Photography tips for beginners - top 5

These tips for better photos are designed to give the amateur photographer a few pointers in the right direction. These are things I've found out myself by just playing around so if you have any you'd like to add, leave a comment and I'll add them to the users tips at the bottom.

 

5. Composition

4. Angle

3. Subject

2. Timing

1. Quantity

 

5. Composition

Probably the most important factor in making a good photo great is the composition.

For some reason the human eye likes thirds, as an example, a shot of the ocean where  the horizon divides the photo into two just looks wrong. But that same shot with the horizon line one third of the way up will make the shot work a lot better.

 

4. Angle

It is not always necessary to bisect the photo so precisely though, and some more interesting shots can be achieved just by playing with angles. Tilting can create an unsettling feeling or shooting up or down at a subject can drastically alter the mood of the shot. As always, experimenting is the best way to discover which things you like and which you don't.

 

3. Subject

If you're subject is human it is often better to try to capture off-guard moments;  that smile after a shot where the subject had their eyes closed or two friends talking, unaware of the camera. Looking at pictures and remembering emotions can be a far better way to remember a time than the blank smile of a posed shot.

 

2. Timing

We can't always wait for magic hour but, if possible, try to avoid midday as the light is generally flat and tends to suck the life out of pictures. Experiment with backlighting subjects and get up early to catch the morning fog one morning - if you can capture that eeriness then you're better than me .

 

1. Quantity

A few years back I'd be saying use patience and concentrate on quality but with the advent of digital photography there is now no excuse not to take lots and lots of photos. Chances are there'll be one or two great shots amongst them. Just remember not to save them all otherwise you'll find your hard drive full of not-so-great snaps in no time.