Essential Photography Tips for Beginners: The Basics That You Need To Know

When you first get started with photography, it can feel like a minefield of technical jargon and strange acronyms. After all, there’s a lot that goes into being a great photographer. From knowing your camera and how to use it well, to being able to see the world through different lenses and why that could be an advantage as well as a disadvantage. Photography is one of the most accessible fields in the arts, meaning that anyone who wants to can learn how to do it. With this article, professional photographer Caroline Herter aims to demystify what makes up a good photography tip for beginners, so read on if you want to know more!

 

Learn to hold your camera properly

The most important thing you can do to improve your photography is to get better at holding your camera. It will make a huge difference in the quality of your images as well as how easy it is for you to make a good shot. A basic but important thing to remember is that you don’t want to be holding the camera from the middle. It should be held slightly off-centre, which will allow the camera to move freely while you move your body. Another tip Caroline Herter recommends is to make sure you are not holding the camera by the straps, as this is a common mistake that affects how the camera is held. When you are ready to take a photo, take a breath and try to relax your hands just a little. For most people, this is where they start to shake too much to take a steady photo.

 

Start shooting in RAW

Most digital cameras today shoot in RAW, which means that the image is not edited after it is taken. This is because RAW files contain a lot of information that can be used later on to edit the image in the program of your choice. A lot of digital cameras today come preset to shoot in RAW, but if you decide to change this you should make the commitment to always shoot in RAW for the future. When you shoot in RAW you are essentially allowing the camera to capture all of the information that is in the file, so that when you edit it later you have the fullest amount of data to work with. This means that you don’t have to worry about shooting in the best image quality possible, yet, as you only get one shot at RAW. This image is then used to create the best image possible, so you can have the perfect shot every time.

 

Learn to use Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes

Aperture (AP) and Shutter Priority modes are one of the most important things you need to learn in photography. You should know how these two modes work, and when to use them, or your photos will end up looking awkward and unprofessional. These two modes are essentially the same thing, with the main difference being the distance between camera and subject. Aperture is used when the subject is far from the camera, while Shutter Priority is used when the subject is close to the camera. When using Shutter Priority, start by setting the shutter speed to 1/125th of a second. This allows you to set the shutter speed between 30 and 1/30th-second, which is the range when most people’s subjects are moving. Next, move the camera to a position that is off-centre, so that when the subject moves in front of the centre of the frame it will be blurred. This is called ‘bouncing’ the subject, explains Caroline Herter.

 

Stay Alert for Opportunities

One of the biggest mistakes that photographers make is expecting things to happen. Before you go out to take photos for the day, try to think about what opportunities you might have to get good photos. If you don’t know what kinds of opportunities there are around you, try to think about what would happen if you were walking around town, or even just your neighbourhood. There are usually opportunities everywhere and you just need to be looking for them. One of the easiest types of opportunity is to take advantage of a time and place where people are more likely to be willing to be photographed.

For example, if you go to a concert or festival, and it’s in the middle of the day, people are likely to be happy to pose for a photo if it’s something they’re interested in. Similarly, if you go to a family gathering, you can often find people who are happy to be photographed, especially if you are willing to be playful and make a joke out of it. One mistake that many photographers make is not thinking about the context of their photos. When you are taking a photo, think about what the photo is meant to represent, why it is important, and who it is meant for.

 

Invest in a tripod

While most photographers will get by with just using a tripod when shooting in auto mode, when shooting in RAW mode or when you are shooting in low light, you will be glad you bought a tripod. A tripod is an essential accessory for any serious photographer, and not just for shooting in low light or in RAW mode. The best way to use a tripod is to set it up, lock it down, and then move to a different position. This will allow you to shoot photos from many different angles, and you can use the tripod to shoot photos that are far off in the distance, or close-up. You can also change the way you use a tripod by taking advantage of how it works. For example, you can take photos that are not on the ground, or go up and down while shooting photos, as this will create a slightly different perspective.

 

Wrap Up

Whether you are just getting started with photography, or need to brush up your technique, these tips offered by Miami-based photographer Caroline Herter will help you take your photography to the next level. When you first start out it can be difficult to know what to do, but with these tips, you’ll be on the right track. If you want to improve your photography, or you just need some extra inspiration, make sure to check out Caroline Herter’s website.