Today, photography is an incredibly popular hobby that is gaining in popularity. The demand for cameras that can take great photos for personal use is numerous. Now is the time to take advantage of it. Here are some tips that you can use to get you started with your photography plans.

Sunrise

Are you aware of the “magic hours” in photography? This time period refers to the times of day known as dusk and dawn. These magical times create very soft and warm lighting conditions. There is only 45 minutes around sunrise and sunset to add this beautiful light to your shots, so plan accordingly.

An important tip to consider with photography is that you want to make sure you are working with soft light whenever possible. Generally this is going to be much pleasing to the eye than any sort of harsh light. The key is diffusion and it can be attained by shooting near sunrise, sunset, or after a storm. With a flash, you can use a diffuser to take away from a flash’s harshness.

When you are taking landscape photos, consider the sky. If the sky is a rather bland and boring sky, do not let it dominate the photo. If the sky is lit up with wonderful colors (especially during sunrise/sunset or a storm) it’s okay to let the sky dominate the photo.

Portraits

When photographing portraits, isolate your subject. Use a medium telephoto lens or the medium telephoto setting on your zoom. That, combined with a large aperture (try f/4 or larger), blurs the foreground and background. Focus on the eyes. Use diffused lighting for a flattering look. If outdoors, wait for an overcast sky or shoot with the subject in the shadows and the sun at your back.

If you want to take high quality portraits, do not rely on your camera’s built in flash. Instead you want to look at investing in a softbox to use for external lighting. If you can’t afford this, look into purchasing an external flash unit with a diffuser for your camera.

For an interesting photograph, play around with the focus. A smaller f-stop number, or depth of field, will focus on your main subject and make the background blurry in comparison. This style is good for portraits, where the subject is close to the camera. A bigger f-stop number will give you a greater depth of field, which means that everything in the photo will be in focus. This is perfect for landscape photos.

Children

Once you have spotted the subject of your picture, make sure to take your shot right away. This is especially true if your subject is a living being, such as a child or animal. Because staying in one position for a long time is hard for animals and children, you want to make sure you get the pose you want.

When photographing young children, time and patience is your best friend. Children are taught to “say cheese” whenever a camera is focused on them, inevitably creating artificial, fake smiles – or worse. Ideally, a child will become comfortable being photographed when the pressure to “perform” is removed. Simply encourage them to go about their normal activities – then follow them around with your camera, clicking when they naturally smile or are obviously enjoying their surroundings.

You should now see why this hobby is very popular. There is so much you can do in it! There is also a ton of information on how to start enjoying the benefits of it. By following these tips, you are well on your way to becoming a successful photographer.

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