Choosing to join the photographic world is a noble and exciting pursuit. It is a field with many techniques to learn, from how to use your camera to styling a shot. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the vast number of techniques beginning photographers have to choose from, especially since the guiding principle is “do what you like best.” Start narrowing down the advice you’ve already received about photography by following the tips in this article.
Minimize the fuss when you set up to take your photographs. You don’t need to mess with a bunch of different color and motion settings to produce a beautiful photograph.
A lot of people think beautiful, sunny days are good pictures, but direct sunlight can actually harm a photo sometimes. Bright sunlight casts awkward shadows and over exposes areas of the image. It can also cause your subjects to close or squint their eyes which looks unnatural. If possible, choose the early morning hours or late afternoon light when taking pictures outside.
Move in closer to whatever subject you’re taking a picture of. Photos taken from far away don’t tend to be all that interesting because details or colors are too small to see. Get closer and make it easy to see what you are taking a photo of.
Even if you don’t know your models, make sure they feel comfortable. Many people view having their pictures taken as something that could be threatening. Be engaging, talk to them and ask for their permission to take their pictures. Let them understand that photography is not a way of invading their privacy, but it is rather an art.
Photography techniques include many ways, whether in-camera, in the darkroom or with photo-manipulation software, to edit and improve your shots. What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you, so make sure to try many different techniques before deciding on what works best for you. Think of this article as a starting point to guide you toward practicing and experimenting more.