I wish I DID know something worthwhile.
I haven't taken any courses lately but you just 'beefed' up things in my pants.






Actually I do if you can find one available for the right price in your area. I recommend doing it only after you have been through some reading material though. I am a novice that use to expose a lot of film and was fortunate enough to have a friend that made a living at it (and NOT taking wedding pics ) and willing to shared some serious insights while not selling cameras.

Starting with the manual that came with your cam is a good beginning but ONLY to find how to get it back to the default mode. They only print up what is necessary to present their product and sell it. Read through the whole thing that will tell you where all the gears and clutch is at. They will tell you about a BUNCH of things that have little meaning or information on how and when to use one to compensate for something else. You only want to learn the nomenclature and location of all the knobs and handles and almost what NOT to touch the first day. Then, through the miracle of digital photography, take a LOT of pics in the auto mode. Look at about 25 at a time and you'll want to delete at least 15-20 of them. Take 25 more and sort them again. After a few times you'll find consistent issues that you'll want to focus on. (no pun intended )

THEN ............ You want to maybe read the shortest 'how-to' book on general photography you can get your hands on. You now are familiar with your tool (camera) and you only are looking for the general principles and factors involved with everything outside the camera (subject) and getting it's image inside the camera.

As you sort your next batch of pics, you will be able to start making a connection with what it is that made a pic good or not so good and how your camera can change it.

THIS is when I would recommend taking a course and getting your $$ worth. Most aspects of the presentations then will have meaning and you will be able to confirm and connect what you have learned so far and ask specific and meaningful questions. Otherwise you are dumped on with an overwhelming amount of disconnected and meaningless information and facts.

Most school systems and/or community centers have basic photography courses and finding one of 4-8 classes for less than 1/2 yard. I think it can be $50 well spent if you truly have the interest in taking picture for display.

Just my thoughts.

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