Wish I knew more about photography. Any advice for a designer hoping to expand her repertoire?

The best way to learn about photography is to get hold of a camera (with lots of manual settings) and play. I'd suggest digital format solely for the purpose of saving money while you play and seeing instant results. Some people prefer reading books to learn, or online sources, of which there are many.

I prefer the hands on approach. I started with a Sony Cybershot two years ago and finally upgraded to a professional rig when people started asking me where I studied. I figure if I was able to get images that good out of a pocket camera I should expand a bit.

A few things that would have helped me if I'd known them up front (or even known to ask) include: 1. The camera I use sees 5 "stops" of light. The human eye sees 11.So to capture what my naked eye sees with the camera, I need to compress the visible light to 5 stops (or choose which 5 matter).

When you can read the light correctly, you'll always get better images. 2. The size of the sensor the camera has turned out to be more important than the number of megapixels.

3. The lens "sees" what I see. The base just records it.

So if I have $1500 to invest in a camera it's wiser to spend more on the lens than the base and upgrade the base when you can. Nothing beats quality glass (lenses).4. If you get a camera that shoots RAW format you can "reshoot" your image with the software provided (apply many different camera settings to the original capture).

If you shoot JPEG you can only edit the image.5. Taking images from different angles makes them more interesting than taking them from the angle we normally see things.6. Find local enthusiasts and meet with them to watch how they work.

I hope this has been helpful. Best of luck with your new hobby!

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.