10 Tips For New Photographers

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Some people get into photography as a hobby, and others use their photography skills for business purposes. Beyond being able to capture some of life's most important memories to share and relive decades later – the internet and social media have an increasing need for photo content. The world wants more photos! I can tell you that no matter why you want to learn about photography, once you do, you will be able to take the kinds of photos that wow you online and in magazines!

1. Invest time in learning before you invest a large amount of money in equipment and gear – the truth is that you don't magically take better photos if you buy the latest and most fantastic equipment on the market. The first step to high-quality photos is understanding the fundamentals. Learning the

2. Get familiar with photography terminology! Trust me – a lot of it can be confusing and overwhelming. However, once you dive into it, it will start to make sense (please know that this article will not even begin to scrape the surface, you will need to continue researching and learning.) For me, the first four definitions for you to become familiar with are:

• Aperture- The aperture is the "pupil of your lens. It controls the amount of light reaching the sensor. A large aperture provides a wider opening and lets in more light. This provides, as you would expect – a brighter photo. Therefore, the opposite is true of a smaller aperture; the smaller opening allows less light in and provides a darker picture. Each aperture size is assigned an "f-number." (Honestly, I think that the numbering is backward because the large apertures have small numbers, and the small apertures have large numbers.) For example:

                         Small apertures like f/11.f/16/and f/22 will not allow much light to enter.

                         Large apertures like f/1.4,f/2, and f/2.8 will provide a lot of light.

                         There are mid-sized apertures such as f/4,f/5.6, and f/8.

• Shutter Speed – Shutter speed is the length of time the camera is open, exposing light to the camera sensor. It is how long your camera spends taking a photo. The shutter speed has a few essential impacts on your photos. Using a faster shutter speed will let light in and freeze the motion, and a slower shutter speed can make your image blurry and allow more light to reach your sensor.

• ISO- ISO is a camera setting that you will brighten or darken a photo. As you increase the ISO number, your photos will become brighter. This is helpful because it allows you to capture images in darker environments and be more flexible with the aperture and shutter speed settings. However, beware – a photo taken at too high of an ISO will have a lot of grain (you'll also hear this referred to as "noise.”)

3. White Balance – White balance in photography means adjusting the colors to look more natural. This is done primarily to eliminate color casts to resemble the colors that are true to reality. In addition, different types of light can produce different colors, such as incandescent, fluorescent, direct sunlight, cloudy skies, etc.

4. Understand the different shooting modes – Understanding the three primary modes of your camera will help ensure a great photo. The three primary modes are:

• Manual Mode- You have 100% control over every setting on your camera.
• Shutter priority – Using this mode allows you to adjust the shutter speed, and then the camera will adjust all other settings.
• Aperture priority – You choose the aperture (f-stop), and the camera will adjust all other settings.

5. Know your focusing modes – No one is excited when their photo comes out blurry – unless you are purposefully trying to capture motion. If you are using the correct shutter speed but still having focusing issues, be sure to check the focusing mode that your camera is set.

• Autofocus – Most pros shoot in autofocus. Press the shutter halfway, and your lens will focus to whatever point you've prioritized.
• Manual focus – This gives you total control over what is in focus. To manually focus your camera, you will need to adjust the focus ring on the front of your lens until the photo appears sharp.
• Continuous focusing – most digital cameras offer some version of this focus mode which prompts your camera to automatically re-focus as your subject moves.

6. Shoot in RAW – You have the highest-quality image file that your camera can produce when you shoot in RAW. That means you can fine-tune the image to look the way you want it to look. You can easily export the RAW file as a JPEG when you are done editing. Two of the most common editing tools used are Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop; however, all kinds of tools are available. (On a side note – you can also shoot in both RAW and JPEG simultaneously. If the shot is good enough, delete the RAW image.

7. Photography Composition – When framing a shot, break it down visually into a grid of nine equal rectangles and place your focal point/subject on the left or right third of the image, leaving the other two-thirds more open. The rule of thirds in photography is not a set rule, but it is an excellent guideline to follow instead of just placing your subject right in the middle. Generally, the rule of thirds leads to more compelling and well-composed shots.

8. Fill the Frame – When you leave too much space or zoom out too much, it makes your subject a lot smaller in comparison to the entire picture. This deemphasizes the importance of your subject and can make it difficult for someone to determine what the subject is.

9. Isolate the Details – There are times when you will encounter scenes that are just too big to fit into the frame no matter how far back you move. Don't settle for a cropped version of a photo you want – look for unique details or features that you can focus on and push everything else out of the frame. This will allow you to uncover some great photos of a less-than-ideal scene, to begin with.

10. Clean Your Camera Lens – it may sound obvious, but many beginners overlook this simple step. A critical task for all photographers is to keep your camera lean and in perfect condition. Cleaning the lens should always be a priority. You will have less contrast in your shot if you don't and will likely have a glare.

Most important of all - PRACTICE AND HAVE FUN! If you want to learn to be a good photographer, I can offer you the best tip is to practice. Practice daily if you can, even if it is just a couple playing around with light or shutter speed. Take as many as you can and then evaluate and critique them for improvements.

Oh, and finally – in photography, just as in everything we do, we put a little bit of ourselves into every photo if we want to do it well. Not everyone will see things the way we do, and they may tell you that they are disappointed. Because of the personal element in our work, we must have thick skin. Instead of throwing in the towel – look at it as a learning opportunity and learn what you could adjust in the future.

These are a few of my favorite books for beginners!

• Stunning Digital Photography by Tony Northrup 
• National Geographic Photo Basics: The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Great Photography By Joel Sartore and Heather Perry 
• Digital Photography Complete Course: Learn Everything You Need to Know in 20 Weeks by David Taylor 
• The Beginner’s Photography Guide: The Ultimate Step-by Step Manual for Getting the Most from Your Digital Camera by Chris Gatcum