Photography Tips For Beginners – How To Easily Capture Great Shots

Today’s hi-tech digital cameras make picture-taking easier than ever. Plus, you can view a shot to see if you like it before shelling out some cash to have it printed. If you are not happy with it you can simply delete. This is a huge advantage because you can experiment without paying and waiting for prints. Your time spent practicing can be greatly reduced if you follow a few basic photography tips and techniques. Try them out and then apply the ones you like anytime you take a picture.Avoid the stiff pose. What’s more boring than a picture of some people standing in front of a building smiling for the camera? A pose might be good for a driver’s license or official document, but not for family photographs.Add some action. One of my favorite vacation photos was taken by my wife during a visit to Walt Disney World. My friend Alan and I were sitting on a bench in front of a beautiful garden in Epcot’s United Kingdom area. I was holding a map, peering at it with my head slightly cocked. Alan was pointing to something on the little map. Ask your subjects to do something or look off at something.Don’t point directly toward the sun. This photo tip might seem obvious, but I have seen plenty of shots ruined this way. When possible have the sun behind you. But beware the squinting people. If your subjects are people and not buildings or landmarks, the bright sun might make them squint. Either ask them to tough it out for a few seconds or position them so the sun is slightly off to the side. If you must shoot toward the sun, set it up so the sun is just outside your frame.Always use flash. Turn the flash on even when taking outside shots because it will help reduce shadows and fill in gaps. While many professionals do this, some prefer to just go natural. Try it both ways and then decide.Get rid of shadows. They are a common problem when shooting inside with subjects too close to a wall and when outside in bright sunshine. Position subjects away from the wall and take a test shot. For the outside shots, the flash tip above should help. But it also helps if you look around at all your options and position subjects accordingly.Get the people away from that building! If you want to shoot a large landmark or building with people in the shot, do not have them stand right up near it. Move them closer to you. That way you can capture the point of interest and not “lose” the tine people against the wall or statue or whatever. This photo tip also creates depth.Eliminate clutter. If you are taking a shot of people around a dinner table, remove the clutter unless you want all that stuff to be a focal point. Everyone can help. Then you can put it all back if necessary.Experiment with angles. Try being creative by getting low to the ground and pointing up. Or key in on something unique with the other subjects behind or off to the side.Read up on the “rule of thirds” that helps you envision your frame in nine sections. You simply place the main subject on an intersection of lines that make up all your sections.It is easy to apply these photography tips. Soon they will become second nature to you.