Wednesday, 25 April 2018

5 common tips that all photographers should know

Becoming a photographer isn’t just about pointing a camera in a direction and clicking a button. There is so much more to it than this. Something that many photographers will soon realise. 

So, what are the basics of being a good photographer? There are a real wealth of top tips that you can try out for yourself, 5 of which we have put together in this post. 

Learn the basics
Whilst sometimes getting the perfect shot can be more luck than anything else, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worthwhile trying your best to learn the basics. One of the best ways to do this is by taking a photography course. Photography courses online will not only help you to figure out some of the essential elements of taking a photography course, but because you can study them in your own time, you can still work, as you learn. This is ideal for those that are looking to change their career and become a photographer. 



Buy the right equipment, but don’t buy things you don’t need
As a photographer there is going to be some pieces of equipment that you need in order to get a good shot. However, the temptation can be to go a little crazy and buy lots of things that you really don’t need. 

The main thing that you have to make sure that you buy is a good quality camera as this is something that will really transform your images. You need to take the time to learn about and get to know your camera, as this will really help you to get the most from it. 

You should invest in good lenses too, these should reflect the type of images that you want to take, and if you can, find ones that are lightweight and as compact as possible, as you are going to need to carry them around with you. 


Learn the rule of three
One of the simplest tricks that you can learn about taking a good quality photo is the rule of three’s. To get to grips with this you need to imagine four lines, two horizontal and two vertical, which splits the image into 9 even squares. Some images will suit having a focal point right in the centre of the image, in the centre square, whilst some will do better with a subject which is slightly off centre. It really does depend on what you are trying to capture and how you want the end result to look. 

Figure out aperture, shutter speed and ISO
There are three main functions that you really need to get to grips with if you are working as a photographer. These are aperture, shutter speed and ISO. There are plenty of guides online that can help you to get to grips with them, as well as how they work together to create the perfect shot. 

Of course, you can buy cameras that offer an auto feature which will take care of these things for you, but if you do this then you lose control over the make-up of your image. It is much better to try and learn how they work and be in charge of them, then let your camera, no matter how clever it is, do it for you. 

Vary your shot style
One of the worst things that you can do as a photographer is to get stuck in a rut with your shooting style. In order to get the best images possible, you are going to need to reach out of your comfort zone as and when you can. Of course, this isn’t always the easiest thing to do and if you have found an approach that suits you then chances are that you want to stick with it. But sometimes you need to mix things up a bit. 

Depending on the subject you can try distant and close up shots, you could also try with plain backgrounds and busy backgrounds.  You can even try the same shot with different shutter speeds, which will give you a variety of approaches. 


Getting to grips with these tips are likely to help you to improve your photography. Particularly if you are just setting out, trying to turn your passion into a fully worthwhile and money making career.

* Written in association with NCC Home Learning *

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