Practice PhotographyTo become a better photographer, you have to practice photography.There's an old joke about a gentleman who approaches a stranger on the streets of New York and asks, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The stranger replies, "Practice, young man. Practice." There is no substitute for practice. It’s true of photography as it’s true in sports and other areas. This is another advantage of digital cameras. You can shoot a couple hundred photos in an afternoon, and be looking them over that evening. Sometimes you may want to set a goal. Work on a specific type of photo or practice a new technique. Or you may just want to let the situation determine what type of photographs you take. Either way, your success will come from taking many photos. “Is it that easy? All I have to do is take a lot of photos?” Not exactly. What I mean by that is when you find a subject that catches your eye, try capturing it from different angles. Change your distance to the subject, zoom in and out, try framing a little to the left or right, or higher and lower. Do not hesitate to photograph anything you think might make a good image. I believe that I'm better at recognizing a good photo than I am in taking one. To that end, I may shoot a couple dozen versions of a scene or object, and figure out which is best after I get home. When you get home and look at your photos on the computer, see which ones jump out more than others. Try to see what makes them better. More often than not, you’ll find that your good photos adhere to the
rules of composition.
As valuable as it is to understand the use of
lenses
and
filters,
not to mention all of your camera’s settings, these are things that will make a good photographer great. They may only confuse a beginning photographer. If you’re just starting out, or maybe rediscovering photography after getting a new
camera,
I recommend keeping your variables limited. Use the auto or pre-programmed settings on your camera, and go with a standard or wide-angle lens when you practice photography. Remember, the goal is to build your “eye,” not fiddle around with lots of equipment. As you improve your skills, you might say “this would be better with a slower shutter speed,” or “a polarizing filter would have cut through the glare on the water.” That’s when you can start carrying more gear with you. Don’t rush it, however, and spend more time honing your skills behind the camera.
Good photographers study the work of other photographersAnother great way to improve your photography is to study the photos of photographers you like. Look at how they composed their image, study the details, and see what makes their photos great.While you practice photography, consider joining a photo sharing site like Flickr. Not only can you see the work of others, but they can see yours. Many photographers are happy to tell you how to achieve the effects they get in their imagery. Invite constructive criticism, and before long you'll be taking better photos! Don't hesitate to check out some books and magazines on photography. There are so many styles of photography, even landscape photography, that no single source could possible cover all of them. Amazing Magazine Subscription Savings - Up to 90% off Retail at DiscountMags.com! I subscribe to both Popular Photography and American Photo, and look forward to their arrival every month. In addition to seeing examples of great work, the tips and advice they contain are so valuable, I save many articles and share the magazines with my fellow photographer friends when I'm done reading them. Find the best photography courses and schools to help you shoot like a pro.
|