Whether you’re trying to run a successful blog or you just want your Instagram to have a professional’s touch, there are several photography tricks that can take your photos to the next level. If you’re looking to improve your photography skills, then you’re in the right place. Read further to learn how you can take great photos with a few simple methods.
Knowledge is Power
By seeking out information on how you can refine your photography skills, you’ve already started down the path of taking professional photos. The folks at Parker Photographic say that with information as accessible as it is these days, there’s no excuse as to why you can’t brush up on your skills as a photographer. Most importantly, by cluing yourself into all the latest trends and aesthetics photographers are using, you make yourself more of a competitor in the field.
Steady Your Hands and Stand Still
Holding the camera properly might seem like an obvious necessity, but you’re a photographer, not an athlete. It’s understandable if you didn’t realize that standing should-with-the-part can increase your center of gravity and result in a firmer stance. Not even the Chicago wind could sway you if you plant your feet and widen your stance.
Crouch down or use a wall for stability if need be. If you’re shooting with low light, then use a tripod. Always make sure you hold the camera with both hands, with one hand under the lens and the other gripping the side.
Play Around With the Settings
Don’t let your childlike curiosity fade—don’t be afraid to press all the buttons! There are several settings that you’ll find on all types of cameras, so make sure you get a feel for those first since you’ll always have those options around. Flip through your user’s manual to learn what the various symbols on your camera mean, and then take some photos, all the same thing, to get an idea of what each setting can produce. In the file’s properties, check out EXIF data to look back at the settings you used.
Create a Massive Portfolio
It is completely free to take as many photos as you want. To learn what you like and what you’re good at, you’ll need to. Take as many photos as you like as often as you can, and you’ll inevitably progress faster than someone who is modest with their picture-taking. Use all the settings, angles, and lighting options that you can. Experiment with every aspect of photography and see what you land on.
Study Basic Composition
One of the best ways to sharpen the photos you produce without using Photoshop or any editing at all is by utilizing basic knowledge of composition. Composition techniques help control what the viewer focuses on when they look at your photo. This is another example of how basic knowledge can go a long way in photography. Photography comes naturally for many, but even then, there are methods such as this one that require just minimal know-how to bring new life to your photos.
Don’t Excuse the Commonplace
You’ll come to find that even the most mundane objects around you can produce some of the best photographs. This tip echos the one about taking as many photos as you can because you never know when something unique or lovely could be hiding in plain sight. Just like Vincent van Gogh’s still-life paintings—simplistic photos can be some of the most moving images you can create as a photographer. So, don’t underestimate the power of the commonplace objects and activities you encounter every day.
Stay Charged Up and Camera Ready
An opportune moment for a picture ruined by a dead battery is a photographer’s worst nightmare. When you’re learning the ropes, and even after you’ve somewhat mastered your skills, you’ll always want to have your camera charged and ready for any passing moment. As a photographer, you will grow incredibly aware of and sensitive to life’s beauty. Everything you see will have this energy and a world of possibility around it. Keep this in mind and always have your camera charged and accessible no matter where you are.
So pack up all your photography necessities and hit the road. Bring a thermos of coffee and pack lunch. Keep the tips you learn from the pros in mind as you snap away at all the beauty the world has to offer, and don’t get discouraged if your first heaps of photos you take don’t have the images you were hoping for. It’s an art just like any other and requires years of practice and dedication to produce fine work.