5 Photography Tips for Beginners
My main shooter for the past 3 years has been the Nikon D5300. It has served me incredibly well and continues to do so. I still have much to learn, but here are a few tips and techniques I’ve learned along the way.
1. Learn the basics of composition
It should be one of the first things you learn well enough so that it’s second nature. It will allow you to compose your photos in interesting ways in order to better convey the message or story you want to get across.
Learn the rules and know when to break them.
Rule of thirds – The horizontal and vertical lines can provide some order to the chaos and help emphasize your subject. Using this as a guideline can make the photo seem more interesting and better. There may have been times where you look at a photo and were amazed by the way it looked but you couldn’t really describe it. These compositional rules are usually picked up by the subconscious which can make a photo look more appealing.
Leading lines – They can help guide the eye make the photo seem more pleasing. A leading line is almost anything. A road or river. The ridge of a dune. The stem of a flower.
Symmetry – One of my favourites. I try to keep things clean and simple because I find less is more, and it’s a great creative challenge. Symmetry is a great tool to achieve a clean and pleasant look.
2. Shoot through something
It can make your photo look more “professional” and give a look of you “sort of know what you’re doing.” You can achieve this by adjusting your aperture to the lowest setting, which is f/3.5 on a standard kit lens. If you want more blur, consider buying a 35mm f/1.8, which is what I use most of the time. Then either deliberately shoot through something such as leaves or flowers, or make sure there’s something close to your lens while you shoot past or over it.
3. Glue your camera to your hand
If you want to get better at your craft, keep doing it. As much as you possibly can. Shoot all the time. No challenge should be too big or too small. Figure it out as you go along. Build your creative experience. In the outdoors, certain opportunities only happen once. You want to be able to quickly capture it and then enjoy the moment.
4. Don’t disregard bad weather
Everyone is out on a beautiful sunny day taking photos. You want to take the photos everyone else is too lazy or scared to take. You want to capture unique moments in nature, which can sometimes mean getting out of your comfort zone, and you might discover that it was one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. A cloudy or rainy day can make incredible moody, mysterious or dramatic photos. I love a few clouds that are floating around on top of a mountain.
5. Up, down, left, right, sideways
Instead of just moving the camera lower or higher, consider crouching down yourself and looking for a better angle. Look up and see what’s above you. Clouds? Trees? Birds?
One of my favourites – turn around and look behind you. Maybe there’s a breathtaking shot that’s been waiting for you all this time.
The benefit of shooting with a prime lens is that it doesn’t zoom. It’s a fixed 35mm f/1.8. This means I need to physically move around when I want to capture something, which encourages me to be more creative and less lazy.
Learn about developing your eye for detail.
Thinking about which camera you should buy to begin photography?
Confused by some photography terminology? Here’s a list of photography jargon.
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Very interesting tips, especially the second one.
Enjoyed reading this post. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful 🙂 It’s my pleasure!
Dankie vir die wenke!
Dis ‘n plesier!
😊
I never thought of the “shoot through something” trick. Thanks
I’m glad I could help 🙂
Great tips! Thank you 😊
My pleasure!
Since I know next to nothing about photography — I’m the sort who forgets even to bring a camera on vacation — I found this fascinating.
Your “symmetry” principle has its counterpart in writing (which I *do* do) in the concept of “parallel construction” — balance two participles, say, rather than one participle and one clunky adjective-and-noun — which, unfortunately, isn’t consistently taught these days.
And I love the clouds-over-the-mountains shot.
Haha. Well then you can enjoy the scenery without a distraction.
That’s quite an interesting thought. First time I’m hearing of it. Thanks for enlightening me!
Thanks, Steve!
Great tips!! I’ve always wanted to take photography!
Go for it! 🙂
Great and motivational tips on photography!
I’m so glad you find them beneficial! 🙂
Yes, indeed!
Helpful and amazing tips. 😊
I’m so glad to hear that! 🙂
😊😇
Really helpful. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that! My pleasure! 🙂
Reallly helpful😊 thanks!!
I’m so glad to hear that! 🙂
Thanks for the tips, I’m just a point and click kinda girl…cant wait to try some of these.
It’s my pleasure. I’m glad they were useful. Have fun! 🙂
I am saving these notes so when I can get my camera checked out and start taking pictures again I can use these tips!
Thanks!
Goodluck and have fun! 🙂
Very interesting and inspiring post.
I’m glad I could help! 🙂
I’ve been reading photo manuals and articles off and on for 40 yrs, and I haven’t seen anything quite like this. So often composition is just an after thought. Combined with your beautiful examples, this must be the most helpful advice I’ve encountered. If you produced a photography book, I think it would stand out from the crowd.
Thank you for your kind words, Alan. I’m so glad my experiences and knowledge were useful and helpful. Haha, I just might put something together someday. Most probably an online program 🙂
Great tips. Love taking photos and occasionally I get lucky with a good one.
I’m glad you found them useful. Haha, I feel exactly the same!
WordPress use to have a weekly photo challenge. Are you aware of any?
No, I’m not aware
Those are wonderful photographs!!
Thank you! 🙂
Awesome tips! I need to put more of these into action.
I’m glad you found them useful! Good luck and have fun 🙂
Oh, I never thought of looking behind me! Great tip, thank you 😊
I’m glad I could help! 🙂
Great tips! Really liked the take a look behind, it’s easy to forget that while we’re moving around to change what’s in front of us, the scenery behind us is also shifting! Hope you have a wonderful day!
You’re absolutely right! I try to keep my head on a swivel when I’m out and about.
Thank you, Jennifer! The same to you!
Thanks so much for your tips, I would like to learn more about taking photoes.
Helpful – thanks!
My pleasure!
These are great tips! I have been learning photography these days and these will be very useful to me!
I’m so glad to hear that! Enjoy and have fun! 😀
Definitely! Having so much fun! Just posted some pictures I took! Do check it out and let me know your thoughts!
I’m so glad to hear that! I’ll give them a look 🙂
Sure!
This is awesome…it helped me take photos..
I’m so glad to hear that!
excellent tips!
I’m glad to hear that!
Excellent advice for beginners & good reminder for all!
Goodluck and enjoy!
Great tips!, Thank you for sharing!
I’m glad you find them useful! My pleasure!
[…] you found this helpful, here are 5 photography tips for […]
Thank you so much for the tips. I sort of half know them, but it’s good to be refreshed. Lovely pics of Franschoek, the region of my French ancestors. Best to you, will
It’s my pleasure! Thank you. Same to you!
These tips will help. Thank you!
I’m glad to hear that! Good luck and have fun! 🙂
Awesome…😍
This post made me think why I abandoned my love for photography. I shouldn’t have. I should do something about this. Thanks for this.
My pleasure Shalet! I’m glad I could help. I hope you can get back into it again! 🙂
Really helpful article! I sure could step up my photography game to go along with my writing.
Ps. I love your blog name! 👍🏽
I’m so glad to hear you found it helpful Amy! Enjoy 🙂
Thank you!
Reading this tips makes me feel tempted to get a proper camera. But I realised I already have a GoPro, I just don’t use it much :))
Great tips, thanks man.
My pleasure! Glad I could help 🙂
May I add something from my experience of around 55 years of photography? Look at good photography. Read books. Train your mind to recognise that scene. Shoot around the scene until you get the image you want. Keep shooting. Take many shots and discard the ones that are not of professional quality.
And one more thing: get the cliches out of your system first. Don’t worry about copying others’ styles, just get past that and develop your own style.
Well said, Pete! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome tips bro. Thank you 💗.
My pleasure! Have fun and goodluck!
Thank you so much bro
Thanks for the tips! Always helpful!
It’s my pleasure! I’m glad you find them helpful 🙂
All great advice for landscape photography.
I have no option but go out in moody, dramatic, weather conditions here in Northern Ireland.
Fine days don’t turn up that often.
This fall sucked big time but maybe next year it will rock.
Anyway I really enjoyed your post.
I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Enjoy the dramatic and moody weather!
Great post! I learned a few things thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that Rebecca! Have fun! 🙂
Shooting with a prime lens really is fantastic. It changes the whole experience where you become physically part of the composition and gives you pleasure in taking the picture as much as looking at the result. I am so glad you included it in your tips.
That’s very true. Well said 🙂
I love following your blog and this was a super helpful article. Well done 👍 I Love photography so much it’s a blast learning new techniques and tricks to capture life – thanks
I’m so glad I was able to help Wendy! 😀
Great blog!
Thanks!
Thank you for these valuable tips really enjoying the photos as well as being se to learn
It’s my pleasure! I’m glad you found them useful! 😀
Thank you for magnificent images. My ancestry on the southern continent begins at Franschhoek in South Africa. Thank you too, for your support. – will
That’s incredible! It’s such a beautiful town 🙂
Great tips! I love taking photos, but I’m such an amateur! Every bit of advice helps. 🙂
I’m glad you found them helpful! Good luck and have fun! 🙂
Great tips thank you 🙂
I’m glad you found them helpful 🙂
Wow! Amazing photographs!
Very informative post
I’m glad you found it helpful 🙂
So inspired to be expert in Photography
That’s great to hear! Have fun!
very nice brother
I enjoyed your helpful review of Photo hacks and tips. Thanks.
Clear suggestions with great photos illustrating the ideas. Practice is essential.
Wonderful advice – thanks! I need these tips.
I’m glad you found them helpful! 🙂
Nice article. Thanks.
Glad you liked it 🙂
Great advice
Glad you found it useful 🙂
Thank you will use this as a guide for when I pick my camera back up 🙂
Good luck and have fun!
i have old camera, it good for nostalgia
Have fun with it 🙂
Good tips – important reminders. Thanks for posting.
My pleasure Charles!
Great tips! Thank you🤗
Such as pleasure! 🙂
Thank you for this post. Great tips.
I’m glad you found it useful 🙂
Thanks for your photography tips. I take some pictures, and am growing more interested in the activity, so your tips and simple ways of explaining things are helpful. I have read other posts about, and get confused.
I’m so glad you found it helpful 🙂
Totally agree with “glue your camera to your hand”. I try to take it with me every day when I walk the dog, though sometimes I forget which ends in seeing some awesome picture which I can’t take. We live at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and you can’t go back to get the camera because everything changes all the time.
And yes, bad weather shouldn’t keep you from taking your camera. We have been out on a hike in the mountains and were surprised by clouds and rain showers which resulted in pictures with a distinct atmosphere.
Thank you for posting those tips. God is good! Blessings, Elfriede
Excellent write up, for landscape shots do you recommend a Wide angle lens: 10-20mm?
I have tried many photos with a wide angle lens but not feeling its better than the 35mm lens..
For landscapes, I’d recommend a standard 18-55mm kit lens because it’s quite versatile.
Great tips.
Thank you for sharing 😉
My pleasure. I’m glad you found them helpful 🙂
Looks like you are getting a great response from lots of different folks. Good work, keep it up.
These are all really excellent suggestions! And awesome photos. Maybe suggestion #6 should be “live in South Africa, a nature and landscape photographer’s dream! Personally, I love the Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens – it’s wonderful for low-light, and has gorgeous bokeh. Bit pricey, but hey – you never have to worry about how to spend your money when you take up photography, right?