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Whether you’ve just purchased your first DSLR and want to learn the basics or are looking for simple ways to update your existing photography skills, what you need to learn are proper techniques related of camera & photography. Here’s a break down of few main aspects which you need to remain focused on.
Learn to hold your camera properly:
This may sound obvious, but many new photographers don’t hold their camera correctly, which causes camera shake and blurry images. Tripods are of course the best way to prevent camera shake, but since you won’t be using a tripod unless you’re shooting in low light situations, it’s important to hold your camera properly to avoid unnecessary movement. Whether you develop your own way of holding a camera, always try your best to hold it in such a manner that both of your hands have a proper grip on the camera. The closer you keep the camera to your body, the stiller you’ll be able to hold it. If you need extra stability you can lean up against a wall or crouch down on your knees, but if there’s nothing to lean on, adopting a wider stance can also help.
Start shooting in RAW
RAW is a file format like jpeg, but unlike jpeg, it captures all the image data recorded by your camera’s sensor rather than compressing it. When you shoot in RAW you’ll not only get higher quality images but you’ll also have far more control in post processing. For instance, you’ll be able to correct problems such as over or underexposure and adjust things like color temperature, white balance and contrast. However additionally , RAW photos always need some post processing so you’ll need to invest in photo editing software. Shooting in RAW can transform the quality of your images, so if you have the time and space, it’s definitely worth it.
ISO setting
ISO controls the camera’s sensitivity to light. A low ISO setting means the camera will be less sensitive to light, while a higher ISO means it will be more sensitive to light. However, the quality of the image will decrease as the ISO increases and you may see weird brightness spots on the image with a higher ISO. An ISO setting of 100 to 200 is usually ideal when shooting outdoors during the day, but when shooting in low light situations, such as indoors or at night, a higher ISO of 400 to 800 or higher might be necessary.
Shutter speed
Shutter speed controls how long the shutter stays open when you take a picture. The longer the shutter stays open, the more light gets through to the camera’s sensor. A fast shutter speed is good for freezing action, while a longer shutter speed will blur motion. Long shutter speeds can give interesting effects, but usually require a tripod. By controlling the shutter speed according to your requirements, you can make amazing pictures transitions.
Concept of wide Aperture
Landscape photographs require a different approach, because everything from the rocks in the foreground to the mountains in the background should be sharply in focus. So any time you’re shooting a scene where you want everything to be fully in focus, you should select a narrow aperture rather than a wide one. This would allow you to take certainly the finest portraits with every inch of scene, fully focused. However if you capturing a single person portrait, then portrait mode is the best option.
Be careful with the flash
If you’re not careful, using your camera’s built-in flash at night or in low light can lead to some unpleasant effects like red eyes and harsh shadows. In general, it’s better to crank up the ISO and get noisier photos than to use the on-camera flash and risk ruining the shot altogether. Sometimes, however, there may simply not be enough light, and if you don’t have off-camera lighting, you’ll be left with no choice but to use the built in flash. If you find yourself in this situation and don’t want to miss the shot, there are a couple of things you can do. First of all, find the flash settings in your camera’s menu and reduce brightness as much as you can.
Focus on eyes when taking close-ups
While shooting close-ups portraits, you’ll be focusing on a very small area so it will be more important than ever that you get a nice sharp image. The eyes in particular are an important facial feature, and they’re often the first thing people look at, especially when it comes to close-ups and head shots. With this in mind, your subject’s eyes should be your main point of focus. To get both eyes nice and sharp, choose a single focus point and aim it at one of the eyes. Once the first eye is in focus, keep the shutter button pressed halfway down and move the camera slightly to recompose the photo and include the second eye.
Attention towards the background
Generally speaking, the background should be as simple and clutter free as possible so that it doesn’t pull the viewer’s attention away from the main subject of the photo. Muted colors and plain patterns tend to work well, because you don’t want viewers to end up being more interested in the colorful building or church tower in the background than your model. Fixing a distracting background can be as simple as moving your subject or changing your angle, but if that doesn’t work, it may be possible to cover it by using a wider aperture and getting in as close to your subject as possible. Whenever you can, though, try to keep the background neutral, especially if you’re placing your subject off to the side of the photograph and the background is very visible.
Proper adjustment of white balance
White balance can help you capture colors more accurately. Different types of light have different characteristics, so if you don’t adjust the white balance, the colors in your photography may take on a slightly blue, orange or green hue or ‘temperature.’
Syncing with the scene
Syncing with the scene can result in amazing pictures. If you’re shooting at a certain place where there are lots of flowers, those flowers can definitely b used as a way to enhance your pictures.
Invest time in learning good photo editing
Once you start shooting in RAW, post processing will become a must rather than an afterthought, so you’ll need to invest in some photo editing software that will allow you to perform basic editing tasks such as cropping, adjusting exposure, white balance and contrast, removing blemishes and more.Most professional photographers use programs like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, but if you want something a little less pricey to start with you can try Photoshop Elements, Picasa or Paint Shop Pro.
Conclusion
Photography is however a vast field but you can only be professional in it if you’ve a firm grip over all the basic techniques. By following these techniques, you can capture a lot of amazing pictures and portraits. Getting overexposed, blurry or badly composed photos can be frustrating, but rather than letting such photos discourage you, use them as a learning tool. The next time you get a bad photo; don’t immediately hit the delete button. Instead, spend some time studying the photo to work out what went wrong and how you could improve it. Most of the time there will be a simple solution such as trying a different composition or using a faster shutter speed, but if you see any recurring problems, you’ll have a chance to study up on specific aspects of photography and strengthen your weaker areas.
