5 Beginning Photography Tips

You are finally pursuing your love of photography. You have purchased your first SLR camera, scanned the manual to see how it works and are ready to go out and take great photos. Do you have in mind the images you want to capture? Did your first picture meet your expectations? Probably not. Without understanding the photography basics you aren’t getting the best out of your camera or your photographic efforts. These five tips will help you turn your “okay” shots into great photographs you will be proud to share.

1. To Flash or Not To Flash: Professional photographers at times do use a flash or set up complicated light rigs, but most lighting conditions don’t require a flash. Shooting without a flash often gives the subject a more natural look. And, you can achieve greater depth and detail using natural light. A great way for a beginning photographer to become familiar with how your camera works with light is to not use your flash for the first week or so.

2. Auto-Focus to Off: A camera that auto-focuses is definitely handy and easy to use. But, being able to focus on your own is an important skill for any photographer. A camera will not understand your intent and will focus on what it perceives to be the subject of your photograph. This isn’t always a good thing. Photographers need to make sure the focus is where it is wanted. Experiment with where the focus is in your frame. Moving it from direct center can produce unique and interesting results, so set auto-focus to off for a while and play with your camera.

3. Invest in a Photo Class: Books and articles, or a browse around the internet, will provide information on basic photography, but the best way to learn photography skills is in a classroom with access to a darkroom. Community Colleges, local adult schools or art schools offer classes in photography basics. The advantage of a photo class is you are learning from a knowledgeable photography teacher who will pass along invaluable tips to help you improve your work. Elements of photography that you may not have considered will be included in assignments so you will end up with a well rounded introduction to photography.

4. Eliminate Color: Everyone wants to take great photographs filled with life’s beauty and color. But, to truly capture that beauty you need to not focus on the color. Practice with black and white and see if it changes your interpretation of the world around you. When you have captured great images in black and white, meaning the blacks are pure black and the whites are pure white and there are a myriad of shades in between, you will know you are ready to change to color shooting. The advantage of shooting in black and white is your mind will focus on how light interacts with objects, and this is more important in photography than first considering color in the picture.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice: If you want to become a great photographer, you need to shoot, shoot, shoot. The more you practice, the better you will become. While technology and skill are important in photography, it is often more about luck and timing. You can “create” your luck and improve your timing with practice. Don’t feel bad if you only average a few good shots per roll or memory card - you aren’t alone. Even professional photographers can average only three or four good shots at a time. That is why they are constantly shooting. It is better to take too many shots than to miss that once in a lifetime shot.

The real secret to becoming a great photographer is to challenge yourself. Understand how your camera works, learn what it takes to make a decent photograph and then put into practice what you have learned. The more you practice, the better you will become. So, have your SLR camera close and take advantage of every photo op. Don’t be afraid to experiment, that’s where your creativity will come into play for those awesome, unique framed photographs. And, don’t forget to have fun!