Photography Clubs

[Tango7]

There is probably a thread about this but just in case there isn't, does anyone know of any photography clubs going on ?

I am a complete novice but have just shelved out for a new Nikon D70s and would like to learn how to use it and take good pics with it as well as get some ideas about lenses, filters etc.

If anyone knows of any clubs, would you mind posting the details here and I'll keep checking back.

Many thanks in advance.

Tango7

[bangkapiboy]

Maybe one should be started. Anyway I did find one, but it's only setup for Thais.

[monsieurhappy]

There is probably a thread about this but just in case there isn't, does anyone know of any photography clubs going on ?

I am a complete novice but have just shelved out for a new Nikon D70s and would like to learn how to use it and take good pics with it as well as get some ideas about lenses, filters etc.

If anyone knows of any clubs, would you mind posting the details here and I'll keep checking back.

Many thanks in advance.

Tango7

Hi Tango,

The problem you may find with photography clubs is that the members don't want to share with others the ways they take their pics. They just want to show off what they can do or where they have been and hope that everyone else thinks they are marvellous! I only went to a club once and was completely bored by a guy who showed a pic he'd taken on holiday in some obscure place. He talked for ages about how good this pic was but never mentioned the lens or settings he'd used let alone why he'd taken it in the first place.

IMO one of the ways to learn photography is first of all know your camera, know how it works, how to change settings etc. etc. In other words read and digest the instruction book and always take it with you in case you need to look up something.

You could then go on to take simple photos of anything around the house. Take multiple pics of the same thing using different speeds and f/stops. This will give you an idea of what a different setting will achieve. Don't worry at first about different lenses, remember most of the time your feet can zoom in or out easier than changing a lens.

When you've got a reasonable idea of how the basics work try looking at the many photo forums you can find on the net. These will give you many ideas for what to photograph and you'll also see what settings other people have used to make a particular shot.

Don't worry too much at first about buying new lenses etc. If you've got the kit lens and a computer to view your pics on that's all you need for a while. Try not to be too adventureous at first, just aim for good exposed shots. Take the same shot from different angles and settings and compare them later. At least with a digital you're not wasting film so if you see something you like just move around and cover all the angles as well as exposures.

Once you've done your ground work and got to know your camera you'll soon be taking decent pics.

As for starting a photography club, I personally wouldn't be interested but I would be interested if anyone would like to get together as a group and go somewhere to take photographs.

[Tango7]

Thanks for the long post and the suggestions.

I went out and bought myself a Nikon D70s which was a split second decision over the Canon 350D

Not sure it was the right thing to do but it's what I did. I have been going round the house doing tests using different F. settings and shutter speeds and so on and I'm getting used to the camera, but understanding why it is behaving in the way it does is also important so that I can get the setting right more quickly.

I know that by doing the saame thing again and again will make me get better but a few pointers, tricks etc from those who know would be great.

I know a new lens is not important just yet, but I'd certainly like to get into wide angle lenses and lenses that will allow for close up photography of insects etc.

I agree about the clubs being for those who want to brag. I did attend one once and it was also a case of " look what I've done" and not " Here's how I did it".

[monsieurhappy]

Here's a couple of sites you might like to try:-

http://www.photonhead.com/

http://www.fredmiranda.com/

The first will give you some useful info about how your camera works and the second will let you see what others are shooting and how they are doing it. The forum lets you ask others settings etc. and if you post your own pics you should get some valuable critique.

[Firefoxx]

A club's success will depend on its members. If you're careful about the selection of members, the club will be a pleasant experience. Usually it's a mix of not-so-pleasant members and people you can get along with.

Although there are many foreigners in Thailand, it's no surprise that there are no expat photo clubs here. It's Thailand, after all. Thousands of Thai clubs. Of course there is no stopping the people in this forum from organizing small get-togethers. I know that some Thai clubs set a day every week at some place (like MBK) where they meet (if they're free) and talk about photography.

As for getting a lens, it's good to use the kit lens first and try to see what you are missing when you take pictures. Tele? Wide? Fast F-stop? IS? Weight? Bulk? Blindly buying a new lens will leave you with a very expensive paperweight, given the $$$ nature of SLR lenses.

[astral]

Please feel free to use this forum as a meeting point.

If you do get something organised, let me know by PM and I can pin the details at the top of the forum, so they do not roll off and get lost.

Astral

[Tango7]

Thanks for the postings and the links. I will certainly take a look.

I've had my camera a week now and I think the rain gods just KNEW I was going to buy it and held off the rainy days until I had it in my grasp...typical !!

As you might guess, I've not had a chance to really try it except continual pictures of my coffee table and stolen pics at work but it's not subtle lugging a Nikon D70s out of your bag and snapping the girls in the office...

I'm waiting for this weekend nd good weather to try it out for real but I have to say that it's frustrating as all.....to take a few hundred images with 99% being too dark, not sharp enough and so on. Getting the setting right is certainly going to take time.

In fact, the pictures are so dark that I'm wondering whether or not something is wrong. To get any light in at all, I either need flash or I have to reduce shutter speed to so slow I will certainly need a tripod.

I bought this to take good photos of places liek The Grand Palace, Phi-Phi, Kao Yai and so on but right now, all I can imagine is dark images and my getting out my Canon A95 to complete the job.

Is this all usual or could I have a "duff" camera ?

[monsieurhappy]

Why don't you post a couple of these "dark" pics and maybe someone on here can tell you what you're doing wrong?

[skippybangkok]

Sounds very very strange........ did you take the cover off the lens ? ( joke ! )

Seriously, set n full auto, take pic in day time. If black or bad pic....something is wrong.

[astral]

With any new camera, film or digital, it is always a good idea to shoot

off a roll or two using all the settings.

It gets you familiar with what the camera can do and tests everything.

In normal daylight and full auto you should be getting perfectly exposed shots.

If not, then back to the shop!!!

[Tango7]

I went off to Wat Po today to take some pics and play around with the camera. Looking through the LCD made the images look very dark but I took my smaller CanonA95, swapped the car and took a look through that LCD and the images looked a lot better.

Having said that, the sun then came out and it was a glorious time for taking pics and on full auto, the flash still popped up and went off on most shots even though the temple was fully lit by bright sun light.

I got home and took a look at some shots and they look OK. Not very sharp, not the crisp and clear images I see from other people but I'm guessing this is me not used to the settings. I'd ay 20% were decent but a little short on colour. Many seemed a bit dull ( see attached ) but others came out ok ( see attached women praying ).

How can I bring colour and feeling to the images ?

I mainly used Manual mode, kept F stop at f3.5 / f.4 and then adjusted shutter speed until wite balance was about quarter way along the + scale past the center point. If I kept it at zero, the images were generally too dark.

[astral]

How can I bring colour and feeling to the images ?

I mainly used Manual mode, kept F stop at f3.5 / f.4 and then adjusted shutter speed until wite balance was about quarter way along the + scale past the center point. If I kept it at zero, the images were generally too dark.

I think you need to read the manual carefully.

You may be missing something.

White balance is to do with the colour cast and can generally be left on automatic.

It should not affect the overall exposure of the photograph.

The lack of sharpness may be due to the aperture.

Try some more on f5.6 or f8

[monsieurhappy]

Tango, as Astral has said, you are missing something. Your D70s is a DSLR and as such you will not be able to look through the LCD screen to compose your shots. You must do this through the viewfinder. The LCD is for viewing shots already taken. Why don't you just use AUTO for a while and see what settings the camera has used, then you will have more idea of what settings to use when you try one of the other modes.

The fact that some of your shots are not in focus may be due to the auto focus system. If for instance you are taking a shot of a person and they are not in the centre of the shot you must first focus on that person, then holding the shutter release button halfway down move the camera until you have the shot you want and continue pressing the button. This will ensure the focus you had on the person will be the same when you move the camera. You could also switch off the a/focus and manual focus by turning the lens yourself. After you have taken a shot you can look at it through the LCD screen.

Keep things simple at first, don't try to use all the settings until you understand what they do and as I said before, read the instructions!