6 Tips for Beginning Photographers

By Betty Bassett

1. Composition

How do you take interesting, engaging photos? I suppose it takes practice. Is there too much in the frame as to make what you're looking at seem crowded? The mind can become overwhelmed or maybe there is too little in the frame which can make the picture boring. A good photographer eliminates distractions but also creates interest.

2. Settings

Keep notes when you are learning and practicing. Take the first shot in auto mode then go into manual mode and try the same picture with higher/lower aperture, shutter speed or ISO. Note that certain camera settings will produce certain effects. Take your time and figure it out. With time, with practice you will develop an intimate understanding of your camera settings and how it will affect the final result.

3. Light

Pay attention to where the light is coming from. Do you have harsh light or soft light? What kind of shadow is the light producing? Is there not enough light so that things seem bland, dull and uninteresting. When that happens try using a flash.  

3. Patience

Photography is an acquired skill so give yourself permission to slow down. Learn one aspect of a thing well before moving on to the next.  

4. Movement

Try not to stand in one place. Move your feet as much as possible while taking pictures. Walk forward. Walk backward. Climb on things. Go low. Go high. It's hard to have a lot of choices as to which picture is the best picture if you are not capturing things at a different angle or  perspective. Photography is about experimentation and serendipity. Movement creates change in visual composition. The size of your subject changes within the frame and that could mean all the difference.

5. Tripod 

Tripods provide an answer to the tricky problem of lack of sufficient light.  So have it handy.

6. Flash

Flashes are great for dark environments. You can also have a mounted flash when doing event photography to get bounce lighting. It may create shadows to make people look more three-dimensional.

Flashes can be useful outdoors when the sun is creating harsh shadows on your subject. You can fill in those harsh shadows by using a gentle flash.

Reference:

https://photographylife.com/photography-tips-for-beginners/amp