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Are you considering trying out photography? If not, you should be! It's an amazing and really fulfilling hobby to take up.
From taking photos to sharing them with others, the entire process is so much fun. However, it can be hard to know where to start. In this article I'll tell you all the basics you need to know to not only begin your journey as a photographer, but to start taking some really cool pictures.
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Image Credit: Mantas Hesthaven from Unsplash
Honestly, it is easier to take higher-quality photos using a camera. However, phone cameras have come a very long way. You can take excellent photos just using your smartphone.
I recommend trying to take photos on your phone before you invest in a camera to make sure you like it. A camera is an expensive investment for a hobby you aren't even sure you're interested in. Plus, you can still take beautiful photos without a camera. #iphonephotography has almost fourteen million posts on Instagram. In fact, there are accounts on Instagram whose purposes are posting professional-looking photographs using only their phone.
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Decide What Kind of Photography You're Interested In
From macro to sports, there is a type of photography for everyone. I recommend trying out a couple of different kinds of photography to figure out what you like. Eventually, you might decide to focus on one type of photography, or you may continue to photograph many different subjects.
Either way, it is totally fine! I do recommend trying out different kinds of photography when you're first starting out though, because you never know what you might be passionate about. When I started photography, I intended to focus on portraits.
Then I realized I really like nature photography. I still like portraits too, but now I have even more aspects of photography that excite me. Here are some different kinds of photography that you could try out:
- Wildlife/Nature
- Sports
- Portrait
- Macro
- Landscape
- Street
Follow Other Photographers on Social Media
There is an entire community of photographers on Instagram and other social platforms. Other photographers are super welcoming and encouraging. Plus, seeing other photographers' work can be super inspiring.
Whenever I see other photography accounts, I feel very encouraged to take photos. Seeing other photographers taking beautiful pictures motivates me to continue working and improving. It can also give you ideas for styles or poses you want to try out.
I have a collection on Instagram where I put photos that inspire me. It comes in really handy when I want to do a shoot, but don't know what to photograph. I've included a couple of posts from my favorite photographers on Instagram as some of the examples in this article. They take stunning photos and I'd definitely recommend checking them out if you would like to discover more photography accounts.
Experiment With Manual Modes
Most cameras will come with an automatic mode along with several other modes. The automatic mode is usually the easiest mode to use, but if you want to grow more as a photographer, you might want to try some of the other modes. They'll allow you to have more control of the photo you're capturing and make it look the way you want.
Your camera will probably have a manual mode. This can look intimidating at first, so I recommend easing into it by trying some modes that only let you adjust certain settings. To do this, you will have to know what these settings mean. Here are two settings that are fairly simple to adjust to, but can allow you to take your photography in more creative directions.
Aperture
Aperture controls how far your lens opens. It controls the depth of field in your photo. A smaller aperture will have a smaller depth of field, while a larger aperture will have a greater depth of field. The photo below is an example of the effect a smaller aperture would have on the final photo.
Image Credit: Sophia Juhler
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is, like it sounds, the speed of your camera shutter. Basically, that's how long it takes for your camera to take a photo. Slow shutter speeds will cause your photo to be more blurry if you take a picture of something in motion, while a faster shutter speed will allow for less blur.
It really just depends on what you're going for. The photo below shows the effect you can get by using a slower shutter speed.
Play Around with Format
Some subjects look better framed differently than others. You may have heard of the rule of thirds before. Basically, it's a principle that means if you split your photo into thirds, the photo will be more compelling if your subject lies on one of those thirds. Here's an example:
Image Credit: Sophia Juhler
This photo is appealing to the eye since the plant in the photo lies on the bottom horizontal third line. Some other strategies to try are filling the frame with the subject instead of taking pictures with lots of background space as this will create more visual interest and trying both horizontal and vertical layouts to see which you like most.
Experiment!
I've stressed this a lot throughout this article, but the most important tip I can give you is this: Don't be afraid to experiment with photography and have fun! You might not take stunning photos at first, but if you enjoy it, that's all that matters. Plus, if you stick with it, soon you will be taking photos that take even your breath away.
Don't be afraid to try different angles or poses than you usually do. You never know if a photo will turn out until you take it, so take plenty!
I hope you end up loving photography as much as I do. It really is such a fulfilling hobby that I recommend to everyone. It's an amazing creative outlet.
If you are hesitant about trying it, go for it! I seriously doubt you'll regret it.
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