New user needing tips.

Im an unemployed single dad so didnt have much money to spend on fancy cameras but i bought myself a Kodak z710 camera and could do with some tips on taking pictures and making them look professional.
I want to start taking pics of the scenery i have around me in the highlands of scotland and some nature pics.
I dont really know much about photography or digital cameras apart from point and click so any tips or advice would be appreciated.

Thx

[happyhomer]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I'm afraid I can't give you any digital-specific tips (I'm still a happy film user) but the best thing that you can do to get great looking landscape images is to invest in a tripod. You don't need anything expensive; have a look at 7dayshop's range. Then set your camera to aperture priority mode and use a small aperture (higher f number) which will give you maximum depth-of-field (i.e. more of the shot in focus) and no blur. Also select a lower ISO setting to keep the image as clear as possible.You'd be amazed at the improvement you'll get. For wildlife a tripod is just as useful though you'll need a little patience, and you'll probably want to experiment with the aperture size to get the right effect (e.g. a blurred background will emphasise that playful stag rather well, and you'll need a faster shutter speed to freeze any movement).
This is particularly relevant when using the camera at high zoom settings as any motion will be magnified (it will look fine on the LCD screen when previewed, but will become apparent when printed).

Other than that, get out into that marvellous countryside you have up there, take as many shots as you like (you can always delete the naff ones) and most of all ENJOY!

I guess someone with specific knowledge of this camera will be along shortly to help you out.

[iGiDK]

Luckily, you've got a vast array of information at your disposal via the internet and I think the camera you have bought should have everything you need to learn and enjoy your hobby.

Plenty of info to be had here as a starting point: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/

Once you begin to understand the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO you can learn how to apply differing combinations of the three into different photographic situations.

Have a look at this link as well (don't worry about the fact you've not got a Canon, some of the lessons are quite useful)

http://www.usa.canon.com/content/reb...lxtlessons.htm

[electrolyte]

Hi there. Welcome to the forums!

As well as worrying about the technical aspects of photography (f-stops, ISO, shutter speed etc) how you compose an image can perhaps have an even bigger impact on how professional your image looks. I have seen plenty of photos that are perfectly exposed, using the right settings but aren't well composed so look ordinary.

This website gives some excellent examples of how properly composing your images can make a huge difference.

I'd also recommend that you get (or borrow from your library - they should be able to get the books for you) two books by Bryan Petersen. They are Understanding Exposure and Learning to See Creatively. The first will help you with the technical side and the second the composition.

Another thing to do would be to do a search on flickr before you go to the place where you are taking photos. This will allow you to see what others have done with the same scene. You can see what has worked well and what hasn't. So for instance, say you were going to Loch Ness to take some photos, you just need to type in "loch ness" into the search box on the opening screen and you'll see 1000s of photos from loch ness. Click on "most interesting" and you'll then get the "best" photos of loch ness posted on flickr. A great way to learn is to look at other people's work first.

One final thing. Even though you only have a cheap camera it won't stop you taking some great photos. A lot of people on here get hung up about having the latest £1500 body with a £1000 lens. I've seen some stunning photos taken with a camera phone. It's not your tools, it's the person using them that counts. Ansel Adams, David Bailey etc took some amazing photos with what we would regard as antiques. Yet they are amazing photos because the photographer was able to compose their subjects in a pleasing way.

But most of all have fun.

Thanks for the replies and the links, some great info to be had for sure.
I was out taking a few pics today and will put them up in the forum here for comment and critique.

[sbowler]

Keep snapping and learn what works, its all a matter of experience and you never stop learning. Your very fortunate to live in an extremely buetiful area of the UK. Also use the self timer on the camera even when its on the tripod, you then will be able to achieve the sharpest shots. Also a lot can be done to improve an image in post processing in editing. Adobe elements 5 is a reletively enexpensive editing suite.

PS A very unusual proffession you have there, some great examples of your work on your site. Good luck.