Good writeup, Matblogger.

Read your original post in the Digital Photography School blog.

I’m new to dSLRs but not to digital photography. I started off with film SLRs in the early 80s (with a Canon AV-1) and my first digital camera was a Canon PowerShot A80 in 2004.

I chose the Canon EOS 450D as my beginner’s dSLR as I’ve been using Canons for decades. I don’t know why, but I’ve never gravitated towards the Nikon brand (seems like many Malaysians choose an entry level Nikon, perhaps because of the lower price) as I expect a dSLR body to be made in Japan and not in Thailand for example.

You mentioned your “three aspects” – shutter speed, aperture and exposure. I just want to point out that shutter speed, aperture ARE themselves the parameters of an image exposure. That said, ISO speed is not exposure – it’s the level of sensitivity of a film or a digital sensor.

There are other things that I think you should have included in your post – like shallower depth of field, full manual controls, RAW capture, lower image noise and bokeh (that’s the quality of background blur). These are qualities that you can get in a dSLR but not in an average compact P&S.

I own three other cameras besides the 450D – a PowerShot G11, PowerShot S3 IS ultrazoom and a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150 as my daily carry-everywhere camera.

Each of the above cameras obviously have their own merits and drawbacks. For situations when I need the best image quality and exposure control, I’d bring my dSLR. For light travel with the intention of taking photos I’d bring my G11.

I take out my PowerShot S3 IS is for daylight scenes when I need a long focal length but don’t want to carry my bulky and conspicuous dSLR gear. As for the Sony W150 ultra-compact, well it goes with me everywhere (it still takes better looking pics than any camera phone) for impromptu photo opportunities.

I found out when it comes to cameras, there’s no such thing as “one size fits all” but if I had to choose only one, it would be my PowerShot G11.

I’m not a professional photographer, but here’s some tips I’d like to share with you:

- a skilled photographer can take more attractive images with a beginner’s Nikon D3000 than a newbie with a professional grade, D3x.

- put the glass before the dSLR body, i.e. invest in better lenses and filters first, the dSLR model second. When you’re choosing a UV lens filter, never buy cheap branded ones just to save a couple of bucks. There’s no point in having a dSLR only to have your shots marred by poor quality filters (you may as well take them off your lens before shooting!).

- when posting your photos of landscapes, make sure that the horizon is straight and level. You can adjust this with most photo editing software. With lots of practice, you can take perfectly horizontal, horizons.

- Sign up for a free account with Flickr (if you haven’t yet) and look for groups relating to your interests and gear. For example, there are groups dedicated to Nikon D3000 users here..

Join these groups, read the posts regularly and exchange ideas. You’ll be surprised to know what you can learn from newbies and seasoned experts alike from all over the world.

All the best to you on your journey towards the wonderful world of dSLR photography, my friend.

Remember that it’s the person behind the camera that determines the creativity in a photo, not the dSLR. The camera is just a tool for taking pictures.

cheers,

Stratman.

Hi again,

I want to thank you for airing my comments. You have a good command of written English and your blog layout’s pretty good. I have a blog, but I mostly write about Japanese brand watches. I don’t have enough experience to write about photography or gear as there are many people better than I am in that field.

I’m not going to bore you with dSLR gear talk here (you can find plenty of that in Flickr groups or DP Review’s forums) but I thought I’d post something about your rights as a hobbyist photographer.

If you like street and candid photography (something I’ve not done in a long time), you might like to know this:

- You can photograph buildings, like a police station or a military base so long as take pictures outside in a public place, like across the road. Taking pictures inside the police station compound is another matter, for obvious security reasons.

- Don’t photograph buildings inside a private compound, e.g. a factory, warehouse, office headquarters, etc unless you have permission to do so.

- You can photograph the interior of airports, train stations, LRT stations where the public are. Never take pics of security cameras and off-limit areas though. That would be asking for trouble.

- You can take candid photos of people as long as they are in a public place (not in the confines of their privacy like their own homes or the public rest room or dressing room, lol). If you see a pretty girl and have the courage, approach her and ask her permission to pose a shot or two. Just tell her that you’re practicing your portrait skills. Remember to thank her after the photo session and walk away.

- Some strangers don’t like to be photographed, but you can get away by taking shots of other subjects and people. This way they won’t see you as stalking them, but they happened to be in a random shot. Now, if you keep taking several photos of that same person, that’s a different story.

- It’s a good idea to smile at strangers on the street before photographing them, that way they’ll feel more relaxed. Of course, choose your subjects wisely.

- Don’t photograph security personnel, that includes the police if they can see you. Although legally your equipment cannot be confiscated without a court order, it’s better to avoid any confrontation in the first place.

- A shopping mall is a public place. Not many security guards know this, but you actually have the right to photograph inside the mall unless there is a “strictly no photography” rule posted outside the premises. (Even so, if you can remain stealthy you can get away with a couple of nice shots)

- Security guards have no right to confiscate your camera, film or memory card. The images are yours. At best, they can ask you to leave the premises. If you’re asked to leave, apologize and just walk away.

- You can take exterior pics of any store inside a shopping mall as it is a public place. Even in Starbucks for example, you can legally take photos of the interior, depending if the barista or store manager is OK with that.

- It’s never a good idea to take photos of items inside a retail store. Many retailers don’t allow photography inside their premises, in case of commercial espionage. If you’re looking at watches for example, ask permission from the salesperson or owner if you can photograph them.

- Be mindful that a dSLR is a very conspicuous camera due to its size and bulk. If you have a long zoom lens with a lens hood, battery grip and a large flash, you WILL stand out in a crowd. Security guards are very quick to notice people with dSLRs, but they usually ignore people taking photos with camera phones or small compacts.

- Use an incognito camera bag that doesn’t shout “Nikon inside – steal me!”. You don’t want to advertise to snatch thieves that you have an expensive dSLR in the bag.

- Never lose sight of your camera bag for a split second, even when you’re changing lenses. If you’re sitting at an outdoor cafe, place your camera bag between your legs for safety. Don’t place your dSLR on the table if you can, if you’re sitting outside.

Well, that’s it from me. If you’d like to contact me, you’re most welcome to do so. My email address is on your comment post, which only you can view.

Camera phones are in great demand these days, i own at least two of them*”.