5 Best Photography Tips for Beginners

Here is some advice that I wish someone would have told me when I first bought my camera. Way before I became a 'photographer' and just wanted to take pictures of my kids.

I'm sure you have all been there, you purchase your first DSLR expecting AMAZING results, but are totally devestated when your pictures look the same, if not worse then what you were taking pre DSLR.

1. Make sure you have plenty of light. Low light images are hard enough of to get when you are a professional, much less just starting out. The best time of day to shoot is early morning and late afternoon. You should be able to see your camera settings easily. If its too bright, your images will look too harsh and over exposed. If its too late, your images will be grainy and/or blurry. In auto mode, our cameras properly expose our images. They do not have the brain power to know if the image is moving or not.

2.Pick up your camera everyday. Notice how I didn't say to take pictures everyday. It's important to take the time to get to know the different settings on your camera and when and how you should use them. Flex your memory muscle a little bit! It's good to know which to turn your lens to make it zoom, and what the little numbers and letters mean.

(I know this isn't in english, but if you just look at the pictures, it is super helpful!)

3. Get ride of the extra baggage. Nothing is worse when you are trying to take pictures of your kids for the first time, and you have a heavy bag to carry around with several different lenses and batteries and memory cards. This is also true if you are beginning wildlife and nature photography. A lot of the best places to shoot are place that require climbing, crawling and jumping. I strap my camera to my back as snug as possible.

4. Charge your batteries the night before, or at least an hour or so before you go out. Assuming that your battery life is fine because the LAST time you took photos it was charged is not a good idea. DSLR camera batteries that I have worked with are fantastic, but don't tempt fate. If you can prevent a disaster from happening, its best to do it.

5. Look for variety. Test out your photography skills in different situations. FInd new subjects and inspirations. It's great to take a great photo of your kids, but its also important how to take photos of fast things, slow things, red things and blue things. If you start looking at things like you are looking through your camera, the whole world will open up to you in a new and exciting way. Angles become art, light becomes color.

I wish you all luck! Please let me know how your photography experience is going!