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So… you have a DSLR Camera and you are looking for some photography tips for beginners. You’ve come to the right place my friend!
You’ve never used it because you have no idea how and because there are so many buttons and dials, it is just completely overwhelming.
Or maybe you have started using it, but only in Auto Mode until you can find time to learn more about how to use oh-so-magical Manual mode.
You know in the back of your mind that you will get the very best out of your investment when you learn how to really use your camera the way you want to. So you jumped on pinterest to search “DSLR cameras for beginners” and found this article to give you the “cliffs notes” version from a real live person who can give it to you in layman’s terms.
This article is dedicated to teaching you the basics of your DSLR so you can get started taking memorable pictures right away.
My goal is for you to feel confident with your camera by teaching you some basic fundamentals that you can start doing right away as well as feel the return on your expensive investment of your memory maker AKA the DSLR Camera.
Although, I am definitely no expert or professional photographer, photography is one of my deepest passions. I have a natural instinct for capturing memorable detail. Taking photos is a very important part of my life. I have been taking photos with my DSLR camera for 8 years and have learned a lot through trial, error and research along the way so now I can sum it all up into an easy article for you.
So lets get a little bit of control of your camera, and get those photographs you dream of!
What is a DSLR?
DSLR stands for Digital Single-Lens Reflex.
A digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor (google).
Ummm… okay so what the heck does that mean … ? Let me explain.
Once you begin to learn manual mode, uou’ll be able to adjust every feature inside your camera settings to your exact specifications to manipulate different shooting settings and change out different lenses, something you cannot do with a regular phone camera or a regular digital camera.
A DSLR can gather so much more light in low light situations than a phone camera and allows you to have FULL control over your images.
This allows your creativity to become fully “exposed” (no pun intended) in the artisan 😉
First Camera Suggestion For Beginners
If you don’t already have your DSLR camera but you are gathering information so you can make your purchase, my personal, non professional suggestion, would be a Nikon camera.
You are going to need to shell out a few hundred bucks for a beginners camera, even if buying used/refurbished.
I am just a mom with a small business, and the camera I use is a Nikon D3100.
Minor disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer, not even close. I do not take photos for other people. I photograph for personal use only to expand upon my creativity, and this is the camera I would recommend under those circumstances.
This is a great Nikon comparison guide.
The Nikon D3000 Series is an entry level DSLR camera with many features for those who are brand new to photography but also want to learn to use a camera’s manual mode.
This camera also has an amazing auto mode, which allows you to start off with the camera “in charge” and still get amazing, better quality photos.
Nikon does not only take photos but also take great VIDEO footage for those who want to make videos (home movies, YouTubers, etc.)
This camera is very affordable and cost-effective, giving you a HUGE return on your investment.
You will learn so much about photography alone while using this camera.
For beginners, this camera is one of the first suggestions for simplicity and ease of use and learning.
The higher the series number goes (D3100>D3400>D3500) basically means that is the most recent “upgraded” version. Longer battery life, faster processors, upgraded lenses, etc.).
So if you are to purchase this camera, right now, THIS IS THE ONE, you should purchase to get the most upgraded features at the best price with ALL THE ACCESSORIES PLUS AN EXTRA LENSE!!!
Look up comparison charts for Nikon beginners. HERE is a Nikon DSLR comparison chart if you are more interested in other types of cameras for your specific field of interest.
If I were to buy a camera today, as a beginner, for the best price and return on my investment, for the reasons I need it, I would 100% buy THIS ONE all day long.
My products in my shop are some great examples of my DSLR photos but I’ve also added an example of a photo from my D3100 camera below.
Natural Light
Natural light is your BEST FRIEND when it comes to photography. For ANY type of camera. But most especially, for a DSLR.
Natural light, manipulated correctly into your photo, will give you the very best quality photo.
You will want to have the natural light source behind YOU (never behind your subject), pointing towards the subject or to the side of the subject to avoid glare and you will have a gorgeous, balanced image.
You will find how using the natural light alone will make your photos look professional right off the bat with no “fake” feel to them.
The best natural lighting settings would be indoors near a bright window, outdoors at dawn or dusk, or outdoors in the shade during the middle of the day out of direct sunlight.
Soon, uou will be able to manipulate those shadows to work FOR you, not against you in natural settings using your f/stop (explained below).
Rule of 3rds
Always take your image using the “rule of 3rds”. This is a real thing used in professional photography.
Imagine a grid of 3x3x3 in camera lense view, your focus spot is directly on any of those points where any of the lines intersect, this allows the viewer to see the “whole picture” of any blank space etc.
Place your subject along any of those intersections, and that will make your photos appear professional and more interesting to the viewer.
See the photo below how the image is divided up into sections of 3, and the main target of the photo is centered directly at the intersections of the lines? This is called, the Rule of 3rds and this how you improve your photos.
In most cameras, you can turn this grid on in the viewfinder.
Lenses To Start
Just like camera styles, there are soooooo many different lenses to choose from.
For most cases, the type of lens you need is a VR lens (vibration reduction), Nikon’s term for stabilization.
A VR lens minimizes blur created by the camera of the camera shaking during the moment of the photo being taken.
Choosing a lens will depend on the photos you intend to take. You will need to choose the appropriate lens for categories of “people and events”, “close-ups”, “action/fastmoving”, “travel”, and the “great outdoors”, according to Nikon.
Nikon has a special tool HERE that you can input the event you want to shoot, your skill level, and what type of camera you have and it will give you the results of the exact lenses you need.
Common lenses: 55mm , 50mm, 35mm. Most DSLR cameras will come with a 55mm lens to start you off, which is the basic, everyday lens.
A 35 mm lens is best for shooting video, it has a closer focusing range.
A 50mm lens works amazing for getting that “blurred” background, and focused subject.
Camera Basics
The Exposure Triangle
The Exposure Triangle is the most basic and yet the most important piece information to understand anything further into your camera.
There are 3 variables that work together alongside each other when creating the image exposure: Aperture, ISO and Shutterspeed.
The best way to express their association is via the Exposure Triangle. Each element is balanced along the lines of each other to create the best exposure.
If you are using auto mode, your camera will use it’s “brain” to determine the balance of these 3 elements for you based on the scene and lighting given.
But if you are shooting in manual mode, you get to choose the balance of the settings yourself for the effect you want to achieve. Each element is described below.
ISO
ISO settings determine how sensitive your camera’s sensor is to light. The higher your ISO, the more light your camera will “gather” for the exposure and will affect your image’s sharpness of grain/noisier.
You will want to keep your ISO number settings as low as possible such as 100 if shooting in bright light. If shooting in lower light, like indoors, start at a higher ISO number like 1600 at first. The ISO is calibrated in numbers from 50 to 12800.
Aperture or F/stop
Aperture, aka the F/stop, is the size of the opening inside your camera that allows the light to pass through to the sensor. The f/stop is callibrated in number decimals from 1.4 through 22.
The lower your f/stop number means that MORE light will pass through to the sensor and the blurier the background will be.
The higher your f/stop number, the sharper the focus in the background
Just remember, the lower the number, the blurrier, the higher the number, the sharper the background.
Shutter Speed
The closing and opening of the shutter, is measured in fractions of a second, the time it takes to open and close.
Shutter speed is the amount of time the shutter stays open after you press the button.
Basically, it is how long it takes for your camera to “take” the photo.
The faster your shutter speed, the less light your camera can gather when the shutter is closing at a faster speed.
When the shutter is closing slower, it is letting in more light.
The shutter speed affects your images motion.
The faster the shutter, will freeze motion blur. The slower the shutter speed, the blurrier the motion of your image.
To keep your photos sharper and more “frozen”, choose a faster shutter speed, such as 1/160
Raw v JPEG
There are 2 formats for your images on your camera. Raw or JPEG.
When an image is captured on a digital camera, it is saved as raw data. This means no processing is applied to the image and no data was collected such as sharpness and contrast.
Most professional photographers prefer to shoot in raw. A raw image file can be edited and manipulated so much more than a JPEG.
However, a raw file is not actually an image, and it takes software to open it. They are larger files but better to display highlights and shadows. It still needs to be processed before you can print them.
Most cameras automatically are set to format your images in JPEG.
These are much smaller files as they are compressed and are easily shareable.
A JPEG is already an image file and does not need to be processed as it is processed when the image is taken. It’s ability to display brightness and shadows is much less than in RAW.
Both formats have their pros and cons. A raw format allows you maximum control over your final processed photo. A JPEG is automtically processed for you with good image quality straight out of the camera.
For beginners, I recommend keeping your image format in JPEG until you are ready to venture into the land of RAW!
Modes: Manual v Auto
So remember, in the auto mode, your camera makes the decisions for your image using the best settings that the camera thinks it needs based on the picture you are trying to take.
Manual mode, YOU get to choose those settings in the exposure triangle and more. Play with manual mode so you can learn to use your camera for what it’s worth.
I have some really AMAZING resources for you to learn some exactly how to use your camera.
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If purchasing this bundle isn’t in your budget right now, JUMP on Pinterest and search “free photography courses”. There is so much free and valuable photography education available to you.
To Wrap It Up
Obviously your smartphone is convenient, and easy to use without much user “error” much involved.
You do not need a DSLR camera to take great pictures. Most digital cameras, including the one on your phone, take really great pictures for just about most of what you need a camera for: Basic everyday picture taking.
A DSLR camera is most compatibile for those who want to have complete control over the exposure of their photos and want to take a more artistic approach when it comes to taking photographs.
Such as weddings, sport events, family events, special occasions and more.
Spend a few minutes every day, it doesn’t have to be a chore, practicing the tips you learned here today. Go outside around dusk, find a subject to photograph and spend a few minutes playing with the features.
If you liked this article, click the Pin It button on the image below and save it to your Pinterest account or share this post to Facebook so other photography gurus can grab their free Camera Settings Cheat Sheet Printable too.
