If you're new to photography, the best thing you can do is keep your camera with you at all times, and experiment relentlessly. The beauty of digital photography is that, because you're not committing each shot to film, you can take hundreds of pictures before your battery runs out. That potentially makes the learning process a lot faster and more intuitive, as you can also instantly review your images on your camera's display. Ultimately, your photos should be a creative expression of the way you see your environment, but there are a few basic principles which all photographers need to get to grips with. Whether you always stick to the 'rules' is up to you - subverting them can result in brilliant images.
Whether you're using an iPhone or a DSLR, whether you're shooting a portrait or a landscape, composition is fundamental to photography. The so-called 'rule of thirds' is the single most important compositional principle - imagine each scene is divided into 9 squares (a grid made of 3 horizontal bars and 3 vertical bars), and position the focal elements of your images on intersecting points in the grid to create dynamic photos. Putting things in the centre of an image, such as a horizon, tends to leave you with bland results. In some cases, such as with architectural shots, you will want to emphasis symmetry, but that is usually the exception rather than the rule.
Getting the exposure right is the next step. Exposure is the amount of light that reaches the camera's sensor, which is dependent on shutter speed and aperture. A longer shutter speed means a brighter image, whilst a slower shutter speed will give you darker results. Long exposures will introduce motion blur to your shots, and may also necessitate a tripod. A high aperture value means a smaller opening through which light can reach the sensor, and vice versa. This can also be used to regulate exposure.
The aperture also effects the depth of field, i.e. which parts of the photo are in focus. A low aperture will keep the foreground in focus (good for portraits), whilst a high aperture will keep the whole scene in focus (good for landscapes).
Something that is a little harder to teach is timing. Spotting what makes a good photo, and being there to capture it, is all about instinct. You may have a natural photographer's eye, but the key is practice.
Whether you're using an iPhone or a DSLR, whether you're shooting a portrait or a landscape, composition is fundamental to photography. The so-called 'rule of thirds' is the single most important compositional principle - imagine each scene is divided into 9 squares (a grid made of 3 horizontal bars and 3 vertical bars), and position the focal elements of your images on intersecting points in the grid to create dynamic photos. Putting things in the centre of an image, such as a horizon, tends to leave you with bland results. In some cases, such as with architectural shots, you will want to emphasis symmetry, but that is usually the exception rather than the rule.
Getting the exposure right is the next step. Exposure is the amount of light that reaches the camera's sensor, which is dependent on shutter speed and aperture. A longer shutter speed means a brighter image, whilst a slower shutter speed will give you darker results. Long exposures will introduce motion blur to your shots, and may also necessitate a tripod. A high aperture value means a smaller opening through which light can reach the sensor, and vice versa. This can also be used to regulate exposure.
The aperture also effects the depth of field, i.e. which parts of the photo are in focus. A low aperture will keep the foreground in focus (good for portraits), whilst a high aperture will keep the whole scene in focus (good for landscapes).
Something that is a little harder to teach is timing. Spotting what makes a good photo, and being there to capture it, is all about instinct. You may have a natural photographer's eye, but the key is practice.
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