5 Photography Tips for Absolute Beginners

In life, we make mistakes, but it is an avenue to learn for those who are determined. Photography is no different from everything else, as we all made mistakes while starting out as freelance photographers in Dubai. Defining photography is not as straightforward as it sounds, as there is much nitty-gritty that has to be taken into account when getting the correct definition.

However, for a beginner, we will not overwhelm you with complex jargon concerning the field. In layman terms, photography is essentially capturing moments while armed with a camera, light, and composition. Making mistakes in photography is permitted, but as some of the best freelance photographers in the UAE explain, some of these mistakes can be avoided as they can tarnish your portfolio when not sorted.

Here are five of the tips that can make you avoid simple mistakes after taking up photography either as a hobby or career.

1. Using Inappropriate Equipment

One of the biggest mistakes that beginner photographers make is not knowing the right equipment to utilize. There is much useful photography equipment for different photographers which you can start off with, instead of going directly for the high-end models.

You don’t really need sophisticated equipment to take standard portraits. For instance, someone taking a landscape shot doesn’t necessarily require high-speed super-telephoto accessories. In fact, you will look like a nonce when you do this. It doesn’t really take much of an option when you take your time to learn about the right photography equipment for specific occasions.

As an amateur, you can always begin with the camera that you already own without getting more expensive ones. There are countless types of cameras, lenses, and other photography accessories available in the market today. If you have experience with using the majority of them, you will conclude that the latest models are pretty much the same.

The difference is often minor, especially given their prices. The most important things to focus on are your photography skills and the settings of those cameras. Your effort should be the determining factor on your output and not the types of equipment you use.

2. Work with composition

For you to take comely pictures, you ought to be engaged with the subject and location. The composition is the one thing about photography that one can learn even without owning a professional camera. It is something that after you have learnt it, can make you take professional photos with your smartphone.

As a freelance photographer in the UAE, you should not let your activities to simply fly by while on autopilot. You need to take into consideration the photography composition rules to make your pictures appear as good as possible. Some of the factors to consider during the photography session include:

Keeping the horizons leveled
Not cutting off essential parts of the subject
Eliminating distractions through the adjustment of your composition
Ensuring that the photo has a sense of balance and simplicity

The photos might not appear great on your first try, but practice makes perfect, and with time, it will be a walk in the park for you.

3. Learn which settings matter the most

There are a lot of camera settings that need to be taken into perspective by every freelance photographer in Dubai. Understanding digital cameras is a way to know all the necessary parameters that can take your skills to the next level. However, even the most experienced photographers might not be all perfect, especially now that there are too many camera brands to comprehend them all

If you own a camera, it is paramount to understand it wholly, including the right settings. For starters, you should try practicing with other modes and not just full auto. This is because if you leave the camera to do all the work for you, you will most definitely fail to learn how to use it in specific settings.

Some of the settings that are mandatory for every photographer to learn to include the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Without understanding these settings, you will just be embarrassing yourself as there will always be a time when you need to handle them by yourself.

Apart from the above-mentioned three settings, you also need to consider the different auto-focusing modes and lastly, train yourself to shoot in RAW. This is because as a professional freelance photographer in the UAE, you may need to edit the pictures at a later time.

4. Pay attention to lighting

Lighting is a major component of professional photography. It is no brainer that a good photo has to be taken under conducive lighting conditions. The biggest mistake most beginner photographers make is not knowing what counts as good lighting. It is not always all about the sunsets or sunrises.

The goal of every photographer is to try and balance the intensity of light between the background and the subject. One of the best ways to deal with this is to pay closer attention to the softness and direction of light. A light that is too harsh might create shadows across your subject while one that is too low won’t capture every detail as required.

The other thing that many people get wrong is the use of a flash. It is often believed that flashes are solely for indoor photography, and outdoor photography doesn’t require them. The only times you may not need the use of a flash is when taking close-up pictures or portraits and when the natural light is well-balanced. Other than that, you may have to use artificial lighting outdoors to fill out the ugly shadows cast on your subject.

5. Holding the camera – the right way

This might come as a shocker, but the way you hold the camera matters a lot. This is one thing, which when done wrongly, makes it embarrassing and awkward for you. This is even made worse if you are in the presence of other experienced photographers who might just treat you as a rookie, based on how you are holding your camera. Get to learn how to properly hold a camera, and you will live to enjoy better images thanks to your steadiness.

Bottom line

Photography is as simple as it should be, only when you have mastered the basics. These five tips will not only make you to avoid embarrassing moments but also help you in your journey of being part of the best freelance photographers in Dubai.

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Saturday, March 7, 2020