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TIL: Each year more monopoly money is printed, than real money throughout the real word.

5 Tips for Beginner Photographers

A good image is a relative term. You might have experienced that a photograph taken by the most seasoned and respected photographer makes you think why that photograph is being appreciated so much, and on the other hand, a photo taken by an amateur might have left you in awe.

As such photography is an art medium. When an amateur takes a photo, it doesn’t matter for her or him what others say about the picture, as far as s/he is true to her/himself and has got a satisfaction with the reasons why you took the photo in the first place.

Often articles on internet and magazines neglect a fact that some readers might have acquired their first camera. The articles are written as if the readers have all the basic knowledge. But what if they don’t?

Here are five tips and tricks for those who have just stepped into photography:

 

• Control the Amount of Flash Light Several: Flashes on entry level and shoot cameras make overuse of flash and the photographer cannot do much about this. But that was the case until now. The trick is to carry a clean nasal tissue and drape its one layer carefully over the flash before pressing the shutter. Every layer of the tissue will reduce the amount of flash light by an equivalent to 1 f/stop of fill light. A lot of photographers find a good flash balance between one and two f/stops of light. So, take three photos – one with open flash, one with one layer of tissue and one with two layers of tissue. Make sure that the tissue is stark white

• Have Patience for Right Light: If the sun hides behind clouds regularly, have patience – it won’t be long. Often in autumn, when the yellow and red foliage is dry, the image lacks vibrancy if there is not bright sunlight. On the other hand, if the atmosphere is damp with frost, fog and rain, photos are shot better with the scene doused in a soft cloudy light. Know the light and adjust shooting conditions. Fine sunny days are good for big landscapes while cloudy grey days are ideal for portraits of people and objects with no sky involved.

• Make Use of Tripod, Even for Point and Shoot Camera: Several cameras have an ability to be attached to a tripod. If yours too does, use it. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how using tripod will make your photos better almost single-handedly. Reason is obvious; tripod allows you to stand, kneel or lie down behind the camera and check the components in the viewfinder or LCD screen. Can you imagine yourself doing this with no tripod?

•  Get a Bit Dirty: Just by viewing the scene from various angles, you will dramatically improve your composition. Next time when you get a chance to see a professional photographer working, observe her/him and you will notice her/his dirty knees and seats on trousers. Some photographers even wear contractors knee pads while working along rocky coasts.

• Participate in Assignments: If you are starting your photography career, you should participate in assignments. You can attend every workshop in the world and read all the books, but if you are not on to doing it, it is of no use!