Rose with her Canon 50D Vinoy Hotel in the backgroundMany of my DSLR photography students have abruptly gone from a regular point & shoot pocket digital camera to plunging into the DSLR world. Then the DSLR sits on a shelf somewhere for a few months due to the initial hurdle in learning how to use it. This is the exact situation my 1-on-1 private DLSR Photography Lessons are designed to remedy. I met Rose on a pleasant Monday morning in downtown St. Petersburg for our first lesson. She was a beginner not even knowing basic photography terms. By the end of the 2-hour lesson, I had her using her Canon 50D in manual mode!
Now, I do not expect Rose to stay in manual mode from here on out, but she took thorough notes (recommended) throughout the lesson carefully noting what aperture, ISO, WB and focus mode we used for the various photography situations we practiced. Therefore, she does not have to rely on her memory alone the next time she wants to make a shot with bokeh or freeze a fast moving subject. She can refer to her notes and at least have a starting point for getting the type of shot she wants.
Rose, also like many other students, was surprised to learn that buying the DSLR itself (and accompanying kit lens) is just the start of the expense that is actively doing photography. She was a bit shocked to learn the price of software (she asked about full Photoshop) for editing digital photos, plus that before she heads to New York later this week she really should buy an external flash if she wants to get the best results of photographing her friends & family inside restaurants and other dimly lit places. I always advise the best value for money solutions, but even those are often several hundred dollar options. My top advice is learn how to use the gear you have now as best as you can, so that you can clearly see where you have outgrown that gear making it also very clear what you should purchase next.
I look forward to seeing Rose's photographs of New York and to helping her use her new external flash!