9 Basic Photography Tips for Beginners To Take PRO Shots

As much as I love reading and writing, I love to take photographs and I claim myself to be an amateur photographer. I started blogging and taking photographs almost around the same time. So far I have not taken any formal photography classes or workshops or training. I strongly believe in ‘Learning By Doing’. I see, experiment and learn. I have subscribed a few photography websites from where I get to learn many things. The other way I learn is joining and following various photography communities across social media, where I get to see other’s works.

I believe Photography is just the other form of art. And here, I will be sharing some easy and useful tips for the beginners who actually want to take some good photographs. If you are interested in photography and looking for some handy beginners tips, keep reading.

Read the followings and take them into practice while you are taking photographs next time. These are the basics I follow myself.

1. The rule of Thirds

This is the basic rule that makes your shot more interesting. Once you know the basic ideas about the ‘Rule of Third’, you will find it easier than it really sounds. Instead of centralizing your object, try to place it in the upper or the lower corners. All digital camera and most of the mobile phones have the grid option, which splits the image into 9 sections. For example, if your subject is a person, then you can place them either left or right third lines. This makes your photograph more appealing and attractive, and a viewer will find a new angle to look at the subject.

2. Alter the viewpoint

It is better to forget the basic logic of taking photographs from the eye-level. While taking photographs, try to change the usual elevation and viewpoint. It is you who will have the full authority to move your camera up and down, so take pictures from above or below which will provide a new version of the same boring picture taken from the straight eye-level. Give it a try, hope will enjoy.

3. Don’t hesitate to learn

Check out other photographer’s work, mostly on the Internet but you can even learn from magazines and movies. It is not compulsory that you go and take formal photography classes, instead, you can go through different photography pages on Facebook, subscribe to photography website or blog like Digital Photography School. Today is the age of ‘Learning by Doing’, you will learn every day from the day you start doing on your own.

4. Don’t be expensive equipment fanatic

You don’t need DSLR to become a photographer and one doesn’t become a photographer simply owning a DSLR. Take pictures whenever you feel like ‘I have to capture this one moment’, maybe even with your mobile phone’s camera. iPhone and latest smartphones prove to be wonderful taking great pictures for those whose hobby is photography but simple CDC is handy.

Related: 10 Savvy Ways To Improve Mobile Photography

5. Follow your instincts

Most of the times, it is like going with the flow while taking pictures but sometimes I assign myself with certain themes and take pictures accordingly. So, trust yourself and follow your instincts. Try keeping your camera or whatever gadget you use to take pictures with yourself. Look things around with photographic eyes and you will find an ample amount of subjects.

6. Enjoy experiments

If you ask me ‘What is photography?’, then I would reply, ‘It is all about the new angle of viewing things and capturing them’. One single subject can be used for a series of photography. Don’t hesitate to try out new ways, your own ways of capturing things and experimenting with subjects. I don’t consider it as a crime if you ever get inspired by somebody’s work and attempt for it yourself but always try to do it in your own way; this might give you better outcomes. Take as much picture as you can, the more you take, the more you learn.

7. Care about light

Light is the most necessary for better photographs. You just need the right amount of light, whether you take pictures in-door or out-door or even in-between-doors. Notice the amount of light you have, how much you really need for the picture. Don’t turn on the flash every time unless you are shooting indoor and there are shadows. It will be nothing but the stupidity if you shoot with the flash on a bright sunny day.

8. Know and choose the right mode

All cameras have different modes; manual, automatic and programmed being the basic ones. Stay away from the programmed mode because you can do such effect editing later on. Using this mode will simply destroy the data you will never get back again. Most people opt for automatic as it is the easiest way of getting good pictures but the manual mode will help you get better pictures once you know how to set ISO, aperture and shutter speed. The best way to choose the right mode would be experimenting with the available modes in your camera.

9. Post processing

Almost all photographers post-process their photographs. Photoshop and editing are accepted in the photography to certain limitations; so don’t worry about your shot being a failure. We learn after making a mistake. Don’t delete the picture you think is bad, you can always enhance them using programs like Photoshop and Pixlr. These programs are quite easy to use for beginners who don’t know how to use Photoshop or Lightroom. You can do basic editing like crop, rotate, color balance, red-eye removal, adjust exposure and enhance your picture quality.

You don’t need much to take a good photograph. All you need to is passion and learning attitude. No work without passion and zeal is ever successful.

You may or may not consider the above-shared tips but go ahead and explore through the lenses of your cameras.

Napoleon Bonaparte said ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ and I believe, ‘there’s a story behind every photograph’.

So, remember whenever you take a picture, you have one hell of a story to tell.

You might want to read  How To Hold A Camera? – The Right Way

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If you like the pictures in the post, you can see more of my work here.