#The Art of Photography: The Basics of Taking a Shot

Taking that perfect shot isn't easy. From image resolution to the lighting and the foreground, there's a lot that you need to consider. However, there are a few simple rules of photography that you should stick to when getting started.

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The Art of Photography: The Basics of Taking a Shot

They say photography is an art and it’s certainly true. Not everyone can make the sky talk. Similarly, not everyone can make the sea look deep from the outside. It’s all about the right angles and in-depth knowledge of photography. Yes, you don’t become a photographer just because you have a professional camera.

Photography is a diverse field as an image reflects a variety of characteristics. Thus, there’s a lot to know and learn. In this article today, we’re going to talk about the basics of photography. If you’re a beginner in the field, the following points can help you get started. Have a look:

Learn to Hold the Camera Properly

While you may not realize it, a lot of times images turn out to be blurry and shaky only because the photographer fails to hold the camera properly. It is something so insignificant but it always makes a significant difference. Therefore, as a beginner, the first thing that you need to do is practice holding the camera along with the photography lenses.

Though every photographer has his own style of holding the camera, for starters you should hold it with two hands instead of one. The idea is to grab it properly so that it doesn’t shake when taking a picture. Plus, you should keep the camera close to your body. It will help you keep the camera still. For additional stability, you can always crouch down on your knees or lean up against a wall.

Take Care of the Background

Most of the time, people don’t appreciate the actual subject of the image because they’re too busy gazing at the background. It happens when the background is cluttered or more interesting than the subject itself. To enhance your image and its subject, I suggest you choose simpler backgrounds.

Plus, make sure the background is clutter-free unless, of course, you’re a nature photographer. Nature photography is entirely different. It greatly depends on the foreground. If a natural image doesn’t have a fine foreground, it’s not going to cut it. The same goes for wildlife photography. Wildlife pictures are a lot more than just capturing animals. In a wildlife image, you must display the environment in the woods. It will glamourize the image.

Invest in Good Editing Software

Freelance photo editors are quite trending these days. Do you know why? They take your simple photos and edit them, making them look attractive. It is something that you should do yourself. It’s an integral part of photography. Capture whatever you like and edit it later using editing software.

I won’t suggest you change the entire image but it’s always good to play with some colors. Natural images are sometimes a bit off-color. The reason is that the sun doesn’t always favor you, nor does the sky. Moonlight is also tricky. Thus, instead of taking hours to get a fine shot, simply click an image and edit it later. It will save you time and maybe bring you a few extra bucks.

Don’t Go for Digital Zoom

As much as you want to capture the tree across the street, zooming in before taking the shot isn’t going to work. Similarly, many people digitally zoom images. They crop and resize them to get the desired results. However, what they fail to realize is that such practices disturb the picture quality. It is mainly why their pictures turn out to be blurry.

Digital zoom does not only reduce the resolution of your photo, but it also yields a grainy photo, leaving you with a low-quality, inferior representation of photography. Thus, to be an effective photographer, you must ditch digital zoom altogether. Instead, get a camera that comes with an optical zoom function. It will help you zoom photographs without reducing their resolution.

Be Friends with the Sunlight

It’s great to have editing software and a photography lighting kit, but being friends with the sunlight is also essential. If you wish to be a professional photographer one day, please know that you need to be best friends with the sun. Natural light enhances the resolution of pictures. Not just that, it also provides great clarity.

Many professional photographers love sunset and sunrise. Have you ever wondered why? It’s because they’re the best times to capture an image, especially the sunrise. It is known as the golden hour moment. It adds a glow to all your images, something which isn’t possible with editing software. Therefore, you must play with the light. Take as many photos in the sun as possible until you finally come to terms with your personalized angles and shots.

The Bottomline…

Winding it up, I want you to know that photography is all about practice; thus, you should keep practicing. Not to mention, patience is another mandatory trait. Sometimes, you have to take 100 photos only to get that one perfect shot. So, it won’t be wrong to say that if you stay patient and keep practicing, you’ll be good to go.

by Tammy Atkinson

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