https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 06 May 2026 12:54:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1211144 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:09:03 +0000 loveisstrange 1211144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@babyjmama: Theyre honestly pretty similar, I think. Get whatever you can get the best deal on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1211117 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:00:38 +0000 doodlepoodle 1211117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just have a quick question-I see recommendations for both the Canon and Nikon, anyone love one over the other?? I am hoping to upgrade for Christmas!! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1180347 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 19:27:37 +0000 mrs. 64 1180347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH gave me a DSLR for my birthday last year and all I do is take pics in automatic. :/ How did everyone learn? I'm embarrassed to take my camera in public because I have no idea what I'm doing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1180320 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 19:14:38 +0000 loveisstrange 1180320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bookish: no, I use a Canon Rebel t3i and my 50mm f/1.8 lens most of the time when I'm taking portrait photos. I haven't played around with the NEX that much, but I used it a bit and I was very satisfied with what I saw, even as a DSLR user. It's definitely something to check out if you don't want to go full on into DSLR territory.</p> <p>I can foresee myself stealing the NEX quite a bit after I give it to him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179546 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 14:23:50 +0000 Bookish 1179546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: Oh cool, I hadn't heard of that one! Is that what you use for your LO's pics, because those are always great looking! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179533 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 14:20:06 +0000 sunny 1179533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: In non-technical terms, editing for me is to make sure I like the way the photo looks. I shoot in RAW (an uncompressed format) and the photos that come straight out of the camera (SOOC) look really boring and flat. Editing adds a bit of life to the image.</p> <p>What that means is:</p> <p>1. I typically fix the white balance (here's an <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/how-to-fix-white-balance-in-your-photos-973511">explanation</a>).</p> <p>2. I also usually bump up the contrast and make sure I like the tones. </p> <p>3. Straighten or crop as necessary.</p> <p>4. Rarely -- I will erase blemishes or stray hairs. I usually only do this for images I'm printing. This takes a bit more time so I don't do this often!</p> <p>If your images look great as you take them, there will be less for you to do on the computer! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179476 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 14:05:20 +0000 loveisstrange 1179476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You do NOT need a DSLR to take good pics. You could also look into something like a Sony NEX. It's basically a high end P&amp;S and it takes really, really nice photos. It's got some really neat features. I'm buying an NEX 6 for the husband for Christmas.</p> <p>That being said. I have a Canon Rebel T3i, the kit lens (which is fine while you're learning) and a 50mm 1.8 (which is AWESOME). I edit in Adobe Lightroom primarily, but do tweaking in CS6.</p> <p>I definitely take lots of photos and just keep the good ones. Kind of the "throw everything and hope something sticks" method. hahaha. I know how to use my camera manual, but I tend to throw it in shutter priority mode when I'm shooting C and shoot on continuous. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179448 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:59:25 +0000 shopaholic 1179448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an older Nikon D3000 and I love the quality of pics! After that, I couldn't stand the point-and-shoot pics! So it's either DSLR or phone camera these days. </p> <p>I saw and ad for the new Nikon D3200 with WiFi and I would looove that option! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179434 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:56:57 +0000 looch 1179434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband says the best way to get a few good pictures is to take lots of them and delete the bad ones. He uses a setting (and please excuse this non technical explanation) that takes a bunch of photos in a short time once you get the settings correct. It's very useful for kids who move around a ton and for people like me that blink their eyes a lot.</p> <p>I learned how to take pictures on a manual camera, with film. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179403 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:45:44 +0000 Adira 1179403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: I follow Digital Photography School to get my tips for doing edits and I find them really helpful! Here's one example: <a href="http://digital-photography-school.com/basic-photo-editing-in-lightroom" rel="nofollow">http://digital-photography-school.com/basic-photo-editing-in-lightroom</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179398 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:43:43 +0000 Adira 1179398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: You hit "Auto"! But not really, haha. I'm no pro at editing, so I usually just adjust the white balance and then adjust the exposure, but that's because I don't know what I'm doing. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179379 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:41:11 +0000 Shutterbug 1179379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Basically I got a kit like this one, but with fewer accessories: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Digital-75-300mm-Telephoto-Accessory/dp/B004VN920G/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Digital-75-300mm-Telephoto-Accessory/dp/B004VN920G/</a></p> <p>This is the Tamron lens I got after I got comfortable with my camera: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-28-75mm-Aspherical-Canon-Digital/dp/B0000A1G05/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-28-75mm-Aspherical-Canon-Digital/dp/B0000A1G05/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179373 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:40:50 +0000 LovelyPlum 1179373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following! I'm interested in this, too. </p> <p>Also, another total newbie question: how do you edit photos? I mean, I know you go into the software, but what do you actually *do*? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179355 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:37:04 +0000 Shutterbug 1179355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bookish: If you can swing it financially, there are uses for the kit lens (it is versatile, and it zooms, so it's good for outdoor photography). I bought a Canon Rebel (idk the model, it's 4 years old now) and it came with two lenses - one shorter all-around lens and one telephoto type longer range zoom. At the beginning those two were fine, although for $100 if I had known about it I would have bought the 50mm right away just for the low light. </p> <p>Since then I've bought a Tamron lens that sort of combines what I liked about the 50mm (low aperture) and what I liked about the kit lens (zoom range), but that was about $500, so I wouldn't recommend investing more $$ in lenses until you get the hang of the camera. Some people love prime lenses (don't zoom) and others want to be able to zoom, so it's good to know what you like before spending more $$ on lenses. No matter what you get you're going to love the difference in pictures from an SLR! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179332 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:33:36 +0000 Bookish 1179332@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: Cool, that's what I was wondering. I wasn't sure if it was a one size fits all sort of thing! </p> <p>@Shutterbug: Oh ok good to know. So for things other than portraits, like days out at a festival or something, is there a different lens that would be better? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179319 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:28:48 +0000 Adira 1179319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bookish: Off-brand lenses are probably cheaper, though it all depends. The Canon brand 50mm/f1.8 lens is ~$100, so still a great deal! I'm not sure you'd be able to find an off-brand lens for much cheaper!</p> <p>Anything off-brand, you'll need to make sure will fit your camera too. Nikon lenses won't fit Canon cameras, and vice-versa! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179317 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:28:16 +0000 Shutterbug 1179317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: ditto to all of this!</p> <p>@Bookish: most entry level DSLRs (think Canon Rebel series) come with a generic Canon lens as a package for roughly $500-700. You can buy just the body and then also buy a separate lens (like the Canon 50mm f/1.8 mentioned above) for another $100. The 50mm is a perfect portrait lens, but it takes a little getting used to because you have to stand back further than with a P&amp;S to get the same shot in the frame. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179300 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:24:44 +0000 Bookish 1179300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: So do you buy a body and then buy a different brand lens that's better, or do you just buy a better lens that 'goes with' the camera? I work at a library, so luckily I have access to TONS of photography books!</p> <p>@Adira: Haha that's ok! Even learning what other people own is helping! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179196 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:02:11 +0000 GrapeCrush 1179196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following! We are hoping to get a new dslr camera for Christmas </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179151 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:50:38 +0000 Adira 1179151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I LOVE my dSLR. I have the Canon T2i, though there are newer versions. I primarily use my 50mm/f1.8 lens (~$100) for all my pictures and use Lightroom to edit it, though I'm still a newb, so I can't give a ton of advice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179147 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:49:04 +0000 stargal 1179147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Def invest in a DSLR. Forgo the kit lens and just buy a camera body and invest iin a better lens. I shoot canon and started out with a canon rebel with a 50 mm 1.8 lens ( instead of a kit lens) you can get the camera for about 300 if you look arpund om ebay and the lens is 100. Read your manual inside and out and rent some photography books to learn about light. Practice, practice, practice. Learn how shutter speed, aperture, Iso all go together. And take it off auto!!! I started in av or TV setting and then worked my way up to manual. I just kept reading and practicing.<br /> For editing: I like Photoshop elements, very user friendly. Light room is also good.<br /> If you get seriously into photography you can invest in higher end lenses (they make all the difference) but the 50 mm is a great lens to start out with!!! So much better then the standard kit lens! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-taking-good-pictures#post-1179132 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:44:47 +0000 Bookish 1179132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As much as I love having a cheap, good photographer on hand (we've used a student for 3 years who charges about 65$ a session), I love, love taking pictures on my own and I think I'd like to start doing my own awesome photography of my LO. Currently though, I have a so-so point and shoot, and it's just not getting the job done.</p> <p>SO has said that we might be able to fit a nice camera into the Xmas budget, but I have no idea where to start. DSLR? Nice point and shoot? Lenses? Other thingies? What kind of editing software do you use?</p> <p>So, my photographer bees, tell me what I need to know! I need camera recommendations (let's keep it under 600$ if possible, and if it's not, tell me that too!), and anything else you can tell me that might be helpful!</p> <p>Shout out to rawrasaur because she took awesome pics of Gwen this weekend and is motivating me to get my own fancy camera ;) </p>