| Quick Photography Tips |
Easy Basic Photography
The following are some really simple photography tips and techniques for digital camera users. Some are
photography tips for beginners, but some of the other tips may serve as a reminder to those photographers
who may have been taking pictures for a while. These are "quick photography tips" but check our Photography
Tutorials or any applicable link to get more detailed information about that particular subject.
Keep a camera with you. You never know when an opportunity to take a picture will come up. You don't need
to carry a bulky Digital SLR camera around with you. Just take a pocket sized compact digital camera with you
even when you aren't planning to take pictures. Even a cell phone camera can work in certain situations, though
they are more limited than regular digital cameras. You might be surprised how many photo subjects you might
notice just because you have a camera with you.
Try to make something out of nothing. Many amateur photographers can get bored and think there is
nothing interesting to take pictures of around them. Just about anyone can get a nice shot at a place like
DisneyWorld with all of its colorful displays and rides.
A good challenge for a bored photographer is to try to take a picture of something pretty ordinary or even
mundane. The challenge is to take shots of something ordinary and try to make it interesting. Try taking a
picture of something right in the house like a piece of fruit. Maybe go outside and take a picture of a tree in your
backyard. The way to make shots of boring subjects interesting is to try different perspectives. That means using
different angles or maybe getting really close and taking some macro shots.
Not all of these type shots will be jaw dropping images. However, it can help you practice seeing things in
different ways. That way when you do have an interesting subject, you will be better equipped to make it even
more interesting.
Know your camera. Read the manual!. There is a ton of information on photography in books and on the web
about taking better pictures. However, there are thousands of different digital cameras available with some
similarities, but also a lot of differences in the way each one operates.
General information about photography is ok, but you should at least know what the buttons and dials on your
camera are for. Even if you normally just shoot in the automatic mode, you never know when a different camera
setting might produce a more pleasing picture. You might not enjoy reading an instruction manual, but more than
likely there is useful information about certain camera features that are not obvious unless you read about them.
Have something in mind. Before taking the shot, give some thought to what you are seeing in the LCD
screen or the viewfinder before you press the shutter button. Remember that when you point the camera
towards a subject, you are doing it because you see something interesting. So try to compose the image in a
way that any viewer of your picture will clearly see what you were seeing. Or, later on, you don't want to wonder
why you took the shot, or think that you should have taken it differently. If you think about what your picture will
look like beforehand, your results will usually be better. Read Basic Photo Composition for a few more
photography tips on picture composition
Check the background and foreground. Check the background and foreground in your viewfinder or on
your LCD screen before taking the shot. This way you will see if there is anything in your picture frame that is
distracting or drawing attention away from your primary subject Try moving to the left or the right. Sometimes
you can eliminate background distractions by shooting from a different angle or by getting closer to the subject.
Moving in closer will cause the viewers eyes to focus more on the subject rather than the background. Many
good pictures have been ruined because the person taking the picture failed to notice some unwanted object or
scene in the background or foreground.
Be Ready and be quick. This photography tip might seen obvious, but realistically, most of us have missed a
great shot by not being ready. Scenes with action or movement don't stop to wait for you. When you know that
you will be shooting a scene or subject where some movement could be involved, try pre-focusing on the area
where the subject will be. This way you can just concentrate on snapping the shot and you won't be fumbling with
your camera as the action passes by.
When photographing people, whether it is a group or an individual, remember that they can become restless
very quickly. Learn to choose your camera settings and compose the picture quickly. You will get better results
and more cooperation when the subject doesn't have wait too long for you to take the shot. On the other
hand.....
Take your time. This photography tip is the opposite of the previous tip. When shooting scenes with little or no
movement, slow down. Take a little more time to pay attention to composing your picture. Spend more time
checking to see how the light and shadows fall in your scene. Sometimes the cameras' light meter can be fooled
by very bright or very dark areas in a scene. If so, take time to adjust your settings at the scene rather than
having to make corrections with a photo editing program later.
Read the Exposure Compensation EV tutorial to learn how to make minor exposure adjustments using your
compact digital camera. Check the Camera Exposure Basics tutorial to learn more about making exposure
adjustments with a Digital SLR camera.
Also, if you have time, try to find a creative way of taking the shot. Try different angles or perspectives that might
not be the same shot that everyone else would take.
Take plenty of shots. This increases your chances of having a great shot rather than a ho-hum shot. Try
taking several slightly different shots of the same scene. Maybe the first shot will turn out to be your best shot.
But then maybe not. When you have several images to choose from, you increase your chances of having one
that is pretty much what you were aiming for when you took the shot.
Use a tripod. When you are taking pictures at night or in low light situations, the proper exposure setting will
usually require a slower shutter speed. Most people cannot hold a camera steady enough to avoid blur in the
picture when the shutter speed is below 1/60 sec. Even if your camera is in automatic mode, it may set a pretty
slow shutter speed for you. Placing the camera on a tripod will solve the problem of camera shake and blur.
Read photography related material. Check out photography magazines, books, and websites for information.
Stay refreshed on what is going on in the photography world. Even if you don't like to read, just look at the
pictures. Sometimes you will see shots that you would like to imitate and then add a little of your own style to it.
Practice, practice, practice..........This probably the best photography tip and technique of all!
photography tips for beginners, but some of the other tips may serve as a reminder to those photographers
who may have been taking pictures for a while. These are "quick photography tips" but check our Photography
Tutorials or any applicable link to get more detailed information about that particular subject.
Keep a camera with you. You never know when an opportunity to take a picture will come up. You don't need
to carry a bulky Digital SLR camera around with you. Just take a pocket sized compact digital camera with you
even when you aren't planning to take pictures. Even a cell phone camera can work in certain situations, though
they are more limited than regular digital cameras. You might be surprised how many photo subjects you might
notice just because you have a camera with you.
Try to make something out of nothing. Many amateur photographers can get bored and think there is
nothing interesting to take pictures of around them. Just about anyone can get a nice shot at a place like
DisneyWorld with all of its colorful displays and rides.
A good challenge for a bored photographer is to try to take a picture of something pretty ordinary or even
mundane. The challenge is to take shots of something ordinary and try to make it interesting. Try taking a
picture of something right in the house like a piece of fruit. Maybe go outside and take a picture of a tree in your
backyard. The way to make shots of boring subjects interesting is to try different perspectives. That means using
different angles or maybe getting really close and taking some macro shots.
Not all of these type shots will be jaw dropping images. However, it can help you practice seeing things in
different ways. That way when you do have an interesting subject, you will be better equipped to make it even
more interesting.
Know your camera. Read the manual!. There is a ton of information on photography in books and on the web
about taking better pictures. However, there are thousands of different digital cameras available with some
similarities, but also a lot of differences in the way each one operates.
General information about photography is ok, but you should at least know what the buttons and dials on your
camera are for. Even if you normally just shoot in the automatic mode, you never know when a different camera
setting might produce a more pleasing picture. You might not enjoy reading an instruction manual, but more than
likely there is useful information about certain camera features that are not obvious unless you read about them.
Have something in mind. Before taking the shot, give some thought to what you are seeing in the LCD
screen or the viewfinder before you press the shutter button. Remember that when you point the camera
towards a subject, you are doing it because you see something interesting. So try to compose the image in a
way that any viewer of your picture will clearly see what you were seeing. Or, later on, you don't want to wonder
why you took the shot, or think that you should have taken it differently. If you think about what your picture will
look like beforehand, your results will usually be better. Read Basic Photo Composition for a few more
photography tips on picture composition
Check the background and foreground. Check the background and foreground in your viewfinder or on
your LCD screen before taking the shot. This way you will see if there is anything in your picture frame that is
distracting or drawing attention away from your primary subject Try moving to the left or the right. Sometimes
you can eliminate background distractions by shooting from a different angle or by getting closer to the subject.
Moving in closer will cause the viewers eyes to focus more on the subject rather than the background. Many
good pictures have been ruined because the person taking the picture failed to notice some unwanted object or
scene in the background or foreground.
Be Ready and be quick. This photography tip might seen obvious, but realistically, most of us have missed a
great shot by not being ready. Scenes with action or movement don't stop to wait for you. When you know that
you will be shooting a scene or subject where some movement could be involved, try pre-focusing on the area
where the subject will be. This way you can just concentrate on snapping the shot and you won't be fumbling with
your camera as the action passes by.
When photographing people, whether it is a group or an individual, remember that they can become restless
very quickly. Learn to choose your camera settings and compose the picture quickly. You will get better results
and more cooperation when the subject doesn't have wait too long for you to take the shot. On the other
hand.....
Take your time. This photography tip is the opposite of the previous tip. When shooting scenes with little or no
movement, slow down. Take a little more time to pay attention to composing your picture. Spend more time
checking to see how the light and shadows fall in your scene. Sometimes the cameras' light meter can be fooled
by very bright or very dark areas in a scene. If so, take time to adjust your settings at the scene rather than
having to make corrections with a photo editing program later.
Read the Exposure Compensation EV tutorial to learn how to make minor exposure adjustments using your
compact digital camera. Check the Camera Exposure Basics tutorial to learn more about making exposure
adjustments with a Digital SLR camera.
Also, if you have time, try to find a creative way of taking the shot. Try different angles or perspectives that might
not be the same shot that everyone else would take.
Take plenty of shots. This increases your chances of having a great shot rather than a ho-hum shot. Try
taking several slightly different shots of the same scene. Maybe the first shot will turn out to be your best shot.
But then maybe not. When you have several images to choose from, you increase your chances of having one
that is pretty much what you were aiming for when you took the shot.
Use a tripod. When you are taking pictures at night or in low light situations, the proper exposure setting will
usually require a slower shutter speed. Most people cannot hold a camera steady enough to avoid blur in the
picture when the shutter speed is below 1/60 sec. Even if your camera is in automatic mode, it may set a pretty
slow shutter speed for you. Placing the camera on a tripod will solve the problem of camera shake and blur.
Read photography related material. Check out photography magazines, books, and websites for information.
Stay refreshed on what is going on in the photography world. Even if you don't like to read, just look at the
pictures. Sometimes you will see shots that you would like to imitate and then add a little of your own style to it.
Practice, practice, practice..........This probably the best photography tip and technique of all!
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