How to Master Your Digital Camera - Book 1

From the beginner to the advanced photographer, the goal has always been to get the best results from each camera no matter the brand or film type used. Today, digital cameras range from the simple point and shoot to the pro level digital SLRs that themselves range from easy to use to very sophisticated.

As I carry my camera with me a great deal of time, people come up to me and ask me to help them with their camera, and unless I am on assignment or in the middle of a shoot, I try to help them out. The most common statement people make to me as I show them how to get a better shot is, “I have found this a huge learning curve and can you recommend a book for me to learn more?” I have had to tell them I couldn’t because I had not found one yet.

I am about to fix that problem.

Who Am I and Why Did I Become and Author and Mentor?

My name is Brad W. Smith and I am professional commercial photographer of 30 years and the Director of Professional Services of a media group based near Princeton, NJ, USA. As a film photographer, shooting was second nature for me. This all changed in 2006 when I had to finally retire my two primary film cameras (Cannon A-1s) and replace them with the new Sony A100 with all new lenses, flashes and so on. Thus I began the transition to the digital camera realm and haven’t looked back (well, too not much!)

Making “The Transition”

I started the transition to digital like most. I played a bit with my new gear and after reading the manual 3 times front to back, I shot a bit more and realized to get the digital to give me the results I had been getting on film for so long, I needed to re-learn how to get the most out of what I was shooting with. So, with money in hand, I headed to my local bookstore to find my new digital photography bible to be able to refer back to time after time to “make this easier for me.”

I had very high hopes as there seemed to be lots of books and magazines on the racks. I grabbed a table in the corner of the Photography Business section of the store and picked out a dozen or so titles and began looking through them one after another. This went on for hours and at the end of my search I found that I would have a little bit from one, a bit from one here, another tip from this one and when I got done I realized that if I was to buy all the books and magazines I needed to utilize, I was going to be spending as much as the camera cost!! I said, “no way! There had to be a better source.” So the hunt continued.

So I started looking on the web. To my surprise I found mostly reviews of cameras  or other gear to buy, with an occasional tip or trick here and there. Blogs showed some promise with a hint and an example or two but again, no one source. I found a wedding photographer to the stars who had an incredible story and a mentoring site but the cost was way over my budget and I needed more than wedding photography mentoring as I rarely shoot weddings, as that is a very specialized field.

I moved on and dug deeper and found short course syllabus at a couple colleges with very basic and complete information but it was focused on 35mm film shooting. The introduction to digital was easily 5 years old! My shoulders sagged and I realized had to just keep looking.

I tried some eBooks. Still not what I had hoped for. Neither were the blogs nor the podcasts that rambled on and said the same things over and over.

I finally got fed up and decided that this is insane. And then I thought, if this is what I am running into (and I am a solid researcher), then others must be at least as frustrated,

So I started writing How to Master Your Digital Camera and creating the Digital Photography Mentor.

First, I hope you find Digital Photography Mentor to be that one place where you can get good information, broken down into understandable pieces, with sound tips and techniques that give you great results. Second, as you advance in you skills, this information helps you get better and better results. Finally, as your mentor, I will give you feed-back on the actual photos you have taken! There is no other program out there I have found that offers that complete solution.

What I Hope You Get From This Book

In this book I strive to provide a solid method for you to improve your skills and get the most out of what ever camera you use. Remember that this is a starting point, not the end all. I will strive to guide you, give sound advice, tips and techniques to help you learn through mentoring and critiquing of your photos, no matter your level of proficiency. I know, even as a professional, most people never truly master their camera or photography as a whole. We are always learning. What I hope you get out of this is the ability to decide what works best in any given situation with your camera and go with it so you can move from worrying about if your photos will come out to focusing on getting that shot that every one says is “the best!”

Also, I will limit the number of gratuitous photos. This book is not a showcase for my work. What will be in this book will be solid examples of each area where a photo gives a clear example of what I expect you should be able to accomplish with your own camera. I want to be able to move you from the “usual” simple snap shots to photos that people go “Wow! That looks great!” Just don’t be surprised when they ask “what kind of camera is it?” You can simply say, “Oh, it’s a XYZ but I didn’t take great photos until I got this book!” Hey, I need good word of mouth sales, the big camera companies don’t.

Just a Couple More Things:

I realize that in a book like this there is not much chance to add much of my own brand of insight or humor, as much as I would like to (you should be thankful for this, really). In all honesty, I want this book to be different from the rest of the eBooks out there (which means better) because I want to this book to be as though I am out there with you as a mentor, able to help you remember what I have taught you, able to say in your head, “Ok, now this setting is best for this situation. Use this mode…steady the camera…frame it right for the subject, don’t cut off the…and ‘click’. Great shot! Now do it again and again until you get what you want. Don’t stop till you do.” That is what I want you to hear in your head every time until it becomes natural. Oh, and when you hear “my” voice in your head, if I sound sort of like a suave James Bond type of guy, perfect.

Cheers and Happy Shooting!

Brad W. Smith

Note: This guide is to be published in July of 2009. Stay tuned for the new website URL as well as the intro to the Intermediate and Advanced Guides later this summer and fall. BWS

I am creating a new eBook series which Book 1 is nearing completion as well as a web site (which is under construction currently) to help you become a better photographer, whether you are a novice, weekend warrior or semi-pro photographer who wants better photos from their digital camera, no matter what kind they shoot with. The new site and the guides I will offer have been written with a particular level of ability in mind. The entire series is written for a specific audience and learning need.

The first guide is for the point and shoot novice or beginner photographer in mind who just want to get better photos from what ever digital camera they own. The guide shows point by point the easiest ways to get great results and has examples that show how to get the best results from your point and shoot (PaS) camera. The newest version is due out July of 2009.

The second guide is for the intermediate photographer who is wanting more out of their camera whether a point and shoot (PaS), an intermediate digital camera or a dSLR. This extensive guide breaks down the biggest mistakes and problems and in a no nonsense easy to understand way helps you. From understanding the in depth areas of camera function mastery to advanced exposure control, flash use, outdoor and action photography, the tips and techniques with multiple example show you clearly how to consistently take and get photos that will make you proud to share your best images. NOTE: This guide is currently being updated and is scheduled for release in Fall, 2009.

The third guide is the most advanced geared for the serious photographer who is a seasoned semi-pro “weekend warrior” or is wanting to take the leap and go full-time as a professional photographer. This guide starts with advanced f-stops and shutter speed tips and into which lens to use for which application, how to develop shooting styles, understanding and applying advanced lighting techniques and light metering, and how to pose your subjects. And it goes beyond the gear and guide dives into the areas of the business side, how to get event or commercial work, where to look to become a serous photojournalist,how to work with a on line processor and become a wedding photographer and learn how and where to be trained to get the most out of finished images. This is the ultimate guide for the advanced photographer. This guide is currently being written and is scheduled to be released in late 2009 early 2010.

All of my guides are written and designed to provide you maximum results. This ensures that your camera and photos will work for what every you want to capture.

I you want more information, drop me an e-mail to get on my mailing list or if interested in more “hands-on” activity, I am selecting a few people that will be part of the final beta test group before final publishing. I am looking for all levels of skill from novice to advanced. What this means is you will become part of the Mentor Forums and will have your photos critiqued as part of the pre-launch mentoring academy…all for free. Drop me a note if you would like to be considered.

Regards,

Brad W. Smith