Despite the abundance of information, there is often a question of giving some advice to beginners, more precisely to those people who just want to take up photography. So, what can you say to those who really want to take photos, but do not know which side to approach this case?
One of the most common misconceptions is that in order to shoot a good photo, you need a good expensive
and a whole lot more expensive. This is not true. Remember once and for all. A photographer takes a photo, a
is just a tool in his hands. Masterpieces of wooden architecture were created with the help of an ax alone. So with the photo.
, you will shoot the same "dull g ...", as if in your hands was just a cheap mobile phone. Yes, the technical quality of the images may be higher. But technical quality is not the main thing in photography.
Therefore, do not try to spend the last money on a new SLR that has just appeared on the market. New models of digital
change so quickly that by the time you understand how to shoot, your top-end mirror is likely to become hopelessly obsolete.
In order to begin to study the basics of photography and quite significantly increase the level of their images, a simple "advanced" soapbox, with an extended set of settings and even a "smartphone" with a good
, is enough. I saw pictures of very famous photographers, which they did on their "iPhones" and "androids", simply because the
was not at hand. And they were great pictures. Precisely because these people understood how and what to shoot, and what - the issue is secondary.
Keep the camera to yourself
The ability to make a good frame is often provided when you least expect it. So try not to forget the
camera at home.
Do not try to "go to the photo" purposefully, as to work, in the hope of catching a successful shot. Just keep the
camera to yourself, if you went for a walk, went to some interesting place or even to meet your friends. Maybe then it will be a chance to make a great shot. For such a case, a small compact
camera is just better suited than a huge professional-grade SLR.
Think about what you want to photograph
Pay attention to interesting subjects for shooting. Even when you do not have a
camera with you. Note the objects, think about how to photograph them so that you get an interesting picture. This can be done constantly, on the way to work or study and even being in the store.
If you find an interesting object, take a few minutes to make yourself a note in notepad or on the phone - which, where and how you would like to take a picture.
Perhaps another time, even after a few months, you will have a free minute to purposefully return to this place and make a frame.
Look at the world through the eyes of a photographer
Are you sure that there is no subject for an interesting picture right at hand? Maybe it's a flower on the windowsill, view from the window, a vase of fruit in the kitchen.
Train your photographic thinking. Try to look at the usual things differently, not as you do this day in and day out.
There is a concept of " preliminary visualization ". A good photo is created long before you take the
camera. Taking a
camera in hand, you should already have a mental picture of the future shot.
A lot of stories are right in front of your eyes, maybe even in the room where you are now. Learn to see what others do not see and perhaps you will be able to make a masterpiece without ever leaving home.
Enjoy the process
For 90% of photographers - photography is a hobby, not a job. Hobbies should bring pleasure. In photography, you should enjoy not only the final result. You must learn to enjoy the process. From the process of studying and reading materials on photography, from viewing other people's photos, from trying to create something your own.
Having studied the basics, you can significantly improve the quality of your pictures, but to make a real masterpiece, you will have to learn a lot, try a lot. Take it easy to fail, trying to understand what you did wrong and how to do it.
Only in this way you can achieve real mastery.
You may also Read:
Take Awesome Shots Without an Expensive Camera
Learn from others
Now in bulk information about how to become a photographer - books, useful articles and tips for beginners. Use this information. But use consistently. Do not try to understand the meaning of the multipage article about the lighting scheme, if you do not yet understand what an exposition is.
Try to make up your personal plan for successive training. Perhaps worth a visit to several master classes or webinars designed for beginners.
In addition, study other people's work. You can just try to copy. In this, there is nothing shameful. Copying someone else's work is an integral part of learning in any art school. Look at someone else's photo and analyze - what exactly attracted you to it. Just a beautiful view? Maybe lighting? The casual passer-by got into the frame?
The only thing you should not do is do not try to copy masterpieces at once. Choose to start those works that are slightly better than yours. Go to the next level - choose more complex and so on.
Increase your skills gradually, step by step. Do not try to climb straight to the top of the tree, at best, just wrap your skin, at worst - fall down.
Analyze your pictures and do not worry
If you are unhappy with what happened, do not rush to throw the
camera into the far corner. Analyze your pictures, think about what is wrong, why it did not work out what you wanted and what you would have to change. And the next time you do not make the same mistake.
Ask to criticize your photos of those who know more than you. Perhaps they will point out errors you do not see. But be tolerant and ready for the fact that your work can be blown to ashes.
Do you think that those photographers, whose works you admire, create masterpieces by clicking on one button? You are mistaken. I will tell you a secret, returning from some kind of photographic tour, a professional photographer brings with him gigabytes of footage and thousands of frames.
But only a few frames from this session really goes to work and appears in front of the viewer, who will admire the photograph. Everything else goes to the trash.
I know the case when the photographer took 5 years to make the "same frame." Every year he returned to the same place, but only once he received that light, the time and the weather that he needed.
Do you think he was worried about this? Not at all. He simply remembered about this place and when an opportunity was given, he tried to do what he planned. But this did not stop him from doing other things and creating other masterpieces.
Get to know your camera better
If you bought a DSLR and constantly shoot in "auto" mode, what's the use of this DSLR? Good pictures are rarely made "on the machine."
Read the manual for your
camera. Find out what the aperture means, shutter speed, aperture priority, exposure compensation, pre-lift mode, and much more.
When you understand the meaning of different parameters - try to use them, do not hesitate to experiment with the settings.
You will be surprised how differently you can take one and the same thing, just by changing the settings.
Start with the basics
The amount of information about the photo can be dumbfounded and confusing. Do not hurry. Start with the basics - the rules of thirds, articles on composition, lighting basics, technical points, such as depth of field, exposure, etc. For example, start with this old, but the still relevant article about the basic rules of photography.
Yes, there are new techniques and techniques for shooting, but the fundamentals are unchanged for decades. And without knowing the basics, do not rush to move to more advanced shooting techniques.
Shoot regularly
Probably, this is the most important advice. Shoot, take off and shoot again. This does not mean that you, like a madman, should take pictures of everything in a row, trying to replace the quality with quantity. But the more you shoot and analyze the footage, the faster you will come to understand what you need to do.
Learned basics will be forgotten without regular practice. And your goal is to drive them into your subconscious mind so that your hands automatically set the right parameters on the
camera while the brain is busy with what aspect is better.