Photography is a very popular hobby these days, but people tend to be scared of taking it seriously because they lack the knowledge they need to be successful. It’s up to you to take the time to gather as much knowledge as possible, giving yourself the tools you need to take amazing photographs time and time again. The following tips will help you build your knowledge base about this popular hobby.
Pay attention to your light. The lighting in a photograph can bring a subject into better focus or change the mood of the picture. Different lighting setups will result in very different photographs. Avoid harsh direct lighting on your subject’s face, as this will generally cause them to squint.
Use a diffuser to minimize the negative effects of flash photography. The built-in flash on most cameras produce photos that have a high light-dark contrast, which makes them look harsh and unrealistic. A diffuser diffuses the light from the flash, distributing it more evenly and making your flash photos look more natural.
When you are taking landscape photos, consider the sky. If the sky is rather bland and boring, do not let it dominate the photo. If the sky is lit up with wonderful colors (especially during sunrise, sunset or a storm) it is okay to let the sky dominate the photo.
When traveling, take pictures of your food. Take the time to play with lights, colors and compose your pictures. You might get used to the food by the time you come back home, but these pictures will look very original to you and your friends later when you reflect back on your trip.
When you want to photograph something always look all around you. Even if you are strongly interested by an object you might find something more original right behind you. Think about an atmosphere or an effect that you want rather than an object you are going to build your picture around.
Learn when to break the rules and defy conventions. The more you look at other people’s pictures, the more you will notice common treatment of popular objects. Do your best to adopt a different style. Approach conventions and trends as something you can learn from, but do not reproduce them in your art.
Natural lighting is a key component. If you are taking pictures outside, then work with the light by staging your sessions early in the morning or late in the afternoon. If the sun is very high, it will cause lots of shadows and even squinting subjects. Use sunlight, candlelight and artificial light to see how each affects the subject of your photographs.
When taking your camera equipment somewhere, always make sure you do a quick run through. Cameras can sometimes involve a lot of small pieces. Even if they don’t, you never want to be without a charger or batteries just in case. Make sure that you have everything you need, especially if you are going on vacation with it.
Improve your photography by paying attention to the light. Lighting should usually be behind the photographer rather than the subject. A subject being backlit will create a silhouette. Be careful when the light is behind the photographer though, if it is too bright it might cause the subject to squint.
When setting up a scene to be photographed, you must choose between emphasizing the subject’s highlights or shadows. However, you can still take the photos in different conditions and then use a program such as Photoshop to combine them into a great picture.
Now that you have a good idea of what it is you need to succeed in photography, you should start trying your best to act on what you learned. But only practice will develop your skills and bring you this success.
