Here are my top tips for beginner photographers. Feel free to leave your tips in the comments!
1) Break the rules - There are so many "rules" that you learn when youre just starting out..so my first piece of advice is dont be afraid to break those rules. Youll learn as you go that some of those things that they tell you to always (or sometimes never) do, create some really amazing photos if you do the opposite. NEVER be afraid to experiment.
2) Be aware of lighting - One of those rules you hear is "always shoot with the sun to your back" Dont listen to that. Example, how are you supposed to get those amazing sunset pictures if the sun is to your back? Different lighting situations make your images interesting and creative. Different angles create different textures and can make colors appear differently. If you dont like the way your photos are turning out, you can always change angles.
3) Composition - Another one of those rules is the "rule of thirds" They say
always use the rule of thirds. Breaking that rule can lead to much more interesting and dramatic photos in some cases. Take plenty of shots at different angles, with different focus points, closer, further; play with it. You can always crop in closer, but you cant crop out further. (but remember, cropping too much will degrade image quality)
4) Timing - Play with different shutter speeds. (for longer shutter speeds you will need a nice sturdy tripod) Long exposures can create veryyy interesting, beautiful pictures. And fast shutter speeds can create very captivating exciting photos. Take a bunch of photos, and different shutter speeds. You can always delete the ones you dont like later, but sometimes you cant go back and take the same photo again.
5) Take LOTS of shots - Make sure you have a memory card that can hold a lot, because its important to take a lot of shots, you can always delete the bad ones, and it can take hundreds of tries to get that perfect photograph.
6) Stay positive - Dont expect every time to be perfect, dont expect to get perfect shots every time..but dont let that discourage you. Dont give up just because everything doesnt work out every time. Ive heard of people simply giving up because they werent confident enough in their photography..you
will get better with time and practice.
7) Play with settings - You dont always have to shoot in full manuel. Its okay to use semi automatic modes, they can actually be very helpful at times. But dont depend on them, and try
not to use full auto modes.
8) Dont buy the most expensive equipment right away - Just because its expensive, doesnt mean its good. And just because you have the top of the line equipment, doesnt mean your photography will automatically be better. Do your research before buying, dont be afraid to ask people for advice. You can save a
lot of money by simply doing a google search before hand.
9) Take notes - Write things down. I keep a notepad with me at all times to jot down photo ideas. In my camera bag I keep a "cheat sheet" where I keep notes on settings I liked for different shoots and whatnot.
10) Think outside of the box - You dont have to go out to amazing places to get amazing shots. Be creative! Some of my favorite photos have been stuff I shot right in my bedroom! There are manyyy days I just wanna go out and shoot, but I dont always have the ability to, so I set up fun little experiments in my room, and just play around.
11) Shoot regularly - Like I said above, you cant always go out and shoot whenever you want, sometimes its raining or snowing, or whatever other reasons, its not always possible to go outside, but there are so many really cool things you can take photos of right in your home. You dont have to go to amazing places to get amazing photos, sometimes the simplest objects create the most amazing pictures.
I hope these little tips help you! And again, please feel free to leave tips in the comments! I love hearing other peoples opinions on things. And remember to follow/subscribe and share this with your friends!
:)
