I have had a few people say I should say my beginner tips that I have learned over the years, So I put together a Top Ten Tips for Beginners. These tips I have used and are still using. There is nothing wrong with continuing to learn photography. Photography is ever changing, you must always continue your educated. So these tips are to help you get in the game!
1. Shoot, Shoot, Shoot, Shoot!: The more you shoot the more confidant you become with your camera and its buttons. You will learn composition and you will also learn what inspires you by shooting more. Shoot everyday you can.
2. You will not going to be Trey Radcliff over night: A DSLR DOES NOT make you magically know and understand photography. A camera is just a tool, Like a brush but a brush doesn’t create paintings, the artist does! And its ok if not every single image you take is a masterpiece, Photography is a journey and your on the right path.
3. Learn how your camera works!: if you have a little understanding of how your camera works, and what functions are available to you, like how it deals with light e.g. shutter, aperture and ISO. Then a lot more shooting opportunities become available to you, and you are able to shoot in low light, night and sport photography situations with confidence.
4. SHOOT IN RAW: Do it now! You have a lot more editing options when you shoot in RAW like being able to adjust white balance, contrast, exposure etc… which gives you more creativity as a photographer. And if you save the original RAW file then you can go back in the future and still play around with it. Check out my buddy Jared Polin he runs a Website called FroKnowsPhoto, He is all about shooting RAW! Do it now!
5. Posting Processing is not something you should hate!:Some photographers hate it and some love it. For me personally, I think post processing is an extension of and compliments what we do with a camera, and is part of the creative process of a photographer. Remember a human eye is a lot more complex than a camera no matter how good they are, they haven’t caught up yet… so you never get exactly what you see in real life.
6. Inspiration isn’t always right in front of you!: Look for inspiration all around you. You’ll notice that this becomes easier the more you shoot. Or look on Flickr, Digital Photography School forum,or a favorite magazine perhaps? Follow the pros and see what they do, try to emulate what they’ve taken to see how the image works. I’ve done this myself and it’s a great way to learn new things. How do the camera settings affect how the image looks?
7. Check your gear before you go out…: If I had only listened to my own advice! I have done this so many times, Got out to a location and no memory cards or batteries! It drives me nuts sometimes! It only happened once – ok maybe twice, but it’s a real pain when it happens!
8. DO NOT BUY A CHEAP TRIPOD: Why buy cheap, when there are so many inexpensive tripods out there! Cheap tripods are like cheap umbrellas. They will inevitably break and you will be back buying another one. Further, they won’t work right, won’t get your camera at the right angle, will shake in the wind when it’s blowing, etc. Tripods are one of those areas where you truly do get what you pay for. Especially if you are going to be shooting at night budget for a quality tripod that can last you for years. Check out Induro pods! They have the best tripods I think. My buddy Eric did a great review of the one I have! Find it here!
9. It’s all about the glass: I have seen people blow 3k on a DSLR but have inexpensive lenses. I have a Canon EOS 50D which by no means is a top grade camera these days but I have the best glass I can afford and It make my older camera take the best images possible! So when that new camera comes out and you want it! Think of the glass you could get with that 3000 bucks!
10. Join 500px: In my opinion 500px.com is the best photo sharing service out there. I have my profile linked here, So check it out and follow me! I have only been using this service for a short time. But I find it to be perfectly suited for pros and beginners alike. Its a great place to find other photographers and find inspirations!
11. (Special Tip) HAVE FUN! Life is short, Photography should be fun! I have fun every time I have that camera in my hands! remember to always stay relaxed and have fun!
