7 Tips for Digital Photography Beginners

Many people ask us for tips, trick, or just plain advice, for those who are just starting out in the world of digital photography. The following can’t really be classed as tricks, but rather as simple tips you need to master before you can move out of the beginner’s world and become a semi-expert.

1. At the most basic level, and first and foremost: get to know your camera. Once you’ve bought it, take your time to read - and understand - the user’s manual. Learn what the controls are and what they’re used for. And then practice, practice and practice some more. Shoot the same subject many times, from different distances, different perspectives, under different light conditions, with flash, without flash… and study the differences between the different photos. Now do the same after changing the setup of your camera controls to see how that affects the results.
2. Learn to “see” your photo before you take it. You need to be aware at all times of what is the most important element that you’re trying to capture so that you can focus all your attention on it. Don’t be afraid of getting close up to your subject (in general, the closer you are, the better). And, above all, don’t include any elements that could take people’s attention away from the main subject.
3. Study the composition and layout of the photos you see in magazines that you like. You’ll see very soon that the main subject doesn’t always appear in the center of the photo. One of the most used rules in photography is the rule of thirds. Imagine your photo divided into three parts, both horizontally and vertically, like a tic-tac-to board. Now, try to place the subject on, or close to, one of the lines or one of the intersections. If you’re taking a photo of a person or animal, it will usually be the eyes that are the most important part, so it should be the eyes that appear on the line or intersection.
4. To avoid blurred photos, hold your camera in both hands, and as close as possible to your body, so that you move it as little as possible when you’re taking a photo.
5. Make sure you keep your camera level (horizontal). For this, and the last previous tip, just check your photo after you’ve taken it and, if necessary, repeat it. Both of these tips sound silly, but you’d be surprised how many beginners need to be actually told this.
6. You should remember that your flash won’t be any use if your subject is over 6 meters away from your camera (read your user’s manual to see the exact distance for your camera, because it varies). Another piece of advice: if you use the flash for more than one person, make sure they’re all the same distance away because, if not, they’ll come out with different intensities of light.
7. One of the most useful accessories for a photographer, including (or perhaps above all) for the beginner, is the tripod. It’s absolutely essential for photos when there’s not much light, and nowadays you can find ultra-small and ultra-light tripods, even ones that can be folded up.

I hope this has been useful. In this web you’ll find useful information on all types of digital photography, both for beginners and experts - it’s just a question of looking a little (the search box is just below!) Happy photography!