Three common misconceptions and six life tips. What to photograph

02.11.2019

Publication date: 31.10.2014

With this article we open a new project "I'm a photographer", in which we will share with you the experience of photographing. New lessons about all aspects of photography will be released weekly. Lessons will be focused on different levels of the reader: from a beginner to an advanced photographer. I will lead this project Konstantin Voronov, professional photographer and photography teacher.

Of course, each of us at least once shot with a phone or a simple “soap box”. However, many people want not only to take pictures for memory, but also to get beautiful, high-quality photographs, enjoy the process of photographing, and when posting photos on the Internet, have a lot of “likes” under them.

How to become a photographer? Where to begin? Many people ask this question every day. To begin, I will give some general tips to help you avoid common mistakes at the start, and dispel a few common misconceptions about photography.

NIKON D810 / 70.0-200.0 mm f/4.0 SETTINGS: ISO 100, F4, 1/80 s, 95.0 mm equiv.

Let's start with delusions.

Misconception #1.

“A good camera takes good photos”

This is not true. Good photos are not taken by the camera, but by the photographer. Many people before they start taking pictures on their own think that professional photographers get good, high-quality shots due to the use of expensive equipment. However, the camera is only a tool. How to use it, decides its owner.

If a person who does not know how to draw is given the best, most expensive brushes and paints, the result will be absolutely the same as when using the simplest and cheapest. Good brushes and paints will show all their capabilities only in skillful hands. It's the same with photography.

While working with students, I often came across beginners who had the most expensive, most professional cameras in existence. Did such students make shots better than others? No. On the contrary, their pictures were worse because they could not understand the complex photographic equipment designed for experienced professionals.

It is best to choose a camera not by its belonging to the professional class or the highest price category, but by how it suits your level of training and your tasks. For example, many expensive professional cameras, such as the Nikon D810, do not have automatic mode and scene programs at all (portrait, landscape, macro, etc.), which makes them incredibly difficult to work with for beginner photographers. : You have to dig into unknown settings for a long time. At the same time, many entry-level cameras, such as the Nikon D5300 or Nikon D3300, can take great pictures on full auto: the photographer can only choose the most interesting scenes without thinking about the technical side of the issue.

How to choose a camera? Choose not “the best professional camera”, but the model that suits your skills and your tasks. To make the right choice, it is enough to understand how seriously you want to take photography, whether you are going to learn photography or just want to take pictures for memory.

Misconception #2

“Photography is easy!”

Like many creative pursuits, photography seems like a very simple thing until you do it yourself. For example, like playing musical instruments, dancing, singing… You look at a professional dancer and think: “how simple and natural everything turns out for him! It seems that there is nothing difficult in this! I can do the same!” But when you try to do at least a couple of dance moves on your own, it turns out that it’s not so easy: at least you need special training.

It's the same with photography: despite the seeming simplicity, taking good pictures is quite difficult. After all, it requires a lot of knowledge and skills. Moreover, both technical (how to set up the camera, for example) and creative (how to compose a shot, how to choose the right lighting). Sometimes we are talking about issues that seem to be indirectly related to photography. For example, how to plan a tourist trip to get a lot of good shots; how to make a child sit still while being photographed… By the way, we will cover all these topics within the framework of this project. Stay tuned!

On the other hand, when you have the necessary experience, photography is really easy and enjoyable. The camera does not interfere with getting good shots, and the composition is built intuitively. But for this you need to train, learn, gain experience.

Misconception #3

“To learn how to take pictures, it is enough to learn the technique and press the buttons on the camera correctly”

Shooting technique and parameters are only part of the necessary skills. And by the way, the part is the easiest. How to set the exposure? How to control focus? What is white balance? - all these issues of a technical nature are solved easily and simply, and with regular training they are fixed and remain with the photographer forever. This is the arithmetic of photography, two plus two. But photography is first and foremost art. But the creative component is much more complicated and not so unambiguous. How to compose a frame? What to show in the photo? What subject should be photographed? Photographers constantly suffer from these and many other creative questions and solve them with varying degrees of success. Of course, it is worth starting photography training from the basics, from technology. But it's too early to end there.

NIKON D5200 / 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 SETTINGS: ISO 1100, F4.5, 1/60s, 38.0mm equiv.

The main problem of most novice photographers is not the lack of good photographic equipment or even a lack of some special skills. The main problem is the lack of artistic taste. Build yourself a good artistic taste! See photos of famous photographers, visit exhibitions. By the way, when was the last time you were in the Hermitage and the Tretyakov Gallery? Analyze the work of real masters: why did the artist or photographer decide to show this and that? How is the composition structured? How did the author work with light?

Visiting exhibitions, viewing galleries of famous photographers and artists on the Internet is what will give you good luggage for your personal creativity. And vice versa: it is better not to watch bad, mediocre things.

Why is it important? Imagine what happens if a person who has never seen a single picture is given brushes and paints in his hands? Most likely, he will not understand what to do with them; at best, he will depict something in the spirit of rock art. For example, some isolated African tribes are unable not only to perceive the image on the plane, but even to distinguish colors that are not responsible for their survival, are not found in their environment. Because no one taught them this, they do not have the necessary experience for this. It is natural for a person to use what he has seen, accumulated experience in his life and work. This experience is a must. As photographers say, “you need to be seen”.

As we know, lying on the couch at home, you can't take good photos! Get your camera out! Travel, walk, visit interesting places: exhibitions, festivals, sporting events. In this way, you will witness interesting scenes for shooting, gain the experience necessary for shooting in various conditions. If we talk about landscape photography, then it is generally unthinkable without travel. By the way, it’s the same as the portrait one: after all, often in order to shoot a good portrait, you need to choose a beautiful place, a good background, and only then take a beautiful picture of the model.

There is also a purely psychological aspect: on a journey, regardless of its distance, a person gains impressions, inspiration, and is charged with creative energy.

NIKON D810 / 70.0-200.0 mm f/4.0 SETTINGS: ISO 400, F4.5, 1/200 s, 200.0 mm equiv.

In order for there to be progress in your photography classes, and the number of beautiful shots to increase, you need to be critical of your work. You should not rest on your laurels, be able to see flaws in your work, even if everyone praises them.

For example, the toughest critic of my work is myself. I know better than any critic what and where the mistakes in my pictures lie. Analyzing my photos, I realize that I could have shot even better. And the next time I shoot, I try to do it. Believe me, you will get great pleasure from correcting your own shortcomings, and your pictures will become more and more beautiful!

Any creativity begins with the technical foundations. Photography is no exception. To write books, you need to learn the alphabet, grammar, spelling of the language. Of course, modern cameras have excellent automation, which will allow you to get good shots at the touch of a single button, without thinking about any settings.

However, those who shoot in auto mode know that automatics often make mistakes: either the brightness of the picture is not the same, then the colors are not the same, then the sharpness is not there. But you really want to tell the camera how to do it! In order to fully control the shooting process and not depend on the quirks of automation, it is worth learning the fairly simple technical basics of photography. How is an image formed in a camera? What is exposure? What is white balance? How does focus work? Understanding how everything works and knowing how to set up your camera will allow you to take high quality pictures and have full control of the shooting process “from and to”. By the way, in the next lessons we will talk about these technical basics.

Good day, dear friends! Glad to welcome you back to the pages. From today's short article, you will learn the answer to the question, with simple tips and colorful examples.

Why did I decide to talk about the process of taking a photo? Yes, everything is simple, the very processing of photos in graphic editors is inextricably linked with the very process of creating photographic masterpieces, and therefore meet - 10 ingredients for a good frame.

I hope these 10 simple tips will take your photography to the next level.

How to learn how to take pictures with a DSLR?

Everything is simple here, try to place an odd number of objects on your frame when photographing, be it simple fruits (as in the photo below), or groups of people. Believe me, an odd number of objects looks much nicer than an even number.)

Even number of berries

and there are only three berries

This advice is more of a general advice. "how to improve a photo", but let it be to the heap. Its meaning is to use fast lenses with the maximum aperture for this lens (1.2, 1.4, 1.8). Thanks to this, we will get a very clear photographed object, but the background will be blurry, like the trees in the picture below.

This tip helps to get rid of excess “garbage” in the background and create the main focus on the photographed object. So, now you also know the secret of getting beautiful. 🙂 Now you are a true professional 🙂

Probably the most notorious advice, but at the same time one of the most effective and popular ways to build a competent frame composition. You will instantly improve your pictures taken DSLR if you overdo this advice. Its meaning is that the photographed object is correctly located in one of the 4 points of an imaginary 3 × 3 grid, as in the example below.

Currently, most modern cameras allow you to display such a grid on the screen when photographing (depending on the specific camera model). Below is a portrait according to this rule)

As the saying goes: "the simpler the frame, the better." Nothing prevents us from enjoying the main object shown in the photo.

In addition, you can use tip #2 along with the current one to blur out distracting details in the picture.

Here's another piece of advice for you how to take pictures with a DSLR. You failed to use the "rule of thirds", then just place the main object in the center of the frame,

leaving some free space around the edges. This advice is also best used when Photo there are few minor details, and there is one main subject for your shot.

Tip 6: Add space in front of a moving subject

This is also an important piece of advice to keep in mind. Someone is riding a bike, a car, or just a couple walking in the park. Just go ahead and add space in front of the subject and the frame will take on new life, trust me when I say it. It works.

Take a look below, the frame is built according to the “rule of thirds” plus this tip has been added to it. And the photo immediately becomes more alive. We are waiting for the end, we think in our head that, at some point, the snowboarder will land.

And here's another example frame, take a look at the runner in the first screenshot, the space in front of her makes the photo more active.

And here is the frame when the subject comes out of the photo. The run is already over.

Blimey! And there's that infamous S-curve. Remember that using an S-curve will saturate the photo and make it more expressive? Why do we need this curve? Just a photo that shows such an imaginary (imaginary curve) looks more dynamic,

compared to the photo where there is no such curve.

The use of the S-curve can also be seen in ancient sculptures.

In most modern landscape photographs, as a rule, there is a middle ground and a background (the most distant place in the picture is the mountains, the horizon, etc.)

And very little attention is paid to the foreground. Do you want to raise your photography level above, just go ahead and add something to the foreground. For example, a stone, as in the photo below. This will immediately give volume and a sense of presence in the place where the photo was taken.

Also, this technique works very well in portrait photography. Just add something to the foreground - here's another simple tip for you, how to learn to photograph professionally.

If you think you are close enough to the subject being photographed, then just try to get even closer to it. Just get closer and fill the frame completely, and in this case you will get a completely different composition.

Take a look below. The photo shows the same wolf, but the story that the picture tells is different.

Another tip that will take your photos to the next level. You just need to find a natural or artificial frame in the environment. What do I mean by "frame"? It can be anything, the arch of a bridge, the arch of someone's house, etc. See how the Tatj Mahal has changed in the photo below

And here is another example of using a natural frame in a photo.

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Love taking pictures and posing, but not sure if you're doing everything right? A few simple rules that we have collected in this article will help you learn how to take shots almost like a pro, you just need a little skill, patience and a smartphone.

website assures: after reading this short guide, the photos are guaranteed to be successful.

1. Pay attention to the background

Sometimes a good shot can easily ruin a pole that has grown out of your head. Such trifles can be noticed not immediately, but they spoil the impression of the picture.

A suitable background can even be where you don’t expect to see it at all. For example, it can be a transformer box with a textured wall, or a service entrance that looks completely unpresentable from a distance, but looks quite good up close. Look for interesting materials and textures for the background even in the most unexpected places, only then get ready to fend off questions like “Where did you find such a cool background ?!”

2. Be careful with close-ups

The fact is that when shooting close, the geometry of the frame changes, as a result, the appearance is distorted. The face becomes like that of a hamster, and this is unlikely to be to your advantage. Move the lens away a little and you will see that the picture will turn out much better.

3. Experiment with the angle of inclination

Let's compare with our example. We have a cute carousel and an equally cute model, how to combine them? You can just stand next to the attraction and take a picture, or you can take a selfie and change the angle of inclination - you get a mischievous and funny shot. So we will see both the round roof of the carousel and the swing, and give the picture liveliness. Don't be afraid to experiment with angles when appropriate.

4. Don't put the subject in the center of the composition

If you are photographing a single subject, do not place it in the center of the frame. Remember the rule of thirds, according to which the frame is divided by lines, along which it is recommended to place objects.

5. Beauty is around

6. Learn to catch good light

Good lighting is an important part of a good photo. The difference in these two frames is literally one and a half steps, and the result is obvious. In the second picture, we managed to catch a softer light, besides, the background very successfully “fell” into the darkness and hid unnecessary details.

Rotate the camera a little, try to catch the light with your face. Do not forget that the lighting should fall on you, and not shine from behind, otherwise you will get only a silhouette.

7. But don't overdo it

Too bright light can also play a cruel joke. Shooting in bright daylight can be difficult even for experienced photographers, and portraits in the sun will most likely turn out with squinted eyes. Therefore, try not to take pictures during hours of high solar activity. Look for the most beautiful natural light during the morning hours and at sunset.

8. Avoid HDR Mode

The HDR effect was once very popular on Instagram, and even now some photo editing applications offer filters with this effect. But the fashion for HDR has long passed, but the unnaturalness of such frames remains. Leave these filters in the past, they belong there.

9. Wait for the perfect moment to take a picture

Alas, but for the sake of an elegant frame, sometimes it is worth showing patience. Catching a good moment is easier than photoshopping random passers-by. A little exposure, and here is a great shot in your hands! That is, in a smartphone.

I want to take pictures, I want to take pictures, I want to take pictures - I want, I want, I want! Typical words of a person who first discovered the world of photography. However, from the words “I want to take pictures” to the concepts “I can” and “I can” there is a long way, which not everyone can overcome.

In this article, we will try to consider the main ways in which the formation of a beginner amateur photographer can take place, and we will try to tell in the most understandable language about how you can find yourself in the art of photography.

Want to take pictures, but why?

Perhaps the first question of a novice photographer is what to shoot. People begin to study many forums, Internet sites and plunge into the jungle of information, from which they are often unable to get out on their own. In fact, everything is simple here - you can shoot anything. However, we still advise you to refuse shooting on a smartphone - it makes sense to immediately buy a compact camera. A specialized device will simply give you the opportunity to understand the basics of photography more easily, to comprehend this process more deeply. And the ideal way in general can be to buy an old domestic film "Zenith" and shoot several rolls of film with it. To be honest, such a “photo school” can replace a lot of hours of photography courses and will make it easy to understand what shutter speed, aperture, sharpness and other basic photographic concepts are. By the way, such a "school" will not interfere with many "digital pros" who often have no idea about these elements of photography and how these parameters can affect the final image.

Filming and earnings

It often happens that today the concept of “I want to take pictures” is often dictated by the thesis “I want to make money on photography”. Such an approach, along with the availability of photographic equipment, gave rise to a mass of "pseudo-professionals" who completed courses, bought a DSLR and positioned themselves as "pros". In principle, this trend is quite justified against the background of the fact that most clients have little idea about art photography, and a pretty photoshopped picture sometimes seems quite acceptable to them in order to pay solid fees to such “photographers”. Nevertheless, in pursuit of the ruble, one should not forget that today the market for commercial photography is narrow, and in order to be in demand on it, you need to offer a really high-quality product. And this is a serious reason to delve into the study of the basics of photography.

What should be photographed?

Another thesis that is common among modern novice photographers is what exactly to shoot. Indeed, finding your niche in any kind of art is not easy, and in order to understand which genre is closer to you, you should first master all the available areas of photography. And for this we will give a simple advice - take pictures of everything that surrounds you. Remember that a beautiful shot can be taken anywhere, among the usual things, environment, in your hometown, village, your own home, finally. Be original and look for the extraordinary in the ordinary.

If you want to take pictures, take pictures. That's all the advice. This little joking article hopefully helps you answer some basic questions and gives you some tips to help you become a photographer. Creative success!