Hi I am Sherry and New.  I am thankful I found this site I have been reading on the internet for a month now and stumble onto this site and love it. I am stay at home mom of 4 boys and been in search of something that makes me HAPPY (being my own person)  But still there for my boys.  I have always even before kids posed my dogs in clothes and taking pic. I really enjoying and love taking Pic. My mom always told me I should take pic for living.  I want to one day do pic of children, animals and outdoors.  My oldest is 13, I am in hopes I can take his Senior Pic.  I am blessed with lots of people willing for me to pratice with from preg. mom to a soon to be Senior.  I have a bought my first DSL Nikon D60, tri pod, extra battery, middle line flash. It came with an 18--55mm VR lens and I also got a 55/200mm vr lens.  I got a basic filter.  I want to do indoor and out door portrait shots.  I need lots and lots of pratice.  I am just starting to understand Apt and sutter speed.  I was going to take a dsl 101 class from Cord Camera it's cost is $150. for  6 weeks and a 1 feild.  I learn mostly hands on all the reading can get confussing.  SO!   here is where I am over whelmed.  I enjoy pic that I seen of others and the portrait shots.  But don't know where to do next or get??????

What lighting do I use?? I found out how to make my own backdrop that is not and arm in leg. I see that people use Photo Shop alot. Like blk/wht photo and add pink to her bow. (so cool)  But what Photo Shop do I use????? and where should I get pic printed, home, net or stroe??? I am new but I don't want to do everyting for free for people. So what do I charge per pic??? or on down line I get people wanting me take pic because they know I do it. How much do you know to charge for your time??? I guess I just don't know where to begin!!!! There is this software you can buy for $300. talks about begining your own business from Shutter MOM that alot of money that I don't know where it would take me and I could use that money for something more usefully.  I know I am not overnight going to be a professional but I would like to head that way and just don't know what to do to begin the journey....So sorry for spilling alot out there I am just excited and looking forward to leaving impression that other can see. Pic are so important to me. They mean so much.   Thank you for reading this and taking your time our for me. Sherry

Hi, Sherry,

You have a lot of questions! Oh and welcome to Mpix.

Read books by Scott Kelby..."understanding exposure"

 Lighting = alienbees.com

 I would suggest that you read that book along with just practicing on objects , your kid, your dog, your flowers. Use different ap's and shutter speeds.

Learn your camera and what it can do !!!!! We see so many who buy the top of the line equipment and don't know anything about it. Read the manual and then read it again.....along with holding the camera and going over basic steps on operation.

Read the posts here and any other forums that you can find.  

Be done with the kit lens..........you want a 50mm to start out with. Very sharp and very cheap. If you can swing the $$ get the 1.4 version. It's better in low light.

Enough has been said , now go play :)

 Rome was not built in a day .

Shelly 

hello! 

I follow Shelly around and soak up all of her wisdom... :)   also, here's a mpix thread that covers a lot of your information..

http://community.mpix.com/forums/p/61125/543260.aspx#543260

stick around and soak up all the information here, you'll learn a lot

remember: baby steps.. 

Welcome to mpix, and good job getting a nikon.

I don't do portratiure (at all) but here are a few links you might like.

40 Rules of portrature

http://community.mpix.com/forums/p/77529/705147.aspx#705147

Lot's of cheap lighting solutions here, ranging in complexity from elecrical rewireing, to putting a vacuum bag over your flash to diffuse it

http://www.diyphotography.net/

Here's one particular article from that sight that might be worth looking at (might not be, I don't know enough about it.)

http://www.diyphotography.net/portrait-lighting-cheat-sheet

Read Scott Kelby, and the "Understanding exposure' as was mentioned.  Good luck!!

Just to clarify... "Understanding Exposure" is by Bryan Peterson.  You can even find it at the library! 

Scott Kelby is the "King" of Photoshop... a good version for a good price is Photoshop Elements 6.0.  I know we have it at Sam's Club for $79 or $89. 

Practice, practice, practice!  Check out gtrmn's "Summer School" in the Mpix tutorial section of this forum.  He does a nice job of explaining and then assigning homework appropriate for that week. 

Welcome to Mpix, you will love it here!!

Since you have a Nikon, check out the Nikon Digitutor site.  It will walk you through the basic operation of the D60 with online videos.  You can click to move ahead or back so you get just what you want.  It helped me a lot when I got my D40.

 http://www.nikondigitutor.com/index_eng.html

 Welcome to both Mpix and Nikon!

-Doug
 

  Thank you all for the warm invite, This site has the most amazing and kind people. I am so glad I stumble on this.  I really apprecaite all of your advice. I am really excited about my learning and enjoy what photograghing offers. (wish I had step on the train before we had a love one pass way)  Things happen for reasons. I am sure doing this your always learning and growing. Sounds like this is a great spot to learn and grow.

Sherkola:

  Thank you all for the warm invite, This site has the most amazing and kind people. I am so glad I stumble on this.  I really apprecaite all of your advice. I am really excited about my learning and enjoy what photograghing offers. (wish I had step on the train before we had a love one pass way)  Things happen for reasons. I am sure doing this your always learning and growing. Sounds like this is a great spot to learn and grow.

I think we all learn something form some one on this forum. There are a lot of great people on here and are always willing to help you out from the technical aspect to the business aspect to just lending encouragement when you need it.  Don't be afraid to ask for it!  I"ve learned so much from the people on here and have continued to grow.  Good Luck and welcome to our family!!!

Jeni

Hi, and welcome!  I think we can all feel your enthusiasm, that's great!  I love this site, and  got a lot of usuful info off of it in the beginning.  It's also a link from Shuttermom too, http://www.prostudiolighting.com/articles.htm, and it's not all about studio lighting, it's about lighting in general.

You can get a lot of good information, just by searching topics on here.  If you think of something new for the day, you want to learn about, just search, and I'm sure you'll get lots of info.

also, on the community home page, on the right side, there are all of those tagged words.  That may be helpful for you too.

Welcome.....there are a bunch of us newbies...but the only thing that I wish someone would have told me was.........Be careful...Mpix is addicting!! (Sorry, gotta go...the boss is coming, and he ain't paying me for this!!! lol)

Welcome   This site is great!

Hi Rick,

I got your reply on 8-5 and 8-17 about only one questions at a time. I did'nt catch that one, sorry. I really enjoy this site so I apprecaite you letting me know.  I hav'nt posted ton of questions at once since you told me and I will be sure not to no more. . I guess I am just responding to your answer becasue I don't want you to think I am ignoring you. Before I knew about your book a couple people suggested me getting Understaning Exposure. I looked at the site you sugessted to see what your book will be covering, but could not see what your book will be about.  I am waiting for your book to come out at Barnes to read more about it, or if you have time to just share in how I may learn some new things than from the book I am reading now. Again, sorry for the ton of qustions. Thanks for your time and your advice.  It nice to have them ;>)

Sherry

I feel that same way you do.  I am a mother of 2 and am also hoping to eventually become a professional photographer.  I think mpix is going to be a great learning place along with a lot of practice.

I am glad to see (both from the OP and another aspiring professional in this thread) that you are planning to learn about photography and get experience before trying to become a professional.   Sometimes, especially in my own occupation as a tax accountant, people try to go into business without being qualified.  It seems to be less common in photography, but is just as unfair (an understatement) to the client.    

To address one of your questions, you might want to start off with Photoshop Elements rather than the full program.  It does much of what Photoshop does, at a fraction of the cost.    When you begin to reach the limits of PS Elements, which may take a few years, you can then consider purchasing the full program.

Thanks taxref!  I really appreciate input.  I have been wanting to jump big to the Photoshop CS3.  Because  I seen there is extra downloads so you can do story boards, extra backgrounds for digtal and so on.  I am going to stop and go with the Elements I think it's 6 out there in stores.  I can get ahead of myself at times so I am greatful to have people to help get me to go slow and take baby steps.  I really apprecaite the quality work that others are offering and I one day I will be there but for now I am just getting use to the water and I would never dive in without understanding how and what to do. That is poor business which in return will not make customer happy and come back nor a way to get to me towards my future goals.

Adobe makes Photoshop.  When purchasing either PS or PSE (you are correct that PSE6 is the latest version) it is often a good idea to check the Adobe website.  They sometimes run specials on the programs, which can be downloaded directly from their site. 

Isn't it nice to know you're not alone? 
I'm new to the board, about 2 yrs. of practicing with my DSLR.  I've got 3 kids and it sounds like we're in a similar boat. 

Thanks for the post.. I was able to catch some good answers from all your questions.