How do you take a good picture? If you’re going to be stepping into the field of photography, you’ll need to know this and more before you begin snapping away like a pro. A picture is worth a thousand words; however, some pictures are much better than others, and that’s where your skill as a photographer comes in. In this guide on the basics of photography, we’ll help you understand not only how your camera works but how to take stunning pictures with it every time.
Introduction
Before you run out and spend your first paycheck on a DSLR, it's important to understand some basics. You don't need an SLR to take amazing pictures -- there are plenty of affordable point-and-shoot cameras that can do wonders for your photography. This guide is meant to help you wade through all of your options so that you can purchase something that fits into your budget, without sacrificing quality or features. Here are four important things to consider before purchasing a new camera: quality, features, price and durability.
Composition
Photographers take a wide variety of approaches to composing their shots, but there are some guidelines that you can follow to make sure your photos work as well as they possibly can. It’s helpful to think about composition in terms of: light, lines, shape and color. A good photo will have all four working together at once. For example, if you look at a photograph that captures an interesting subject but is poorly lit or lacks interesting shapes or colors—the photo isn’t going to be particularly memorable.
Lenses
There are two main types of lenses that all photographers have in their bag: a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens. The wide-angle is ideal for landscapes, while a telephoto is good for subjects that are further away, like wildlife or sports events. Take a look at our guide to focal lengths and camera lenses if you want to learn more about specific lenses.
Aperture
This refers to how much light is let into your camera’s lens. It is measured in f-stops, and typically ranges from 1.4 (really bright!) to 22 (really dark!). If you want more depth in your photos, you can use a lower number; if you want sharper focus in low-light situations, a higher number might be better. Experiment! You’ll find what works best for your type of photography.
Shutter Speed
First, set your shutter speed. In photography, shutter speed refers to how long your camera’s shutter remains open when you snap a picture. It’s measured in fractions of a second (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc.). Faster shutter speeds are better for capturing motion because they let less light into your camera (like in sports photos). Slow shutter speeds are better for lower-light situations like concerts or landscape shots that you want to blur to emphasize motion. When taking photos in bright sunlight, use a slow shutter speed such as 1⁄4 or 1⁄2 a second to create clouds with sharp edges and have water look silky smooth.
ISO
The ISO is what determines how sensitive your camera is to light. For example, a higher ISO means that less light is needed for a good picture. However, a high ISO also makes for more grainy images. If you’re taking pictures in low-light conditions, it’s best to opt for a high ISO so you can capture as much detail as possible without using a flash.
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