Learning photography used to involve expensive equipment and hours in the darkroom but today, technology has turned the art of photography into a modern-day hobby.
You can now take photos from your smartphone and edit them by using one of many apps and share your photos on many platforms and websites. However, while modern-day technology has made taking and sharing photos easier, there are still some basic photography tips and rules you should follow.
Knowing these rules is the difference between taking a nice photo and a stunning one. Using these basic rules will also shorten your editing time and give you a professional result.
If you are an aspiring photographer or just want to uplevel your photography skills, here are a few tips and tricks you need to know.
1. Know Your Camera
The first step in taking great photos is to know your camera. With technological advances, chances are the camera you already have is good enough to take great photos. Read the manual for your camera and get familiar with everything it can and cannot do.
2. Understand Your Settings
Like any good camera, yours likely has a variety of settings to choose from. However, you will likely only use a few. Find and understand these settings and learn how to use them to take a great photo.
3. Learn the Basic Rules of Photography
A basic photography tip is to learn the basic rules of photography. Following these rules will teach you composition so there is thought behind your photo instead of just pointing and snapping. Learn these rules by heart and practice using them often.
4. Avoid Camera Shake
A helpful food photography tip is to avoid camera shake. The blur that comes with an unsteady camera can ruin even the most stunning of shots.
You can do this by holding the camera close to you, using one hand around the body and one around the lens. You can also avoid camera shake by using the right shutter speed or by using a tripod or monopod whenever necessary.
5. Choose the Right ISO
The ISO setting on your camera is one of the essential settings you will use for most photos. This setting determines how fine the grain of your image is and your camera’s sensitivity to light. Learning to choose the right ISO can make the difference between an okay photo and a great one.
The darker the lighting, the higher the ISO you need to choose.
6. Pay Attention To the Lighting
One of the best day or night photography tips is to pay attention to the lighting in your photo.
The goal for the lighting is not to be as bright as possible, but rather to be balanced throughout the photo. You should also make sure there is enough light for a clear photo.
7. Know When To Use the Flash Setting
A great portrait photography tip is to know when to use the flash setting. Some people use the flash for every picture they take, regardless of the lighting in the setting. However, the flash is only used when the setting is too dark and needs a balance of light.
Learn how to use your flash setting to automatically upgrade your photos.
8. Use Reflections
One of the most helpful landscape photography tips is to use reflections to make your photo more interesting. This is called mirror photography, and it is used to create an echo of a scene. Play with reflections when you are photographing puddles, lakes, oceans, or any other reflective surface.
9. Buy a Quality Filter
The filter you place over your lens determines the quality of your photo.
While it may be tempting to purchase an affordable filter, it’s best to go with the option that provides the most quality. A low-quality filter will result in blurred images and flare-like bright spots in the photo. Invest in a quality filter to avoid these problems.
10. Photograph What You Love
Photographing what you love is not a technical tip but it will result in a better photo. It will also help you stick with it when you are feeling frustrated by learning plateaus.
If you love nature, start with landscapes. If you love fashion or sports, start there. Your passion for your subject will show in the photos and give them a certain depth and meaning they may not otherwise have.
11. Learn From Your Mistakes
While it may feel frustrating to make mistakes, it can be the best way to learn. Study your photos and ask for feedback from a mentor or another professional. Understand your mistakes so you can avoid them in the future.
Turn your mistakes into skill-building lessons.
12. Organize and Back up Your Photos
Perhaps the worse thing that can happen to a budding photographer is to lose all of your photos due to being unorganized.
Whether you are organizing photos on Mac, a PC, your smartphone, or the cloud, make sure you have a system in place for your photos. A good system ensures you should be able to pull up a specific photo at any time.
It’s also essential to back up your photos. As any experienced photographer will tell you, losing a photo is hard because it can never be replaced. Use the 3-2-1 system to properly back up your photos, 3 copies on 2 different media types with at least 1 stored off-site.
Use These Photography Tips To Improve Your Photo-Taking Skills
By using these photography tips, you can learn to take amazing pictures.
Start by knowing your camera, understanding the settings, and learning the basic rules of photography. Make sure to avoid camera shake, pay attention to the lighting, and purchase quality filters. You should also photograph what you love, learn from your mistakes, and always organize and back-up your photos.
Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to being a better photographer.
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