Thanks a lot, I dare-say I might. If you have any beginners tips they would be much appreciated! I have only used it inside in the late evening due to work/weather, so I haven't had a chance to experiment and learn much.
I have however learned that slow shutter speeds and a lack of a tripod are not a good combination.
The main pitfall I have discovered so far is that because of a problem I have with my eyes, I have to put my left eye up the the viewfinder, which means my nose smudges the screen.
If I were to start again tomorrow, or if I were to travel back in time and tell myself in 1 conversation, I would say this.
1 - Learn the technical side first, get this down, when this becomes second nature, the art will follow. Forget the idiot modes, go straight into Aperture priority. Don't need to go all out manual, the camera is clever enough to work out the shutter speed. Use the LCD to tell when it is over or under exposed.
2 - don't be afraid to imitate, there are very few original ideas anymore, only the style are different. So if you see a photo that you like, do copy it, practice, try it for yourself.
3 - read lots of blogs, looks at magazines and THINK how that photo is taken, pay attention to the light and
the shadows, the shadows tells you as much about light as light itself and
light is everything. Pay attention to what is on screen and what isn't, pay attention to negative space, negative space is counter-intuitive at first but it gives the photo a context.
Don't worry about the smudge on the LCD, that doesn't affect the image, don't even worry about seeing dust on the viewfinder. Those don't show up in photos. If you see spots in photos, that's when you need to be worried (and get sensor cleaned). One of my 5D3's LCD has a scratch on it. Probably from my glasses, I was like "dammit" at first but I was also in the middle of a shoot so that dammit lasted half a second and I got over it. Cameras are a tool, nothing more.
Love the pictures, not the camera.
You bought the camera because you have something to say, I imagine you see things that you want to share with people, I imagine that sometimes or some days you see images and wish you could've captured that and share those. Remember that, share the photos, don't worry about the camera. Learn the camera of what it can do, learn its limits and push those limits, don't fall into the trap of getting a lot of lenses or upgrade that you don't need. If you think your photography takes you a certain direction and certain gear can help you on your journey, then that's when you spend the money.
One more thing, ask yourself 1 question before you take a photo.
What story does this photo tell?
If the photo tell a story without your commentary then it is a photo worth taking and keeping.
Storytelling is the soul, much like painting or sculpture, people do it to express themselves, tell their story. Have the art and you will have your audience.
(I only intended to write 3 lines lol and I should really reword that and put it on my blog)
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