Miles - Photography For Beginners: How To Create Brilliant Digital SLR Photography Like A Pro

Alright, so first things first, what is a DSLR camera?

You must have heard from people wanting to buy a DSLR camera and to just get started on this beautiful journey called photography. Now, to put in simple words, DSLR is a Digital Single-Lens Reflex camera. It is basically your eyes, which makes everything look so beautiful.

A DSLR has got reflex mirrors which helps in showing you the exact scene which you are going to shoot in your viewfinder. All this is done with the help of a focusing screen, condenser lens and a prism wall.

So basically a DSLR is a digital camera that works on mirrors and interchangeable lenses. Now you must have seen those big nozzles photographers attach in front of their cameras right; yes, thats a lens. That is what gives you the required output for shooting images. There are various types of lenses available and the best part about DSLRs is the flexibility to attach these lenses.

Here are some common types of lenses:

• Macro lens: This is used for close object photography subjects like flowers, plants and insects.
• Tilt and shift lens: As the name suggests, it is used for tilt and shift photography. You must have seen those long perspective building shots that professionals like to take; this is what they use.
• Wide Angle lenses: Perfect for landscape photography.
• Standard prime and zoom lens: This is a standard tool used to take pictures in weddings, events, photo journalism events and more. It is also ideal for portraits.
• Telephoto prime and zoom lenses: This one is for action, sports and wildlife photography.

Other Features

Now apart from its transformer-like ability to change lenses, what really defines a DSLR is the quality and speed that comes with it. The imaging sensors in this camera are much larger in a DSLR when compared with any compact digital camera. It works on bigger the better logic: the bigger the imaging sensor, the better the image quality.

Another awesome thing about DSLR is the speed. It can capture images with a speed of 4fps [Frames per second]. No compact digital camera can beat that.

Image sensors are basically what create noise in your photographs. These sensors are responsible for maintaining the quality of the image and since point and shoot cameras or compact digital cameras have smaller image sensors, they lose quality when the sensitivity is increased.

Also, DSLR cameras are pretty solid when it comes to exposing the image sensors to light. Most point and shoot cameras have settings where you can keep the exposure to mostly just up to 1 minute but a DSLR allows you to do that for as long as you want. Sometimes a good shot needs an exposure for around 5 long minutes and only a DSLR will allow you to do that.

So now you know what a DSLR is and what it can do. Once you get your hands on such a camera and start exploring, it will become like a Lego toy set. You can attach external flashes, various lenses, lens filters which affect colors and contrast and more. Also, you can also upgrade the battery life for longer photography sessions. It is not a camera for your selfies and party clicks; use your smartphone for that. This is for great quality photographs and an amazing photography experience with limitless capabilities.

Debunking Myths

The following are some photography myths so you dont get disappointed just yet:

Taking photographs outdoors in good daylight is something which can be easily done with any camera so dont feel disappointed if you friend challenges you with his point and shoot camera. There is a lot more you can do which he cant.

Indoor photography in sub-par light is a challenging task. So if you dont get a good output, dont blame the camera. Learn the techniques and you will get a perfect photograph.

Clicking pictures of moving objects is difficult: a moving car, your dog, your kids. This is especially when its indoors or when the lighting is not adequate. It is extremely difficult for any camera and all photographers may struggle to master this art.

If you are spending money to buy a top notch camera from brands like Nikon, Cannon, Olympus then make sure you buy lenses of the same brand to get the best output.

Lastly, the most important myth is about megapixels. Dont fall for it. Many salesmen mislead customers to buy cameras with higher megapixels. The truth is that any camera over 4 megapixels is good enough to print an image as big as 2x3 feet in size. Its all about your photography skills.

Tips for Getting Started

Try to give a unique name to each photo because most of the cameras have this default naming system where it starts with DSC_0001 and the series goes on. So if you shoot 10 photographs, it will be a series of DSC_0001 to DSC_0010. Now if you take out your memory card and reinsert it, it will again start the DSC_0001 series instead of DSC_0011. So, make sure your name is properly adjusted if you dont want to accidentally overwrite old photographs.

You are still far from learning everything about photography. There are way too many buttons and settings on your DSLR. Dont get confused with it, just play around with some default settings or switch to auto mode. Get some hands on experience; feel comfortable before you start getting technical.

Your camera is now your everyday companion; try to take it with you wherever you go. You never know when a great photography opportunity might come up. Remember that quote Cool things always happen when you dont have a camera. So make sure you dont miss out on anything. And taking care of your camera is also important; dont keep it in extreme hot and cold conditions. Keep it in a covered space.

Setting up the date and time in your camera will help you when you try to sort your photographs. It is a digital camera and since you have so much memory you would not think twice before clicking a picture; it is like getting a gun with unlimited ammo. But when you try to sort it later, it might a pain. Setting up the date and time accurately will help you with details like when was the picture taken and what the time was. It is a very minor detail but it can add value to your photographs.

A Few More Points

These are some basic tips to use to make sure you get a good photograph.

Cleaning:

The lens and sensor always have to stay clean for the camera to work right. Cleaning them will prevent unwanted dots and dust particles from appearing in your beauty shot. Get a lens cloth and use it only to clean the lens. Always clean the lens in a circular motion. While changing the lens, make sure you are in a safe environment; it helps in keeping the sensor clean or else dirt can easily attack the sensor as it is exposed. Keep the camera off while doing the transition. Most DSLRs have auto sensor cleaning options.