14th March 2023
I am Raghav Aggarwal, focused on bringing the latest trends in digital photography to aspiring photographers and hobbyists. I work to build a team of experienced photographers dedicated to sharing their practical knowledge with young talent, helping them turn their passion for photography into a career.
Discover some essential photography tips and tricks that can take your hobby of photography to the next level.
When you see a good photograph on your Instagram feed or hanging on the wall, does it ever pop into your mind - Oh, I wish I could click this! Or seeing a camera ever fascinated your inner child? Whatever the reasons are, this is your call to try your hands on photography. But without knowing anything about the art, it might look complicated rather than a creative tool. At Pixel Photography, we understand how daunting it can be for beginners and aspiring photographers to photograph. But worry not; here we got you the best 12 photography tips for beginners.
Discover top advanced photography tips and tricks, from fashion and portrait photography to mobile, iPhone, and low-light techniques. Perfect for beginners and pros alike, with tips for events like house warmings, birthdays, and family travel.
Investing in good quality equipment should always be the priority. However, it has been noticed that beginners spend a lot on buying equipment. Sure, they are necessary, but they go in vain when the equipment is too advanced for you to use. Great cameras come with great technicalities, which is always not suitable for beginners to start with. That’s why we highly recommend you first rent a camera and other equipment and buy only when it is found suitable.
Pro tip: There are many shops available, both online and offline, to rent cameras and equipment. You can rent them for specific shoot to understand their working and use.
When you know which camera you are comfortable with, take the time to understand the settings. There are many camera settings that differ with the type of photography you are taking. For instance, when shooting a motion object, understanding how shutter speed works is important. Therefore, it's essential to learn the role of each setting and use them. Therefore, we suggest you watch photography tutorials to help yourself learn the basics. Start with learning camera modes like aperture priority mode, shutter priority mode, or manual mode rather than going with Auto mode. Experimenting with the setting by yourself will make you learn more and get the best shot.
Pro tip: Ace your understanding of the exposure triangle, which consists of Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO, and understand how they impact the exposure. This is the key to learning camera basics, which can help you easily understand other settings.
A great photo comes with a great understanding of the subject. Subject must be focused enough to lead the viewers directly towards it. If there are too many distractions behind your subject, use a wide aperture and focus on the subject. This will result in a background giving a bokeh effect. Experiment with focal length using different kinds of lenses that can significantly impact the perspective and depth of field in the picture.
Pro tip: Try bracketing in your picture. Bracketing involves giving different exposure to an image with multiple objects. They can be very helpful in getting a good HDR image and also adding detail in it.
Mastering the composition of your photo is a great way to enhance it. Never cut your subject. Avoid distractions in the background. Use techniques like leading lines, frame in frame, or the rule of one-third to perfectly compose your subject in a photo. If your photo doesn't look good from a certain angle, try experimenting until you get a good one. Play with perspective to change the outlook of an image, which can help narrate a story.
Pro tip: To learn the art of composition, it is important to know various object framing techniques. A well-framed subject adds great detail to the picture that can enhance the photo.
When you use the shutter priority mode, it adjusts the aperture accordingly and the shutter speed can be changed accordingly. When you use the aperture priority mode, the shutter speed adjusts according to the picture, and the shutter speed can be adjusted manually. However, while capturing in such modes, people overlook the features of ISO. Therefore, it is advised to check the ISO before clicking anything and adjust it according to the image.
Pro tip: Higher ISO can create noisier photos. That’s why in dark places, first go with artificial lighting rather than increasing the ISO. However, if lights are unavailable, don’t stop yourself from increasing the ISO. Noisier photos are better than no photos at all.
There is no shortcut to this photography tip. Often, lenses have fingerprints, grime, or dust in them. They affect the quality of photography, which can’t be sorted with editing or post-processing. It is advisable to carry a microfiber and cleaning solution to clean the lens every time before using it.
In-built flash in cameras are often ignored. But the truth is, they work wonders when used precisely. If flash is not used properly, it can lead to red eyes or hard shadows ruining shots. Instead, flash light can be diffused using a piece of paper or reflector which can scatter light evenly giving a soft light. Another technique is pointing the flash at the ceiling or background and using the lens with a focal length of 50 mm- 85 mm.
Pro tip: Try using them even during the day, as they can help eliminate harsh shadows. Another photography tip for a good picture is placing colour gels in front of the camera to disperse the colourful light.
RAW is one of the file formats; unlike the jpeg file format, it captures all the details of an image that the sensor gets. Jpeg file formats compress the images which distorts the quality of the image a little. At the same time, RAW maintains the quality while also giving space to edit it later. With the post-processing process, problems like overexposure, underexposure, etc., can be overcome. The only downside of RAW files is that they take up more space, but it's totally worth it after the picture is edited.
Pro tip: Ensure that there is enough storage when planning for a shoot using RAW file format. Also, invest in good editing software for the post-processing of pictures.
If choosing RAW file format, it is necessary to brush it up with basic editing that can help to enhance the photo. Just make the photo look natural by enhancing it a little and refraining from processing. Always make sure to keep edited files in different folders to easily compare between the original and edited ones.
Pro tip: Ensure to use high-end software like Adobe Lightroom, Snapseed, etc., to maintain the quality of the image even after editing.
A good photo tells the story when an appropriate technique is used. With that said, a photographer must prioritize learning and applying new techniques that can add a touch of flair to the photographs. For example, using different kinds of perspectives, like forced perspective, diminishing scale perspective, etc, can change the way a photo is being looked at. Or you can even play with light to get a light trail or bokeh effect that can elevate the beauty of the subject.
Pro tip: When trying different techniques, be sure to use a tripod as certain techniques may produce shaky photos.
Also Read: - Top photography myth every photographer must know
Your photographs are nothing less than an asset to you. To keep your possessions secured, be sure to take backups of them. The best way is to follow a backup strategy called the 3-2-1 rule. Under this rule, it is advised to have at least three copies of images. It should include one original image and two copies. Then, ensure that two different media types are used for storage. Then, ensure that one offsite backup is used to prevent data loss.
Henri Bresson once said,” Your first 10000 photographs are your worst,” and that’s where he emphasized on trying more. This quote serves as a reminder of how starting the journey of photography can be tricky at times, but by learning more and more, one can become good at it. Explore places, understand lights, experiment with techniques, take multiple shots, move your feet and keep on trying new angles. Ace the basics, and learn from mistakes. Strengthen your weak areas. Take time editing. Chase beautiful light. And most importantly, ensure to evolve and have fun in the process.
Getting started with photography is not as stressful as one thinks to be. All it needs is- patience and a lot of practice. By brushing up on basics, one can do wonders when clicking good photos, which keep on getting better and better with every shot.
