You have an appreciation for photography but you have no idea how to work a camera. This article will break down some of the basics steps of how to use a camera and how to get great looking images, no matter if you have a point and shoot camera or a dSLR.
If you are having difficulty holding your camera straight, purchase a tripod. A tripod will go a long way in helping to keep your camera in place, so you can focus on other variables other than balance. Tripods work great if you are in the wilderness or on an uneven terrain.
A great photography tip that can help you out is to be realistic about your work. You can’t expect to be a creative genius at all times. Art has a lot of ups and downs and if you’re expecting to always be on top, you’ll become very discouraged.
A good photography tip is to try and be helpful when you’re offering criticism. Don’t just tell someone that their photograph is nice, or that you like it. Tell them specifically what you like about it, and why you think it makes the photograph strong. The same goes for what you don’t like about the photograph.
The key to taking good photographs is to always remember that lighting is the most important thing. Think about lighting all the time. It does not matter what the source of the lighting is, but it is the elemental part of any photograph. Use the sun, a streetlight, a spotlight or even the computer screen to capture any light and make a great photograph.
Pack your equipment for a trip carefully. Bring along some cleaning accessories, extra batteries, and any lenses you may need. You should only take what you will use, and think about convenience.
Use a polarizing lens filter on your camera to minimize glare from direct sunlight and to create an even distribution of light. This is essential when shooting in direct sunlight, but also can be beneficial in any lighting situation. Think of polarizing lens filters as sunglasses for your camera. They are inexpensive, easy to attach and have the added benefit of protecting your expensive lenses from scratches.
These are important shots to capture, so ensure your batteries are fully charged. Because digital cameras drain their batteries pretty fast, it’s important that you start the day with a full charge. Another excellent suggestion is to always carry spare batteries with you to ensure you don’t miss a potentially incredible shot.
Do not forget to take pictures of yourself. You can still compose the background and choose how you want to use light and colors. Give instructions to a friend and look at the preview before you go pause. These pictures will be nice memories when you look back at them.
Make sure to set up your compositions so that vertical lines are truly vertical. Tilting the camera backwards to capture a tall building, for example, can cause the building to appear as if it is falling backwards out of the frame. Photographs in which buildings are not vertical often appear unnatural.
Experiment with perspectives, scale, and expressions in your photographs. An ordinary object can be transformed to art if the setting distorts its actual size, or lends a silly or unique perpective. Take everyday objects out of the mundane by composing them in your shots in an unusual way.
Just like it is recommended for an artist to keep some paper and a writing utensil on them at all times, a photographer should always keep a camera on them too. You never know when a photo opportunity will present itself, so you need to be prepared at all times.
Don’t just rely on straight on flash from your camera for your shots. That only guarantees a burst of frontal lighting. Get a little more creative and try to create soft lighting conditions. How do you do that with flash, you ask? You can do that by bouncing your flash off of a wall or ceiling.
One great tip for photography is to use the flash when the sun is out. Sometimes the sun creates nasty shadows and makes the subject of the photograph not look as good as they could. By using flash, some of the shadows will be filled in and the subject will look better.
When you are taking a picture, your arms should be close to your sides. This will help keep the camera still and ensure that your picture turns out clear and crisp. Your non-dominant hand should also be under the camera lens to hold it steady as you snap the picture.
In conclusion, you have a love for the art of photography but you do not know the first thing about how to take a good picture. Hopefully, you were able to follow along with the advice provided in this article so that you can take this on as a hobby and start creating your own art.