Beginner Photography Book

If you have an interest in Photography, as nearly everyone seems to these days, a great beginner photography book I recommend is The Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Essentials.  It is an amazing introduction into photography in a small bundle.  It gives you many tips that you will continue to use as you progress in your hobby in photography.

In chapter 10 of the book, the author says "If you are interested in really learning how to use lighting, then still lifes offer a unique learning experience that you will be able to apply to all of your photography.", which sounds like great advice.  It's tips like this that make me want to pick up the book again and again.  Combine that with the instant feedback of digital photography, the reason photography has bloomed so fast, nearly any "idiot" can learn lighting properly.  I'm really just a beginner when it comes to photography, and I find this book very helpful.  The book gets some great ratings on Amazon.com.

There are numerous great tips in this book that can be used by beginners like myself and advanced photo enthusiasts who have been in photography for some time.  This book is geared toward enthusiasts who want to learn how to control and get the most from their DSLR.  Many of the concepts are applicable to any camera you use of course, that's why it's an "Essentials" book.  If you'd like to see what I've shot, take a look at my other blog - VGA Photos, be warned, I'm a beginner!  They are all raw shots with no post edits or touch-ups.  If you know of a great book or other resource on how to do touch-ups for beginners, I'd be very happy if you let me know.

One of the main reasons I am interested in digital photography is because it does not cost much financially.  It is a Frugal hobby for me.  New York City offers a great canvas to paint your photo skills on.  We no longer have to spend thousands of dollars on equipment just to get started in photography.  Learning the basics is what I'm currently doing and you can only do that by "doing".  To learn anything properly, you need to DO that thing daily.  I take shots daily, which is why I started the VGA Photos blog.

Have you read The Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Essentials? If so, what did you think of it?  If you have not, I think it is a great read and a good reference, pick it up!  What other beginner photography books or resources do you recommend?

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Digital Photo Resources

I found some great digital photo resources when I was reading the December 2008 issue of Popular Photo magazine. Whether you are looking for applications, online services or ideas for photography, the list below may contain a resource you can find helpful. I compiled the original list on Saturday, Dec 13, 2008. I will continue to add any resource I find useful to this post.

• Photoshop Express - From the Makers of Photoshop, make some simple photo editing online, for FREE!
• Picasa 3 - This is one of my favorite photo management applications. It's made by Google and its FREE! Download your copy today. You can do simple to somewhat complex touch-ups with this. You can even add captions!
• Yodio - Add voice to your Photos, publish it for the world to see. All for free.
• Media College - Photography - Find some great Photography Tutorials. They are simple to the point and very well done!
• Photo Talk Radio - I can't really describe it better than what the title says. It's Talk Radio for Photography
• Pixia - This is a great piece of FREE Paint and retouch application. I discovered it years ago, but don't use it much since my drawing skills are not that great. Check out some great art galleries made with this software.
• Photoshop Support - Check this out for great Photoshop Tutorials
• America's Parks - Travel Planning tips and finding the best tips on taking photos of US Parks.
• Nature photo - Some of the world's best Nature Photographers.
• Flickr - This is the most popular Photo sharing site on the web, and you probably know about it already. Flickr is currently owned by Yahoo. You can make online edits as well. Thanks for Craig for pointing this out.
• JPG Magazine - Online magazine of both Amateurs and Pros. This company may be given a second life.
• Photography (9th Edition) (MyPhotographyKit Series)
  (This is an affiliate link to Amazon) - By far the most comprehensive and easy to digest text I have seen so far on photography.
• Digital Photography School - This is by far one of the best sites to learn about Photography.
  

If you have photography links and sites you would like to contribute, please let us know in the comments section. Check back often for additions to this list. Thanks for reading. For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way (guest posts, articles, ideas, interesting links, advice, financial assistance, or anything else), feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader. You can help support FrugalNYC by visiting sponsored links and ads.

Photo by Steph Carter

Five Great Reasons To Start Walking Today

Photo courtesy of Nattu

I'm still recovering from my cold. Thank you to all those who have wished me well and to Julie Cohen, from Vicks, who saw my post and sent me DayQuil and NyQuil! While I'm recovering from this cold, I started to think about walking and its many benefits. I walk for many reasons, among them are: to keep healthy, lower my travel costs, photography and numerous others. I walk about 5 to 10 miles on a weekly basis, which includes my weekly commute to and from work (I take mass transit). Sometimes I walk much more than this. Even doing the minimum 5 miles a week adds up to 260 miles walked yearly. By my estimates, I walk closer to 500 miles a year. Even if I only walked 260 miles yearly, it is still more than what the average American does. In a recent study about obesity rates, it has been found that countries with active commuters (walking, biking and mass transit) tend to have lower obesity rates. I think this is another reason why we should all take up walking.

To give you all the reasons why you should start walking, it would take a book, even a volume of books. So I will list five reasons to get you started.

Walk for your Health

Walking is a great way to start your excercise routine. Brisk walking can get your blood circulating and is a great way to warm up your muscle before other more strenuous excercises. How much you should walk depends on your current health status. Before starting any excercise regimen, you should check with your doctor, especially if you are concerned about your health. If you consider yourself healthy, start small and add more distance on a regular basis. On a recent post, I wrote about how I do brisk walking, about 8 times around a track field. This is nothing to those of you who are more fit, and this may be too much for those who are not used to walking regularly. The key is to start walking and keep at it. Like all good habits, be it for health or other aspects of your life, the key to success is starting and keeping at it.


Walk To Save On Travel Costs

Another great reason to walk, is to save money on your travel costs. If you are used to walking regularly, then walking five or ten blocks to your local supermarket or drugstore is not a problem. If you are not used to walking, perhaps it's time to get started on a healthy and more economical habit. Walking will save wear and tear on your automobile and any monetary costs associated with maintaining it. If you take public transportation to get to destinations under half a mile away, perhaps you can think about walking instead. In some circumstances, it may be faster than public transportation.


Walk To Reach Your Destination Faster

I've had occasions when I waited for a bus for half an hour. This is in my NYC neighborhood, usually on a weekend or late in the evenings. If you just missed a bus and need to get only a few blocks away, it is usually faster to walk. I've seen people who use the bus to get to the subway station during rush hour. They live only 2 blocks from the subway station, yet they wait for packed bus after bus, to take them to the subway station. I would just walk the two blocks and get to my destination faster.


Walk To Improve Your Relationships

In the movie "Click
", Adam Sandler plays a your typical guy who wants to skip through the inconveniences of life. When he gets sick, he fast forwards, when he gets into an argument he pushes the fast forward button. At the end of the movie, he realizes he has skipped through some of the best parts of his life. Don't be like his character in Click! Many people talk about lack of time to spend with their loved ones. We are a modern society that makes work number one and family often comes second. We should do everything we can to improve our relationships and walking is one of the best ways this can be done. Instead of jumping in a car or waiting in line for a bus, walk! Walking with a friend or family and having a meaningful conversation, or even just a relaxing one, is one of the best ways to improve your relationships. Often you will get to your destination before you know it, time flies when you are in the middle of a good conversation. When was the last time you walked for 20 minutes with your husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend? This may even give the two of you time to relax and forget about everything else. It doesn't matter if you are walking to exercise or walking to get to a common destination, having company during your walk is sure to improve and strengthen your walking habits, not to mention your relationships. So why don't you take half an hour this weekend and walk with your husband/wife?


Walk To Improve Your Photography

Taking life at a slower pace can make it more enjoyable, this can show in the results of your photography. Whether you are taking up photography as a hobby or if it is your profession, you will end up with better photos if you take the time to notice the details. Focusing on your subject and studying it before snapping the photo can do wonders to improve your photography. This is especially true for novice photographers, such as myself. Take the time to walk and study your surroundings, you will develop your photographic eye as you walk and study your subject from various angles.

There you have it, five great reasons to start walking today! I'm sure many of you have your own great reasons to start walking. Please share your thoughts in the comments. I hope you have enjoyed this post. Thanks for visiting. Follow me on Twitter for additional links to Frugal tips and tricks. If you would like to contribute to Frugal NYC in any way, articles, ideas, posts, interesting links, advice, financial assistance, or anything else, feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add this to your RSS reader.

Photo - Chicken

I saw this huge freightor during my lunch time walk on October 27, 2008, I wanted a snapshot of it. Caught it just as a water taxi was passing by. Who do you think would win this game of Chicken?

Photo - The Host

I saw this flower growing in the Queens Botanical Garden on October 25, 2008. It reminded me of the alien "souls" from The Host, the book by Stephenie Meyer, not the Korean movie.

Photo - Deserted

I found these colorful "weeds" on the Jersey shore a few days ago. They grow on the roadside and no one usually pays any attention to weeds. Life is more colorful than you think ;)

Photo - Urban Foliage

Fall in NYC can be more colorful than you think. I took this on October 25, 2008 in the Kissena Corridor Park area.

Photo - Growing Up

I came upon this scene over the weekend when I was walking in Queens Botanical Garden. It caught my eye and says a lot about the state of this country and the world right now. Since I have not posted anything regarding my interest in "photography", I thought I would start with a quick picture that exemplifies the changes that need to take place in all of us. Many of us have grown physically, but there are still many questions that go unanswered since our childhood. Hope you will find your answers as you grow into true maturity...

If you like this photo, please let me know in the comments. If you don't, let me know as well ;)