Hello I'm planning on taking up photography as a hobby.. just have a couple of questions: 1. What kind of camera should i go with? i'm thinking a large portion of my photos will be black and white. 2. How do you actually get "better"? Any online guides about what to look out for and what to practice? 3. How do you actually get accredited as a professional? Sounds like a good way to earn some cash on the side. thanks

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You're probably going to hear better answers from professionals but I'll at least put my two cents in. I recommend taking a class first. I've been taking pictures as a hobby since about 1970 but the class I took in HS really made a big difference. I don't know that HS's teach it any more, but perhaps a Jr. College might. The class will teach you about all the different sorts of pictures you can take-- scenery, portraits, etc, and could be a good source if info on cameras, filters, etc. A very important thing I learned in the class is that you can take good pictures with any camera. It is the way you frame the picture that makes all the difference. As you get better you can tweak things like colors, contrast, depth of field, etc. For a long time my camera was a Contax 139. When I went digital I bought a Konica Minolta Dimage X50. It has a terrible shutter delay, but if the conditions are right it can take fabulous pictures. If I were shopping for a digital SLR I'd probably look at a Nikon. Take the class. See what you like to do and your teacher may be able to help you decide.

1) You should likely have a film SLR with at least the option of being manual on everything, focus included. You should at very least be able to manually focus and set the exposure. A button that closes down the Iris for checking depth in field wouldn't hurt, either. 2) I know this is not going to be a good answer, but I have found that taking a course to be a good way to lay out the groundwork towards taking better pictures. Expect to burn through around 40 rolls of film in the class - the only way you really get better is via practice and experimentation. 3) Getting a degree in photography would help, but generally people are not just worried about a degree, but your portfolio. Get a good portfolio together with your work. Try to tailor the portfolio to the type of work you'll be doing. If you're thinking of doing event photography, having a bunch of still-lifes and landscapes won't help out any. Good luck with your endeavors - and just be prepared. Sometimes the market for photographers can be pretty fierce - do it because you love it. You can't always be sure you'll be able to make some cash on it.

1 The camera itself doesn't matter at the beginning stages. I would recommend getting a digital camera to start as you can take tons of images and get instant feedback on what you are shooting. If you can get a camera that you can manually control then you will able to dictate what the picture looks like and not have the camera interpret what you are "seeing" 2 Classes, books and online courses. But that is only the start. You must take literally tens of thousands of pictures. Anyone can TAKE pictures. There is a huge difference between that and Creating pictures. 3 I know people that have graduated with a 4 year degree in photography and they still aren't at the level to be a professional. There really isn't any accreditation needed. All that matter is how good are you. But believe me. Everyone thinks they can be a photographer but to shoot consistently at a level and to get paid for it is one of the hardest things out there. My suggestion is to find one thing that you love. For instance if you love music bring you camera to local clubs and take 1000s of pictures. Sooner or later you will find out what works and what doesn't . Zero in on subjects that you love and let life take its course from there.

do a night school course - black and white if you like, let them advise you best camera for the course study is the only way to get better, look up Dan Heller, theres heeps on the net but best way is a good teacher and hands on no acrediting: you can join an organisation of Pros, being a pro is about being able to make images under any conditions and always get the shot/s - takes study,time and practice - stuff up once and you loss business a

(1) Canon Digital Camera EOS 400D,why don't you take Colour Photography insteads of Black and White? (2) Practicing well for taking pictures, 23 years of Experiences in Photography,Degrees in Photography of London and New York. (3) Everyone know you publishing your pictures in magazines,newpapers,being one of the judges for photos and have working photographer for many years.

1. Get a DSLR. There are many brands out there, but I like Nikon & Canon. As for color or black & white images, those will all be done in your computer afterwards. Film cameras are few and far between and losing support except among the serious professionals who require it. A DSLR will allow you the flexibility to match lens to your needs. 2. You get better the same way you get better at driving. Sure, classes and online guides are helpful. BUT, you've just got to go out and shoot! Take 3 or 4 times as many pictures as you plan to, experimenting with camera settings. You will get better with practice and soon find many techniques to be second-nature. Don't throw away the 'bad' images, but learn from them. Join an online photo group asking questions and posting photos for comment. I belong to Nikonians.com, a great Nikon group. There are photo forums for every line of camera out there. 3. I got accredited by affiliating myself with a group that wanted media coverage of events in my city and sports as well. They knew of my interests and the fact that I was willing to do it for free (foot in door) didn't hurt! Since then, I've been asked by other organization, magazines, and websites for my photos. Word of mouth and a great portfolio will get you there. It also doesn't hurt to write to the Media Director at the place you wish to shoot and ask if you can come in as a free-lancer. I did that for a year, based on my affiliations for the past. Good luck and please feel free to ask any other questions. Be sure to ask technical questions in the Consumer Electronics/Cameras area. Hope this was helpful.

2. You can get better by having people look at your work and let you know what you are doing right and wrong. There are several sites out there where you can submit your photos and get them rated. Good luck -A