newbe looking for some advise from the pros

[krann]

Hi guys, I am new to the forum, I love to take photos and currently have a NikonF60, its okay for taking pictures of the dogs or the children, but I want to get something professional. Something thats going to take great pictures. I really want to get into sports photography, but need half decent equipment first. I'm looking to buy second hand to begin with, any thought or ideas on what I should go for would be very much appreciated!!

Also does anyone recommend any online photography courses to further my knowledge, I'm really serious about this as a career move, but want some advise and don't want to waste any money.

Kelly

[Frog]

Digital or do you want to stick with film?
What is your Nikon lens inventory like?

[krann]

want to change to digital

What is your Nikon lens inventory like not sure what you mean by this I really am a newbe.

[another view]

Something thats going to take great pictures.

That would be you, not the camera.

Sure, you can't take Sports Illustrated type action shots without lots of incredibly expensive equipment, but you can take sports shots. Experiment with what you've got and you'll find that if you approach things a little differently you might get the results you're after. The top end gear helps when it's paying the bills and you have to come back with the shot, but you'd be missing out on a lot of lessons you'd teach yourself that would improve your photography regardless of what you're using, by sticking with what you have for now. A lot of it really is in the photographer, it's just the equipment that can make it easier. I'm being a little more direct since you mentioned the word "career"...

Your lens inventory would be what lenses you have already. Some lenses will work better than others with certain digital cameras so you may be starting over completely, including flash(es). And if that's the case look at Canon too (Canon and Nikon being the most widely available as rental if you need down the road, so I wouldn't suggest others). I'm a Nikon guy so I can't really tell you about other brands, but if you want a DSLR take a look at the D90 if it's in your budget. You could spend five grand on their top-of-the-line, but by the time you had a good use for what it offers, something better would be available.

Check out Nikon School which I highly recommend. Take their intro class, then the advanced class the next time they come thru town (don't try to overwhelm yourself by taking both days). They throw a lot at you, and it's well done. And see if RMSP has any weekends near you, they're good too (I've been to a couple Nikon classes and RSMP). Other options may include classes taught by a local camera shop or community college.

EDIT: Oops - I see you're in the UK so Nikon School and RMSP doesn't apply (as far as I know) but I'm sure there are other similar programs that someone else may be aware of.

[Franglais]

Can I answer this one, just being a humble amateur? The others said most of it, I thought I'd just ramble on about equipment.

If you want some low-end pro gear then look at the D300, the 70-200 f2.8, the 16-85VR or 18-55, the SB800 or SB900 flash. I have most of this and it's nice.

However it's high summer and the wrong period for serious photography so for the last 6 weeks I've been using only my consumer gear, plastic lenses and all. The D60 is today's equivalent of your F60 and it gives me great satisfaction (see my User Gallery).

- There are only 3 autofocus points instead of 51 on the D300 but if the subject is vaguely central it doesn't matter
- The lenses only open to f4-f5.6 instead of f2.8 and they don't have VR but most of the time I'm shooting in bright daylight so it doesn't matter
- There are lots of options that I can't set directly like on the D300 but the program settings built into the D60 are quite intelligent and worth understanding

If I were you I would enrole in a school in September and see what they recommend you to have to follow the courses. I wouldn't spend a fortune right now, if I didn't have to. One day it will be necessary but do it when you know what you're doing.

[another view]

However it's high summer and the wrong period for serious photography

Charles always has great advice and shoots more often than me, but I have to take exception to this. One thing I alluded to above was that a pro has to come back with a shot since it's their job. You can't say "oops, let's try that again" if you miss the magic moment.

High season summer brings a lot of harsh, bright light and most people that photographers deal with don't understand that it usually leads to awful pictures. But you still have to deliver the results... Flash is the secret here, and it may take a few of them and creative techniques to make it look like it wasn't used (generally the goal).

Disclaimer: I'm not a pro in the least...

[Franglais]

..

Disclaimer: I'm not a pro in the least...

I thought you were a pro.. Never mind.

To be more precise - Summer is a quiet period for me because many of my subjects are taken from events in Paris and between 15th July and the last week in August the city is almost empty except for tourists. Tomorrow I'm going in to wander about but I'm not sure I'm going to do many pictures.

[gryphonslair99]

As a sports shooter my advice is to learn what to use what you have now. Learn to use it to it's maximum capacity. Go shoot some sports events. Little league, sandlot games, what ever. Learn from your experience of what works and what doesn't. Subscribe to SI, Sports etc and study the photographs published. Sports photography is very demanding on both the photographer and the gear used. Part of that comes from the wide range of conditions that the gear will be used for. Any half way decent lens f4 or f5.6 lens can be used to shoot a 1:00 p.m. afternoon football game. Take that same lens and shoot a night game and you are pretty much out of the game.

While you are learning and gaining that photographic knowledge you will also begin to see what you need to shoot sports and will allow you to make a list of the gear that you will want to buy over time. I would suggest that you steer away from entry grade gear. One very important feature of a camera body for sports if fast accurate autofocus. Entry level gear has the the slowest and least accurate autofocus systems. Mid range gear often will meet your needs where top level gear will have the best AF system.

There are some basic generally accepted methods for sports photography. Fast shutter speeds to freeze action. A general minimum is 1/250th of a second with 1/500th being much better. Wide apertures, not only to make it easier to get those fast shutter speeds, but to isolate the action and make it pop from the background buy creating nice bokeh in all but the action. Use the minimum ISO needed to get the shutter speeds you need. A photo with a bit of noise from higher ISO is better than blurred action from too slow of shutter speeds.

While sports photography is demanding, there is nothing like being on the sidelines of a game such as when OU and OSU meet. The capturing of that kind of action never gets old or mundane. Good luck.

[straightarm]

a few questions:

whereabouts in the UK are you?

have you considered joining a camera club?

Which sport(s) are you going to cover? To be a good sports photographer, you really have to know your sport(s)

I wish you well in your desire to become a pro sports photograher, but I fear it's a big challenge. It's a very compettive field and can be very time consuming. Takng the pictures is only part of the job. Processing, editing and getting them to potential clients is going to be a very hard part. Being a skilled photographer is only part of the role, being an entrepeneur is an equally important part.

In terms of equipment, Canon, Nikon and Sony all make equally good cameras and lenses. You need to handle all of them to find the one that feels best for you.

[krann]

Thanks guys fo all of your replies, I was beginning to think my post had been ignored and people would think oh look another newbie who thinks tey can make it as a pro!!

But I am not on the understanding this is going to work out for me and certainly not overnight. My goal is to be a sports photographer, but I am well aware that this will take a good few years.


I have enrolled at a college to do an evening course on photo imaging to get me started.

I am looking to start shooting at my sons soccer games under 12's, we live near an athletic club so I'm going to go and see if i can shoot there to, and like others on here said, the more I do it and get a feel for the camera and get more experienced the better I will get.

i've just bought a D40x from ebay second hand, I went with the cheap option as I just want to get started and not rush into it spending loads of money, now just looking for a lense for it, i was thinking sigma or tamron 70-300mm for the nikon, once again cheap option but I feel its best if i'm just starting out what do you think??? also i'm limited with options as I went for the D40x.

Once again I really appreciated all of the replies.

[SmartWombat]

70-300 is a good starting compromise, as long as you're not planning evening or indoor events then you don't need expensive f/2.8 lenses.
Not having image stabilisation isn't a big issue for moving subjects, so as a starter a cheap lens can do fine.

I have to admit that I don't have the entrepreneurial side, so if you want to make a living from this Simon's right - you have to find a way make it a business too.
For me that would mean finding a businessman to do that bit

[Franglais]

...
i've just bought a D40x from ebay second hand, I went with the cheap option as I just want to get started and not rush into it spending loads of money, now just looking for a lense for it, i was thinking sigma or tamron 70-300mm for the nikon, once again cheap option but I feel its best if i'm just starting out what do you think??? also i'm limited with options as I went for the D40x.

..

Make sure that any lens you buy for the D40x will autofocus with the camera. The D40x doesn't have a focussing motor in the body, it has to be in the lens. With Nikon lenses this means AF-S. Some recent lenses from other manufacturers work fine. My Sigma 55-200 HSM only cost me 220 Euros and it's been very good with my D60 (similar body to D40x).

[krann]

Yes thats what I've been looking into and I see that both the sigma and Tamron both do long lenses with the motor actually in the lense, so it would be compatible with the d40x.

This is just going to be an expensive hobby at first, and see where it takes me, hopefully if I put enough time and effort in, then one day i can make a living out of it.

Kelly

[Frog]

Make sure to show us some results.
You'll get lots of pointers in critique forum or ask for help with examples in help forum, or just share in viewfinder.

[another view]

This is just going to be an expensive hobby at first, and see where it takes me, hopefully if I put enough time and effort in, then one day i can make a living out of it.

That sounds like a really good plan. At some point you'll probably progress towards taking a job or two, but don't lose the passion that you have about it now; that'll show in the pictures. A business is a business in the sense that generally the #1 goal is to make money but of course it's still important to keep the passion going.

Do side projects of whatever interests you - make them assignments or you'll never shoot for fun. Shoot paperclips, mailboxes or hamburgers (as in pick one for a project); whatever you want. You're exercising your mind and playing with the camera. It'll pay dividends on your professional work.

And the best business people (i.e. photographers who have been in business for many years) aren't always the most inspiring, artistic and creative photographers I've seen - but some of them are. Try to be both successful business person and a creative artist that still has the technical skills to photograph whatever you want.