars with the lights is really cleverly done.

I think what I am saying is alot of the books etc seem to do everything from how to print photos to more complex stuff about apertures and light etc and I am fine with the printing etc but want to the stuff on apertures and light and so forth. I did look at the manual again last night and it did start to make abit more sense........lots of manual reading due I think!

thanks again for the responses

C