New Camera? Now What?

Congratulations on your new camera! I am sure you are so excited to have your newest toy. If this is your first camera then let's shout out a big "WooHoo!" Your excitement, however, might be somewhat short lived as you now ask yourself, how exactly do I use this thing? If this is your first new camera in longtime then there may be some new features that you need to learn how to use. And, if this is your very first camera, then there are more than a few new features you need to learn how to use. Your first inclination might be to just take the camera out and start taking pictures. However, I recommend starting with a slightly different approach -- while you may not receive the instant gratification of being the "ultimate photographer" that you so desperately seek, you will receive the long-term benefit of actually knowing what you are doing.
First things first, now that you have that nice new camera out of the box (or finished dusting off that old unused camera on the top shelf) you need to READ THE MANUAL and then read the manual AGAIN! I cannot say this enough and you would be shocked by how many people have not truly studied their camera manual. You have made a substantial investment in a highly valuable piece of equipment so if you want to ensure you get a return on that investment, you need to know how your camera works. The manual is specific to your camera. It will tell you about the different functions and features that your camera has to offer. It will also warn you about activities or settings that might damage your camera. As such, it is important to start with the manual.

Now, I know you might say "The manual has a lot of photography terminology that I do not know. I'll just get lost when reading the manual. Wouldn't it be better if I pick up a couple books from the library or buy a couple off Amazon instead?" My response: "NO! Read the manual." Now, the manual will give you a brief introduction to the concepts of "aperture," "shutter," and "exposure" and will show you how these concepts relate to the features on your camera. If you just pick up a book on photography terminology, you may learn a lot about aperture but if you do not know how to actually change the aperture on the camera, then you will have to wait before you can start to implement what you have learned. As you read through the manual, however, definitely jot down any terms you do not fully understand so you can follow-up on those once you are through the manual.

While the manual is a definite must-read, camera manuals are not always particularly clear and certainly do not always explain the different settings in detail. This is when you will want to pick up a third-party book that specifically focuses on your camera. And, if there are any photography terms you do not understand, refer to your manual. Remember this book is based upon your specific camera so all of the same terms can be found in your camera manual. Third-party books exist for most of the top brands and models, however, if you are unable to locate a book for your specific camera model then you might try locating a book written for a similar camera model or previous camera model (e.g. if you cannot find a book for the D3500 maybe buy the book for the D5500 or the D3300). You might also try identifying a book that touches upon camera features found in certain types of cameras (e.g. a book that discusses the camera features on a DSLR or mirrorless camera). While these are not perfect solutions, they will give you the tools you need to better understand and customize your camera.

For example, I use a Nikon Df DSLR. The Nikon Df is a digital camera that has the body of an old Nikon film camera. It is wonderful because the menu bank is very similar to the menu bank in my first Nikon DSLR (so I did not have to re-learn the menu bank) and the knobs and dials on the camera body are very similar to those on my older Nikon film cameras (nearly everything is in the same place as it is on the film cameras). Since I purchased my first Nikon DSLR in 2008, the Nikon Df had quite a few more features than my first DSLR so I knew I would need more explanation of these new features than the manual could provide. As such, I purchased "Nikon Df Experience - The Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Nikon Df" by Douglas Klostermann. It delves into the camera's features in greater detail than in the manual and it has enabled me to customize the camera's features to my unique photographic needs, which has really helped me when I am out in the field and need to change settings quickly.

At this point, I realize that you might be sick of reading. I understand that. However, the purpose of all this reading is not to dampen your fun, but instead, to get you out of automatic and into manual mode as quickly as possible. You take better pictures in manual mode than automatic on most modern DSLRs. Moreover, you should be playing with your camera as you read the manual and any third-party books you have picked up. You want your fingers to start developing muscle memory as quickly as possible!  So, read a little in the manual and then take a few minutes to test out what you just learned.

So, at this point you have read your camera manual and possibly a third-party book. Now what? Well, now you should purchase that book introducing you to photography concepts and techniques. Unlike the other books, you do not necessarily need to sit down and read this book cover to cover before you take your camera out. Instead, learn a few new concepts and then take the camera out and experiment. Practice what you learn each time you pick up your camera and, if necessary, set aside a little time each day or each week to practice your skills. The more you practice, the more you will come to enjoy photography, and the closer you will be to achieving long-term gratification as the "ultimate photographer!"