Here are just a few of the questions I asked when I first joined the MyFinePix site so, I thought it may be useful to turn what I've learned from here into an article for the new members that come along! It is aimed at the total beginner with a question and answer format which I hope is useful!

Q: Like any other hobby, I suppose It's best just to buy the most expensive kit to get the best results, Isn't it?

A: Wrong! With photography it's more about the photographer than the camera. Ok, if you have the money to go for the latest kit and don't mind being totally disappointed that Fred Blogs down the road paid £50 for his second hand fuji s8000fd camera and his shots are better than yours, then go for it. I bought a Fuji s1730 from Argos at £149 and have got some superb results from it. I also bought a second hand s8000fd for £50 which delivers excellent super macro photo's, but only through taking hundreds of shots and getting used to the basics of photography first.

Q: Ok, that's fine, but what about all the extras, like batteries, surely that's going to be expensive?

A: Wrong again! Get yourself a couple of sets of re-chargable batteries and a charger, not that expensive and will save you a fortune in the long run. You should always have a set fully charged and ready to go. I have three sets, one in camera, one fully charged and in my camera case and one on charge. A tripod is a good investment but not essential, any steady surface, tree, window ledge, rock etc. will do.

Q: I've heard that the problem with the built in flash on some bridge cameras is that it can be very harsh and you can't attach a diffuser. How do you get around that one then?

A: Got 20 or 30p, yes P! get yourself a packet of cigarette papers, you know the ones, people use them to roll their own cigarettes. They make excellent diffusers. I normally stick two or three on top of each other and then just dampen the strip and attach to the top of the flash and bend them over the front of the flash. Seeing that there are around 50 papers in a pack, they really are a cheap alternative to diffusers.

Q: Right, I've got my camera, my batteries charged, now where do I go to take photographs.

A: Do you walk around with your eyes shut? Photographs are everywhere! If you can see something, then there is something to photograph. Start looking at things instead of just seeing them! It's not so much 'where' you take the photographs but 'how'.

Q: I took a photo of my dog and a bird and one of the kids but none of them seem to have come out quite right. What could I have done wrong?

A: Probably, not a lot, you may have just made a few basic mistakes, like we all do when we start out. Here are just a few:

Lighting: make sure you have good lighting, after all, that's what the camera looks for when working out exposure, white balance and focus etc. However, you can take pictures in the dark, but get used to you camera first. Remember, light is a 'something' and you will start to not only see objects as 'somethings' but light too!

Focus: Did you just point you camera at these subjects and press the shutter button? Bet you did! Next time focus on the eye. It's imperative with any creature that the focus is on the eye. If that means your not happy with the composition, then look for the cross in the centre of you view finder, place it on the eye, press the shutter half way down to lock the focus and then recompose the shot before pressing the shutter button all the way! You'll be pleasantly surprised with the results I think!

Clutter: Still got your eyes shut then? remember, start to 'look' at everything. The camera will always faithfully photograph everything in the frame, even if we didn't see it at the time. It could be a vase sticking out of aunt Mabel's ear or that drainpipe which has suddenly grown out of uncle Freds head, we miss it, the camera doesn't! so, 'look' and 'see' before you press the button. It's better to spend a few seconds moving your subject than end up binning the photograph.

Q: Great, got that! Now, I've got a bird table outside my window and we get loads of birds, but I can't photograph them through the window can I?

A: Oh yes you can! Just make sure the windows are clean. Try not to have any light behind you and get your lens right up to the glass. Remember to get the zoom right on the table, you don't want to break the window or worse, your camera, when you zoom out and forget you are up against the glass! Focus on the eye! and try not to take them in poor light.

Q: Getting the hang of this now, managed some half decent pics and there is plenty of room on the memory card, so I'll leave them there then should I?

A: NO! sorry, didn't mean to shout, backup, backup and did I mention, backup? I transfer everything into a folder on my computer and then copy them to a memory stick, the post processed finished photo's get copied to another memory stick too. You can leave them on your memory card If you wish, but at some time you will need the space. So back them up!

Last Q: When will I know all there is to know about my new hobby?

Final A: Never, that's the beauty of it, you never get fed up, because there is always something new to learn and one of the best places to learn Is right here in fujiland. I've never come across a question that has not been answered or an answer that has not thrown up another question....

Just ask!