If you enjoy photography, then you already know that the activity is as much of a science as it is an art form. Therefore, following the tips below will enable you to use your knowledge in new and creative ways.
#1 – Sharpen your view. Select an everyday item. Take a picture of the object from different angles, in varied lighting conditions, and with various focal lengths. Choose a new object each week. The idea is to find the object’s unique qualities. This exercise enables you to see past the surface of an object and recognize its shadows, patterns, colors, and shapes. Photographers who practice this approach see an improvement in their photos over time.
#2 – Shoot what you know or appreciate. When you are a photographer, you need to focus on what you already know, or what fuels your passion. When you photograph images of some part of your life, it will help you expand on what you experience everyday. In turn, you can share this passion visually with others.
#3 – Use drones for the purposes of aerial photography. Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration finalized updated rules on the operation of drones. This development will open up opportunities for commercial aerial photographers who work for news organizations.
New rules allow the small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to fly at a maximum altitude of 400 feet during daylight hours. However, they cannot fly over people. Pilot-photographers who use commercial drones in Australia must take and pass a licensing exam, administered by the Transportation Security Administration.
#4 – Concentrate on marine photography topics. You can obtain great pictures underwater as well, or focus your camera on such marine mammals as dolphins. If you enjoy writing, you can create story lines that center on marine life and sell the story and picture package to marine stock photography firms and various publications.
#5 – Change your current genre. You can also take your photography to new venues by changing genres. Most photographers concentrate on a specialty, whether it is portrait, street, macro, or landscape categories. For those looking to refine their portrait photography skills, visit tkpheadshots.com for valuable insights and inspiration. However, it never hurts to include more subjects in your repertoire. If you want to expand your influence, discover a new genre to conquer. By doing so, you will find that any experimentation is easier as the skills from one genre can be transferred to another.
#6 – Simplify the shooting process. Spend a couple weeks shooting photos using one lens. Doing so will force you to be more efficient and creative with respect to composition.
#7 – Tote your camera everywhere you go. If you keep your camera by your side, you will heighten your photographic senses, as well as your methods. Learn to slow down and recognize the photographic opportunities surrounding you. When a photographic possibility arises, you will be better prepared to capture it.
#8 – Teach yourself manual mode. Knowing precisely how the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO all work together will enable you to produce better quality pictures. When you acquaint yourself with manual mode, you can photograph images with added proficiency.
Shooting in Manual Mode – How It Works
The general process used to shoot in manual mode may include the following steps:
- Check the exposure with the light meter, visible through the camera’s viewfinder
- Pick an aperture
- Adjust the speed of the shutter
- Choose an ISO setting
- Make sure the light meter ticks is in line with 0 – an indicator that the picture is properly exposed
- Take the picture
If you wish to achieve a certain effect, you may need to go a bit under or over the exposure, or the number shown in the viewfinder.
How the Aperture Works
The aperture is the hole in the center of the shutter (or iris) of a camera. If you wish to create a professionally blurred background, you should set the f-stop or aperture, which is the adjustment of the focus. Low f-numbers allow for more light and a background that is blurrier while high f-numbers permit less light, and therefore a sharper background.
Shutter Speed
The shutter speed represents the amount of time the camera’s shutter is open, or the amount of time the camera allows light to strike the camera’s sensor. Typically shown as a fraction of a second, or 1/125, the shutter speed impacts the sharpness of a subject in a picture. Lower shutter speeds permit the entrance of more light, but may blur the subject.
Therefore, using the camera with a lower shutter speed necessitates the use of a tripod or very steady hand. A faster shutter speed lets in a smaller amount of light. Therefore, the subject of the picture is sharper too. Also, using a faster speed will cause the image to appear less shaky if the user has unsteady hands..
The ISO
The ISO represents a camera’s sensitivity to light. On today’s DSLRs, the ISO can be anywhere from 200 to 1,600. The lower the ISO number, the more light is needed to obtain a good exposure. You will also see less noise in the resulting images. Higher ISO numbers permit you to shoot higher quality photos in conditions with lower light. However, you may also see more noise in the background.
DSLRs can produce better images at a higher ISO because the pixels are larger in the image sensors. Therefore, as a general guideline, use an ISO of 100 to 200 if you are shooting pictures outside, and an ISO range from 800 to 1,600 if you are shooting inside in low-light conditions.
#9 – Study Photography
Just because you regularly shoot pictures does not mean you have everything figured out. If you want to go places in the field as a photographer, you should not be happy maintaining the status quo.
#10 – Share Your Pictures on Social Media
You cannot do any activity today without reaching out to friends and fans on social media channels. If you want to go places in the photography field, you need to include social media if you want to acknowledge your photo efforts.
#11 – Invest In A Gimbal