Photography Tips for Beginners

The first time I held a camera in my hands was in 2009, and it was love at first sight. Unfortunately, back then, I couldn't afford to buy one so, every time I wanted to photograph something, I had to borrow one from my friends. 

After some time, I bought a camera, but then I realised that the accessories were expensive. For someone who did photography as a hobby, there was no reason to have a backpack full of lenses, and God knows what. Then smartphones with good cameras happened. And photo editing apps, good Internet, Facebook and then Instagram. Not to mention all the sites where you could upload your photos. 

I started searching for photography tips for beginners. „Thank God for the Internet!” I said. But what do you do when everything is so technical, and everyone explains to you what to do like you were born with the camera in your hands? Well, you start improvising, guessing, testing and watch tutorials about photography tips. 

Photography tips for beginners and some for...professionals

So, you have the camera and the most beautiful landscape in front of you, or maybe there is a cute cat, and we know that cats are restless and you have no time to waste. Now what? 

Well, here are today's photography tips: 

Tip #1 Turn your camera on! 

Don't roll your eyes! There is a reason this is the first thing you see in the instruction manual of the camera. But it's ok. In time, you will develop muscle memory, and your hand will know what to do without you thinking you have to turn on the camera. If you use your phone, keep it close. It's frustrating to start looking for it and miss the moment. 

Tip #2 Be sure you take off the lid of the camera 

Dooh! I know it's stupid, but it happened so many times that this should be in every photography manual. 

Tip #3 Rule of Thirds 

Though I am not a fan of rules, this one stuck with me. Mainly because it makes sense. 

So, how does this work? 

Look at the image that you want to capture. What is the hero of the photo? The tree, the mountain, the cat, the person in front of you? Then you look through the camera or on the phone screen, divide the frame into thirds, put the key object on those lines and press the button. Done! 

Also, you can activate the grid - this will help you see exactly where the lines are.

You might think this sounds complicated. Well, it is not and there is a shortcut to all this. And the good news is that, in time, you will not have to think all this and take the shot like a pro. Sometimes I take different shots of the same subject and use photo editing apps to frame it as I like. Usually, I use Snapseed when I edit photos on the phone. It is free and has lots of options for editing. For PC, I use Lightroom. It is a very good tool for photo editing, and it is my favourite. 

 

There are many photo editing tools that you can use on your computer or phone. Try them and see which one works best for you.

Tip #4 Let’s talk about f/, SS, ISO, WB 

This is when things get serious. But once you understand what happens when you take a photo, everything gets easier. 

Maybe you will use the Auto option of your camera or phone but, still, I think you should know the basics. Who knows, maybe in time you will get adventurous and search for that M button on the camera or Pro option on your phone. 

f/ or Aperture is the diameter of the opening inside the lens. If you change the Aperture, the size of the opening changes, and it allows more or less light into the camera. Also, it influences the depth of field. For example, f/1.2 is a wide aperture. That means that more light will enter the camera. f/20 is a narrow aperture, meaning less light. 

If you want to remember this easier, keep in mind that less is more. 

SS or Shutter Speed

Inside the camera is a mirror that flips up and, as the shutter opens, it records the light present onto the sensor. The time the light is exposed to this mirror - the exposure length - is determined by the speed at which this happens. 

Picture this: you see a lion chasing its prey. If you want to capture the motion you should use a slow shutter speed (ex. 1/15), but if you want to make them look like they are frozen in time and space then a fast shutter (ex. 1/1000) is your choice.

ISO is the sensibility of the camera’s sensor to light.

Let’s say you are at your favourite band concert, and you have your camera with you. The conditions are not ideal, but if you set a high ISO, the sensor will be more sensitive to light, and it will capture the subject. You must be careful though, the higher the ISO, the grainier the photo will be. 

What happens if you are on a beach in Greece? It's a sunny day, and you have in front of you the most beautiful view you have ever seen. Well, you will have to use a low ISO. The sensor will be less sensitive, the photo will not be over-exposed and won't have any noise. 

Don't worry, you will figure it out in time. Better to take a few shots before you take the actual photo to try different settings. 

WB or White Balance is something that I ignored for a long time. 

Let’s go back to Greece but this time you are on a street full of colours but every single photo you take doesn’t reflect reality. Auto white balance does not always do a good job. Basically, WB determines if your photo appears cold or warm. Play a little with this setting and see what happens. 

This is how this photo looks with auto White Balance:

And with White Balance adjusted...

I hope you enjoyed today’s photography tips for beginners. Now that you know a little more about the process, go out and have some fun with your camera!

I leave you here something extra: 7 simple photography tips.

Enjoy!