Nikon D3300 Camera Review (+my favourite photographers)

Hi everyone! First of all I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and I hope that you all had a lovely day! This post today is actually going to be about a present I received this Christmas, which I am really excited to use and will also be a great device to have when it comes to visual primary research and photography for my university course! For Christmas I was given the Nikon D3300 SLR Camera, that is perfect for those looking for something at an entry level (like me who has never studied photography before) and a camera which is not too complicated to use.

The 24.4 MP resolution D3300 camera, successor to the D3200, comes with an 11 point AF system, a Lv 'live' mode, a shooting mode dial with multiple choices such as Manual, Shutter priority, Programmed and Aperture and different scene modes; portrait, close up, sports and landscape which are really straightforward and easily located on the device. Therefore, the camera allows you to change the settings to fit your photograph situation perfectly.

Another pro to this beginner level camera is that it comes with a 'guide mode' which is included to teach people different shooting modes for specific situations and to provide an easy access to a variety of useful functions that are offered within the camera. For instance, the guide mode offers a menu of the following; Shoot, Retouch, View/Delete and Set Up which you can choose from to either take photographs, edit your shots, view or erase and change the settings of the camera at the click of a few buttons. This function is one of the main reasons why I like this camera because unlike many other SLR cameras made from the brand Canon, Nikon have included this organised guide to directly teach the basics and to prevent their customers from frantically searching all over Google on Wiki How and Yahoo Answers for instructions on 'how to turn off the flash'. I will admit that I am guilty of using these websites way too often rather than just reading the manual or using the guide properly...

Furthermore, although the camera offers many automatic installed effects, you can change it to a manual mode which allows you to alter the aperture, the shutter speed, the distance you are shooting from and the decision of whether the flash is necessary or not for whatever you are photographing. However, if you do not want to control the settings yourself, you can simply change the mode to 'programmed' labelled as P or 'Auto' (written in green text) which are both located on the dial. This was another feature which I found really straight forward and helpful when changing the settings on the device.

The camera also offers a retouch menu consisting of D lighting, red eye correction, trim, monochrome effect, filter effect, colour balance, image overlay, photo illustration, colour balance, distortion control and resize which prevent you having to sit and spend hours editing your photos after uploading them to your laptop/computer. If that wasn't enough, there are also special effects including 13 different filters such as Silhouette, HD Painting, Super Vivid and Night Vision which can be used for both still images and recording footage with the movie option. The 'Night Vision' effect especially stood out for me as it allows you to record images in darker surroundings but provides a high ISO sensitivity. Super Vivid and POP are also other special effect which are useful if you are wanting to increase the saturation or contrast in your photograph to achieve a more lively and vibrant image.

Overall, I am extremely impressed with functions this camera has to offer and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking at buying their first professional digital camera or getting into photography as a hobby. I am not the best photographer however, by using this camera over the past two days; it has helped me get to grips with the art of photography. It has also gave me insight onto taking high quality photographs in comparison to just using my IPhone camera to record images for my university work which is of good quality but not as crisp or defined as I would like.

Although this information is not specific to the actual camera, for those looking for a bit more guidance into the use of SLR cameras and photography in general, the digital software brand, Jessops offer a selection of courses, ranged from introductory to advanced level, to provide the knowledge and skills for individuals to use their cameras to its full potential.

[Images: own photography taken on iPhone 6 camera]

Favourite Photographers of the 20th and 21st Century

Whilst on the topic of cameras, I thought I would share with you some of the work of two of my favourite photographers in the fashion industry right now. They both have very diverse photographic ethics. However, both Nick Knight and Steven Meisel have photographed for some of the biggest fashion brands of all time and for the highest profile magazines in the industry such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

Nick Knight

Out of the two photographers, Knight's photographic style is the more cutting edge and futuristic due to his use of visual technology. He creates photographs that are digitally imposed to experiment with modern day technology and offer something avant-garde and revolutionary to the way we look at fashion. Knight has worked with the likes of W magazine, British Vogue, Paris Vogue, Dazed & Confused, Another and I-D Magazine to create captivating editorials as well as shooting advert campaigns for well-known fashion designers such as John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton. However, Knight isn't just known for photography as he has also ventured down the road of film and media resulting in the creation of his website SHOWstudio. SHOWstudio is known as the 'home of fashion film' that offers the latest fashion films online and encourages leading fashion brands to move from still image to digital film in today's contemporary society. Knight has already collaborated with many influential designers and pop culture icons from art, music and film to showcase their talents digitally such as Tracey Emin, Bjork and Lady Gaga. Knight even collaborated with Lady Gaga to create her 'Born this way' video back in 2011 to visualise reinvent Gaga's identity as an artist.

Link to Nick Knights fashion film website SHOWstudio: http://showstudio.com/

Louis Vuitton, 1996

Louis Vuitton 1996

Devon, Alexander McQueen, 1997

Devon, Alexander McQueen 1997

Lady Gaga for Vanity Fair 2010

Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore Catalogue, Somerset House, 2013
This series of photographs is definitely worth a look at, especially if you are a fan the late style icon and fashion editor, Isabella Blow or even the work of Alexander McQueen, a fashion acquaintance of Blow.

Steven Meisel
In comparison to Nick Knight and in my opinion, Steven Meisel's work is a lot more traditional and serious when it comes to his editorials and ad campaigns for fashion designers. However, he has also been known to create controversial sets of photography especially for the likes of Calvin Klein causing many viewers to expect a rather explicit style of image by Meisel when they hear he is the eyes behind the lens. Furthermore, one thing I admire about Meisel's photographs is that they are all subjected to specific narratives which are instantly communicated through his use of motifs, settings and even the filter he edits onto each image. Therefore, as a viewer, you are able to understand what messages and feelings he is trying to portray. Although, it can be seen that Meisel has used digital software to edit his images, he still tries to project real life onto the pages of magazines whether they deal with cultural, social or contemporary issues which he then manages to translate into images relating to fashion.