Introduction

Congratulations on your new camera, the Nikon D7200! If you’re anything like me, you want to start using your camera as quickly as possible. This book will help you do just that! In a variety of ways, this book will guide you toward making strong, creative images. It’s important to know that you already have the guide to your camera because it came right in the box: the owner’s manual. But don’t worry, Nikon D7200: From Snapshots to Great Shots is not a rehash of the manual. Rather, it is a resource on photography and creating great images with your new camera. The book highlights important and creative photographic concepts while pointing out techniques and how to achieve different visual elements with the D7200. The following chapters include instructional photographs and anecdotal insight stemming from my own work as a professional photographer and teacher. I have put together a short Q&A to help you get a better understanding of just what it is that you can expect from this book.

Q: Is every camera feature going to be covered?

A: Nope, just the ones I think you need to know in order to start taking great photos. As I said, you already own a great resource that covers every feature of your camera: the owner’s manual. (I know, we all hate reading manuals—we want to grab our new camera and start shooting. But if you look at your manual more closely, you’ll realize it can actually help you.) A book that just rephrases this information would have been a waste of your time and money. What I did want to write about was how to harness certain camera features to benefit your photography. As you read through this book, you will also see references to specific pages in your owner’s manual that are related to the topic being discussed. For example, in Chapter 6 the AE-L button is discussed, but there is more information available on this feature in the manual. I cover the function that applies to our specific needs and give you the page numbers in the manual to explore this function further.

Q: So if I already own the manual, why do I need this book?

A: The manual does a pretty good job of telling you how to use a feature or turn it on in the menus, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you why and when you should use it. If you really want to improve your photography, you need to know the whys and the whens to put all of those great camera features to use. To that extent, the manual just isn’t going to cut it. It is, however, a great resource on the camera’s features, and for that reason I treat it like a companion to this book. You already own it, so why not get something of value from it?

Q: What can I expect to learn from this book?

A: Hopefully, you will learn how to take great photographs. My goal, and the reason the book is laid out the way it is, is to guide you through the basics of photography as they relate to different situations and scenarios. By using the features of your D7200 and this book, you will learn about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, lens selection, depth of field, and many other photographic concepts. You will also find plenty of large full-page photos that include shooting data and comments from me so you can see how all of the photography fundamentals come together to make great images. Meanwhile, you will be learning how your camera works and how to apply its functions and features to your photography.

Q: Do I really need to do the assignments?

A: At the end of most chapters, you will find shooting assignments, where I give you some suggestions on how you can apply the lessons of the chapter to help reinforce everything you just learned. Can I make you do them? No, but let’s face it—using the camera is much more fun than reading about it, so the assignments are a way of taking a little break after each chapter, having some fun, and trying out your new chops.

Q: Should I read the book straight through, or can I skip around from chapter to chapter?

A: Here’s the easy answer: yes and no. No, skipping around the whole time isn’t the best idea, because the first four chapters give you the basic information that you need to know about your camera. These are the building blocks of using the D7200. After that, yes, you can move around the book as you see fit, because the following chapters are written to stand on their own as guides to specific types of photography or shooting situations. So you can bounce from portraits to landscapes and then maybe to a little action photography. It’s all about your needs and how you want to address them. Or, you can read the book straight through. The choice is up to you.

Q: Is that it?

A: One last thought before you dive into the first chapter. My goal in writing this book has been to give you a resource that will help you create great photographs with your Nikon D7200. Learning the basics is vital, but playing with them is what makes the photographer. Photography, like most things, takes time to master and requires practice. One of the most important things I tell my students and others about my own photography work is that I’m still learning. Always remember that it’s not the camera that makes beautiful photographs—it’s the person using it. Photography is one of those activities that let you explore, no matter if you are traveling or shooting your child’s birthday party. So enjoy the experience, learn from your mistakes (which I encourage you to make), and take your snapshots to another level—to great shots.