New to this!!
 

Just started here and amazed by the photos everyone has taken - so inspiring! Got a camera last Xmas and love taking pictures, but admit most are hit or miss so look forward to learning from you all!

Welcome to the forum Louise , if there's anything you want to know don't be nervous about asking you'd be amazed at how much you'll pick up just by asking .

Mark

Welcome.
It's amazing how inspiring some of the photos can be. Makes you want to grab your camera and go.
Enjoy!

Hi louise, welcome!

I'm learning a lot here by reading comments on photo's, and by participating the weekly and monthly competitions.

Welcome!

[QUOTE=louise1;83795]Just started here and amazed by the photos everyone has taken - so inspiring! Got a camera last Xmas and love taking pictures, but admit most are hit or miss so look forward to learning from you all![/QUOTE]

Welcome Louise

Dont worry about the hit and miss thing. just remember to look at the ones you think are a miss and try to work out why

Enjoy

[QUOTE=louise1;83795]Just started here and amazed by the photos everyone has taken - so inspiring! Got a camera last Xmas and love taking pictures, but admit most are hit or miss so look forward to learning from you all![/QUOTE]

Hello from one Louise to another :)

[QUOTE=louise1;83795]Just started here and amazed by the photos everyone has taken - so inspiring! Got a camera last Xmas and love taking pictures, but admit most are hit or miss so look forward to learning from you all![/QUOTE]
Hi, Louise! Take a note of my signature. That came from a professional photographer. :)

[QUOTE=louise1;83795]Just started here and amazed by the photos everyone has taken - so inspiring! Got a camera last Xmas and love taking pictures, but admit most are hit or miss so look forward to learning from you all![/QUOTE]

Hi Louise and welcome.
We all have 'hits and misses'. The trick is to look at the misses and determine why they failed and trying to remember not to do that again.
The best guidance we can give is; Read your instruction book (with the camera in your hand) from cover to cover. Then read it again!
Then you need to start to learn a few 'rules'. always remembering that rules are made to be broken. But, by knowing the rule you'll have a better idea of what the outcome will be when you break it.
Without getting too techie you should be aware of the 'Rule of Thirds'. Try to imagine two vertical lines dividing your picture up into equal thirds, then another two lines horizontally doing the same thing (some viewfinders have this built into them). Aesthetically, placing your subject on these lines (or on the junction of these lines) will generally provide you with the most pleasing arrangement. Think about the subject matter and how you want the viewers eyes to be lead. Position your subject so that the eye is 'lead' into the picture rather than out of it.
Most important - get out there and take lots of pictures. Then sit down and look through them on your computer. Try to decide what's wrong with the duff ones before you delete them. If you can't decide where you've gone wrong, post the image up here and we can have a look at it for you.
Don't be in a hurry. Photography is a journey, not a destination.