Photography Tips
1. Gather photography information as much as you can.
To begin with your career in photography at the right path, you need to gather more information about it first. Gathering information would provide you guidance on the right steps that you need to take. Researching can be done through the internet, talking to professional photographers, as well as reading some books about the subject.
2. Purchase the digital camera that you want.
Even if you are still at the starting point of your photography career, it is best to purchase the type of digital camera that you really want. You should purchase something that can provide you with the kind of pictures that you want. By using a camera that provides quality photos, you would become more motivated in taking more pictures with it, even if you are still trying to learn about it.
3. Invest in a tripod.
Having a tripod can provide you with lots of benefits, as far as taking pictures is concerned. It is one of the things that you need to invest on, in order to have quality landscape shots. Aside from that, it would also help you in taking glorious pictures of sunset or sunrise.
4. Time your shots well.
Timing your shots well is one of the keys in taking beautiful pictures. This is actually one of the reasons why some professional photographers would suggest beginners in the field, to make use of filmed cameras at the start. This is because, using such types of cameras can help a person develop a good habit in timing and choosing his shots, due to the fact that the film limits it.
5. Don’t hesitate to try new angles.
There is always a tendency for a beginner to stick on taking pictures of his subject head on. If you are doing that, you may be preventing yourself in finding the best angles. Thus, it is a good idea to try out different angles first. Try to be taking the picture from the top or from below. By doing that, you can have different perspectives of the scene.
6. Always look for candid shots.
Looking for candid shots can actually provide you with more opportunities of taking the best shots. When you check out different photos, you will find that some of the best ones are those that are taken without the subjects looking at the camera. Capture scenes where people are doing their usual things, and you will see how natural it would become.
7. Make use of UV filters on the front of your camera lenses.
UV filters can provide your camera with the protection that it needs, in order to stay in top condition. Place the filters in front of your camera lenses, so that your lenses would be protected from scrapes or knocks. With that, you can be assured that your lenses last longer.
8. Buy different lenses and swap with a fellow photography enthusiast to save money.
Camera lenses are quite expensive these days; and, having a good number of them would offer you more when it comes to taking pictures. However, if you want to save on cost, then find a friend who has the same brand of camera that you have. Aside from that, have an agreement with him in purchasing different lenses, so that you can simply swap lenses whenever you need to.
9. Use a remote if you still get blurred shots even with the use of a tripod.
Even with the use of a tripod, there is still a possibility that you would get blurred shots. This can be due to the way you press the shutter button, in taking the pictures. To get around that, all you actually need to have is a remote. Aside from that, you can also make use of your camera’s delay timer.
10. Make use of your mobile phone’s camera if you are trying to scope for beautiful landscape shots. So you won’t forget them.
Scoping for great landscape shots can become a fun activity, especially if you won’t keep on forgetting those that you want to visit later on. To prevent that from keep on happening, you can always make use of your mobile phone’s camera for it. By doing that, you would be able to remember where you want to shoot your landscape scene next, by simply checking your phone.
11. How to make sure that your lenses would not knock against each other while being put inside your bag.
Camera lenses do not come very cheap these days, which is why you need to take care of them properly. To make sure that they won’t destroy each other while being put inside the bag though, you can use your hiking socks for them. All you have to do is to cut the shocks into its proper sizes. Just make sure that the socks are cleaned so that your lens would not get dirt on it.
12. Provide yourself some time to look through the photographs that you have taken a while ago.
Checking out your work after a few weeks that you have taken them, can provide you a new feeling for the photos. Aside from that, it would also give you the opportunity to see what you did right, and what you did wrong. More importantly, even if you did really well with them, you can always use them as your guide to make improvements.
13. How to take pictures of fast moving or unpredictable subjects.
There are times when you want to capture an image or images of subjects that are erratic or moving fast. An example of this would be your pet dog playing around the garden. To make sure that you can capture a decent picture, simply make use of your camera’s continuous shooting mode. With that, it would take a number of shots in just a second, which would give you the chance to catch a good shot.
14. What you can do to become a wedding photographer.
If you want to become a wedding photographer, you want to start it right, so that you can get more clients. Staring out right in photography means gathering more information about it. However, you should also practice more; and, one of the best ways to do that is to volunteer as one of the photographers for your friend’s or relative’s wedding celebration.
15. How to make sure that you are buying the right kind of lens, especially if it expensive.
Lenses are available in different models these days. Some are big, while some are small. Keep in mind that such camera accessories are quite pricey. To make sure that you would be purchasing the right kind though, you can always rent certain types of lens for a few days first, so that you can check out their many functions and advantages, which should help you make the right purchase.
16. Create a homemade light box if you are trying to take pictures of your products.
If you are trying to sell certain products online and you want to take pictures of them, you should have a good light box for it, so that your pictures would really look good. A homemade light box can be made with a cardboard box and a tracing paper. With your homemade light box, you can take quality pictures of the products, which would help in selling them faster.
17. Lower down your camera.
In most cases, you would usually take a picture standing up. Try lowering it down for certain types of shots, so that you can also explore different angles. Checking out different perspectives would provide you with more options on how you want to go about in taking a picture of your subject. Aside from that, lowering down your camera is one of the best things to do when your subject is small.
18. Make your hobby pay you for all your hard work.
To gain more motivation in taking beautiful pictures, one of the best things that you can do with them is to sell them on stock photography websites. These sites can expose your pictures to people who are looking for the best images for their marketing efforts. In other words, if companies find that your pictures are in good quality, and they are applicable to their products, then they would purchase it.
19. Use plastic LCD screen protectors.
You need to protect your camera’s LCD screen at all times, since it is where you would check the images you captured. To achieve that, you can simply make use of LCD screen protectors for them. They can ensure that your LCD would be free from scratches and dirt. Thus, with them, you can maintain the quality of your digital camera for a longer period of time.
20. Manipulate light.
Capturing light for the picture that you are taking is considered by some as an art. To manipulate light, you need to consider the different sources of it, such as the sun, flashes, and lamps. You have to know that these different sources may also need different tools, in order to take advantage of them, such as the reflectors, diffusers, and snoots.
21. Check out the exif data.
When you check back on your pictures, it is best to check out the camera settings when you took them. Some of the setting you want to know about regarding this would include the aperture, shutter speed, and such. To do that, refer to the exif data of the pictures. By doing that, it can help you take note of the things you have done right or you have done wrong, and make improvements.
22. Use your flash outdoors.
This idea may seem a bit funny for some. However, using your flash when you are taking pictures outside is actually a good idea. It is often referred to by professionals as “fill flash”. Using your flash outside can help light up your subject even on a sunny day, especially if the light is coming from behind them.
23. How to take pictures of sunsets.
Setting your white balance to daylight and not to auto is a good idea when taking pictures of sunrises or sunsets. Oftentimes, when there is lower amount of light, your camera may not provide you the best photo for it. Thus, it is best to set it to daylight, or better yet, put the white balance mode to manual.
24. Back up your images.
Backing up your images is one of the most important things you need to do. You can easily do it by purchasing an external hard drive for your computer. By backing up your images, you are assured that they won’t get lost. Back up your photos every one or two weeks, and store the it in a place that is safe.
25. How to manage your hard drive space.
Managing your hard drive space is very important, since it is where you would store your images. Save space on your hard drive by spending some time in sorting out the images. Select the images that you really want to keep. After doing that, all those that you have not selected should be deleted, so that you can save more room for future photos.
26. Reason to avoid the built in flash.
In using the built in flash of your camera, it can provide an undesirable effect to your subject. It can leave your subject with too much light. Thus, if you can save up some money, it is best to invest on a quality external flash. Pair it with a diffuser, and learn how to make use of them properly to obtain the best photo quality.
27. Talk to your subjects.
When you are trying to take portraits, it is best to talk to your subjects while you are doing it. When you talk to them, it would make them more comfortable in front of the camera, which makes the photos look more natural. Aside from that, it can also provide you a chance to take candid shots.
28. Testing out the modes of your camera.
If you have just bought a brand new camera, one of the first things that you can do is to test out its different modes. You should try out its auto mode, manual mode, and such. By doing that, you would become more familiar of its settings. Thus, you would learn more about what settings to use in different types of photo taking.
29. What to do without using a tripod.
If you don’t have a tripod, you can still take quality photos by bracing yourself while shooting. You can do this by leaning against a wall, or resting your camera on top of a stable object. Aside from that though, to make sure that the photos are not blurred, it is best to hold your breath when pressing the on the shutter button.
30. Always return the settings of your camera to the average