# Help with my d40



## Guest (Jan 23, 2009)

Hi chaps,

Im after bit of a advise as i feel im a total novice with my nikon d40 (standard 18-55mm lense) and looking for some advice/tips really on how get get the best shots of my work from the camera.

I currently use the camera on the auto setting but don't feel i'm achieving its full potential plus its not really doing my work any justice.

Heres some pics I took today of a white TT

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=1303782#post1303782

Any advise would be much apreciated.

Paul :thumb:


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## mteam (Dec 8, 2007)

I found this quite useful Paul http://stopshootingauto.com/ Have a read of the exposure lessons

I'm sure some of the other guys will be along shortly they've been really helpfull to me

Another link http://digital-photography-school.com/


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## magic919 (Mar 11, 2007)

I'm not sure that auto mode is such a bad thing. But I'd consider using the flash a bit more and getting a basic version of Photoshop (I use Photoshop Elements) to tweak the shots.

It does look like the light was failing in some of those shots and there's not a lot you can do. However, other shots look like the camera was fooled by all that white. You can sort that on the camera or the computer.


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## Mike V (Apr 7, 2007)

FLARE Easily avoided by shielding the lens from the sun. Simply placing your hand over the lens as if you were shielding your own eyes from the sun should help avoid this. Or just dont shoot into the sun!


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## Mike V (Apr 7, 2007)

Coposition

It may be difficult because you are after snap shots just to show how bad a certain area on a car is. But for the final versions put some thought into the composition of the image. Is it interesting to look at or just a snap shot?:thumb:


Over exposed areas









Notice the pure white zones in this image. This is where the image is over exposed and no information has been recorded. Switching to manual or a different metering mode will help with this.

Anything else you want to know?


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## m500dpp (Feb 17, 2006)

Have a look on this site:

http://www.nikondigitutor.com/eng/d90/index.shtml

Thats a video tutorial for the D90 I am sure if you dig about there will be something similar for the D40

er hang on not that difficult to work out:

http://www.nikondigitutor.com/eng/d40/index.shtml


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## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

I think a lot of your problems with these shots came from trying to shoot a white car with the sun at the back of it. It future try to shoot with the sun coming over your shoulder.


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## Rickyboy (Oct 14, 2008)

mteam said:


> I found this quite useful Paul http://stopshootingauto.com/ Have a read of the exposure lessons


Thank you for that link mate - read through a large chunk of it today and I no longer feel pathetic with my new camera!


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## swiftshine (Apr 17, 2008)

Auto mode is a good place to start. Once you have taken a few photos, and have downloaded them to your computer, take a look at the exif data, and compare what settings the camera used on the shots you like and on the shots you don't like. This will help to give you a better idea of what effect the different settings have.
Then you will be better placed to move onto the other modes where you have more control to get the effects you want:thumb:

Another option (which is why digital is so good to learn from over film) is take the same photo in different modes. Take the first photo in full auto, then go round the dial to portrait, macro, landscape, night etc. Again look at the exif data on the computer and compare and contrast.


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