How to take good photos? Learning photography for beginners

How to take good photos that will arouse admiration and admiration? This question is asked by many beginner photography enthusiasts. What matters most is regular exercise and learning the basics. Thanks to them, it will be much easier to move on to the next stages. Check where to start learning photography and find out what mistakes to avoid.

How to learn to take pictures? Tips for beginners

Learning photography, like any other activity, takes time and patience. A beginner who holds a camera in their hands for the first time usually does not realize how many functions are hidden in their equipment. Getting to know them all and exercising regularly are essential if you are serious about becoming a photographer. Check out our tips to help you take good photos and develop your passion.

Start by getting to know your equipment

As we wrote above, it's best to start learning photography from scratch by getting to know all the possibilities of your camera. After all, you know very well that there is more to taking pictures than just pressing the shutter button thoughtlessly. For this reason, you should consult your hardware manual first. A thick book may not look appealing, but thanks to it you will learn what aperture, ISO sensitivity and shutter speed are. In addition, you will get the necessary technical information about the camera functions, parameters and available shooting modes. Even if you think you know your gear well, after looking through the manuals you will be surprised how much you didn't know about it yet.

Learning photography from scratch - get a solid foundation

Practice makes perfect, but taking pictures without knowing the basics can be a waste of time. Never heard of ISO, PASM, RAW or the rule of thirds before? You definitely need to start by building a solid foundation. Using automatic or semi-automatic mode and photographing everything around is no art. Remember that a good photo is rarely a coincidence. If you want to start being successful, your photography needs to be aware.

How to start shooting? Enroll in a course

How to take good photos? Above all, learn from professionals. You can achieve this by signing up for a course or workshop. You will learn, among others, How to choose the light, composition and background, how to set the subject to the photo, what are the buttons on your camera for and how the parameters affect the image. A professional will teach you to take photos manually, answer all your questions and share his invaluable knowledge about photographic techniques. He will also rate your photos and provide invaluable tips. The course is also an opportunity to meet other photography enthusiasts. Thanks to this, you will expand your network of contacts. Who knows, maybe in a few years you will create a joint project?

How to learn to take pictures? Exercise as often as you can

You've probably heard many times in your life that science makes perfect. Contrary to appearances, this is not a cliché. If you want to start taking good photos, then turn your passion into a job and become a professional photographer, you need to spend a lot of time practicing. Nothing comes right away - even great photojournalists started from scratch. Take your camera with you whenever possible, look for interesting objects in your city, and offer sessions to friends.

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Take advantage of the Internet

How to take photos that will arouse admiration with a limited budget? If you are currently unable to invest in a course, take advantage of the knowledge that professionals can share for free on the Internet. You can choose from hundreds of blogs, guides, tutorials and programs about wedding photography, nature, product, interior, fashion and many more. Do not stop at theory - after reading the guide, reach for the camera and use the acquired knowledge in practice. Thanks to this, you will quickly notice that you are making progress.

Look for inspiration

How to learn to take professional photos yourself? Browse your favorite creator's portfolio to see what high-quality photography looks like. Get inspired by his creativity, analyze, break down into prime factors, draw conclusions, and then strive for a similar effect. In addition, read blogs and watch programs that show how the work of a photographer looks like in the kitchen.

Publish your photos on the web

Taking pictures for a drawer will not make you move forward. If you want to get serious about photography, you need to get to know other people's views on your art. It's worth getting out of your comfort zone and starting to publish photos on a blog, Instagram or thematic groups that can be found, for example, on Facebook. Hitting criticism may not be the most pleasant experience, but thanks to it you will learn what mistakes you make, what else you can improve and gain a new perspective on your workshop. Remember that, as in any artistic profession, there will be both lovers and critics of your work. Don't be put off by unflattering opinions, especially those that are filled with hate.

Learning photography - what mistakes to avoid at the beginning of your journey?

At the beginning of your photography adventure, it's easy to make mistakes. Check what are the most common and how to avoid them.

Investing in equipment instead of education

What is the biggest mistake of novice photographers? Investing in expensive equipment for professionals at the very beginning of your adventure with photography. All you need to do to learn how to take pictures is what you currently have at hand. A camera for several thousand and an expensive photo processing program may allow for more, but it certainly does not make anyone a professional photographer. Especially since different types of photography require different equipment and your initial plans can change quickly.

You can successfully take a stunning photo with an old SLR camera, telephone or even a compact camera. The money you plan to spend on equipment, lenses or lamps is much better invested in education. Workshops and courses where you can learn from professionals are invaluable to amateurs.

Using only automatic mode

Using only auto mode is another trap that novice photographers get into. After all, it is much easier than manually setting the parameters and the effect is satisfactory. However, taking good photos takes a lot more. Not knowing the features of the camera and relying solely on the automatic mode will not get you anywhere.

Overdoing editing

Graphics programs such as Photoshop or Light room are useful tools, but should be used with caution. People who are just starting their adventure with photography often spend many hours retouching a failed photo in order to save it at all costs. Trying to sharpen a blurry image is usually unsatisfactory. It is better to spend this time on getting to know your camera well and finding an answer to the question why the photo was out of focus. Besides, knowingly using retouching programs is more than just moving each slider thoughtlessly. Here too, courses or free guides available on the Internet come in handy.

Learning photography from scratch - what does a novice photographer need?

How to start taking photos? Every novice photographer must provide himself

Basic equipment. Check what you will need to learn photography:

Camera - as we wrote earlier, investing in the most expensive camera at the beginning of your adventure with photography is not a good idea. All you need to learn the basics is an old SLR camera, digital camera or CD that you borrow from friends or family. Only think about a more advanced camera when you want to take up night photography, for example. Remember that you don't have to spend your entire budget on new equipment then either. You can get great devices at good prices second-hand. Do not bypass auction portals and sales groups;

Tripod - a tripod can be useful in many situations, e.g. when we want to focus or take a photo with a long exposure time. It is important that it is stable, not too heavy, comfortable to operate and durable. Good company tripods can also be bought second-hand;

Camera bag or case - if you plan to stay still without your camera, it is worth having a solid bag or cover. Thanks to this, you will protect your equipment against accidental damage and it will be easier for you to transport it.

It is better to articalpone the purchase of other accessories, such as lenses, filters or lamps. You can think about them when you find that the basic capabilities of your camera are not enough for you.