Photography tips - beginners and beyond!
I don’t think any tips list will cover everything or suit everyone, but hopefully this wee blog will be of some use, both to beginners and those wishing to progress or get new ideas in photography. I tend to think there are three levels in starting photography, a process that begins with getting a camera. Without further ado, those three levels are…
Research
Learn
Use
Now, let’s look at each level…
Research
Do some proper research before buying a camera. Don’t just buy something because a friend said so, you saw one article or you like the colour or brand. Think about the type of photography you want to do - for example, I use different cameras depending on the genre; something suitable for street photography may not work for wildlife shots.
Check Flickr for images taken using the model you are considering. That will give you an idea of general capabilities and picture quality. You can search on specific camera models.
Go to your local camera shop and hold potential purchases – see what they feel like in your hands. Is it comfortable? Does it suit your hand size? Do the buttons and dials feel right? Are the menus intuitive? You get the idea.
YouTube is also a good resource. Chances are someone will have made a video demoing your chosen model, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses. Kai W has a good range of equipment reviews done in anything but a dry manner, but there are other reviewers out there too.
An independent online review site I would suggest looking at is DPReview
Proper research can save you both cash and disappointment. You know it makes sense.
Learn
Read your manual. READ. YOUR. MANUAL! Understand what your camera can do, learn about the functions, the differences between shooting modes, all that kinda stuff. If reading isn’t your thing, search on YouTube as mentioned earlier.
Understand the exposure triangle – the best video I have seen on the topic is by Sean Tucker, “How to nail exposure”. There will be others, but please do watch that one - it’s a great video for both beginners and experienced photographers who just want to increase their understanding.
Aperture priority. An excellent first step away from “auto” mode. Understand how aperture controls depth of field, and how it affects shutter speed (assuming a fixed ISO). Linked to that, understand ISO as well, and how different ISO levels affect the sensor sensitivity to light and possible “noise” implications. That is covered in the video mentioned above. Learn it - it’s important.
Understand composition – the most basic and most common method is the “rule of thirds”. If you nail that, have a look at the “Golden Ratio”.
Learn editing software. Some should come with your camera. There are free editing tools that can be downloaded and at the top of the tree you have the Adobe suite, primarily Photoshop and Lightroom.
Understand the difference between RAW and JPEG files. RAW files are larger and you will need to edit - but generally the final result should be better. Think of it as raw steak - with a piece of raw steak (sorry vegetarians) you can make mince, goulash, steak itself, bolognese, whatever. If someone hands you a cooked steak ready prepared - sure, it will be good - but you have less flexibility. The cooked steak is a JPEG file, the RAW file is, well, the raw steak…
Finally for this section - learn by using. Photography should be fun. You don’t need to sit in a classroom for hours before taking some photos. Learn as you go along. Snap your life, snap what’s going on around you - experiment and have fun!
Use
The best camera is the one you have at hand. It is perfectly possible to get some great shots with camera phones these days – sure, they won’t be right for every situation, but with phone technology and a good suite of apps, you can easily take images worth sharing. I have an idea for a blog where I do a “day in my life” kinda thing – and only take photos on my phone. Watch this space…
When you travel or go for a photo walk, try and list the shots you’d like to take. For example, as mentioned in an earlier blog, if I travel I want to get shots of people, the culture and the environment. Say you went to Venice – you’d want shots of a canal, gondola, bridges, crowds in St Mark’s Square, maybe a masquerade mask and some local food. Sure, at times you will be spontaneous – but try to have some sort of plan, even a loose one. Again, Flickr can provide a good source of inspiration for location and subject ideas
Move. Move your feet. Once you see something you want to take, think about your composition if you have the time and space to do so. Move left, right, forwards, backwards, up, down – just move. Yeah, yeah, yeah - you camera may have fancy zooms and all that - but don’t be lazy, get some exercise. Move.
Some books to consider…
Digital Photography Complete Course: Learn Everything You Need to Know in 20 Weeks