First, I started off by researching cameras. I really had no clue where to begin as far as buying one, so I went to the wonderful world wide web to find out as much as I could about different cameras. All I had ever used in the past was point and shoot cameras (mainly and most recently, my trusty Nikon Coolpix, but I had outgrown its capabilities), so getting an SLR camera was a goal of mine. I spent a lot of time finding out what an SLR camera really is and what it does, I watched numerous tutorials on how to use them, how to take good quality photos with one and compared tons of reviews on which was the best. After months of looking, I finally took the plunge and got a camera. And I must say, it was well worth the effort and the cost! There are so many great digital SLR cameras out there, and I really don't think you can go wrong with any of them! It may seem pricey for a camera, but I can assure you that you get what you pay for. I ended up choosing a Canon...even after years of faithfulness to Nikon, the Canon just seemed to have everything I was looking for. But honestly, they are all nice, you just have to find the one that suits best what you plan on using it for. My advice....do what I did and do your research...ask around, do some digging and find out what the best fit for you is.
Next, invest in a good editing program. While there are many free options available online, they just don't provide the quality and capability that the better, more costly programs do. It may seem like you are paying a lot for a simple editing program, but I tell you, it's what makes a good photo become an amazing photo! Not to mention that the cost of the program is going to seem small compared to the money you will save by not going to a professional photographer for all of your photo needs. I opted for Lightroom by Photoshop. There are many different programs out there, but I chose Lightroom simply because I could edit every aspect of a photo (ie the exposure, brightness, color, saturation, tint etc) just as if I were developing my own photos in a dark room (hence it's name...Lightroom). But Adobe has many Photoshop options available and all will give you many different capabilities that you would not otherwise have without an editing program. So my suggestion is to get one...whatever it may be...because it really does allow you to take your photos to the next level!
Next, it's all about lighting! I encourage anyone seriously interested in taking quality photographs to get to know your light. (sounds a bit silly, I know, but I'll try to explain what I mean) The lighting in a photo can manifest it into something so much more beautiful. A simple beam of sunshine can work wonders for an otherwise "ok" photo. There are technological ways of working with light through your camera...using the shutter speed, flash, etc, but there are also so many ways of working with natural light around the subject. My words of wisdom on this (which can be taken as you wish), do some homework and learn the different ways you can work with lighting. There are many tutorials and informational websites and books that will walk you through lighting techniques. And another way to learn is to just play with lighting while taking photos....be aware of the light you have to work with in the environment around you, notice the details of the lighting and take photos at different angles to see where the light falls on the subject and what works best for the subject matter at hand. Once you become aware of the lighting, you will find that there are many different angle options to taking what would normally be a one angle photo.
And lastly, try to convey a "feeling" when taking a photo...something that a viewer can relate to. The most admired photos are ones in which the photgrapher makes us feel like we know the subject in the photo or makes us feel something about the photo. In my personal opinion, especially when photographing people, I prefer to let them do what they want to do, let them just be in a natural setting, while I work around them. I'm not a fan of forcing someone to sit and smile for photos. I think a photo is much more genuine and heartfelt when you capture people being themselves and living life....especially with children. While I understand that there is a time and place when sitting portraits are wanted, I think truly great photos of people come from them enjoying life and portraying that to a viewer.
I hope these tips can be useful in your pursuit to achieve high quality photos for your own endeavors. So go out there and start taking some photos! Happy shooting to you all! :)
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