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Canon20D Tips?
- Thread starter UWF404
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UWF404 said:
Tip #0. Try and shoot 500 frames before now and when you leave. Look at them carfully and try and figure out why you like the good ones
#1 Think about WHY you are taking each shot. What are you trying to comunicate to the viewer
#2 Basic composition rules such as "Rule of thirds" "triangles" and others
#3 Watch the background. Use you feet to reposition camera for best background. Avoid blunders like a pole directly in back of a person's head. Avoid less-bad stuff like "visual clutter" in back of subject
#4 look at all four edges of frame before you trip the shuter, No obect 1/2 way in and only what you want is inside the frame
#5 Your picture will have more "impact" if you get close and use the wide setting on the zoom. Shoots taken from farther with a tele-setting will look flat and not involve the viewer as much. So the rule is "get close then get closer."
See Tip #0. It takes 500+ frames to make #1-5 a habit. #0 is first because experiance matter more then anything. With Digital it;s free So go shoot some flowers, a photo essay on someone washing a car, mowing to lawn, cooking or whatever....
As far as how to twiddle the knobs that matters far less then any of the basics above. The auto modes work pretty well. About the only "technical" tip I'd offer is to use the flash whenever you shoot in bright non-overcast sunlight and the subject is within the flash's range (about 15 to 20 feet at most) The flash will fill in the harsh shadows. (On overcast days there are no harsh shadows)
UWF404 said:
Spare batteries (at least 2) and extra CF Cards, big ones. Don't forget your charger.
Take lots of pictures and have fun with it. With a wide lens and the excellent auto-focus on 20D don't feel like you have to look and compose everyone, shoot from the hip, literally. It's digital, you will know if you like it or not as soon as you take it.
Like ChrisA suggest go take a few hundred before you go and see what you like.