I have not been able to work in over a year so I have no money, how do I start trying to go back to school online without any money to give?

Since you asked this question on-line you have access to the internet so here is a start: Some you have to pay for and some are free.. start with the free stuff of course.

http://www.photonhead.com/beginners/

http://www.betterphoto.com/home.asp

http://www.shootsmarter.com/

http://www.webphotoschool.com/

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2/3/38&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=7797

http://www.lexar.com/dp/index.html?CMP=EMC-DP

In photography you do not have to go to formal school and have a degree to be a photographer.

1. You should learn the technical aspects of photography and your camera (composition, shutter speed, depth of field etc), once you understand these you will be able to create better images.

2. Shoot in "M" (manual mode) because you will have more control over your camera and not the other way around. When you are in one of the "Auto" modes the camera will just read the highlights and shadow areas and try to get you a picture. The camera is not smart enough to know what you are shooting.

3. You can start reading all kinds of books on this subject and get information from the internet. This includes web based classes, manufactures web sites to personal blogs.

4. Buy the best DSLR camera that you can afford this also includes good lenses. Take out your camera and manual sit down and go over all the buttons and knobs etc.. this is the best way for you to learn what your camera can do.

5. Start shooting with your camera to get practice and from what you are learning from reading and doing you will get better. Practice does make perfect. Take notes while shooting and then look at your photos on the computer find the best one from that set and see what you did to get the shot.

6. You can get yourself a job as a photographers assistant (be it payed or free) and learn from that person.

7. My suggestion is to find a part of photography that you would have an interest in and point in that direction.

Hope this helps,
Kevin

I’m taking a color photography class (digital, that is) and I need an idea for my final. There are no guidelines. We have to draft a proposal for our final project fairly soon. Usually I do portrait photography, if that helps explain where I want to go with this. I’m terrible at coming up with ideas though. Any suggestions?

Yes, I have a great idea, especially for college.

Do your portraits, but do them in an unusual way. Like, for instance, shoot only close ups of facial features. Do lips, noses, cheeks, eyes, ears, etc, etc. Ladies ears with beautiful ear rings dangling from them. Beautiful close ups of woman’s eyes with different kinds of make up on them, like blue eye shadow, or longer lashes, etc. Feature "extreme", macro, close ups of skin and curves and dimples and irises, and anything else you can think of.

Hi does anyone know of some good places i could find free or with permission photographic references of faces and people to practice my graphite portrait drawing. Preferably with rembrandt lighting.
Rembrandt lighting in photography is a lighting technique that is sometimes used in studio portraiture.

The key in Rembrandt lighting is creating the triangle or diamond shape of light underneath the eye. One side of the face is lit well from the main light source while the other side of the face uses the interaction of shadows and light, also known as chiaroscuro, to create this geometric form on the face.

The triangle should be no longer than the nose and no wider than the eye. Rembrandt lighting is a combination of short and butterfly lighting– and as such it is actually the eye closest to the camera (on the broad side of the face) that should have the triangle of light. The narrow side is illuminated. This technique may be achieved subtly or very dramatically by altering the distance between subject and lights and relative strengths of main and fill lights. It is a common photography technique.

The specifics of your lighting sounds like one person’s formula for the effect and does not display the subtlety of the effect. Place a real person in a doorway,lit by natural daylight ,with a dark interior and try taking some photographs.Although I have used photographs for many years as source material,they are no substitute for working from observation of life.

i don’t know anything about photography! help!

Has a lot of information. Go for it.

http://photo.net/learn/

I know the obvious, practice, but i was just wondering if anyone could give me any ideas on how to learn more? Book recommendations?

I was so so at photography this time last year, but over the summer, I went into my library’s section of old books on photography (martin luther king library in San Jose) and I read pretty much every single book there.

My favorites were anything by Tom Ang, "How to photograph absolutely everything" is a good beginners book and "Digital Photography Masterclass" which is a bit more advanced. Kodak makes some good books (but really crappy cameras). Ansel Adams has some REALLY good books, but they’re a bit on the technical side.

but the two tom ang books i mentioned are my favorites, and I highly recommend them, but from personal experience, the best way to learn is through failure.

I’m going to be starting college soon with a major in photography. I’ve done research, but I don’t know SLR’s very well. I’m going to be a studio photographer with a focus in portraits and fashion modeling. I currently have a budget of $3000 for the camera and $1500 for other equipment/accessories.

I use two Nikon D200 bodies, a Nikon F4, a Sinar 4×5 view camera and a Calumet 8×10 camera. I use them all when shooting advertising, fashion/glamour and some editorial photography.

If you are just starting school, save your money and buy what you need once you know what you need. The school I went to required all their students to use a 4×5 view camera for the first year. It wasn’t until I worked as an assistant for a studio photographer, did I learn what I really needed.

The top photo schools do not even have any classes in digital photography until about the student has completed at least a year of school.

By the time you know what you need in the way of a DSLR, the technology will be far better and probably at a lower cost.

Stick with film for now. Wait until your school (or department that oversees your major) tells you what you need, before you buy. Just keep the money on hand, so you can run out and buy the equipment once you know what it is.

the classes should teach lighting and angle techniques as well as darkroom developing.

Check out the art schools and colleges in your area.

I’m looking for online resources that provide tips and information on digital photography techniques and equipment (such as the best computer/printer etc.) Thanks.

http://www.dpreview.com/

stuckincustoms.com

I want to learn photography. Can any one suggst me a good soem good website. I am going to purchase Nikon D40. As i am a learner and going to start my photographic skill can any one suggest me a site will give all basic thin right from fixing the camera till taking a good photography.

www.kenrockwell.com is a very knowledgeable, but biased, site for you to learn about cameras and techniques especially if you’re a Nikon shooter. Remember that Ken is just one guy and doesn’t represent ALL of the photographing community, and you’ll learn best by going out, shooting, and having fun yourself.

I’m an aspiring photographer who’s really into the artistic side of the field. I’m really into portraits and outdoor photography. I recently bought a $600 digital rebel xt but because i wasn’t paying attention I didn’t realize until too late that it came without a lens. So now i’m left with a camera with no lens. What’s the best way to shop for a lens when you’re on a low budget?

The Canon 50mm 1.8 for around $80 new makes a great portrait lens on a DSLR.

Not only is it one of the least expensive lenses available for your camera, it’s also one of the sharpest.