Application of these simple rules And practical advice for photography
very soon it will allow you to photograph your first photo masterpiece.

Always think about what interested you in the subject and how to convey these feelings in a flat-panel photograph, regardless of whether you are photographing people, animals, buildings, monuments or landscapes. Exclude from the frame everything that could ruin your plan.

The easiest way to do the above is to “run” your gaze along the perimeter of the frame and rebuild the composition if unwanted objects are detected, such as telegraph poles, wires, trash cans, etc. Sometimes this is very difficult to do when shooting in the city, but even in this case you can find a solution:

• Move closer to your subject or move the subject if possible
• Walk around the subject and find a shooting point where unwanted objects will not be visible or use them as a leading element of the composition - enhance the perspective
• Open the aperture as wide as possible so that the unwanted background becomes very out of focus (blurry)

The worst thing that can get into the frame is the reflection of the photographer or photo equipment: a photo bag, a photo tripod; camera case, etc. The photographer must always remain unnoticed!

Before pressing the shutter, look at how the light illuminates the subject - are the rays too slanting? Look at how the shadow falls - are there too many shadow spots? Is your own shadow in the frame? Have you blocked the light falling on your subject? Use the “play of light and shadow”, as well as strong side light, to dramatize the mood of the photograph, use psychological* lighting.

Pay attention to how the background is lit - do not allow sharp contrasts in the lighting of the subject and the background. At the same time, don't be afraid to use backlight, perhaps in combination with flash fill light. It’s very good if you understand what type of light * you are working.

*

Look at the sky. Do you want gray, heavy clouds to spoil the portrait? Then frame the subject so as to minimize the area of ​​the sky in the photo.

If the day is sunny and cloudless, there is a high probability of getting very strong

Remember that a cloudy sky on a sunny day enhances the contrast of colors. In inclement weather, black and white photos often look more impressive than color ones.

It is possible that an interesting object may disappear from the frame before you press the shutter release. It is also possible that your model will stop smiling or simply get tired of waiting while you adjust the shooting parameters.

Learn to set up in advance and work quickly with focusing. Whenever possible, always take duplicates to ensure the shot has the correct focus and exposure.

If your camera is quite long, turn off unnecessary camera functions and try to shoot proactively - release the shutter one or two seconds before the culmination of events in the frame.

Never use AUTO mode, even if you have very little experience and have difficulty understanding the manual settings of the camera.

In cases where you don't have time to find the optimal settings in manual mode, it's a good habit to use it. You'll get much better results than if you tried to shoot with hastily set parameters in manual mode or in full automatic mode.

Always use extra support - it's better not to take a photo at all than to take a shaky camera.

Even if you don't intend to sell your photos, do everything possible to ensure that the photo turns out balanced and beautiful:

• Don't block the horizon;
• Frame the photo carefully, pay attention to the background, do not overload the frame a large number objects;
• Instead of waiting for people to take the desired position in the frame, try to arrange them yourself in the way that seems right and beautiful to you;
• Enhance perspective by using linear (elongated) objects in such a way that they lead the eye to the semantic object of the photograph;
• Don't forget about

Do takes with different meaning aperture so that you can then select the most expressive shot. If possible, place the model as far as possible from the background. Use light and color contrast to highlight the model.

Every time you shoot something, do a closer take. Taking close-up photographs will help your camera to correctly focus on an important subject and set exposure parameters more accurately.

Often a detailed photo turns out to be much more interesting than an overview one. However, when photographing animals or strangers, I advise you to keep a safe distance - find a compromise between the size of the object in the frame and common sense.

Use a zoom lens (or a set of lenses with different focal lengths) to create perspective effects in your photo. Remember that in some cases, thoughtlessly chosen focal length lens beyond recognition. Try changing the default exposure settings to add value to your photos.

The photographer must move all the time. There is only one exception - the moment the shutter is released.
Look for beautiful angles, don’t be afraid to take photos close-ups(without using zoom or telephoto lens).
Don't be afraid to take a photo with the "wrong settings" or photograph strangers.
If you see that people are reacting inappropriately to the fact that you took their photo, simply approach them first and offer to receive the photo as a gift. It is better, of course, to keep a reasonable distance.

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF PHOTOGRAPHY

There are no strict rules in photography that cannot be broken!

TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF YOUR FIRST MASTERPIECE

Take a lot of photographs, but always think about what you want to convey to the viewer.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, analyze your work, study your mistakes
and write down your ideas and “discoveries” in photography in a notebook.

Often, beginners in photography have a question: where to start as a novice photographer? For those who are just about to study the art of photography, we have put together good advice, which will help a novice photographer learn the most important things. Have good camera- half the battle, even less. And to be able to use it correctly is a whole science. Let's figure out what a novice photographer needs to know.

If you have seriously decided to take up photography, then we offer several recommendations for a successful start.

• Don't chase newfangled technology. A soap dish and a DSLR are two different things, there is no point in arguing. But don’t try to buy the coolest camera and think that the pictures will be of high quality. In skillful hands, even photographs taken on a point-and-shoot camera will look beautiful and mesmerizing. And, on the contrary, good reflex camera in the hands of an incompetent photographer will not take spectacular pictures. Everything depends not on the pixels and other parameters of the camera, but on the ability to take photographs, see the frame, and set up the camera. For the first time, an ordinary SLR camera will be enough, or a used one. It is important to be careful here and not run into faulty equipment. Don't go shopping in search of a popular and fashionable camera; this can significantly empty your wallet and not lead to the desired effect. Spend this time learning the art of photography.
• Once you have purchased your camera, get to know it. Read the instructions carefully and understand the settings. Photos taken in Auto mode will not have the same effect as photos taken using manual settings. The camera should be your friend. It is important to know the settings inside and out so that you can always be on friendly terms with your friend.

• Start learning from the basics. Take a course where the teacher will give you the necessary knowledge base and point you in the right direction. You can ask knowledgeable person questions that interest you. If you can't take courses, don't worry. Start studying the art of photography on your own by purchasing special literature or using the Internet. Don't be intimidated by the amount of information that seems overwhelming. Stick to the training plan and little by little you will achieve results.
• Practice. Remember how in the song “I always take a video camera with me”? Also in life. Take your camera with you and take pictures. The more you practice, the better. Learn to see the frame, build a composition, change settings and get used to the camera. This doesn’t mean that you should mindlessly photograph everything, but you shouldn’t leave the camera for too long. Let it be in action, and not gather dust on a shelf.

• Try to notice interesting things around you. Even if you don’t have a camera with you, learn to see a good shot, think through the composition and understand how to build the light and what settings to use. The ability to notice interesting things around you will become a habit over time, which will certainly affect the quality of your photos.
• Don't stop learning. Study the photographs of other photographers who admire you, whose work you usually admire. Try to understand what is the secret of their success? What's special about their photographs? Try to take a similar photograph, it will not be copying, just one of the stages of learning. You won’t be able to take exactly the same shot, but you might discover something new for yourself.
• Don't stop taking photographs if you don't like your photos. Try to understand why the shot was unsuccessful, what was wrong? There is work on mistakes in any school or university, this is a normal process. No one can do everything perfectly the first time. We all make mistakes, learn, step on the same rake. The most persistent one reaches the end. Don't be discouraged if your photos aren't as beautiful as you'd like. Do you think famous photographers Does everything work with the first press of the camera button? You are deeply mistaken. Sometimes you have to take hundreds, or even thousands of frames in order to select the most beautiful 5-6 photos from them that will cause admiration. The profession of a photographer is labor, the ability to see a frame, take it, and process photographs. This is a creative process that requires concentration and diligence. Lazy photographers never succeed. They take mediocre photos and don't learn from their mistakes. Don't want to be counted among them? Then don’t be afraid to make mistakes and move forward, honing your skills.

• No need to worry about your camera. We advise you to start by buying a used camera that you can take with you everywhere, actively use, and not have to keep track of every scratch or crack. This is technology! Yes, she is your assistant photographer, but nothing more. This is not a child who needs constant supervision. Of course, you shouldn’t handle your camera carelessly, but you shouldn’t blow away dust particles either.

Let's look at the camera settings. What should you definitely pay attention to?

Manual shooting modes

M- manual mode;
A/AV- aperture priority, in this case the camera will set the shutter speed;

• Advice:
  In the case when the shutter speed is 1/60 s, it is recommended to use a tripod.

S/TV- shutter priority, the camera will automatically set the aperture value, convenient to use when you need to capture movement in sharpness;
P- software, practically automatic mode shooting, suitable for the first exposure measurement.

Exposition

Exposition- the amount of light entering the camera matrix when the shutter is opened. Too much light - the frame is overexposed, too little - underexposed.

Diaphragm- a device in the lens that regulates the size of the circle by changing the amount of light passing through it. The higher the value, the more closed the aperture is, the less light enters the matrix. If you want to shoot a landscape, then use a closed aperture of f/8, then the entire space of the frame will be in sharpness. For portraits, an open aperture of f/1.4 - 3.5 would be an excellent option.

With the aperture wide open, shoot in spot focus mode.

Light meter- this is a scale on the camera screen, in the viewfinder. The exposure meter readings depend on its operating mode.

Matrix- measures a significant part of the frame, suitable for most types of shooting.

Spot metering- produced in the central square. Perfect for shooting in difficult lighting conditions, as well as for taking portraits.

Center-weighted- measures the amount of light throughout the frame, focusing on the central area. Necessary when you need to take a photograph of an object in the center of the frame.

White balance

White balance is the process of adjusting the colors of a photo depending on the light sources so that white objects do not take on warm or cool tones. All colors in a photo depend on the white balance setting. If you change lighting conditions, the white balance also needs to be adjusted again.

Take pictures in RAW format, this will allow you to change the white balance in processing programs.

It is impossible to tell everything for a beginning photographer. There is a lot of information, it is constantly updated, appears new technology, respectively, the possibilities of using the camera. We shared useful information for beginner photographers. If you feel a great desire to take photographs, don’t put it off until later! Maybe your hobby will turn into your life's work.

In this article we have collected 100 of the most useful and, in our opinion, best tips for photographers. We have selected these tips from various ones and collected them in one place to make it easier for you to cover all the information at once. We think this article will help you become better and improve your knowledge about the art of photography.

1. Experiment with focal length

2. Create an interesting background

3. Break the rules of composition

4. Play with your eyes

5. Try taking unstaged photos

6. Play with light

7. Use frames within frames

8. Play with perspective

9. Take black and white photos

10. Have fun while shooting

1. Longer your shutter speed

2. Use a tripod

3. Set your focus carefully

4. Use good quality lenses

5. Keep your lenses clean

6. Use stabilization

7. Set your ISO to the lowest level

8. Find the optimal aperture value

9. Use light

10. Shoot in RAW

10 blunders that beginner photographers make

1. Never use normal flash

2. Always use the wrong focus

3. Always use the wrong ISO level

4. Always take photos in JPG

5. They don’t know about manual exposure

6. They don’t care about backing up photos.

7. Using the wrong lenses

8. They use USB to transfer photos to a computer and waste a lot of time

9. Turn off white balance

10. They use free and low-quality photo editors

10 Reasons Why Your Photos Are Bad

1. Poor lighting

2. Instead of taking photos, you make excuses and miss out on valuable experiences.

3. Wrong white balance

4. Blurry moving objects

5. Poor depth of field

6. You take photos at the wrong time of day.

7. You get distracted

8. You try to impress others

9. Bad composition

10. “Too much Photoshop”

10 clichés you should avoid

1. Flowers, animals and sunrise

2. Fake highlights

3. Vintage filters

4. Black and white mode where it is not needed

5. Selective bleaching

6. Write captions on photos

7. Blurred edges and prominent signatures

8. Too saturated HDR

9. “Dutch tilt”, that is, a photo taken at any camera angle

10. Too expressive vignetting

10 steps towards quality photos

1. Learn to set up your camera manually

2. Learn basic techniques compositions, and then... forget them!

3. No flashes built into the camera. Buy a removable one

4. Find fresh angles

5. Get closer instead of zooming

6. Remove unnecessary objects (that small fence in the foreground ruins everything)

7. Highlight the main subject in the photo

8. Set the correct white balance

9. Use a Histogram

10. Practice, practice and more practice

10 tips to help you take good, unstaged photos

1. Forget about flash and set up your camera manually

2. Carry your camera everywhere

3. Be patient and bide your time.

4. Use telephoto lenses

5. Add context to your photos

6. Take several shots in a row

7. Be quiet and inconspicuous

8. Seize the day

9. Move around your subjects

10. Be spontaneous and don't give the person a chance to get ready for the photo.

10 ways to criticize a photo

1. Where is the visual center?

2. Are there elements that are distracting?

3. Is the exposure correct?

4. Will it look better at a different focal length?

5. What's going on in the background?

6. Is the composition balanced?

7. How much processing does the initial photo require?

8. Is the color balanced?

Do you love photography but don't know the difference between HDR and SLR? Can't help but be unsure what a tripod is? Looks like you need some advice from professional photographers.

Photography is a broad field with varying levels of expertise from beginner to genius. If you're just starting out, you can benefit from the knowledge that experts have accumulated over the years by learning and improving your skills.

We specifically spoke with several serious professional photographers who were happy to give some important advice. Use them!

Keep your camera close: Many amateur photographers hold the camera at arm's length, far from their face. This can completely destabilize your entire posture and reduce image sharpness. Don't move away, keep the camera close to you, maintaining maximum stability.

Use a timer: For an untrained hand, pressing the button to take a photo can create uncontrollable and unwanted vibrations that can result in blurry photos. If you use a timer, you have a few seconds to regain stability after pressing.

Use flash during the day: it may seem strange, but it works. Flash photography in sunlight helps the camera cope with unexpected natural light coming from an unfavorable location in relation to the subject. This will work especially well if you're photographing against bright light.

Take a step forward: want to enlarge the photo? Try to get closer. Magnification is a great feature (especially if you have a professional lens, which most beginners don't), but you've probably noticed that it takes away from the quality a bit. By taking a couple of steps forward, you will reduce the required distance and get rid of possible defects in the pictures.

Try taking photos from different angles and positions: Don’t get used to taking photos in the same position. Be flexible and experiment with shooting from different angles. You don't know which shot will be the most successful. Moving around will teach you to be strong and weaknesses certain positions for shooting.

Learn to edit photos: This is not considered deceit. Best photographers around the world they use various technologies to improve their work. Using various editors you will achieve better results, and also learn to understand more about concepts such as contrast, color, light and others important elements photos. By the way, it will be said - with a large range of different functions and capabilities.

Read: Photography is a combination of art, science and technology where there is a lot of theory and knowledge involved. If you really want to understand what photography is, you will need to familiarize yourself with the professional jargon and learn at least the basic necessary terms. Site and community

Do not delete pictures from the camera: No matter how bad a photo appears on your camera's tiny screen, be patient and wait until you can view it at normal resolution before making a hasty decision. Even if the photo turns out to be unsuccessful, by examining it, you can learn to avoid mistakes in the future.

Just shoot! Don't think too much, don't hesitate, and save your time. Just shoot as much as you can. You will learn by experimenting and gain confidence by practicing. And you will probably take a lot of great photos along the way. If you use a digital device, it won't cost you anything. Making him work is the best way to improve.

by John Wilhelm is a photoholic

For beginners just starting their journey in the world of photography, all advice is useful, even basic ones, since for an unprepared person such advice is not always an unobvious truth. If a person is looking simple ways, which will help you really improve your photos, you should listen to the opinion of Simon Takk. This professional photographer and founder of phototechniques.info, which helps neophytes see new and exciting perspectives. He has prepared some tips on the basics - photo composition.

Tip #1 - Avoid centering your subject in the frame

by Sara Hadenfeldt

Shooting objects so that they are not in the center of the composition is what photography books call the “rule of thirds.” This is an excellent basic tip - it’s worth practicing so that in your photographs people, animals or something interesting are not located at the “dead” central point, but slightly to the right/left or above/below it. This is especially true for portraits and the main detail in them - the eyes. “Mirrors of the soul” should not be in the very center of the photograph; you need to move the camera or model.

If you look carefully, you will notice that there are lines everywhere. You need to train your eyes and then you will be able to unlock your potential for creating dynamic and lively photographs. Lines formed by the natural outlines of objects in the frame can be used in different ways, but the easiest way is to start from the main subject.

It is enough to carefully consider how the verticals and horizontals are located and move and turn until they begin to point to the key point in the composition. This can be difficult: for example, if the subject is located against a wall, you should not shoot directly in front of it, as this will reduce the depth in the image.

by Stefan Schnese

Using the lines of a vertical surface, you can make them “point” to the main element of the composition, making it more expressive.

Tip #3 - Engage the Horizon

Horizontal lines create a feeling of calm and relaxation - think of a summer sunset over a vast field of grass, and you will understand what Simon means. If there are a lot of “flat” lines and few expressive verticals in the frame, the photo will come out calm and peaceful. This technique is used if you need to make the photo more relaxed and reduce tension. To achieve a similar effect, you need to look around and compare the number of horizontals and verticals. If the latter prevail, it is worth changing your position.

Even if there are a lot of verticals in the frame, a strong transverse line (such as the horizon) “outweighs” it, making the photo calmer. A striking example is a forest with thousands of vertical tree lines. They are connected by the horizon; it dominates and reduces the expressive richness of the entire scene.

Tip #4 - Remember vertical lines

The opposite position is to saturate the image with dynamics using verticals. The same forest landscape can be shot in a different way: instead of capturing a wide panorama with a horizon, you can stand next to a single tree. It will be the dominant, large vertical line and will help completely change the feeling of the painting.

This principle works effectively when shooting skyscrapers. If several buildings along with the skyline are combined into a softened composition, then increasing the vertical multiplies its impact, it will work like an explosion. To achieve the effect, you need to get close to skyscrapers and shoot individual buildings from below.

by Andreas Paehge

Tip #5 - Use white space

Empty space in the frame is very “scenic”, beautiful and effective method, which is often used in photography. People who are not familiar with the basic principles of photography often tend to fill the entire scene with objects. This causes the image to become overly cluttered and not very good. Don't be afraid of white space around a key subject in the frame - use it as a powerful visual tool.

Tip #6 - the principle of isolation

A method similar to the previous one is to highlight one object, isolate it and focus the viewer's attention only on it. Most people who take photographs “just because” shoot everything that fits in the frame without thinking about individual elements. Try taking it a step further: pick one object or theme and isolate it from its surroundings - move closer, change your position, reduce the depth of field.

It is necessary that the background is not cluttered, there should be more empty space on it. This could be a blue sky (it comes out well if you shoot from below) or monochrome surfaces.

Tip #7 - Shooting at sunset and sunrise

One of the most useful basic tips for improving the quality of your photos is to photograph at sunset and sunrise. Until you have “built up” your base and experience, this trick will be your magic lifeline. When the sun is low on the horizon, the street light is clear and the sky has pleasant hues and sparkles. At sunset and sunrise it’s harder not to take pictures beautiful landscape than the other way around.

by Fabio Montanari

Try to shoot more during the day and morning. Photographing when the sun is directly overhead is not a task for beginners, and creates hard, contrasting shadows that you need to be able to work with when additional equipment may be required, for example. (Why all photographers need a reflector we already.) Bright overhead lighting certainly brings out detail and is great for shooting certain scenes, but that's a topic for another, larger discussion.