OW
that you got that awesome Nikon D300 digital camera, it’s time to
get help to master all the buttons on the front and back of the body
plus all the controls embedded deep inside the menus. What you need is
something that’s friendlier and easier than the Nikon user manual
which I find too stiff, stilted and academic.
One way to learn
is with training videos. Blue Crane Digital offers a pair of DVDs. The
first is Introduction
to the Nikon D300, about two hours, $24.99
Amazon.com
Price: $22.49. The instructor will walk you through all the
bells and whistles of the camera, demonstrating how each item works.
He covers everything you need to know, such as metering and
bracketing, white balance, ISO, image review, understanding histograms
and everything else in the camera.
After you’ve
graduated from the novice class, you’ll want to get Blue Crane’s
follow-up DVD, Introduction
to the Nikon D300 & D700 Volume 2: Advanced Tips,
Amazon.com
Price: $24.99. This brings you beyond the basics, helping
you deal with difficult lighting situations as well as other areas.
Of course there
are printed books to that surpass the basic user manual. Darrell Young’s
Mastering
the Nikon D300 is among the best. This is the inaugural title
of the Nikonians Press, an imprint of Rocky Nook (softcover, 232
pages, $39.95
Amazon.com
Price: $26.37.). The author, an information technology
engineer, deftly leads you on an extensive exploration of the inner
workings of the powerful D300. You’ll become a better photographer
on this journey.
Since you have a
Nikon D300, I can assume you also have a Nikon speedlight. That means
you need Mike Hagen’s The
Nikon Creative Lighting System (Rocky Nook, softcover, 262
pages, $34.95
Amazon.com
Price: $23.07). No matter which speedlight you have —
SB-600, SB-800, SB-900, R1C1 Flashes — Mike will assist you to
become expert on flash photography.
Nikon
D300 by Simon
Stafford is a handy small-size book that I’ve found extremely
helpful in learning all about the camera. It even has a handy pullout
card that you can carry in your pocket for reference on location. This
comprehensive book is small size so you can bring it with you in your
camera bag. Stafford covers everything you need to know, and more. A
good book to have. Lark Books, softcover, 416 pages, $19.95
Amazon.com
Price: $13.57.
Nikon
D300 Digital Field Guide By is a useful manual to have. Not
only does J. Dennis Thomas introduce you to your camera, but devotes
pages to creating great pictures, working with light, in-camera
editing, and many other essential photography concepts. A chapter on
real-world applications help you with child, flower and concert
photography, as well as shooting at night, sports, wildlife, macro,
architecture, abstract and other situations. Wiley, softcover, 267
pages, $19.99
Amazon.com
Price: $11.99.
Wait, there’s
more! You’re not done yet. How are you going to handle all those
images you’ve captured in your Nikon D300? You definitely need a
photo editing program. What better, for a Nikonian, than the brand’s
own product, Capture NX. Much easier than Adobe’s Photoshop. And to
aid you to become proficient at it, I suggest getting the very useful
book, Nikon
Capture NX2, version 2 (Peachpit Press, softcover, 289 pages,
$39.99 $39.99
Amazon.com
Price: $26.39). The author, Ben Long, writes a column for www.CreativePro.com.
His book is lucid and his instructions clear.
But if you want to
stick with Adobe Photoshop, then I recommend The
Photoshop Elements 7 Book for Digital Photographers which is
probably the most friendly guide you’ll find to help you navigate
through Elements 7. The illustrations are abundant, and instructions
easy to follow. Besides writing this uncomplicated instructional
manual – in simple language – Scott Kelby authored many other
computer books. He’s editor and publisher of Photoshop User
magazine. His co-author, Matt Kloskowski, is author of nine books, and
co-hosts the video podcast Photoshop User TV. This excellent
book is highly recommended for everyone who uses Elements 7. (Peachpit
Press, softcover, 493 pages, $49.99 Amazon.com
Price: $31.49)