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Introduction to Photography: The Universal Language

troduction to Photography: The Universal Language Photography LifePL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levelsReviews Camera Reviews Lens Reviews Learn About Us Forum SearchHome → Photography TutorialsIntroduction to Photography: The Universal LanguageWhat you need to know about photography. Why you need to know it.By Spencer Cox Comments are closedLast Updated On December 18, 2022This introduction to photography is written for beginners, with several tips and suggestions to take your skills as far as possible. However, writing an introduction to photography is like writing an introduction to words; as amazing and important as it is, photography can be almost limitlessly complex. What separates inspiring photographs from ordinary ones, and how can you improve the quality of your own work? This article lays a foundation to answer to those questions and more.Table of ContentsWhat Is Photography?A Brief History of Photography and the People Who Made It SucceedJoseph Nicéphore NiépceLouis DaguerreAlfred StieglitzDorothea LangeAnsel AdamsDo You Need a Fancy Camera?What Is the Bare Minimum Gear Needed for Photography?The Three Fundamental Camera Settings You Should KnowPhotography FAQThe First Steps on Your Photographic JourneyWhat Is Photography?Photography is the art of capturing light with a camera, usually via a digital sensor or film, to create an image. With the right camera equipment, you can even photograph wavelengths of light invisible to the human eye, including UV, infrared, and radio.The first permanent photograph was captured in 1826 (some sources say 1827) by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in France. It shows the roof of a building lit by the sun. You can see it reproduced below:“View from the Window at Le Gras” by Joseph Nicéphore NiépceWe’ve come a long way since then.Image by NASA (public domain)The purpose of this article is to introduce the past and present worlds of photography. You will also find some important tips to help you take better photos along the way.A Brief History of Photography and the People Who Made It SucceedColor photography started to become popular and accessible with the release of Eastman Kodak’s “Kodachrome” film in the 1930s. Before that, almost all photos were monochromatic – although a handful of photographers, toeing the line between chemists and alchemists, had been using specialized techniques to capture color images for decades before. You’ll find some fascinating galleries of photos from the 1800s or early 1900s captured in full color, worth exploring if you have not seen them already.These scientist-magicians, the first color photographers, are hardly alone in pushing the boundaries of one of the world’s newest art forms. The history of photography has always been a history of people – artists and inventors who steered the field into the modern era.So, below, you’ll find a brief introduction to some of photography’s most important names. Their discoveries, creations, ideas, and photographs shape our own pictures to this day, subtly or not. Although this is just a brief bird’s-eye view, these nonetheless are people you should know before you step into the technical side of photography:Joseph Nicéphore Niépce Invention: The first permanent photograph (“View from the Window at Le Gras,” shown earlier)Where: France, 1826Impact: Cameras had already existed for centuries before this, but they had one major flaw: You couldn’t record a photo with them! They simply projected light onto a separate surface – one which artists used to create realistic paintings, but not strictly photographs. Niépce solved this problem by coating a pewter plate with, essentially, asphalt, which grew harder when exposed to light. By washing the plate with lavender oil, he was able to fix the hardened substance permanently to the plate.Quote: “The discovery I have made, and which I call Heliography, consists in reproducing spontaneously, by the action of light, with gradations of tints from black to white, the images received in the camera obscura.” Mic drop.Louis Daguerre Invention: The Daguerreotype (first commercial photographic material)Where: France, 1839Impact: Daguerreotypes are images fixed directly to a heavily polished sheet of silver-plated copper. This invention is what really made photography a practical reality – although it was still just an expensive curiosity to many people at this point. The first time you see a daguerreotype in person, you may be surprised just how sharp it is.Quote: “I have seized the light. I have arrested its flight.”A daguerreotype of Louis Daguerre. Today, this is known as daguerreoceptionAlfred Stieglitz Genre: Portraiture and documentaryWhere: United States, late 1800s through mid 1900sImpact: Alfred Stieglitz was a photographer, but, more importantly, he was one of the first influential members of the art community to take photography seriously as a creative medium. He believed that photographs could express the artist’s vision just as well as paintings or music – in other words, that photographers could be artists. Today’s perception of photography as an art form owes a lot to Stieglitz.Quote: “In photography, there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.”Dorothea Lange Genre: Portrait photographyWhere: United States, 1930sImpact: One of the most prominent documentary photographers in history, and the photographer behind one of the most influential images of all time (shown below), is Dorothea Lange. If you’ve ever seen photos from the Great Depression, you’ve seen some of her work. Her photos shaped the field of documentary photography and showed the camera’s potential for telling powerful stories perhaps more than anyone else.Quote: “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.”“Migrant Mother,” Dorothea Lange’s most famous photographAnsel Adams Genre: Landscape photographyWhere: United StatesWhen: 1920s to 1960s (for most of his work)Impact: Ansel Adams is perhaps the most famous photographer in history, which is remarkable because he mainly took pictures of landscapes and natural scenes. (Typically, famous photographers have tended to photograph people instead.) Ansel Adams helped usher in an era of realism in landscape photography, and he was an early champion of the environmentalism and preservation movements in the United States.Quote: “There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”“The Tetons and the Snake River,” by Ansel Adams. Public domainDo You Need a Fancy Camera?Apple became the world’s first trillion dollar company in 2018 largely because of the iPhone – and what it replaced.Alarm clocks. Flashlights. Calculators. MP3 players. Landline phones. GPSs. Audio recorders.Cameras.Many people today believe that their phone is good enough for most photography, and they have no need to buy a separate camera. And you know what? They’re not wrong. For most people out there, a dedicated camera is overkill.Phones are better than dedicated cameras for most people’s needs. They’re quicker and easier to use, not to mention their seamless integration with social media. It only makes sense to get a dedicated camera if your phone isn’t good enough for the photos you want (like photographing sports or low-light environments) or if you’re specifically interested in photography as a hobby.That advice may sound crazy coming from a photographer, but it’s true. If you have any camera at all, especially a cell phone camera, you have what you need for photography. And if you have a more advanced camera, like a DSLR or mirrorless camera, what more is there to say? Your tools are up to the challenge. All that’s left is to learn how to use them.What Is the Bare Minimum Gear Needed for Photography?Camera. If you buy a dedicated camera (rather than a phone), pick one with interchangeable lenses so that you can try out different types of photography more easily. Read reviews, but don’t obsess over them, because everything available today is pretty much equally good as its competition. Find a nice deal and move on.Lenses. This is where it counts. For everyday photography, start with a standard zoom lens like a 24-70mm or 18-55mm. For portrait photography, pick a prime lens (one that doesn’t zoom) at 35mm, 50mm, or 85mm. For sports, go with a telephoto lens. For macro photography, get a dedicated macro lens. And so on. Lenses matter more than any other piece of equipment because they determine what photos you can take in the first place.Post-processing software. One way or another, you need to edit your photos. The software that comes with your computer probably won’t cut it in the long run. I’m not really a pro-Adobe person, but at the end of the day, Photoshop and Lightroom are still the standards for photo editing. For now, it’s $10/month for both of them. An open-source Lightroom alternative called Darktable is an option if you’re on a budget. Whatever you pick, stick with it for a while, and you’ll learn it really well.There are other things that might be optional, but can be very helpful: A tripod. A landscape photographer’s best friend. See our comprehensive tripod article.Bags. Get a shoulder bag for street photography, a rolling bag for studio photography, a technical hiking backpack for landscape photography, and so on.Memory cards. Well, these aren’t optional. Choose something in the 64-128 GB range to start. Get a fast card (measured in MB/second) if you shoot bursts of photos, since your camera’s memory will clear faster.Extra batteries. Get at least one spare battery to start, preferably two. Off-brand batteries are usually cheaper, although they may not last as long or maintain compatibility with future cameras.Polarizing filter. This is a big one, especially for landscape photographers. Don’t get a cheap polarizer or it will harm your image quality. The one that I use and recommend is the B+W high transmission nano filter (of the same thread size as your lens). See our polarizing filter article too.Flash. Flashes can be expensive, and you might need to buy a separate transmitter and receiver if you want to use your flash off-camera. But for genres like portrait photography or macro photography, they’re indispensable.Better computer monitor. It’s almost essential to get IPS monitor (like this fairly cheap one) for editing photos, rather than a TN-panel monitor. If you don’t know what that means, we have an article about the difference. I also recommend a color calibration device so you know you’re editing accurate colors. Here’s the one I happen to use if you care, but there are a million options.Cleaning kit. The top item is a microfiber cloth to keep the front of your lens clean. Also get a rocket blower to remove dust from your camera sensor easily and safely.Other equipment. There are countless photography accessories available, from remote shutter releases to GPS attachments, printers, and more. Don’t worry about these at first; you’ll realize over time if you need any of them. Instead, go out and start taking pictures first!The Three Fundamental Camera Settings You Should KnowYour camera has dozens of buttons and menu options, if not hundreds. How do you make sense of all these options? And how do you do it quickly in the field?It’s not easy, but it’s also not as bad you might think. In fact, most of the menu options are things you’ll only set one time, then rarely or never touch again. Only a handful of settings need to be changed frequently, and that’s what the rest of this Photography Basics guide covers.The three most important settings are called shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. All three of them control the brightness of your photo, although they do so in different ways. In other words, each brings its own “side effects” to an image. So, it’s a bit of an art to know exactly how to balance all three for a given photo. Shutter speed: The amount of time your camera sensor is exposed to the outside world while taking a picture. Chapter 3: Shutter SpeedAperture: Represents a “pupil” in your lens that can open and close to let in different amounts of light. Chapter 4: ApertureISO: Technically a bit more complex behind the scenes, but similar to the sensitivity of film for taking pictures in different lighting conditions. Also similar to brightening or darkening a photo in post-processing. Chapter 5: ISOEquipment: Nikon Z6 II + Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8. Settings: 20 second shutter speed, f/2.0 aperture, ISO 1600Photography FAQThis multi-chapter guide goes into a lot more detail about taking good photos, but you may find that some of your biggest questions can be answered more quickly. Here’s a quick photography FAQ with some questions we hear all the time:What is the purpose of photography?The purpose of photography can vary depending on what the photographer is trying to achieve. For example, documentary and news photographers capture images for the purpose of providing detailed account of actual events, while hobbyist photographers aim to capture life moments with their families and friends.What are the types of photography?There are many different types of photography, such as landscape, macro, wildlife, portrait, documentary, fashion, travel and event photography. To see a more complete list of types of photography, please refer to this article.What do you need for photography?To start taking pictures, all you need is a camera, which can be anything from a basic smartphone to an advanced DSLR or a mirrorless camera. However, photography equipment is not all that important – light, subject, emotion and composition are all critical elements of a successful photograph.What is the most common type of photography?There are a number of photography genres that are very popular today. These include portrait, landscape, architecture, fashion, food, sports, wildlife, macro, street, event and documentary photography.What equipment do I need as a beginner photographer?If you are just starting out in photography, all you need is a camera that you are comfortable with. The rest of photography equipment is going to be based on your needs. For example, if you want to do landscape photography, you will need a number of different lenses, a tripod and filters. For portrait photography, you will need to invest in a good portrait lens and potentially some lighting equipment.What is the oldest photograph?The oldest photograph, “View from the Window at Le Gras”, was captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826 or 1827.Who took the first selfie?The first photographic portrait ever taken was a self-portrait, or a “selfie”. It was captured in 1839 by Robert Cornelius, an amateur chemist and photography enthusiast from Philadelphia.What is a genre in photography? A photography “genre” is a type of photography, such as landscape photography, portrait photography, wildlife photography, etc.How can I learn photography?You can learn photography from many books and online resources. A lot of information related to photography can be obtained for free in the forms of articles and videos. This article is a part of photography basics series, which is provided by Photography Life for free to everyone.What makes a great photo?A great photograph should have good light, subject, and composition – the three elements that matter the most in photography. The photographer should have a strong vision, then express it in the most effective way possible, as explained in this article.What are the three basic camera settings?The three basic camera settings are: aperture, shutter speed and ISO.What is the best type of photography?Every photography genre has its own appeal. Some people like some genres of photography more than others.The First Steps on Your Photographic JourneyIn photography, the technical and the creative go hand in hand.Remember the Ansel Adams quote from earlier? “There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.” If the idea behind a photo is weak, using the right camera settings won’t make it better.At the same time, camera settings still matter. In a way, every technical choice is really an artistic choice in disguise. These settings are worth learning. Your understanding of photography will improve tenfold when you understand how camera settings work.So, the next few chapters of this guide will cover the most important camera settings: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Then, we’ll dive into the deep end of composition. This is how photos are made.Take me to Chapter 3: Shutter Speed Photography Basics Introduction What is Photography? (You are here) Shutter Speed Aperture ISO Composition Metering Camera Modes Focusing Flash Camera Settings How to Take Sharp Pictures Photography Tips for Beginners Photography IdeasRelated Articles Understanding Shutter SpeedFood Photography Tips: IntroductionIntroduction to Shutter Speed in Photography20 Sports Photography Tips for BeginnersUnderstanding Digital Camera Modes (PSAM and More)How to Get Sharp PhotosDisclosures, Terms and Conditions and Support Options Filed Under: Photography Tutorials Tagged With: Photography Basics, Photography Tips, Tips for BeginnersAbout Spencer CoxI'm Spencer Cox, a landscape photographer based in Colorado. I started writing for Photography Life almost ten years ago, and now I run the website in collaboration with Nasim. I've used nearly every digital camera system under the sun, but for my personal work, I love the slow-paced nature of large format film. You can see more at my personal website and my Instagram page.Learn Beginner Photography Landscape Photography Wildlife Photography Portraiture Post-Processing Advanced Tutorials Reviews Camera Reviews Lens Reviews Other Gear Reviews Best Cameras and LensesPhotography TutorialsPhotography BasicsLandscape PhotographyWildlife PhotographyMacro PhotographyComposition & CreativityBlack & White PhotographyNight Sky PhotographyPortrait PhotographyStreet PhotographyPhotography VideosUnique Gift IdeasSubscribe via EmailIf you like our content, you can subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly email updates using the link below:Subscribe to our newsletterSite MenuAbout Us Beginner Photography Lens Database Lens Index Photo Spots Search ForumReviewsReviews Archive Camera Reviews Lens Reviews Other Gear ReviewsMoreContact Us Subscribe Workshops Support Us Submit ContentCopyright © 2024 · Photography Life

Photography Basics: The Complete Beginner's Guide

otography Basics: The Complete Beginner's Guide Photography LifePL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levelsReviews Camera Reviews Lens Reviews Learn About Us Forum SearchPhotography Basics: The Complete Beginner’s GuideBy Spencer CoxPhotography isn’t the only way to capture the world, but it certainly is one of the most effective. Look no further than the nearest social media feed, news station, magazine article, or book cover to see it – photographs have power. If you want to harness that power and learn how to take the best possible photos, welcome to “Photography Basics: The Beginner’s Guide.” This comprehensive tutorial explains the fundamental concepts you should know about photography from start to finish.Nikon D7000 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 @ 105mm, ISO 280, 1/400, f/4.0Why We Wrote “Photography Basics”Where would you go if you wanted to learn the most important basics of photography, starting from scratch?Today, many people today like learning about photography online, which is a great way to search through large amounts of information (and carry a reference in your pocket). But as good as the internet is for answering questions, it’s not always geared toward studying a large topic from start to finish.After operating Photography Life for more than a decade, we decided it was time to fill this gap for beginning photographers. As we see it, people should be able to start learning photography with little to no prior knowledge, dig down for a bit, and emerge with a solid understanding of the most important concepts. So, Photography Basics – a completely free, online guide to photography – was born.NIKON D800E + Nikon F 20mm f/1.8 @ 20mm, ISO 3200, 20 seconds, f/2.2Where to BeginPhotography Basics is like a book, and it reads from front to back. Each chapter of the guide builds on prior chapters. If you start at the very beginning and work your way through, the information will flow naturally and in the right order. However, if you want to learn something more specific, you’re welcome to skip ahead to a later chapter. Here is the overall organization of the guide:Photography Basics Organization Photography Basics Introduction (You are here) What is Photography? Shutter Speed Aperture ISO Composition Metering Camera Modes Focusing Flash Camera Settings How to Take Sharp Pictures Photography Tips for Beginners Photography IdeasTake me to Chapter 2: What Is Photography?Disclosures, Terms and Conditions and Support OptionsLearn Beginner Photography Landscape Photography Wildlife Photography Portraiture Post-Processing Advanced Tutorials Reviews Camera Reviews Lens Reviews Other Gear Reviews Best Cameras and LensesPhotography TutorialsPhotography BasicsLandscape PhotographyWildlife PhotographyMacro PhotographyComposition & CreativityBlack & White PhotographyNight Sky PhotographyPortrait PhotographyStreet PhotographyPhotography VideosUnique Gift IdeasSubscribe via EmailIf you like our content, you can subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly email updates using the link below:Subscribe to our newsletterSite MenuAbout Us Beginner Photography Lens Database Lens Index Photo Spots Search ForumReviewsReviews Archive Camera Reviews Lens Reviews Other Gear ReviewsMoreContact Us Subscribe Workshops Support Us Submit ContentCopyright © 2024 · Photography Life

28 types of photography: Styles and genres - Adobe

28 types of photography: Styles and genres - Adobe

Photography

28 types of photography styles.

From portraiture to photojournalism to product photography, there are a vast number of genres you can pursue. Learn about your options before you select a style to focus on.

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Which kind of photography is right for you?

Whatever you’re interested in, be it people, animals, nature, food, or fashion, there’s a type of photography geared around that specific subject matter. Everything under the sun, literally, is something you can photograph. And the sheer volume of options can be overwhelming. Discover your path with this list of genres open to hobbyists and professional photographers alike.

Photograph the natural world.

If plants, animals, or the outdoors interest you, these types of photography might be right for you.

 

Nature photography: Get tips for capturing the great outdoors and wildlife photography. With weather to work around and lighting you can’t always control, it’s important to plan ahead and bring the right gear, whether your aim is photos of mountains, trees, or deer.

 

Landscape photography: Learn more about the timing, lighting, and technical challenges of capturing beautiful vistas, dense forests, or vast deserts. Get tips from landscape photographers on the necessity of a tripod and which lenses and shutter speeds are best.

 

Astrophotography: For those who find themselves staring into the night sky in wonder, astrophotography (a form of long exposure photography) is a good photography genre to explore. With tripods and extremely long shutter speeds, you can capture stunning starscapes, time-lapse images, and light paintings that show how stars move in the sky as the Earth rotates.

 

Storm photography: If the sky within our troposphere piques your interest, you can study weather and take incredible photos through lighting and storm photography. The right gear and safety precautions are essential when shooting weather. With patience, practice, and the right timing, electrifying pictures are in your future.

 

Pet photography: Get up close and personal with animals and take photos of people’s pets. Animal photography comes with its own special challenges, but preparation and an ability to adapt during a shoot will help you snap great shots. Plus, learn some post-processing techniques to make photos of dogs and cats with dark fur pop.

 

Macro photography: From insects and small birds to extreme close-ups of flowers and fruits, macro photos make the small appear larger than life. These photos can require a macro lens to capture, and the plane of focus is very narrow, making a steady workspace essential. But with photography tips and advice from pros, you can investigate this window into a smaller world.

 

Flower photography: For those more interested in flora than fauna, flower photos are a great genre of photography to explore. These passive subjects are a good way for beginners to learn about shallow depth of field, lighting, exposure, and other skills. 

Capture cityscapes and structures.

It can be artistic or commercial when you photograph man-made structures, and the tips for showing buildings in their most compelling light vary depending on your goal.

 

Architecture photography: From shots of skyscrapers to gothic gargoyles, architectural photography is all about how to showcase the interesting vantage points of buildings and highlighting their intriguing features. A wide-angle lens and knowledge of how to shoot in natural light will help.

 

Real estate photography: For a more commercial take on building photography, real estate photography provides an opportunity to build a career capturing home photos. Advice on technical choices surrounding gear and lighting can help you build a foundation to grow your real estate photography skills.

 

Drone photography: You can take nature photos from the air, but drones bring an especially unique perspective to photographs of buildings, highways, and bridges. Discover the challenges involved when you pilot a drone to snap pictures and gain advice on how to get the best images from this bird’s eye view.

 

Aerial photography: Aerial photography encompasses any photo taken from an elevated perspective, including drones. Whether you want to try your hand at photography from a helicopter or the top of a skyscraper, investigate the ins and outs of this sky-bound method of shooting.

Work with people.

From fashion photography to personal portraits, these types of photography are perfect if you want to take aim at people.

 

Portrait photography: Portrait photographers need a mastery of their camera and an ability to make a subject feel at ease. A great portrait is more than a good picture of someone, it tells their story. Get more information on portrait lighting and sitting and hand poses for your subjects to help improve your shoots.

 

Headshot photography: A more commercial form of portrait photography, headshots are professional photos used for resumes, websites, and social media profiles. Learn how headshots differ from portraits and how to snap a great business-ready shot of a subject.

 

Fashion photography: Work with models to create stylish photoshoots. Whether your aim is runway photography, catalog, or editorial shots, the ability to take client direction and give guidance to models, all while snapping great shots, is key.

 

Sports photography: While documenting live sports falls more into the realm of photojournalism, more commercial sports photography can showcase apparel and products, typically worn by an athlete. Whichever type of sports photos you hope to take, the ability to work in fast-paced environments with and around people is essential.

 

Documentary photography: Chronicle community events and other important aspects of people’s lives in this genre for aspiring photojournalists or anyone with an inquiring nature. Unlike a curated photoshoot where a photographer can tweak and adjust a model or their surroundings, documentary photography aims to capture reality and, through photos, tell a true story.

Take lifestyle photos.

From momentous occasions to the little moments of everyday life, get snapshots of the world and people around you with these styles of candid photography.

 

Street photography: A perfect place to start for budding photographers, this form of lifestyle photography focuses on capturing life in a certain setting. From a bustling market to a scene from a local park, if you can be agile enough to find new perspectives while being observant of your surroundings, you can shoot intriguing street photography.

 

Wedding photography: Event photography of the biggest day of a couple’s life is a big responsibility. But with the right equipment, practice, and preparation, you can get great wedding photos. Learn the technical and environmental details wedding photographers need to shoot photos during a long, busy wedding day.

Learn commercial photography skills.

If you want to turn a photography hobby into a source of income, these types of photography might be up your alley.

 

Food photography: The ability to take mouthwatering shots of food can help you score commercial gigs creating restaurant ads, menu photos, and images for hospitality websites. It’s also a great skill to build if you want to post appetizing shots on social media. Food photographers can even license out their work as stock photography. Learn the tricks of the trade to help you cook up some good food photos.

 

Product photography: From sneakers to camping equipment to makeup, product photographers showcase the wares of different brands in clear, enticing photos. Explore tips for styling and editing shots of products.

Create artistic shots.

Discover new ways to craft intriguing images through these different explorations of photographic art.

 

Still life photography: Like the style of painting of the same name, still life photography encompasses photos of inanimate objects arranged in a specific composition. From the traditional bowl of fruit to an assortment of intriguing garage sale items, still life is a broad category. The skills needed to do still life can also help on a career path to food and product photography.

 

Black-and-white photography: This stark form of photography can be perfect for inspiring artistic output, but it’s also a helpful practice for learning the foundational skills of photo composition, without the distraction of color.

 

Fine art photography: From still life to landscapes and even portraits, this kind of photographic expression is defined by the photographer. Subjects and shots pursued simply for the artistic purpose of the photographer is what puts these photos in the fine art category.

 

Double exposure photography: Double exposure, a once-manual photo effect made more accessible by digital editing software, stacks two images to create a new piece. Learn the technique, then follow your inspiration to try and create new kinds of double-exposed photos.

 

Surreal photography: If provocative images are your goal, surreal photography is a great genre to explore. Surrealism displays recognizable images in unique, dream-like ways. This is a perfect medium to pursue if you’re interested in creating composite images from existing photos.

 

Abstract photography: Abstracts are all about point of view. Zoom in close on the cracked earth or zoom out on an aerial shot to find intriguing perspectives. If you’re interested in capturing novel views of familiar objects and landscapes, this is the type of photography for you.

 

No matter which of these popular types of photography you choose to pursue, a good understanding of foundational photography skills will help you. Learn more about focal length, shutter speed, ISO, aperture, and depth of field. And hone your skills with different photo composition guidelines, like the rule of thirds. For absolute beginners, learn more about whether a DSLR or mirrorless camera is right for you. However you start, with editing tools like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop at your disposal, you can enhance or add filters to photos, and much more. There’s so much to discover, but the first step is to select a subject or genre and get out there and shoot.

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215 of the best photography tips | Digital Camera World

215 of the best photography tips | Digital Camera World

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Tutorials

215 photography tips, video tutorials and techniques to take photos of anything

By DCW team last updated 28 August 2021

These photography tips will supercharge your skills and push your picture taking to the next level

Jump to:

Landscape tips

Portrait tips

Macro tips

Animal tips

Street photography tips

Filter tips

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Camera hacks

Astro tips

Motion

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Cameras

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Editing tips

No matter how long you've been shooting, there are always photography tips you never knew about that will improve your ability to conceptualize, create and capture images – or even just have fun playing around.Photography tips aren't just for photography rookies; even for seasoned pros, there is always something fresh to learn or an old bad habit to put right. From the basics and foundational techniques to camera hacks and high level post production tricks, this collection of tips and tutorials will enable you to get the most out of your photos.If you're looking to take perfect portraits, shoot luscious landscape, capture wonderful wildlife shots and master macro, or if you're after some quick editing tips for Photoshop, Lightroom or Affinity, this is the essential guide for you.We've arranged these photography tips and tricks into sections, so you can use the scroll bar above to get started and improve your images right away. For even more tips and videos, make sure to check out our best-selling photography publications, Digital Camera magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Digital Photographer and N-Photo. Each issue comes with a free disc packed with photography projects, techniques and tutorials, Photoshop lessons and much more. These are broken down into detailed guides in the magazine pages, too, so you can bring the mag along and follow the steps on your next shoot.Landscape photography tips(Image credit: Digital Camera World / Peter Travers)1. How to capture great sunsetsGetting the most out of sunsets needs patience and timing. The best pictures are usually when the sun is close to the horizon and clouds are lit from below. And a telephoto lens can often give more impact than a wide-angle. 2. Use hyperfocal distance for depth of fieldYou can maximise depth of field in landscapes by focusing at the 'hyperfocal' distance. This is where the far distance is at the far limit of your lens's depth of field, and this also gives you the best depth of field nearer the camera.3. Look for foreground interestWide-angle lenses are great for capturing wide, sweeping landscapes, but they can also capture lots of empty foreground, so look out for rocks, trees, gates or other objects you can include to add foreground interest.4.  Blur waterfalls and rivers with long exposuresYou can capture silky smooth water or softly blurred moving clouds by putting your camera on a tripod and using a long exposure. And if the light is too bright for a long exposure, you can either use an ND filter or wait until dusk!5. Use leading lines to draw viewers inUse 'leading lines' in your landscape photos to draw your viewers' eyes into the picture. A leading line could be a jetty on a lake, a line of rocks or a footpath winding its way into the distance.6. Use long lenses for more effective flower shotsIt's tempting to use a wide-angle lens to capture a great swathe of floral color, but this can lead to individual blooms being lost. Instead, use a telephoto lens to pick out single flowers or clumps – this will also add artistic blur to the background.7. Enhance your landscapes with reflections in waterLakes and rivers can produce beautiful reflections that add foreground interest and a peaceful symmetry to a scene. If you get right down low, even a small pool or puddle can provide a reflection.8. Check your exposure with the camera's histogramLandscape photography can often mean balancing extremes of brightness in bright skies and shadowed foregrounds. Make sure you don't clip any highlights in the sky before you shoot by checking your camera's histogram.9. Use an L-bracket for easier vertical shotsNot all tripod heads are well adapted to vertical shooting, especially with large and heave camera and lens combinations. The solution is an L-bracket, where you mount the camera sideways on the bracket, but the bracket attaches to the tripod head normally. This is great for horizontal 'pano' shots, too.Read more: 16 essential landscape photography tipsPortrait photography tips(Image credit: Digital Camera World / James Paterson)10. Practice classic lighting setups'Rembrandt', 'Clamshell', 'Backlight', 'Rim-lighting' – these are all tried and trusted portrait lighting setups, each of which gives its own distinctive look. If you practice getting these set up, it leaves you free to concentrate on your subject.11. Headshot photography tips with a speedlightIf you're photographic head and shoulders portraits with a speedlight, the secret is to move it off-camera and use a softbox or other flash modifier to give a softer light. This will immediately give a more rounded, flattering light for faces.12. Use asymmetric compositions for couplesPhotographing couples is not as easy as it sounds. The answer is not to show them side by side in a perfectly symmetrical arrangement, but to find off-center poses or activities where your couples are at a different height.13. Try natural light for fine art nude photographyNatural light is softer and easier to work with than flash, and by changing the distance between your model and the window, you can change the intensity and softness of the light.14. Plan ahead for boudoir photography shootsWork out what lighting you're going to use, the clothing your model is going to wear, and work out a list of poses you want to try. The model may have some ideas too. The more you can plan ahead, the more stress-free the session.15. Use fill-in flash to add 'sparkle' in outdoor portraitsYou don't need a high-powered professional flash here, just your camera's built-in flash or an external speedlight. The idea is to just brighten the shadows, not to overpower the existing ambient light.16. Try off-camera remote flashMost camera and flash makers now offer remote wireless flash control for one or more flashguns, and this is a great way to experiment with different lighting angles and setups – and there won't be any cables to trip over.17. Achieve more natural lighting with bounce flashIt's an old technique but a great one. Instead of pointing the flash directly at your subject, you turn it to 'bounce' it off a nearby wall, ceiling or other reflective surface. This is why more advanced speedlights have tilt and swivel heads.18. Create Gobo lighting effectsIt's a classic cinema technique, using gobos (something that 'goes between' the light and the subject) to create the lighting pattern of window frames or Venetian blinds, for example, and you can use the same technique for portrait photography too.19. Use a wide-aperture prime for soft baby picsYou can get beautiful baby and newborn portraits using soft lighting and a prime lens with a very fast maximum aperture. The shallow depth of field emphasises the softness of the subject.20. Tips for posing group shotsPosed group shots can look very staged and static, so for smaller groups try finding an activity or an action that breaks the ice and captures movement and expressions in a more natural way.21. Professional portraits with a single lightYou can get a professional 'headshot' look in a home studio, using a single flash, a softbox and a plain backdrop. It doesn't need expensive gear, just a little practice with lighting and a little patience in setting up. 22. To get ahead, get a head!It's not always easy to find someone to model for you as you practice your lighting techniques, so here's our top tip: Purchase a mannequin head! We agree that they're not great company, but they don't complain and they have the same shapes and features as human heads and are perfect for polishing up your portrait skills.23. Use supplementary lighting at nightNight-time portraits can be very atmospheric and colorful, but often then need some subtle supplementary lighting to fill in the shadows and bring out your subject against a bright background. An off-camera flash is idea, or a portable LED panel may be better still, especially if you want to shoot video too.Macro photography tips(Image credit: Digital Camera World / Chris George)24. Use focus stacking to get amazing depth of field

Try focus stacking to keep tiny subjects sharp from front to back. Some cameras can do focus stacking internally; otherwise you can merge 'focus stack' frames in photo editing software.25. Use extension tubes for low cost-macro photography

Extension tubes go between the camera body and the lens to allow it to focus far closer than normal. You need to get extension tubes to fit your camera system, so check before you buy.26. Try close-up filters for macrosClose-up filters are another low-cost route into macro photography. They are simple correction lenses that screw on to the front of your lens, and they usually come in threes, to be used individually or combined for an even stronger effect.27. Make a DIY light tend for flower photographyYou can easily create a portable DIY light tent for outdoor flower photography. It shields your subjects from wind and rain, evens up the lighting and saves you from disturbing plants where they are growing.28. Focus bracketing with your cameraNever heard of focus bracketing? It's allied to focus stacking, where you (or the camera) shoot a series of shots at slightly different focus points and combine them later for more depth of field than you could get with a single shot.Animal photography tips(Image credit: Digital Camera World / Adam Waring)29. Try safari photos in a wildlife parkThis is a good place to practice your wildlife photography skills before you take that once in a lifetime trip to the Serengeti. It starts with choosing the right lenses, but there's more to it than that.30. How to get great pictures of dogsPets make perfect portrait subjects, and the rules are similar to those for human portraits, especially those of children – you need to get down to their level!

31. Try this to get great pictures in zoos

Zoos are full of exotic animals, but they are also full of mesh fences and smeary glass windowpanes. Here's one tip to get you started: get your lens right up against the fence or window and use a wide aperture to throw it way out of focus.32. Capturing birds in flight takes practice!Start by researching the best location, use the longest telephoto you can afford/carry, and learn your camera's autofocus modes before you start. Then you just need to practice, practice and practice your panning technique.33. Make your own bean bagGet stable shots with a simple DIY bean bag to support your camera. You can put it on the ground on a wall or on the roof of your car, and mold it to fit the shape of your camera.Street photography tips34. What is street photography?Professional street photographers have different interpretations of 'street photography'. Don't assume your own style has to conform with what others have done. It's your own unique 'eye' that's important.35. Choose where you stand!Decide where you stand – both literally, as in the best locations for your work – and ethically. What is it that you want to say about your subjects and their world, and are you representing them fairly?36. Expect to shoot a lot of rubbish!This is the advice from the legendary Martin Parr: “The basic theory is the more rubbish you take, the better the chances of a good photo emerging, so keep on taking the rubbish.” 37. Engage with your subjectsStreet photography needn't mean 'stolen' images and subterfuge, and many photographers may be uncomfortable with this. But you can also engage with your subjects, explain what you are doing and ask permission. You may learn something about their lives that you might never have imagined.Tips using filters38. Get an ND filter for long-exposure seascapesLandscape photographers love graduated filters for taming bright skies, but a 10-stop ND (neutral density) filter could prove the landscape photographer's best friend by allowing super-long exposures for silky blur effects.39. Use a polarizing filter to cut through reflectionsYou can use software recreate the effect of a polarising filter on a blue sky, but polarisers do much more than this. They also cut through reflections in glass to reveal what's behind windows, display cabinets and glazed pictures.40. Use an infrared filter for surreal effectsThe world looks very different when revealed using nothing but infra-red light, and you can get lens filters which cut out visible light and leave only this invisible longer-wavelength light.41. Try colorful cross-polarization effectsFor this colorful abstract technique, all you need is a polarising filter and a selection of transparent plastic objects. A low cost school set of rulers, protractors and set squares will work perfectly.42. Learn to use an ND graduated filterSometimes the sky in a landscape is just so bright that you can't find an exposure that captures both the sky and the landscape itself. This is where you need a graduated filter, which is part of any landscape photographer's essential kit.43. A polarizing filter can help you get stunning skiesPolarizing filters have many effects, but one of them is to deepen blue skies – and the deeper the blue to start with, the stronger the effect. There is a knack to using them, though, and be aware that you can get uneven sky tone if you use them with wide-angle lenses.44. Tricks and tactics for ND filtersND filters let you use very long exposures in broad daylight, to product silky-smooth motion blur effects in water and skies, but they can be tricky to use because they are almost completely opaque! A mirrorless camera may be able to 'see' through them, but with a DSLR you will need to check the exposure and composition before attaching the filter – and then apply the necessary exposure correction for that filter.

Creative photography tips(Image credit: Digital Camera World / Ben Brain)45. Levitation photography: how to make objects floatYou can make objects appear to hang in mid-air using a combination of clever shooting setups and quick and simple retouching techniques later. It sounds complicated, but it's really quite simple to do.46. Get the Lensbaby look with 'freelansing'Did you know you can take pictures with your lens detached from the body and angled manually to create Lensbaby-style tilt-shift effects? All you need to do is check your camera settings and make sure it will still shoot with no lens attached.47. Pinhole photography is easy!It's one of the oldest and simplest forms of photography, and doesn't even need a lens! Pinhole photography is easy – just make a tiny hole in your camera's body cap, set the camera to manual exposure, put it on a tripod and experiment with shutter speed.48. Tips to get great POV photosPOV (point of view) photography was invented with action cams, but you can get some great angles and photo ideas by trying it out with a regular camera. All you need to do is get your hands or your face in the foreground and looking into the scene.49. Try painting with light in night shotNight shots can show the world in a whole new light (ahem), but very often the foreground is lost in dark shadow. All you need to do is take along an LED light or a flashlight, and 'paint' light over the objects or areas in a scene where it's needed.50. Get a new angle with a worm's eye viewThis can be a great way of capturing unique perspectives on the world of nature, with close-ups captured right down at ground level and looking up, as if each plant is a giant tree reaching up into the sky. All you need is a macro les and camera with a tilting screen.51. Create light orbs with a flashlightWe've all seen those amazing light 'orbs' suspended in mid-air in pictures taken at night, and they look impossibly intricate to create – but they're not. You just need to swing a flashlight round in a circle by hand, or on the end of a string, and slowly move your body through 360 degrees. If you keep moving, the camera won't see you, only the light trail.52. How to create a classic ring heart shadow on a bookIt's in every wedding photographer's portfolio, but how is it done? How do you get a heart shape from a circular ring? It's because of the v-shaped fold in the spine of an open book and how it distorts the circular shadow... and how you light it, too. Clever, eh?53. Get the most from a fisheye lensGet low and get close! You can really exaggerate the fisheye effect by getting really close to your main subject – often until you're almost touching – this makes your subject look huge against a tiny distant background.54. SHow to create sunbursts and starburstsUse a wide-angle lens and a small aperture to create the 'star' effect from the sun, or any naked light source at night. Positioning is crucial, and moving just a couple of inches can make the sun peep out just enough from behind a tree or a building.Camera hacks and DIY(Image credit: Future)55. DIY photography hack: stabilise ANY camera!This cheeky hack really works! Screw a D-type screw from your tripod release plate into the base of your camera, hook one end of a short bungee cord into the loop, and the other end into your waistband. The tension in the bungee cord as you put the camera to your eye will stabilise your camera.56. Mobile lighting... with your mobile!You can use your smartphone torch for light painting in darkness, and you can use your iPad's screen as a makeshift softbox for lighting portraits or still lives. There's not much power, so you'll need a tripod or a high ISO, but the lighting effects can be beautiful.57. DIY softbox: how to build your own lighting modifierYou can make your own softbox, with a cardboard box, a pair of scissors and some foil. It won't look as slick as a professional softbox, but light is light, and your pictures will still look great. Astrophotography tips(Image credit: Chris Rutter)58. Star trail photography is easy!You can capture beautiful star trails with nothing more elaborate than a wide-angle lens, a tripod and a clear night away from urban light pollution. If you want to get more elaborate, you can combine multiple exposures, or use higher ISOs and shorter exposures to capture star fields without streaking.59. Northern Lights photography: do your researchThe Northern Lights are truly spectacular, but using the right camera settings is only part of it – you also need to be in the right place at the right time, plus a good deal of luck to get the perfect conditions. There are no guarantees!Motion photography tips(Image credit: Digital Camera World / James Paterson)60. Panning secretsTo get smooth panning shots you need a combination of the correct shutter speed (use S mode and start with a shutter speed of 1/60sec or 1/125sec) and a smooth panning motion. The camera settings are relatively straightforward; a smooth panning technique takes practice.61. Freeze water splashes with flashThe flash duration of a speedlight is so short that it can freeze even the fastest motion, like water droplets hitting a surface. The shutter speed is not that important, as long as it's at or below the camera's flash sync speed – if you shoot in darkness, it's the ultra-short flash that captures the image, not the length of time the shutter is open.62. Shoot multiple flash exposures with a 'strobe' effectSome more advanced flashguns can fire a series of flashes in quick succession for a 'strobe' effect. You can use this in darkness with a longer exposure to capture a 'multiple exposure' of a moving subject like a dancer.63. Try photographing fireworksCapturing fireworks is easy once you know how. Put the camera on a tripod, set it to B (bulb) mode and keep the shutter open while the fireworks are going off. You can do a few tests beforehand to work out the best exposure time for the ambient lighting and the surroundings.Still life photography tips64. How to handle depth of field with close-upsThe closer your subject, the less depth of field there is. To make the most of it, set your camera to A (aperture priority) mode, set the lens aperture to f/11 or f/16, and with focus not on the front of your subject, but on a mid-point half way between the front and back.Analog photography tips65. Digitize slides and prints with your camera!

You CAN digitise your old photos using a flatbed or film scanner, but this can take time and, if you don't have one of these devices, you can use your camera! Your kit lens may focus close enough to capture prints, while for slides and negatives, consider investing in a macro lens and a lightbox to illuminate them from behind – or use your phone's screen.66. Digitizing slides and negatives using a scannerIf you do use a scanner to digitise your old photos, a regular flatbed scanner or multi-function device will be fine for your prints, but you'll need a proper 'film scanner' to get the best from slides and negatives. These are more expensive and slower to use, but worth it for the best quality.Camera and equipment tips67. Cleaning a camera sensor: tips for removing sensor spots and dustSensor spots are an annoying fact of life with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, so we recommend three-step approach. First, face the camera downwards and try a blower brush. If that doesn't work, try 'dry' cleaning with a specially designed sensor brush (not a regular brush!) or stick pad. If this doesn't work either, the third option is 'wet' cleaning with sensor swabs and sensor cleaning fluid.68. Camera len cleaning tipsYou'll often have specks of dust on your lenses, and a few won't matter, but if there's a lot, try a blower brush rather than a regular brush – when these come into contact with the lens surface can end up leaving smears behind. If you have smears on the lens, don't reach for the cleaning solution straight away – try 'huffing' on the lens and a gentle wipe with a microfiber cloth.Shooting tips69. Go eye-to-eye with natureTake the same approach for portraits of animals and plants as you do for portraits of people. That means getting ‘eye to eye’ with the subject with a relatively long lens and using a reasonably large aperture, such as f/4, to help separate them from busy background details. At close distances, only a small part of the subject will be sharp, so care needs to be taken with focusing. 70. Find a frame to shoot through A framing device can help to funnel a viewer’s attention to the right place in a picture, add context and structure – and mask ‘dead’ areas, too. Frames can be actual frames, such as shooting through an open door or a window, or implied, such as the branches of a tree. They can also be diffuse – try positioning the camera close to flowers and shooting a subject beyond them to add a soft, colourful frame. 71. Using flash in daylight If you find that you’re coming unstuck with your exposures when you’re trying to mix natural light and flash, switch off the flash and set the exposure for the daylight first. Use Manual mode so that the settings stay locked in on the camera, and base your exposure on the brightest part of the scene. Finally, switch on the flash and use this to brighten up the darker areas of the scene for a balanced result. 72. Sharp shots without a tripod  There are times when it isn’t wise to set up a tripod, such as on a bustling city street, and times when you need to stay mobile. Shutter speed becomes a prime concern in these situations; increasing the ISO, employing shake reduction, firing short bursts of shots, pulling the camera strap taut and bracing yourself against a wall or other available ‘furniture’ can all help. 73. Shooting in a new location While it’s easy to explore Google Images to get a feel for the photographic potential of a location, if you’re visiting a spot for the first time, it’s worth pausing and getting a sense of place before trying to express it in an image. It might be tempting to attach your camera to your tripod, but there’s a lot to be said for exploring different viewpoints with a handheld camera to find the right angle and height to shoot from first. 74. Include odd numbers Odd number of objects typically give more balanced compositions than even numbers, whether you’re shooting a group portrait, a sporting event or a landscape. So three is not a crowd... it will usually look better than a pair75. Use the dioptre adjustment Many cameras enable the viewfinder sharpness to be improved using a feature called dipotre adjustment. Keep an eye on the readout in the viewfinder rather than looking at the image as you make any adjustments. 76. Activate highlight warning You can set the playback display to flash a warning for highlights that are at risk of being exposed, which is a quick way to check exposure. Read more: How to always get your exposure right77. Remember to reset your camera If you’ve been making adjustments to your camera for a specific shot, such as dialling in exposure compensation, don’t forget to return the settings to normal when you finish shooting, ready for next time. 78. Pre-focus for action If you’re able to predict where a moving subject is going to be, pre-focus the lens on that spot: this can speed up the time it takes for the autofocus system to lock onto the subject and give you a much better chance of grabbing the shot. 79. Try Shutter Priority For sharp shots, you need a fast shutter speed. To guarantee this, use Shutter Priority, dialling in your preferred shutter speed, and switch to Auto ISO; the camera will adjust the aperture and sensitivity according to the light 80. Try Aperture Priority Shooting in Aperture Priority mode enables you to control the depth of field as well as the exposure. Keep an eye on the camera’s shutter speed in the viewfinder, though, otherwise you might end up with shots ruined by camera shake.  81. Check the AF mode Make sure that you use One Shot/Single Servo for stationary subjects and AI Servo/Continuous Servo to keep track of moving ones. 82. Close-up depth of field The closer you are to a subject, the shallower the depth of field is. If this results in too much blur, try moving farther away and crop the shot to a tighter composition later.83. Spot metering For more accurate exposures, switch to spot metering and aim the metering area at a part of the subject you want to be recorded as a mid-tone. Use your camera’s exposure lock function to lock this setting before recomposing the shot. 84. Shoot sharp landscapes Small apertures such as f/16 and f/22 increase the depth of field, or the amount of front-to-back sharpness. Perfect for landscapes, you might think. The trade-off is that they lead to softer pictures due to the effects of diffraction (where the light rays are bent out of shape as they pass through the small hole). For sharper details, it may be worth sacrificing a little depth of field and using an aperture that’s a couple of stops down from the smallest setting.  85. Working with a tripod A tripod enables you to close the aperture of your shot down if you require a greater depth of field, and also to reduce your ISO to the highest quality setting. It’s also essential when you want to shoot longer exposures in low light, but a combination of strong gusts and spongy ground can make things tricky. In these conditions, you may have to resort to setting up on a firm area and keeping the tripod low, shielding the legs from the wind with your body. Read more: 7 golden rules of tripod stability86. Brush up on your reflector skills To prevent your portrait-sitter from squinting into the sun, position them so their back is towards the sun and use a reflector to bounce light onto their face, ‘feathering’ the reflected light rather than bouncing it directly into their eyes. It’s worth experimenting with different reflectors. A silver one adds a clean, crisp quality; a white one gives softer results that are often easier to blend in. Gold reflectors add warmth, but use them with care. 87. Shoot more flattering portraits The low-contrast light afforded by cloudy but bright days is great for portraits as you won’t get ugly shadows under eyebrows and noses, or glare on people’s skin. Focal lengths of 85mm and longer are more flattering than shorter lengths. The angle you shoot at also counts: shooting from slightly below eye level implies confidence and power, while shooting from slightly above is slimming and intimate. Read more: The best portrait lenses88. Get set up for candids Things happen quickly when you’re shooting candids, so you need to have your camera ready to go. Avoid using a brightly coloured camera strap, and wrap it around your wrist rather than over your shoulder. Hold the camera at chest or head height, where it’s quicker to get it up to your eye. Not only does enable you to react faster, it’s less likely to attract your subject’s attention. 89. Expose to the right To get the best-quality results, shoot in your camera’s raw file format and try to use an exposure that produces a histogram that just reaches the right-hand edge of the graph; avoid pushing the histogram over the edge, though. You can then bring the exposure to your preferred level when you process the image in raw software back at home.  90. Use the histogramWhen you check the histogram on your camera display, its shape represents the dynamic range of the scene you’re photographing, while the width of the graph represents the dynamic range of the camera. If there are gaps to the far left or right of the histogram, these indicate over- or under-exposure, so some exposure adjustments may be required. Read more: How to read a histogram91. Raw histogramThe preview and histogram that can be viewed on the camera are based on a JPEG version of the image, even if you took the shot using your camera’s raw format. The raw file holds a wider dynamic range than a JPEG, so to get a more representative histogram, set the Picture Style/Picture Control to a low-contrast, neutral setting. 92. Seeing in black and white If you’d like total control over how your image is converted to black and white, it’s better to shoot in colour then make it mono in software. We’d recommend shooting in your camera’s raw format, as it gives you so much scope for playing around with the image later, although you can set your camera to its Monochrome picture style to get a black-and-white preview on the rear screen. 93. Getting close to wildlife Using a long lens means that you don’t need to get as physically close to a wild animal as you would otherwise, but understanding the subject and fieldcraft are more important than camera equipment. Wear rustle-free clothing that breaks up your shape; make sure your outline doesn’t break the skyline; and approach mammals with the wind in your face so your scent isn’t carried towards them. 94. Long exposuresYes, long-exposure seascapes have been done to death – but, done well, a bit of blur in the water and sky can still go a long way to lifting a coastal composition. Getting a shutter speed slow enough to achieve the effect in bright light requires a strong ND filter. If you’re using a square filter system, check that the filter is in the slot nearest the lens, and ensure the viewfinder is shielded. Use mirror lock-up or Live View to prevent vibrations and fire the shutter with a remote release. 95. Use a preset white balance Your camera’s auto white balance setting will attempt to neutralise strong colour casts, but setting a preset that matches the light source can give better results. You can also use an ‘incorrect’ white balance creatively: try the Shade setting to add warmth to a sunset, for example, or Tungsten/Incandescent to cool down a daylight scene. Read more: Cheat sheet – White balance presets96. Keep the horizon levelUse your camera’s electronic level, a hotshoe spirit level or the grid display to make sure the horizon is level in your shot. If you don’t have time to use these options, a quick and dirty option is to use the edges of the AF points in the viewfinder. 97. Shoot into the lightShooting into the light can produce dramatic results, although you need to be conscious of lens flare. If you have square filters in place you’ll have to ditch the lens hood, so be prepared to shield the front of the lens with a hand or hat held out of the frame 98. Shoot in the blue hourTwilight, or ‘the blue hour’ as it’s sometimes referred to, is a great time of the day to shoot cityscapes and floodlit architecture, as the sky will have some colour instead of being an empty black void. Not only does this look more interesting, it also makes for more balanced exposures. 99. Pan with actionMoving the camera at the same speed as a moving object means the subject will remain in the same position in the frame and will be recorded sharply. Experiment with the shutter speed: the slower the shutter speed, the more the background will blur, conveying greater speed. 100. Double-check the backgroundDetails in the background can take viewers’ attention from the main subject. They don’t have to be obvious colourful road signs: even the out-of-focus line of the horizon will be a distraction if it runs directly behind a person’s head. For clean shots, look for clear backgrounds that are well separated from the subject. Darker backdrops tend to work better than bright ones, but be mindful of patches of bright sky through trees. 101. Develop an eye for abstractsThe middle of the day, during the non-magic hours like the golden hour and the blue hour, is often a great time to go looking for abstracts to shoot. With an abundance of light, you’re less likely to need a tripod, and the hard light can be used to accentuate shadow, form, texture and tone. Alternatively, head out on overcast days, when the sky acts like a giant softbox, making it easy to pick out fine details.102. Choose good shoesDon’t underestimate the importance of comfy shoes. Whether you’re pounding the cobbles in pursuit of street photography or chasing the light in the hills, you’ll be more inclined to walk farther and shoot for longer if your feet aren’t sore. Waterproof boots or Wellingtons are a must for shooting at the coast or when you’re photographing a waterfall, where the best views typically involve getting your feet wet.103. Avoid camera shakeThe rule of thumb when it comes to beating camera shake is to make sure the shutter speed is equivalent to or faster than the effective focal length of the lens – so at least 1/100 sec for a 100mm lens on a full-frame camera. If you’re shooting on a camera with a smaller sensor, multiply the focal length and shutter speed by the crop factor: 1.5 for APS-C sensors (1.6 for Canon APS-C models) and 2 for Micro Four Thirds.104. Be prepared to get down and dirtyDon’t photograph everything from your eye level: finding a higher vantage point or getting down low can help your pictures stand out. Shooting from a low angle makes subjects look more imposing and allows you to draw viewers into a picture: look for leading lines to pull the eye from the foreground to the subject. A camera that has a fold-out LCD screen or Wi-Fi compatibility for seeing the Live View feed on a smartphone can help with framing.105. Focus for close-upsYou need to be very careful to make sure your focus point is absolutely spot-on when you’re at close proximity to a subject, as the depth of field is minimal. It can often be better to put the camera on a tripod, switch to manual focus and magnify the Live View display so that you can position the focus precisely.106. Travel lightFor urban photography, you want the minimum amount of kit. A fully loaded camera bag feels heavier as the day goes on, so stick with just one or two lenses. Bag type is down to preference: backpacks spread the load, but a shoulder bag gives you faster access. Read more: The 10 best travel cameras107. Dealing with high contrastIf a scene includes an expanse of light sky and a dark foreground, fit a graduated neutral-density filter to the lens to help balance the exposure. Alternatively, take two shots, one with the sky exposed correctly and the other with the land exposed correctly, and blend the exposures in software.108. Background exposureIf the background of a shot is much darker than the subject, the result may be overexposed, so try setting exposure compensation to -1 or -2. To prevent a much brighter background causing the camera to underexpose, try exposure compensation of +1 or +2.109. Use Manual exposureIf the light is consistent and you have time to set the shutter speed and aperture, use your camera’s Manual exposure mode. This locks the exposure setting in, so it makes a good choice for keeping a subject correctly exposed even when the background changes.110. Lens correctionsIf you’re planning on working up your shots in your preferred raw conversion or photo editing software, like Camera Raw or Lightroom, it pays to frame views a little wider than perhaps feels natural when you’re shooting. The reason for this is that if you correct lens distortions in software, you can end up losing detail at the edge of the picture.111. Street smartsApproaching strangers and asking to take their portraits can be a challenge, but a little chutzpah really pays off. Even if it sounds like your idea of hell, making it obvious that you’re taking pictures can elicit interesting reactions. In fact, skulking in the shadows and sniping with a long lens is a sure-fire way to attract the wrong kind of attention.112. Avoid sensor dustAlthough it’s easy enough to digitally remove dust spots on images, you can reduce the chances of dust being deposited on the camera sensor by avoiding changing lenses in exposed and windy locations. If you’re working in these conditions, consider fitting a zoom lens so that you don’t have to change lenses so often.113. Set the AF pointIf you let the camera choose the autofocus point automatically, it will often focus on the nearest object. Instead, set your camera to its singlepoint AF mode and move the active point so that it’s positioned over the subject that you want to be sharp114. Use Auto ISO in Manual modeYour camera’s Auto ISO function can be a life-saver, as you can freely adjust your exposure settings and the camera will automatically raise the ISO sensitivity at a preset shutter speed, so you don’t need to worry about camera shake. It can also be used in Manual exposure mode, allowing you to set your preferred combination of aperture and shutter speed, with the Auto ISO function ensuring you get a consistent exposure in changing light.115. Shooting in the rainDon’t be just a fair-weather photographer: rain’s where it’s at! The most challenging aspect of shooting in driving rain isn’t keeping yourself dry, it’s keeping raindrops off the front of the lens. The shallow hoods made for wideangle lenses are pretty useless in this regard. Our advice? Fit a UV filter and soak up any water just before you fire the shutter. It never hurts to pack more microfibre cloths than you think you’ll need, too.116. Shooting in bright sunshineAlthough the best light for shooting on a scorching summer day is typically at the start and end of the day – the so-called ’golden hours’ – a clear sky does have its advantages. There’ll be plenty of light, enabling the use of low ISOs and fast shutter speeds for sharp shots. Use a polarising filter to reduce glare and reflections in landscapes, and a reflector or burst of flash to open up the shadows in a portrait.117. Take an extra batteryCold weather saps battery life, so to keep your camera working when the temperature drops, keep a spare charged battery warm in an inner jacket pocket. If you start to run out of power, consider not using power-hungry functions such as image stabilisation and Live View.Photographer tips118. Take pictures you loveDoug Chinnery, Abstract Photographer, says: "The ‘Photography Police’ can only exist if we allow them to. No-one should tell you what your images should look like. "Make pictures that, first and foremost, you love. Then, if others love them too, so be it. But if they don’t, be proud that you are following your own creative path and not being forced to follow the herd. This takes creative courage and conviction, but leads to producing stronger, more fulfilling work."119. Sharpness is over-rated"Let a little blur into your life", says Doug Chinnery, Abstract Photographer. "Bring in a bit of wobble. Shallow depth of field and intentional camera movement can be used creatively, allowing your audience to make up their own stories about what’s happening in your images."120. Print your own work"Would you give your camera to someone else to make your photos? So why let someone else make your prints? The print is the culmination of the creative process, and nothing beats making a finely crafted print. No commercial printer cares about your images like you do. Don’t kid yourself that the prints they make are as good as they could be." – Doug Chinnery, Abstract Photographer121. Develop your visionAbstract photographer Doug Chinnery says: ”Copying the photographs of others is a great way to learn techniques as a beginner. But to really grow as a photographer, we need to look at the world through our own eyes and use the skills we have learned to make images that show our unique creative vision."122. Ditch the tripodLandscape photographer Andrew Fusek Peters says: “Go guerrilla with your landscape photography! Ditch the tripod and endless filters, and shoot hand-held, exposing for the sky at dusk or dawn. It’s much quicker to frame hand-held, and you can recover shadows and blacks in post.”123. Straighten it outFine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley, author of the Busy Girl’s Guide To Digital Photography and teacher of one-to-one photography training, says "Pay attention to keeping horizons level in your frame – it can make or break a shot."124. Process with careFine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley says: "Always spend a little bit of time to process your favourite images. Less is more: lifting the shadows, lightening and brightening and subtle sharpening can bring out the best in your shot."125. Invest in a prime lens"A prime 50mm lens is an indispensable, inexpensive piece of kit to have, giving beautiful crisp images and the ability to open up the lens really wide for maximum shallow depth of field" – Fine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley 126. Reinvent the wheel"If you’re buying an SLR camera, it’s always worth having a dedicated command wheel to control your shutter and your aperture independently, making manual exposure easier" – Fine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley.  127. Get trainedFine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley says "Invest in some good-quality one-to-one training, to fast-track your way to getting off auto and shooting manually. This will put you in control of your image-making. And learn basic processing techniques to give your work professional polish."128. Trial and errorCreative photographer Mark A Hunter says: “Don’t get hung up on nailing a shot first time. For example, rather than determining exactly what depth of field to use, put your camera into Aperture Priority mode and grab a few different shots at a range of apertures – you might surprise yourself with the results.”129. Give yourself assignmentsFine-art photographer James Stanford says: "Sometimes knowing what to shoot is a big relief. Other times, being extemporaneous is the way to go. I love to go out and see what the universe is presenting to me on any given day. Learning to be sensitive to what is out there with no preconceived idea is a wonderful way to discover new subject matter. But only looking for the shot that presents itself in the moment seldom creates new technical skills. In order to master the camera, I give myself special assignments. Giving yourself an assignment helps you to learn about photography and your equipment. By knowing what you want to achieve, you can plan things out. This way you can slow things down. Shoot and confirm. Take notes. Concentrate on getting the shot just right! You will learn to master Aperture Priority, shutter speed, ISO, manual settings, and more."130. Research your subjectNature photographer Roeselien Raimond says: "No matter whether it’s an animal you are trying to photograph or some kind of phenomenon, the more you know about your subject, the better you will be able to anticipate what’s to come. Learn to know when animals breed, hunt and sleep. Find out when mist or thunder is likely to occur. It might cost some time, but it’s an investment that will pay off."131. Explore!Travel and urban photographer Nico Goodden says: "If you want to succeed as a photographer while always learning and never being bored, do not fear exploring other genres. Instead, be wary of people who tell you to stick to a single genre or niche – it may not be the very best advice if you look at life as an opportunity to discover new things. I have found that instead of hindering my development, shooting a multitude of genres has taught me many transferable skills and brought exciting new clients and commissions through the variety of what I shoot, eventually snowballing into even more unexpected commissions."132. Choose your momentsArchitectural and travel photographer Denys Nevozhai says: "The main thing I’ve learned about photography is to not be obsessed with photography, and shoot only the most worthwhile moments or scenes. The realisation that you need to verify and edit too many photos will make you postpone the process, lose excitement and eventually pile all the set."133. Think about lightReportage and travel photographer Stuart Freedman says: "Light is key to photography. Learn to visualise the final image and move if it looks like it’s not going to work."134. Relax and talk to peopleReportage and travel photographer Stuart Freedman says: "Great pictures aren’t usually luck. Often they’re the result of a negotiation between the photographer and subject. A smile goes a long way. Relax and, crucially, be honest. Explain what you’re doing: if people trust you, it’ll show."135. Dreamy portraitsFine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley says: "For dreamy portraits, open up your lens to the widest aperture, and shoot your subject into the light. Use exposure compensation to push your exposure and to expose for shadows."136. Use a tripodNatural history and wildlife photographer Adrian Davies says: "I always try to use a good solid tripod for my natural history work, particularly when I’m shooting subjects such as plants. Not only do they hold the camera nice and still, enabling slow shutter speeds, but they also slow you down, making you look carefully at all parts of the frame for distracting items, and deciding on the correct aperture before releasing the shutter." Read more: The best tripods for travel137. Buy some smoked salmon!Adrian Davies says: "I use a wide range of reflectors for bouncing light into shadow areas of subjects such as plants and fungi. One I use a lot with fungi in particular on dull autumn days are the pieces of card that come in smoked salmon packs, gold on one side. They give the subject a nice warm tone."138. Visual missionaryArt photographer Paul Hill says: "The power of the medium to inform and reveal, whether publicly or privately, cannot be overestimated. Most of us see hundreds of photographs every day, but do we even look at one to find out what it ‘says’? Photography is an essential part of modern life, with millions made every day, and thousands of manufacturers and service industries dependent on it. The effect on our civilisation is enormous. Practitioners should feel uncomfortable regurgitating clichés. They should be visual missionaries, converting the public to the importance of the medium with the power of their images. Photography can be fun, of course, but its makers have to take it seriously. As well as being attracted to the unusual and unexpected, I am mindful of three things when making a photograph: frame, light and vantage point."139. Part of a teamWedding and commercial photographer Kate Hopewell-Smith says: "Learning to direct and pose are key skills for any people photographer, but successful portraiture is down to teamwork. The photographer needs to give energy and enthusiasm – but so does the subject, or the results will not be as successful as they should be."140. Speak outArt photographer Cig Harvey says: "Bear in mind that your camera is a tool to help your creativity. I love the idea that our cameras are just expensive pencils – it is what we have to say that is important."141. Be openStreet photographer Ryan Hardman says: "Don’t hide your camera when taking street images, because this often puts people on edge. Just have the camera around your neck and when you see someone exciting, bring the camera up to your eye and snap away. If the subject stops you and asks why you are taking images of them, just politely explain why you have done so and the intentions of your image – for yourself, competitions or magazines."142. Shoot with a theme in mindRyan Hardman says: "Often street photography can be lacking a theme, making the image the photographer has taken become weak or uninteresting. My best advice would be to think about a theme and reason for the capture of street photography other than because the subject was interesting. This will in turn help when you’re confronted by a person who is outraged you have photographed them. Trust your gut – if the subject feels on edge and aggressive, don’t photograph them."143. Be street-savvy and sensitiveRyan Hardman says: "Street photography is not about proving we are in a better place than the subjects. My greatest advice would be to stay away from the homeless or disadvantaged, to make sure as photographers that we are not taking advantage or photographing subjects unethically."144. Break the fourth wallStreet photographer Ryan Hardman says: “I used to ask for an image of the subject first, but now I take my images without asking – the reason for this is to create exciting subjects that break the fourth wall and look into the lens of the camera, which means the viewer will connect with the image.”145. Have 'fill' light availableWedding and commercial photographer Kate Hopewell-Smith says: “Location portraits come into their own when there is some beautiful back light to give separation and mood. However, this does leave your subject’s face in shade, so use a reflector or an on-camera flash (probably in high-speed sync mode due to fast shutter speeds outside)."146. Aim for a responseTravel photographer Lottie Davies says: “When processing your files, think about the emotional response of your audience. Do you want people to feel positive about the subject of the image? If so you might tend towards warm, rich tones. If you’d like a sense of calm contemplation, consider a less punchy interpretation."147. Follow your heartNature photographer Roeselien Raimond says: "I firmly believe that your photos reflect what you put into them. So if you choose a subject that you love and that truly fascinates you, this will show. Working from the heart will certainly improve your work."148. Have a tale to tellDocumentary photographer Marc Wilson says: "The most important aspect of any photograph is the story behind it and whether it will be of interest to the viewer."149. Don't spread yourself thinCommercial photographer Maria Falconer says: "When I first started out, I believed that I needed to photograph everything. I dabbled with practically every style and subject available, except maybe wildlife… unless you count pigeons! And yes, of course I learned a few skills along the way, but I quickly discovered that my best images were made when I was shooting something that was important to me – and that could be anything from dance to political issues."150. Five wordsDocumentary photographer Marc Wilson says: "Shoot less and shoot better".151. Go on a photo adventureQuintin Lake says: "The spirit of adventure is about seeing with fresh eyes rather than venturing to distant lands. Travelling by foot for a prolonged period is the best way of seeing a place anew as the odds are stacked in your favour of encountering an unusual or beautiful event. Remember that photography is but one of many forms of human visual expression. Looking at the other visual arts can give you new ideas for subjects, colour usage, tonality and composition that you can use in your own work. "152. What and when"A truly successful photograph can be broken down into two simple components: what is in the frame and when do you press the button? Everything else you control will help shape the success or otherwise of the photograph: the light, the composition, movement, stillness, empty space, colour, focus and depth of field" -  Documentary photographer Marc Wilson. 153. Keep calm and createCommercial photographer Maria Falconer says: "Don’t look too hard. Relax and let the photographs come to you."154. Shoot less, see moreLandscape and fine art photographer Paul Sanders says: "I would rather come home with one shot I have worked hard to perfect in the field than a memory card filled with mediocre images. Far too often we’re challenged by our insecurities to shoot more and more, when actually it’s better to take your time, refine the image in the viewfinder, carefully compose, and check everything before pressing the shutter button. It’s also a cop-out to say, 'I’ll fix it in post.' Get it right on-site and in the camera before you leave the location. You should choose the moment you press the button after really seeing into the subject. So once you commit to an image, don’t keep shooting unless the lighting dramatically improves. When you are happy, walk away and don’t look back!"155. Behind the photoDocumentary photographer Marc Wilson says: "Technique is important, but the power behind a photograph is the story it tells."156. The art of lightMaria Falconer says: "Photography itself is a simple matter of using light to make marks. There are no actual rules – just ones that men have made up."157. Use your screenLandscape & wildlife photographer Francis J Taylor says: "Learn to use the histogram on your camera’s rear screen. When this is used in conjunction with the very useful highlight alert feature, you can ensure you quickly nail the perfect exposure every time."158. Shoot what you loveTravel photographer Lottie Davies says: “Photograph the things you love. For instance, if you love food, shoot food – if you love adventures, shoot travel or cars, if your favourite place is at home with your family, photograph them. The energy of your enthusiasm will show through and make your images sing."159. Accept the rainFrancis J Taylor says: "Don’t be a fair-weather photographer. Often the most interesting images are created in challenging and adverse conditions."160. Smile and be selfishPaul Sanders says: "We are guilty of taking our photography far too seriously, whether we are trying to impress our friends, fellow club members or that tricky judge. Photography is a hobby for many people, and even for professionals it’s a privilege to do a job that many would pay to do; so smile, enjoy your time with the camera and, yes, be selfish – this is time invested in you, so shoot what you like and not what you think will win things. It really doesn’t matter what other people think of the images you take, but if you truly enjoy what you take pictures of and the time you spend doing it, you may be surprised at the results, and possibly the prizes too."161. Read this book!Digital Camera Magazine editor Ben Brain says: "Read 'On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide' by Bill Jay and Magnum legend David Hurn. It’s a delight!"162. Plan aheadFrancis J Taylor says: "Research your location to find the best time to visit. Remember that the position of the sun changes throughout the year so a location that doesn’t work in summer may be perfect in winter."163. Get inspired by the artsBen Brain says: "Don’t limit yourself only to photographers for inspiration. Turn to painters, poets, musicians, authors et al..."164. Use one prime lensBen Brain says: "Try using only one focal length (say 35mm or 50mm) for one year: I guarantee it’ll make you a better photographer."Editing tips165. Hide selection linesIf the dotted line of a selection is making it difficult to see an adjustment you’re making, press H to hide the ‘marching ants’ then make the adjustment without any distractions. Pressing H again will reveal the selection.166. Stretch out a skyIf you want more blue sky above your subject, go to Image > Canvas Size. Put 20 % in Height, tick the Relative box, and click the middle-bottom Anchor box. Click OK, then make a thin selection along the top edge of the existing sky using the Rectangular Marquee tool. Press Ctrl/Cmd+T to go into Transform mode. Pull the top-middle handle upwards to create headroom.167. Lose your palettesTo see a pic without distractions, press Tab and you’ll hide all the palettes and tools. To restore them, press Tab again. To lose everything except the Toolbox, press Shift+Tab.168. Lose your unwanted layersGetting rid of layers you don’t need is slow going if you drag them to the trash icon in the Layers panel. To quickly delete one layer, right-click on it and select Delete Layer. If you want to delete multiple layers, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and click on their names to select them, then right-click on one and select Delete Layers.169. Go full screenTo see your image as large as possible on-screen, press Ctrl/ Cmd+0 (zero). Repeatedly press F to see the pic in different view modes. 170. Add a white borderTo apply a swift white border, first open your pic then press D to reset the colours to black and white. Now press Ctrl/Cmd+A to select the image, and Ctrl/Cmd+T to enter Transform mode. Hold Alt +Shift and drag in a corner handle to make a white surround in proportion. Press Return, and you’ll have a clean white border with very little fuss.171. See a single layerWith a multi-layered image, there are times when you want to see what’s on a particular layer. Alt-click on the eye icon of the layer in the Layers panel. This will turn off all the other layers.172. Add a bleach bypass in secondsTo boost contrast and give a stylised look to a pic, press Ctrl/Cmd+J to duplicate the image onto a new Layer, and then press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+U to get rid of the colour. You’ll see a mono image, but change the Blend mode to Soft Light in the Layers panel, and the black-and-white layer will be blended with the colour to boost contrast and tone down the saturation, giving an attractive bleached look.173. Speed up filter useTo repeat a filter and boost its effect, press Ctrl/Cmd+F to reapply the last filter you used. This is a fast way of making blur filters more blurry.174. Save for the web with precisionWhen you’re saving JPEGs of pictures for web use, make sure you use the dedicated File > Export > Save for Web feature. Set the Preset to JPEG High, and use the options to resize, adjust and compare different quality settings – and even preview it on a web page. You’ll find it’s a much smarter way than using File > Save As, choosing JPEG, and guessing the rest!175. Change your mind on filter settingsIf you’ve gone too far with a filter effect and want to dial back the settings, press Ctrl/Cmd+Z to undo the filter. You’ll see the image return to its pre-filtered state. If you now press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+F, you’ll bring up the Filter dialog box without having to reselect it. Change the settings and click OK.176. Use Dehaze for contrastFound in the FX panel of Lightroom or Camera Raw, the Dehaze slider is designed to reduce atmospheric haze in scenic shots, but it can also be used as a powerful contrast control. To quickly apply a contrast boost, slide it to the right; and to reduce contrast, take it to the left.177. Pick the right colourWhen you need a pure colour in the Color Picker, it’s impossible to directly click right in the corner to get pure white, pure black or the colour you have. To get your cursor right to the edge, click anywhere on the Picker and drag the cursor to the corner you want. This will get you the pure colour you’re after.178. Get movingYou can move a layer or a selection in any direction by selecting the Move tool (shortcut V) and dragging the mouse. But if you want to be really precise, you can tap the cursor keys on the keyboard to move the item in 1-pixel amounts. If you hold down the Shift key while tapping the cursor keys, you’ll move the item in 10-pixel increments.179. Be consistent in croppingWhen you need a set of pictures all the same size, make life easy by creating a crop preset. Select the Crop tool and in the Options bar, key in the width, height and resolution you want (eg, 21 cm, 29.7 cm, 300 px/in). Now click the first drop-down menu and select New Crop Preset. In the dialog box, change the name if required, and click OK to save your custom size. Use this whenever you need it! 180. Before and after views: the easy wayWhen you convert a raw file, it’s handy to see a ‘before’ and ‘after’ version of your changes to keep track of how your picture is progressing. Clicking repeatedly on the Y icon at the bottom of the interface in Lightroom or Camera Raw will cycle through the different modes. To exit, click on the full-screen icon alongside.181. Recompose with TransformThe Crop tool isn’t always the best way to reframe an image. Instead press Ctrl/Cmd+A to select the image, then Ctrl/ Cmd+T to enter Transform mode. Now hold down Ctrl/ Cmd and pull out the corner handles of the bounding box to reshape your image to the frame. When you’re done, press Return to confirm. With this method, you can improve composition while you crop.182. Set your black pointWhen converting raw files in Lightroom or Camera Raw, Set your black point by Alt-dragging the Blacks slider to the left. You’ll see a mask view where true black occurs: this provides a great way to set the darkest parts of an image. You can do the same with Alt and the Whites slider to set a white point.183. Correct your lensBefore doing anything else to a raw file in Lightroom or Camera Raw, go to Lens Corrections and tick the Remove Chromatic Aberrations and Enable Profile Corrections boxes. This will automatically detect the lens used and compensate for any colour fringing or distortion that’s present.184. Go back in time with UndoTo undo the last thing you did, press Ctrl/Cmd+Z. If you want to step back further, press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+Z. At the default settings, you can go back up to 20 states, but if you want more, you can increase the number of History States in Edit > Preferences. (Select Photoshop > Preferences if you’re using macOS).185. Make a calculationTo get a great mono conversion, open your image and go to Image > Calculations. In the dialog box, the Source and Layer boxes will be identical, but by varying Channel, Blending mode and Opacity, you’ll get different black-and-white results. For high-impact scenes shot with bags of contrast, try Red, Red, Multiply. Make sure the Result box is set to New Document, and when you click OK you’ll  get a great-looking mono pic.186. Make a Background layer editableIf you want to move a Background layer higher in your Layers stack, you need to convert it into an editable layer first. To do this quickly, hold Alt and double-click on the layer’s name. It will be instantly turned into an editable layer. 187. Clone like a pro!If you need to clean up an image with some cloning, create a new layer in the Layers panel. With the Clone Stamp or Healing Brush tool selected, make sure that Sample: All Layers is selected in the Options bar. Now clone or heal away, and all the cloning work will be placed on the new layer, leaving your original untouched if you change your mind later. 188. Apply a slick keyline borderTo add a crisp, thin, black border to an image, press D to reset your colours to black and white, then press Ctrl/ Cmd+A to select it all. Now go to Edit > Stroke, and in the dialog box, set Width to 10 px and choose Inside under Location. Click OK.189. Streamline your layersIf you’ve used a lot of layers, you may find yourself scrolling up and down to find the appropriate one. To get more of them on-screen and avoid wasting time scrolling, click on the flyout menu at the top right, select Panel Options and reduce Thumbnail Size to the smallest option. In cases where you have a lot of layers, you can also pick None to show no thumbnails in the panel at all. Click this and you’ll return to your starting point without having to exit the palette and reopen it.190. Fill with colour the quick wayTo flood-fill a layer or selection with your foreground colour, press Alt+Backspace. Use Ctrl/Cmd +Backspace to fill with the background colour.191. Check your colours will printNot all colours captured by a camera can be printed, as a mix of CMYK inks can’t reproduce the RGB light that created the image. To get a good idea of what will or won’t print, press Ctrl/Cmd+Y to view the image in a CMYK preview. You can work on the image in this mode too, so you’re always aware of the colours that are out of range.192. Sharpen in styleTo sharpen a pic in Lightroom or Camera Raw, go to the Detail panel and set the Amount that gives a crisp result on a detailed, in-focus area on the preview. (Radius and Detail are often fine on their defaults of 1.0 and 25.) Now hold Alt and increase Masking until only the edges show in white. This prevents you sharpening areas that don’t need it.193. Switch Lasso tools on the flyWhen making a selection with the Polygonal Lasso tool, you can quickly switch to the Freehand Lasso by holding the Alt key. Draw around your area, and when you release Alt, you’ll be returned to the Polygonal Lasso.194. Make new layers without fussTo create a new layer above the one that’s currently active, press Ctrl/ Cmd+Shift+N and you can give it a name in the dialog box before clicking OK. To do it even quicker without a custom name, press Ctrl/ Cmd+Alt+Shift+N.195. Build up grads graduallyAfter applying a Graduated Filter to darken a sky in Lightroom or Camera Raw, use gentle settings at first, then right-click on the Pin and select Duplicate. This gives you a second grad and a stronger effect, which you can drag into position and edit further, This is faster than creating new grads from scratch.196. Warm up a shot the fast wayTo add a swift warm-up effect on a landscape, press Ctrl/Cmd+L to open the Levels palette, and click RGB. Select the Red Channel from the list, and move the middle slider a little to the left. Now select the Blue channel and move it a little to the right. This creates an amber colour cast to the whole image, giving an instant warm-up effect.197. Balance your coloursColour temperature isn’t fixed in a raw file, and both Lightroom and Camera Raw make it easy to warm up or cool down your shots. The best starting point is to pick the appropriate preset (such as Daylight or Cloudy) from the drop-down menu next to White Balance in the Basic panel. Then, you can fine-tune the results to your liking using the Temperature slider. 198. Change your mind on filter settingsIf you’ve gone too far with a filter effect and want to dial back the settings, press Ctrl/Cmd+Z to undo the filter. You’ll see the image return to its pre-filtered state. If you now press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+F, you’ll bring up the Filter dialog box without having to reselect it. Change the settings and click OK.199. Darker edgesTo quickly create a vignette around an multi-layered image, click on the top layer in the stack and press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+Shift+E. This will collapse everything visible into a new layer. Now go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter, and select the FX tab. Under Post Crop Vignetting, move Amount to the left for a dark vignette, or right for a bright one, and adjust the look with Feather Roundness.200. Stay in control of contrastCurves is an amazing tool that offers the connoisseur’s route to contrast control. With it, you can create an S-curve that darkens lower midtones and brightens upper midtones at the same time. Make a Curves Adjustment Layer, then pull the line down at the bottom and push it up at the top.201. Zoom smarterTo zoom and out in a smarter way, assign the zoom function to the scroll wheel of your mouse. Go to Edit > Preferences > Tools and tick the Zoom With Scroll Wheel box to enable it.202. Control your adjustment layersIf you add an Adjustment Layer, it will affect all the layers beneath it in the Layers stack. To make it only affect the layer immediately beneath it, hold Alt and click on the line between the Adjustment Layer and the layer beneath. This ‘clips’ the layer and restricts its effect.203. Get help with compositionCall up a little assistance in framing by choosing the right Crop Overlay. Click on the dropdown menu in the Crop tool’s option bar, and you can choose from six different options to get you composing like a pro.204. Spot-on selectionsWhen you’re making a selection with a Marquee tool, it can be tricky to be precise with your starting point. Start to drag out the selection then immediately hold the spacebar without releasing the mouse. You can now move the starting point  around to get it exactly right before continuing.205. Sample a colour – fast!When you’re painting with the Brush tool and want to switch to a different colour within the image, hold down Alt, click anywhere on the image and the colour will be imported into the foreground colour swatch.206. Check your masksWhen masking, it’s easy to miss out areas when you’re absorbed in the imaging process. To check your mask is well-made and complete, hold Alt and click on the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel. This will show the mask alone, and allow you to paint in any gaps. To revert, just Alt-click on it again.207. Reset if you fluff it!If things go wrong when you’re adjusting the settings in a palette and you mess up the image, the obvious bail-out is the Cancel button. This will exit the palette and restore your original pic. Instead of doing this, hold Alt and the Cancel will become a Reset button. Click this and you’ll return to your starting point without having to exit the palette and reopen it.208. Boost or cut specific coloursWithin the HSL panel in Lightroom and Camera Raw, you can radically enhance the colours in a scene by adjusting any of eight individual hues. To ramp up the blue in a sky, click on the Saturation tab and increase Blues, then click on Lightness and decrease Blues. To adjust the colour of the sky, use the same slider under the Hue tab.209. Benefit from adjustment layersBecause they change data rather than alter pixels, Adjustment Layers are more flexible than pixel-based layers. Instead of copying a layer and making changes to it, click the Adjustment Layer icon and select the type you want from the list. You’ll get the same palette, but the changes you make are not permanent. To change the settings later, double-click the Adjustment Layer’s thumbnail.210. Add mono toning treatmentsTo apply a single colour tint such as sepia or blue toning to a shot, click on the Adjustment Layer icon in the Layers panel and select Hue/Saturation from the list. In the dialog box, tick the Colorize box, then adjust the Hue and Saturation sliders to get the colour and intensity you want.211. Copy and move layers quicklyIf you’ve placed a cutout on a separate layer and want to use it elsewhere in an image, select the Move tool by pressing V, then hold Alt and drag the mouse. This copies the selection to a new layer and positions it wherever you drag it.212. Invert your masking errorsWhen you use layer masks, it’s easy to hide or reveal the wrong part of the image by getting black where you should have white. If this happens, simply click on the mask to make it active, and press Ctrl+I to invert the colours. This is much quicker than making the mask correctly from scratch.213. Flatten the smart wayTo crunch all your visible layers into a single layer, click on the top layer in the stack then press Ctrl/ Cmd+Alt+Shift+E. This merges the image into a new layer. 214. See sensor dirtSmudges of sensor dirt are easy to miss, but if you select the Spot Removal tool in Lightroom or Camera Raw, there’s a great way to see them much more clearly. Tick the Visualize Spots box and adjust the slider alongside to see blemishes in low-detail areas like skies. Click on them to clean up.215. Split-tone a shotTo split-tone a shot and get highlights and shadows in contrasting colours, go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter and in the HSL/ Greyscale tab, tick the Convert to Grayscale box. Now select the Split Toning tab, and adjust the Hue and Saturation sliders for the Highlights and the Shadows to get the colours you want. Use the Balance slider to mix them together. To get expert photography tips and tricks every month,

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Photography Basics – The Ultimate Beginner’s Photography Guide

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Photography Basics – A Beginner’s Photography Guide

Home | Photography | Photography Guides | Photography Basics | Photography Basics – A Beginner’s Photography Guide

The photography basics are fundamental for anyone who is beginning to work in photography.

Regardless of your interests, gear, or goals, having a solid foundation of the main concepts of photography is key to capturing better images and improving your photography.

However, things are not easy when you start off; What are the photography basics? Which are the fundamental concepts of digital photography? What’s the best way to learn the basic elements?

I was in that position too, and I know that it’s hard. There are plenty of photography basics articles online, but the information is often incomplete or displayed in a non-logical order.

For that reason, I decided to create this beginner’s photography guide to learning the basics.

This photography basics guide is what I’d have loved to find when I first picked up my camera; all the important information you need to understand the main photography concepts displayed in a logical and digestible order. To help you in the process, I also included plenty of examples, infographics, and photography basics cheat sheets that will make everything easier.

Ready to learn the digital photography basics?

Basic concepts of photography

We’ll dive into each photography concept below but, in a nutshell, these are the main photography basics:

Exposure

Aperture

Shutter speed

ISO

Exposure triangle

Depth of field

Focal length

Sensor size

Focus

Sharpness

Camera settings

Camera modes

Metering modes

Focus modes & areas

White balance

Histogram

Composition

Photography gear

Editing

Photography tips for beginners

Below you’ll find all these photography basics explained.

Apart from this information, the best way to learn the basics is to check the specific article that you’ll find at the end of each photography concept. You can also download this photography basics guide as a PDF if you’re interested.

I promise that if you follow this beginner’s photography guide, you’ll learn and master all the photography fundamentals in a flash!

GET OUR FREE EBOOK TO MASTER THE PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS20 LESSONS AND 80+ PAGES WITH EXAMPLES, INFOGRAPHICS, TIPS, AND MORE!Download

1. Exposure – The main element of photography

Exposure is the most important photography basic and the first photography concept that you need to understand.

You’ve probably heard before the expression “photography is painting with light”, and it’s completely true! Photography is about capturing light, and exposure is so important because it’s the amount of light collected by your camera.

The photography exposure basics are composed of different elements that we’ll discuss below like the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. The fundamental thing to understand is the effect of exposure, which is to capture the image with a determined brightness (this is also called “Exposure Value”).

Ideally, the image should be correctly exposed, that is, with the perfect amount of brightness where you can see all the detail in the highlights and the shadows. However, in photography exposure there’s no right or wrong, and the artistic choice of many photographers is to capture an underexposed or overexposed image. For now, we’ll focus on the elements to capture a correct exposure.

Exposure basics also has other effects on the final look of the image like the depth of field, the motion, and the digital noise. We’ll also get into this throughout this photography basics tutorial.

Below, you can see a photography basics infographic with the main effect of exposure on an image.

Not clear enough? Check out our guide to photography exposure!

 

EXPOSURE IN PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE

 

2. Aperture – A fundamental concept in photography

Aperture is the first concept of the photography exposure basics.

In brief, the aperture works like our pupils; it’s the opening of the camera lens, which controls the amount of light that goes through the lens to the camera sensor.

This basic photography concept has a direct effect on the exposure; the wider the aperture the brighter the image will be, and the narrower the aperture the darker it will be. It also plays a significant role in the depth of field and sharpness of the image.

The max. and min. aperture of the lens is defined by a value known as “F-stop”. The larger the F-stop number is, the smaller/narrower the aperture and vice versa. This number follows a sequence like this:

The best aperture camera settings will depend on the light, the subject that you’re shooting, and the final look that you want in your image.

You can see all the main effects of this exposure setting in the below photography basics cheat sheet for aperture.

Interested in learning more about aperture with some real examples? Click below and check out our Guide to photography aperture!

 

APERTURE IN PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE

 

3. Shutter Speed – A key element for beginner photography

The second photography fundamental related to exposure basics is the shutter speed.

In short, shutter speed is related to how long the camera shutter is open and capturing light.

This has a significant impact on the exposure; a shorter shutter speed will translate into a darker image whereas a longer shutter speed will capture a brighter image.

Shutter speed is also a photography fundamental for capturing motion, something vital in some genres like long exposure photography. It also has an effect on the camera shakiness and the possibility of shooting handheld vs. the need for using a tripod.

The main way to measure shutter speed is using seconds and fractions of a second following a sequence like this:

The best shutter speed settings will depend on the available light and the motion that you want to capture in your subject.

You can see the main effects of this setting in the below photography basics chart related to shutter speed:

Want to find more information and examples? Check our complete guide to shutter speed!

 

GUIDE TO SHUTTER SPEED

 

4. ISO – A must in any beginner’s photography guide

The last of the exposure photography basics is the ISO.

In short, the ISO works by increasing the light information captured by the camera sensor.

This has a drastic effect on the exposure; the higher the ISO, the brighter the image will be, and the lower the ISO, the darker the photograph will be.

Apart from exposure, ISO has a major side effect called “digital noise”. As you increase the ISO, your image will be brighter but will also have more digital noise, which is an important element related to the quality of the image.

The ISO number is usually measured using “ISO levels”, which follows this sequence:

The main ISO camera settings will depend on the available light. If you’re shooting in low-light or night environments, you’ll have to use a higher ISO if you want to capture the right exposure. The same applies if you want to use a narrow aperture or fast shutter speed and there’s not enough light. You’ll have to strike a balance with the other photography basics. This might seem complex but it’s rather easy as you’ll see in the next photography concept.

You can see all the ISO effects in the following photography basics cheat sheet.

Would you like to master ISO? Check out our Guide to ISO in digital photography!

 

ISO GUIDE

 

5. Exposure triangle – the secret to understanding the photography basics

Once you understand the photography basics of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, it’s time to put them all together!

The best way to see how these elements interact with each other is through the exposure triangle.

The exposure triangle is included in most beginning photography guides, and it’s simply an analogy to explain the effects and interaction of the main photography basics of exposure. According to this, all three elements must be in balance if you want to capture a correctly exposed image. So, when you adjust one side of the triangle, you’ll have to adjust one or the two other sides to strike a balance.

For instance, if you open your aperture, you’ll have to either reduce the shutter speed or decrease the ISO to achieve the same amount of brightness (exposure level).

Using the exposure triangle is one of the best basic photography tips for beginners, and once you understand it, it’s very easy to put it into practice.

To make things easier, below you can find a photography basics cheat sheet with the exposure triangle analogy.

You can find an in-depth guide full of examples in our exposure triangle guide!

 

THE EXPOSURE TRIANGLE GUIDE

 

6. Depth of field – A basic concept in photography

One of the fundamentals of digital photography is the depth of field.

In short, depth of field is simply the space in the image that is acceptably sharp and in focus.

In photography, we can say that there’s a shallow depth of field when just a narrow portion of the frame is acceptably sharp, whereas we speak about a large depth of field when a big portion of the frame is considered to be in focus.

Depth of field is affected by many different factors:

Aperture: The wider the aperture, the shallower the depth of field

Focal length: The longer the focal length, the shallower the depth of field

Focusing distance: The closer the subject to the lens, the shallower the depth of field

Sensor size: The smaller the camera sensor size, the shallower the depth of field (*using the same focal length).

A good way to calculate the depth of field is by using a depth of field app or calculator. It’ll tell you the portion of your frame that will be reasonably sharp according to your camera, lens, and aperture.

The best way to understand this photography concept is through real examples, which you can find in our depth of field photography guide.

 

GUIDE TO DEPTH OF FIELD

 

7. Focal length – photography lens basics

Focal length is related to the photography lens basics.

It’s a vital photography concept to understand for creating your images and choosing the lenses that you’ll need in your gear.

The focal length works by describing each lens in terms of millimeters from the optical center of the lens to the sensor. Depending on how short or long the focal length is, this will have a direct impact on the field of view of your images and in other aspects like the depth of field.

For example, shorter focal lengths like wide-angle lenses will have a wide-angle of view, whereas longer focal lengths like telephotos will have a narrower angle of view. The focal length will also create different effects, like distortion in wide angles of view, and magnification in narrower angles of view.

All these elements are essential for anyone who is beginning in photography since it will affect the final look of your subject and image.

You’ll find this photography concept easily explained following the below basic infographic.

You can also find more info and examples of images taken with different focal lengths in our focal length guide!

 

FOCAL LENGTH GUIDE

 

8. Sensor size – A good photography fundamental to learn

Another photography fundamental for beginners that often goes overlooked is the camera sensor size.

The camera sensor size is truly important. There’s not an absolute best sensor size in photography, but rather different sensor sizes for different photographic needs.

The size used as a reference in digital photography is the classic 35 mm sensor size, also known as Full-Frame. If the sensor is smaller than this size, it’s said to be “cropped”, and if it’s bigger, it’s considered “medium format.“ Knowing the different types of sensors, their qualities, and what they can achieve, is also crucial to taking the pictures that you want.

For example, a basic rule in night photography is to use a sensor with larger pixels, since these are better at capturing light and will allow you to take a better-quality image with less digital noise.

The focal length is also important since smaller sensors will offer more reach and greater magnification for shooting subjects far away like in wildlife or sports.

The depth of field is the last effect of the camera sensors. Using the same field of view, the depth of field will be narrower in cameras with larger sensors and larger in cameras with cropped sensors. An example is portrait photography, where photographers usually shoot with larger sensors to decrease the depth of field and bokeh effect.

As you can see, understanding the sensor size is one of those photography basics that you must pay attention to.

Below you can see a photography basic cheat sheet with the main types of sensors in the market.

If you want to learn more about this and see examples taken with different sensors, check our guide to camera sensor size!

 

CAMERA SENSOR SIZE IN PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE

 

9. Focus – An essential concept to master

Focusing is one of the most common struggles for anyone beginning in photography.

Briefly, focusing consists of adjusting the lens to find the maximum sharpness, contrast, and resolution for a chosen subject.

There are two ways to focus in digital photography:

Manual focus: Using your hands to tweak the focus ring until you get to the best focus.

Automatic focus: Using the camera’s and lenses’ internal motors to focus on a given subject.

Using manual focus or autofocus will depend on the type of photography that you do. For instance, in some genres like macro and night photography, it’s better to use manual focus. Yet, in other genres, like wildlife or sports, autofocus is faster and will make things easier.

In some genres like landscape photography, you can focus on a specific distance that will help you achieve the maximum depth of field (or reasonable sharpness). This is called the Hyperfocal distance and it’s one of the best photography basics to learn. There are also more advanced techniques to achieve maximum sharpness like focus stacking that you can apply if you already have some experience. 

Talking about cameras, these are very different in terms of their focusing capabilities. Basic cameras usually have worse focusing capabilities like fewer focus points, and they are less reliable, while advanced cameras have a better focusing capacity even in low-light situations.

Most digital cameras include different focus modes and areas that we’ll cover in the photography basic settings below.

This photography basics infographic breaks down the main differences between Manual Focus vs. Autofocus.

You can learn how to focus and find 10 tips for focusing in our guide to focusing in photography.

 

GUIDE TO FOCUSING

 

10. Sharpness – The vital photography basic for better quality

Sharpness is a basic photography concept that can be more technical than others, but it’s rather easy to understand.

In a nutshell, sharpness is just how clearly detail is captured and processed in an image.

There are many factors affecting the sharpness of an image, like the sensor resolution, the lens, and even some photography basics that we already covered like the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

The editing basics and post-processing techniques are also important to achieve more sharpness. Images usually lack detail when they are taken straight out of camera (something called “softness” in photography), and you can correct this by using some sharpening software.

Lastly, the viewing distance is another important factor affecting sharpness. By definition, the perception of sharpness increases as the viewing distance of the image grows. That’s why billboards have a very small resolution when looked at closely.

“Soft” vs sharpened image

I highly encourage you to dive more into this photography concept by following our sharpening article and our guide with 30 tips to take sharper photos.

 

SHARPNESS GUIDE

 

11. Camera Settings – Basic photography settings

Once you understand the basic photography concepts, it’s time to put them into practice using the main photography settings on camera!

In short, these are the best camera settings for anyone starting in photography:

Aperture: f/1.8-f/5.6 in low light or for a narrower depth of field, and f/8-f/16 for a wider DoF

Shutter Speed: From 30 seconds to 1/4000thof a second depending on the scene

ISO: 100-3200 in entry-level cameras, and 100-6400 in more advanced cameras

Camera Mode: Manual camera mode or Aperture-priority mode

Metering Mode: Matrix/Multi/Evaluative depending on your camera model

Focus Mode: AF-S for stills and AF-C for moving subjects

Focus Area: Single-point for stills and Dynamic/Zone for moving subjects

White Balance: Automatic WB

File Format: Raw File (or JPEG if you don’t want to edit your pictures)

Drive Mode: Single shooting for stills and continuous for moving subjects

Long exposure noise reduction: Off

High ISO noise reduction: Off

Color Space: sRGB

Image stabilization: On when shooting handheld and Off when shooting from a tripod

HDR/DRO: Off

We have a dedicated guide to basic camera settings for beginners where you can learn all the above buttons, dials, and functions on your camera.

 

CAMERA SETTINGS AND BUTTONS GUIDE

 

12. Camera Modes – The basics to make the most of your camera

Understanding camera modes is one of the basics in photography to help you familiarize yourself with your camera and improve as a photographer.

To put it simply, camera modes are the camera controls that allow the photographer to choose the main exposure settings for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

They’re also called “shooting modes,“ and these are the main modes available in most digital cameras:

Program Camera mode (“P Mode”): Using this mode, the camera automatically sets the shutter speed and aperture.

Shutter Priority Mode (“Tv/S Mode”): You set the shutter speed and the camera selects the aperture.

Aperture Priority Mode (“Av/A Mode”): You set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed.

Manual Camera Mode (“M Mode”): You set all the main settings on camera.

Using each mode will depend on your subject and your photographic skills, but generally, learning when to use the different camera modes is basic photography knowledge.

You can find more information and examples in our camera modes guide for beginners.

 

GUIDE TO CAMERA MODES

 

13. Metering Modes – The fundamental lighting concepts

Another photography fundamental for starters is the metering modes.

In short, metering modes are simply the way your camera calculates the available light of the scene. In photography, this can be done using the built-in exposure meter in camera or a handheld device.

Understanding how light works in photography is a basic concept that any photographer must know, and it’s the first step in learning the different ways your camera can calculate the light of the scene.

These are the basic metering modes to calculate the light in most digital cameras:

Multi/Matrix metering: This mode evaluates the light of the entire scene by dividing the frame into different zones.

Center-weighted metering: This mode uses the center of the frame to measure the light of the scene.

Spot metering: Using this mode, the camera uses a single focus point to read the light.

By default, one of the basic photography techniques in any DSLR or mirrorless camera is to use Multi/Matrix metering, which will be accurate in most situations. However, in some particular scenarios, you might benefit from using either Center or Spot metering.

You can check out some examples in the below photography basics infographic related to the main camera metering modes.

If you want to dive into each specific mode and more examples, check out our dedicated guide to metering modes!

 

GUIDE TO METERING MODES

 

14. Focus Modes & Areas – Photography basics for any genre

You can’t learn the photography basics without understanding how the focus modes and areas work.

The focus modes help you decide whether you want the camera to lock the focus on a subject or to keep adjusting the focus as the subject moves across the frame.

The two main focus modes are:

Single Autofocus Mode (AF-S/One-shot AF): The camera locks the focus on a subject and, if the subject moves, you’ll have to press the focus button again and repeat the process.➜ Best for stills, landscape, macro, astro, etc.

Continuous Autofocus Mode (AF-C/AI-Servo): After focusing, the camera will track the subject when it moves within the frame. ➜ Best for action, wildlife, sports, street, etc.

Moving into the focus areas, these will help you set where the camera seeks to focus within a scene.

To do this, your camera uses different focus points and AI technology. In some genres, using a specific focus area is fundamental. That’s why the focus areas are one of the wildlife photography basics and it’s also vital in other genres like sport or street photography.

In a nutshell, these are the main focus areas in photography:

Single Point Area Mode: You can select a single focus point. ➜ Best for landscape, still portraits, macro, and architecture.

Dynamic Area Mode: If your subject moves, your camera will use several focus points to track it. ➜ Best for wildlife, sports, and street.

Auto Area Mode: The camera automatically decides the best focus points. ➜ Best for scenes where you need to focus on something easy and close to the camera.

This camera basics infographic will give you a better understanding of the different focus areas.

The best way to learn this photography basic is by seeing real examples. You can see plenty in our Focus Modes & Areas article!

 

GUIDE TO FOCUS MODES & AREAS

 

15. White Balance – A must in any photography guide

White balance is one of those easy to understand photography basics.

Briefly, white balance is a photography concept aimed at capturing accurate colors in your image without being affected by the color of the light source. White Balance is related to color temperature, which is measured in “Kelvins” or “K”. The higher the K number, the cooler the color will be.

In your camera, you’ll have several white balance options:

Automatic white balance (AWB): The camera automatically adjusts the best WB camera setting.

White balance Presets (Semi-Automatic White Balance): The camera includes different preset modes related to different color temperatures.

White balance manual camera setting (Custom white balance mode): You can manually adjust the white balance by either creating a custom white balance or setting a specific Kelvin number.

One of the best photography basic tips is to set the white balance to automatic. Thankfully, the white balance is a setting that you can change in post-processing without affecting the quality of the image, as long as you shoot in Raw.

I hope this photography basics cheat sheet helps you learn when to use the different white balance adjustments.

You can find more info & examples in our basic guide to white balance!

 

WHITE BALANCE GUIDE

 

16. Histogram – Understand the exposure basics

The histogram is a photography concept that most people beginning in photography find daunting. It looks like complex mathematics but, believe me, it’s very easy to understand and one of the most useful tools in your camera.

In a few words, the histogram is just a graphic representation of the exposure levels within an image. Using the histogram, you’ll be able to see a more accurate representation of the highlights and shadows of your image.

Reading the histogram is one of the basics in digital photography and will help you see if your image is correctly exposed or under/overexposed.

This photography basics infographic will help you understand how to read the histogram.

I also created a specific article where I talk about the best histogram and show real examples of histograms in photography. You can check it out below.

 

HISTOGRAM IN PHOTOGRAPHY

 

17. Composition – An indispensable photography basic

Beyond photography settings, gear, and other technical aspects, if you want your pictures to speak for themselves, one of the photography basics to master is the composition.

Composition is the language of photography, and using different compositional elements and rules, you’ll be able to capture and shape your visual message. When you compose your image, you have to arrange the elements of the scene to make them attractive to the viewer. This will also help you represent your visual message in the most harmonious and impactful way.

Composition can be broken down into different parts:

Rules: Like the photography basic rule of thirds, the golden triangle, the rule of space, the golden spiral, the rule of odds, etc.

Elements: Like leading lines, curves, geometric shapes, colors, etc.

Techniques: Like symmetry, balance, repetition, patterns, scale, etc.

All these fundamentals are basic photography knowledge that you must learn if you want to capture the best possible images according to your vision.

The best way to learn composition is by studying basic photography books on composition and studying another good photographer’s or artist’s work.

You can start by checking our guide with the 25 photography composition basics.

 

THE 25 BEST COMPOSITIONAL ELEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY

 

18. Photography gear – Camera and lens basics

Just as a carpenter uses a hammer, the camera, lenses, and other gear are your main tools to create images.

Basic photography gear includes the following elements:

Digital cameras: The basic is a digital camera, and preferably it’s a DSLR or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. (You can see the different types in our DSLR vs. mirrorless guide).

When you shoot in low-light, like when photographing the Milky Way, certain camera models will help you get better results. You can see different models in our guide to cameras for Milky way photography.

Lenses: They are as equally important as cameras to shoot quality images.

The photography lens basics include a wide range from fish-eye lenses of 7-8 mm to super-telephoto lenses like 600-800 mm.

The type of lens and focal length will depend entirely on the type of photography that you’re doing. In most scenarios, your images will be in the range from 14-400 mm.

The brightness of the lens is also crucial. Lenses with a large aperture, like f/1.8 or f/2.8, are usually aimed at shooting portraits and low-light photography like astrophotography. These are called “fast lenses”. You can see some of these in our article on the best lenses for night photography.

Tripods: A sturdy tripod is essential in some genres like long-exposure photography, Milky Way photography, Northern Lights photography, and other photographic situations.

Lens filters: These types of filters will allow you to create long exposures and to achieve creative effects in your images. There are many different types and models that you can take a look at in our guide to camera lens filters.

Others: There are many other pieces of gear like camera bags, SD cards, batteries, etc., and others that you might need depending on your shooting, like flashesand external lights, photography gloves, star trackers, etc.

This basic photography concept deserves its own article, which you can find below.

 

GUIDE TO TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA GEAR

 

19. Editing – Photography editing basics

One of the last photography basics consists of the final editing and processing of our images.

The photography editing basics are about striking a balance in the exposure between the highlights and the shadows, sharpening the image, managing the color, and generally fine-tuning the final image.

Some photographers also use post-processing to create artistic effects that can represent their vision. This, of course, depends on your personal taste, but editing and processing are photography fundamentals that you need to know to have well-rounded images.

For anyone beginning in photography, I always recommend checking editing video tutorials online from photographers they like and admire. It’s one of the best ways to be engaged in learning the editing basics.

Editing and processing is a fundamental step to make the most of your image

20. Photography tips for beginners – The ultimate tips for beginning in photography

We couldn’t finish this photography concepts guide without a few photography basics tips and tricks for beginners.

Understand how light in photography works

Get started in photography by shooting in Raw

Don’t be afraid of the camera’s manual mode

Learn how to properly hold your camera

Be aware of the importance of a tripod when you start in photography

Take your time to zoom in on your images to find mistakes

Study and look at as many photographs as possible

Ask for feedback from other photographers

Take your camera with you as much as you can

Focus on the process, not the results

I explain these and 15 more photography basic tips in our article on the best 25 tips for beginners!

 

THE 25 BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

 

Conclusion

Learning the photography basics can look like an uphill task. There are too many photography concepts to understand, and so much information can be overwhelming at first.

However, I’m sure that using this beginner’s photography guide will make the process easier for you. My advice is to learn the main photography fundamentals one by one. Understand the theory, check the examples, and most importantly, try to put them into practice!

I hope that this photography basics tutorial along with all the infographics and specific articles will help you along the way. Remember that you can also download our photography basics PDF guide so you can check it out anywhere in the future

My last tip for anyone beginning in photography is not to be shy, so if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments!

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Dan Zafra

COFOUNDER & PHOTO TOUR LEADER

Dan is a professional landscape and astro photographer, photography educator, and co-founder of Capture the Atlas. His base camp is in Nevada, USA, but he spends long periods exploring and photographing new locations around the world.

Apart from shooting the Milky Way, the Northern Lights, and any breathtaking landscape, he enjoys leading photo tours to some of the most photogenic places on Earth.

You can find more about Dan here.

Don't miss out...

The 25 Best Photography Tips for Beginners

Photography Composition – Best Composition Rules in Photography

What Is Exposure? Exposure in Photography Explained

18 replies on “Photography Basics – A Beginner’s Photography Guide”

James says:

31 July, 2023 at 12:03

You are really good on this tips

Dan Zafra says:

11 March, 2024 at 11:04

Many thanks, James!

Daniella Figueiredo says:

10 May, 2023 at 7:27

Great article, very informative for beginners.

Dan Zafra says:

4 June, 2023 at 16:52

Thank you!

SF says:

10 April, 2023 at 20:04

Very useful! Thank you!

Dan Zafra says:

4 June, 2023 at 17:04

Thank you!

Anonymous says:

29 November, 2022 at 3:20

Thank you,it was really helpful

Dan Zafra says:

11 March, 2024 at 7:08

Thank you so much, so glad it helps!

Tamara says:

2 October, 2022 at 1:12

Thanks Dan, I love the article! I am sure this will help me getting the fundamentals down!

Dan Zafra says:

11 October, 2022 at 5:33

Glad it helped, Tamara!

Daisy says:

31 March, 2022 at 22:35

This is great, Dan. It’s a really big help.

Dan Zafra says:

13 June, 2022 at 20:58

Thanks, Daisy! I Appreciate your nice words!

Randell Brown says:

11 March, 2022 at 14:54

Tried to download your e-book, A Guide To Mastering The Basics. I answered the questions as requested but I never received a code needed to complete the process.

Dan Zafra says:

16 March, 2022 at 22:18

Randell,

There might have been an issue with the server. I’ve already sent you a copy by email.

Dan

Eddie says:

10 January, 2022 at 8:36

Great beginners guide, has been very helpful to me, a complete novice to photography.

Many thanks Dan.

Dan Zafra says:

1 March, 2022 at 22:40

Thank you, Eddie! ;=)

Laura luvanga says:

17 June, 2021 at 14:31

Thanks for this tips

Dan Zafra says:

9 December, 2021 at 18:23

Thanks, Laura!

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PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS GUIDE

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Has Kate Middleton Just Ended All Remaining Trust in Photographs?

Someone is Selling an X100VI Limited Edition Camera on eBay for $18,000

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Mar 11, 2024

Jaron Schneider

Panasonic’s Organic Sensor May Be Complete, But Likely Won’t Be Used

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Mar 11, 2024

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15 hours ago

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Jaron Schneider

Canon Wants to Achieve ‘Overwhelming Number One Share’ of Mirrorless Market by 2026

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Two Photographers Create Magnificent Gigapixel Image of Annular Solar Eclipse

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Pesala Bandara

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Mar 10, 2024

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Chris Niccolls

Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L Review: Expensive, Exclusive, Exceptional

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Lensrentals Acquisition to End the BorrowLenses Brand, Close CA Location

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Jaron Schneider

Panasonic Says the G9 II is Physically Large to Balance Better for Wildlife Photography

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Mar 08, 2024

Jeremy Gray

The Shattered Remains of Outdoor Photographer, Imaging Resource Returned to Prior Owner

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Midjourney Blocks All Stability AI Employees After Alleged Data Theft Attempt

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Jaron Schneider

DJI Counters Claims That It Is an ‘Unacceptable National Security Risk’

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Jeremy Gray

Germany vs Google: How Street View Won the Privacy Battle in Europe’s Most Private Country

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Jeremy Gray

Hasselblad Awards Acclaimed Photographer Ingrid Pollard $200,000

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Jeremy Gray

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Photographer Gets Way Too Close to Bison in Yellowstone Park

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Wedding Photographer Faces Backlash for Charging $8.5K for ‘Blurry’ Pictures

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Just About Every Major Camera Brand is Having a Sale Right Now

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Lensrentals Acquires BorrowLenses From Shutterfly

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Pesala Bandara

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Chris Niccolls

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History of photography | History, Inventions, Artists, & Events | Britannica

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history of photography

Table of Contents

history of photography

Table of Contents

IntroductionGeneral considerationsInventing the mediumAntecedentsEarly experimentsHeliographyDaguerreotypePhotogenic drawingEarly views of the medium’s potentialPhotography’s early evolution, c. 1840–c. 1900The revolution of techniqueDevelopment of the daguerreotypeDevelopment of the calotypeDevelopment of stereoscopic photographyDevelopment of the wet collodion processDevelopment of the dry platePhotography of movementEarly attempts at colourEstablishing genresPortraiturePhotojournalismDocumentary photographyLandscape and architectural documentationSocial documentationPhotography as artEarly developmentsNaturalistic photographyPictorialism and the Linked RingPerfecting the medium, c. 1900–c. 1945The Photo-SecessionThe New ObjectivityExperimental approachesDocumentary photographyPhotojournalismColour photographyPhotography c. 1945 to the 21st centuryPostwar developmentsDevelopments from the 1970s to the 1990sInto the 21st century: the digital age

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The Spruce Crafts - A brief history of Photography and the Camera

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photography - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)

photography - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Written by

Andy Grundberg

Andy Grundberg,

Naomi Rosenblum

Writer. Author of A World History of Photography and A History of Women Photographers.

Naomi Rosenblum,

Helmut Erich Robert Gernsheim

Photo-historian and author. Founder of the Gernsheim Collection. Regents Professor of Art, University of California, Riverside, 1984. Guest Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1985 and...

Helmut Erich Robert GernsheimSee All

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Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre: View of the Boulevard du Temple, Paris

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A new book unearths a buried history of photography in West Africa

history of photography, method of recording the image of an object through the action of light, or related radiation, on a light-sensitive material. The word, derived from the Greek photos (“light”) and graphein (“to draw”), was first used in the 1830s. This article treats the historical and aesthetic aspects of still photography. For a discussion of the technical aspects of the medium, see photography, technology of. For a treatment of motion-picture photography, or cinematography, see motion picture, history of, and motion-picture technology. (Read Ansel Adams’ 1947 Britannica essay on “Photographic Art.”) General considerations Frank Sadorus: Photographing life on the Illinois plainsLearn more about life on the plains with the photography of Frank Sadorus.(more)See all videos for this articleAs a means of visual communication and expression, photography has distinct aesthetic capabilities. In order to understand them, one must first understand the characteristics of the process itself. One of the most important characteristics is immediacy. Usually, but not necessarily, the image that is recorded is formed by a lens in a camera. Upon exposure to the light forming the image, the sensitive material undergoes changes in its structure, a latent (but reversed) image usually called a negative is formed, and the image becomes visible by development and permanent by fixing with sodium thiosulfate, called “hypo.” With modern materials, the processing may take place immediately or may be delayed for weeks or months. The essential elements of the image are usually established immediately at the time of exposure. This characteristic is unique to photography and sets it apart from other ways of picture making. The seemingly automatic recording of an image by photography has given the process a sense of authenticity shared by no other picture-making technique. The photograph possesses, in the popular mind, such apparent accuracy that the adage “the camera does not lie” has become an accepted, if erroneous, cliché. This understanding of photography’s supposed objectivity has dominated evaluations of its role in the arts. In the early part of its history, photography was sometimes belittled as a mechanical art because of its dependence on technology. In truth, however, photography is not the automatic process that is implied by the use of a camera. Although the camera usually limits the photographer to depicting existing objects rather than imaginary or interpretive views, the skilled photographer can introduce creativity into the mechanical reproduction process. The image can be modified by different lenses and filters. The type of sensitive material used to record the image is a further control, and the contrast between highlight and shadow can be changed by variations in development. In printing the negative, the photographer has a wide choice in the physical surface of the paper, the tonal contrast, and the image colour. The photographer also may set up a completely artificial scene to photograph.

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The most important control is, of course, the creative photographer’s vision. He or she chooses the vantage point and the exact moment of exposure. The photographer perceives the essential qualities of the subject and interprets it according to his or her judgment, taste, and involvement. An effective photograph can disseminate information about humanity and nature, record the visible world, and extend human knowledge and understanding. For all these reasons, photography has aptly been called the most important invention since the printing press. Inventing the medium Antecedents principle of the camera obscuraIllustration of the principle of the camera obscura, 1671.(more)The forerunner of the camera was the camera obscura, a dark chamber or room with a hole (later a lens) in one wall, through which images of objects outside the room were projected on the opposite wall. The principle was probably known to the Chinese and to ancient Greeks such as Aristotle more than 2,000 years ago. Late in the 16th century, the Italian scientist and writer Giambattista della Porta demonstrated and described in detail the use of a camera obscura with a lens. While artists in subsequent centuries commonly used variations on the camera obscura to create images they could trace, the results from these devices depended on the artist’s drawing skills, and so scientists continued to search for a method to reproduce images completely mechanically. In 1727 the German professor of anatomy Johann Heinrich Schulze proved that the darkening of silver salts, a phenomenon known since the 16th century and possibly earlier, was caused by light and not heat. He demonstrated the fact by using sunlight to record words on the salts, but he made no attempt to preserve the images permanently. His discovery, in combination with the camera obscura, provided the basic technology necessary for photography. It was not until the early 19th century, however, that photography actually came into being. Early experiments Heliography Henri Frédéric AmielHenri Frédéric Amiel, detail of a heliograph by an unknown artist.(more)Nicéphore Niépce, an amateur inventor living near Chalon-sur-Saône, a city 189 miles (304 km) southeast of Paris, was interested in lithography, a process in which drawings are copied or drawn by hand onto lithographic stone and then printed in ink. Not artistically trained, Niépce devised a method by which light could draw the pictures he needed. He oiled an engraving to make it transparent and then placed it on a plate coated with a light-sensitive solution of bitumen of Judea (a type of asphalt) and lavender oil and exposed the setup to sunlight. After a few hours, the solution under the light areas of the engraving hardened, while that under the dark areas remained soft and could be washed away, leaving a permanent, accurate copy of the engraving. Calling the process heliography (“sun drawing”), Niépce succeeded from 1822 onward in copying oiled engravings onto lithographic stone, glass, and zinc and from 1826 onto pewter plates. In 1826/27, using a camera obscura fitted with a pewter plate, Niépce produced the first successful photograph from nature, a view of the courtyard of his country estate, Gras, from an upper window of the house. The exposure time was about eight hours, during which the sun moved from east to west so that it appears to shine on both sides of the building.

Niépce produced his most successful copy of an engraving, a portrait of Cardinal d’Amboise, in 1826. It was exposed in about three hours, and in February 1827 he had the pewter plate etched to form a printing plate and had two prints pulled. Paper prints were the final aim of Niépce’s heliographic process, yet all his other attempts, whether made by using a camera or by means of engravings, were underexposed and too weak to be etched. Nevertheless, Niépce’s discoveries showed the path that others were to follow with more success.

大卫·坎帕尼：当我们谈论照片时，我们在谈论什么？ - 影像·文化 - 《中国摄影》杂志社官方网站

大卫·坎帕尼：当我们谈论照片时，我们在谈论什么？ - 影像·文化 - 《中国摄影》杂志社官方网站

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大卫·坎帕尼：当我们谈论照片时，我们在谈论什么？

2023-07-19

英国籍大卫·坎帕尼是一位国际著名策展人、作家、图书编辑和教育家。年轻时，他曾与美国著名文化评论家苏珊·桑塔格交谈，其间讨论了桑塔格阐释摄影作为艺术和社会现象的《论摄影》著作。坎帕尼认为，桑塔格的这本书较少针对具体照片进行评述。因此，桑塔格鼓励坎帕尼今后写一本《论照片》的著作。这次因缘际会可能让坎帕尼立下了今后书写摄影的志向。坎帕尼的新作《论照片》也被一些评论家认为是《论摄影》的“续集”，它不仅是对120幅具体照片的评价，同时也是对摄影史上一些重要话题的评述。坎帕尼采用了一种通过具体照片讲述摄影史论的方法，并协助我们理解为何在观看照片时，不但要看照片的内容和细节，更要体会自己对照片的反应和想法，以便用自己的眼光、背景知识、视觉素养以及生活经历去读懂一幅照片的含义。这便是坎帕尼希望教会每一位读者观看和读懂照片的方式。坎帕尼曾于2003年发表其成名作《艺术与摄影》，并在之后接连出版了《摄影与电影》《沃克·埃文斯：杂志作品》《杰夫·沃尔：女性图像》《一抔尘土》《开放的道路：摄影与美国公路旅行》等著作。江融作为坎帕尼新作《论照片》中文版的译者，于2023年3月26日就此书中所涉及的许多重要摄影问题与他进行了一次访谈。无题，约 1966 年，夸梅·布拉斯韦特　在为60 年代开始流行自然发型的众多模特团体之一开设的学校拍摄的照片©Kwame Brathwaite, 由夸梅·布拉斯韦特摄影档案提供JR:江融(Jiang Rong)DC:大卫·坎帕尼(David Campany)JR：在我们开始谈论你的《论照片》一书之前，我想先问你，你是如何定义 “照片”这个词，尤其是在摄影正不断变化的背景下？DC：这不是一个简单的问题，在某种程度上，这本书是对摄影正不断变化的原因的探索。我认为当人们被问及什么是照片时，他们会想到照片是如何以某种方式在日常生活中被使用的。他们用我们赋予照片的功能来描述摄影，如家庭照片、新闻照片、广告影像、艺术摄影、纪实摄影和时尚摄影等。但我不认为描述照片功能能让我们更接近其定义。摄影也许需要某种镜头，也许不需要。但需要有一个收集和保存光线作为潜在影像的过程。即使是这样的定义也会很快产生许多不同的问题。因此，从某种程度上来说，难以准确定义摄影才使得摄影变得如此有趣。我想，如果摄影很容易定义，它便停留在19世纪而不会发展。蕾丝，1845 年　威廉·亨利·福克斯·塔尔博特JR：这个答案是可以接受的。我注意到，尽管你的书名是《论照片》，但在这本书中，你经常交替使用“photograph(照片) ”“picture(图像) ”和 “image(影像)”。我认为这三个词之间有一些细微差别。你能向我们解释一下它们之间的差别是什么吗？DC：当我谈论影像的那些特定于摄影媒介的属性时，我倾向于使用“照片”这个词。我在一个更广泛的意义上使用“影像”这个词。当我思考和欣赏一个影像的构图时，我会像一个艺术史学家那样使用“图像”这个词。JR：但我注意到，你最常使用“影像”这个词。你认为在当今的背景下，特别是当我们有数字影像或由人工智能生成的影像时，影像的含义是否比图像的含义更宽泛？DC：是的，影像是更宽泛的。人工智能或电脑生成的影像被赋予某种程度上的真实性，有趣的是，它们借用了相机光学的说法——从镜头中得出的视角，以及高光或模糊等用词。因此，即使我们是在人工智能或电脑生成影像的领域，我们惯常理解的摄影的幽灵以某种方式存在于人工智能或电脑生成的影像中。 无题，选自“ZZYZX”系列，2016 年　格雷戈里·哈尔彭 ©Gregory Halpern, 由艺术家提供JR：你在《论照片》的序言中说，“这本书与其说是我们对照片的看法，不如说是我们如何思考它们；与其说是关于摄影师的意图，不如说是我们看照片时发生的事情”。为什么你觉得我们对照片的思考方式如此重要？DC：这是一个有趣的写作话题，因为我在要求读者思考他们自己的想法。当我们看一张照片时，我们不可能真正知道摄影师的意图是什么。作为一个作家，我并不想成为摄影师意图的代言人。的确，艺术家们经常谈论他们的意图，这只是因为他们知道，影像无法传达他们的意图。思考摄影师的意图可能是一个陷阱，而且可能相当有局限性。我感兴趣的是，当我们不考虑意图而更多地考虑我们的反应时会发生什么。这对我来说更有趣。这种思考方式会更复杂，也会更模棱两可。唐娜怀孕了（希伯伦社会俱乐部的古老秩序），2005 年，选自格拉斯哥港的图书项目，2004―2006 年　马克·内维尔 ©Mark Neville, 由艺术家提供JR:我同意你的观点，一幅照片可能有不同的解释，取决于观者的经验和背景，以及观者的视觉素养。DC：这也是我有意作出的决定。我的书有一个熟悉的模式：照片在左边，文字在右边。对于这种模式的书，人们的期望是作者会“解释”为什么一张照片是好的，摄影师的意图是什么。但我并没有写这些东西。我只是试图吸引读者的兴趣，让他们思考影像和更普遍的摄影问题。很多时候，我根本就没有提到摄影师的意图，有时，我甚至没有提到摄影师的名字。所以，我是想扩展或者说颠覆人们对这样一本书的期待。JR： 这就是为何你在书中提到，“照片没有错误或正确的解释”。那么，在理解一张照片时，你会建议观者在照片中寻找什么？DC：我认为我们大部分的观察都是无意识的，而且非常迅速。如果我们看的时间长一点，那么我们就会对正在做的事情，对我们的思维方式变得更加有意识。所以这本书试图让读者放慢阅读时间，并思考当我们看一张照片时脑子里会在想什么。这实际上是一个放慢速度的问题。书就是一个会让人放慢的东西。它不像互联网，或像社交媒体。看书中的影像是一个缓慢、沉思和深思熟虑的过程。大多数照片比我们最初的期望更有层次感。所以，花点时间看一看，不急不躁地想一想，是有好处的。无题，选自“梦之家”系列，2002 年　格雷戈里·克鲁森 © Gregory Crewdson，由高古轩画廊提供JR:你在书的开头也提到，“照片通常被认为是能保持事物静态以平息动荡世界的方式。它们让我们能凝视固定的表象，以获得快乐或知识，或两者兼而有之。但它们的其他方面很少能被描述为‘静态’。摄影一直被认为是更 ‘客观’的”。那么，为什么你认为与绘画相比，摄影可以如此难以捉摸？DC：绘画实际上只存在于一个背景中：艺术的空间。摄影则可以属于你将它放置的任何地方：在科学、艺术、设计、家庭相册、广告牌等任何地方。这意味着照片更依赖于它们的背景和它们的使用，以固定它们的意义并赋予它们某种目的。影像无法赋予它自己目的。我不认为绘画的情况是这样的，有一些绘画具有应用功能形式，但一般来说，绘画只发生在艺术的空间。置身于景致之中第17号，选自“置身于景致之中”系列，2004-2008 年　海伦·西尔© Helen Sear，由Klompching画廊提供JR：你还指出，“摄影改变了它所服务的世界，并经常将其理想化，但摄影不能思考，不能反思自己的行为”。因此，正如安塞尔·亚当斯所说，摄影师应该思考的是如何制作一张照片，而不是拍摄一张照片。这是否意味着像我们刚才所讨论的问题，是摄影师的意图可以决定一张照片的意义，还是观者或者像你这样的作家可以解释照片的含义？DC：我不认为解释一张照片是一个专家才能从事的活动。每个人都可以这样做。也许需要解释的是当我们试图解释一张照片的时候发生了什么。当然，一个摄影师可以控制一个影像。但这并不意味着摄影师一定能控制照片的含义。你可以为某人打喷嚏制作一个非常好的影像，但该影像永远不会告诉你此人为何打喷嚏。 照片并不能很好地解释自己，尽管它们所展示的东西可能非常引人注目和迷人。所以，我不认为任何摄影师可以最终控制照片的含义。JR：当我们谈论一张照片时，我们通常会通过谈论照片的两种功能来理解它。一个是文献，另一个是艺术。换句话说，摄影可以是一种再现或表达的媒介。但你也在书中指出，实际上，摄影的这两种功能永远不可能完全分开。我在想，尤金·阿杰同时是一个文献记录者，也是一个超现实主义者。你能详细说明一下摄影的两种功能不能完全分开这一点吗？DC：我想是摄影的本质决定了这两种功能永远不可能完全分开。你决定把相机放在哪里，如何给照片取景，如何设置快门速度，你就会得到你所想要得到的照片。这涉及一定程度的主观决策，但它也涉及一个机器。这与你之前所说的关于制作照片和拍摄照片的区别有关。在某种程度上，所有的照片都是拍摄并制作出来的。我们喜欢谈论拍摄和制作的区别，这本身就说明我们知道这两者都存在。没有人谈论“拍摄一幅画”。 摄影总是与文献和主观的东西有关。因此，摄影与艺术的关系永远无法完全解决。我知道，在过去的一个多世纪里，人们一直渴望让摄影作为艺术被完全接受。但在某种程度上，它的接受不可能是完全的。它总是有一只脚在里面，一只脚在外面，而这正是摄影的生命力所在。如果摄影被完全接受为艺术，所有的问题都会被解决，但这是不可能的。摄影将永远有一个模棱两可的地位，所以最好能接受这一点。抢劫者，2010 年　吕克·德拉哈耶 ©Luc Delahaye, 由艺术家和娜塔莉·奥巴迪亚画廊提供JR：这就是为什么你在书的结尾，概述了为何“摄影可以是艺术和文献，也可以是介于两者之间的一切。人类活动的每一个领域都会受到摄影的影响，包括写作”。那么，你是否认为沃克·埃文斯所提倡的“纪实风格（documentary style）”也可以成为摄影这两种功能不能完全分开的另一个例子？DC：当然可以。埃文斯是一个很好的例子，他很欣赏你刚才提到的阿杰的作品。根据埃文斯的理解，你可以拍出一张看起来像纪实摄影的照片，但该照片也可以从纪实功能中拉开一点。埃文斯非常在乎他的照片如何命名以及如何展示。他也非常在乎其照片的含义必须保持开放。JR：当摄影刚发明时，波德莱尔视其为“科学和艺术的奴仆”。为何你在书中提出，“当摄影媒介接受了它的工业光滑特性，而不是对抗它，或者试图克服它时，它就成了一种现代艺术”？DC：这发生在1910年代到1930年代。我认为，在此之前，使摄影成为艺术的努力在很多方面都是以相当传统的绘画为模式。许多艺术家对影像的光滑表面感到焦虑。因此，他们做了各种各样的事情来压制这种情况，比如在照片乳胶上手绘或在影像上绘画。但到了1920年代，人们有了一种理解是，摄影的工业特性，其光滑的表面和它与文献的关系应该被接受。这就是为什么阿杰、埃文斯和奥古斯特·桑德等摄影家会接受摄影的描述性潜力，避免太明显的“艺术性”。墨西哥马克西米利皇帝的衬衫，1867 年 弗朗索瓦·奥贝尔 © François Aubert ，纽约大都会艺术博物馆，吉尔曼收藏，霍华德·吉尔曼基金会赠，2005 年无题，选自“我所能跑到的极限（10秒）”系列，1996 年　约翰·迪沃拉 © John Divola, 由艺术家提供JR：从1960年代开始，越来越多的艺术家使用摄影作为一种媒介来表达自己。也许不是作为目的，而是作为达到目的的一种手段。如你所知，这确实是关于摄影作为艺术或艺术作为摄影的问题。现在，在当代艺术领域，这类作品被称之为“基于照片的艺术(photo-based art)”。你是否认为，当摄影被这么多的当代艺术家用作表达手段，而不是摄影的目的时，摄影是否失去了它自己的身份？DC：我们不需要在这两方面作出选择。伟大的作品可以由那些深切关注摄影的人完成，也可以由那些仅仅“使用”它的人完成。“使用摄影的艺术家”这个说法很有意思。我们不说“使用绘画的艺术家”，那会有点奇怪。说“使用摄影的艺术家”并不奇怪，说“摄影师”或“艺术摄影师（art photographer ）”或“摄影艺术家（photographic artist）”也不奇怪。所有这些表达方式都是有价值的，它们表示与摄影的不同关系。我们应该接受这一点。我不认为只是因为使用摄影的艺术家可以制作真正有趣的艺术，而不太关心摄影媒介本身，会淡化或削弱摄影。我们有一系列的方式可以使用摄影。我认为，这也是摄影特有的功能，这是令人兴奋的。当然，如果你是一个摄影师，当安迪·沃霍尔和罗伯特·劳森伯格这样的艺术家“使用”照片来创作艺术作品时，你可能会感到不安。 艺术家使用照片创作已有很长的历史。我在书中提到了汉娜·霍奇（Hannah Höch，1889—1978）于1910年代末如何开始使用照片来创作拼贴画。我认为她对摄影的看法以及她设法表达和探索的东西真的很吸引人。她不可能是一个“摄影师”，但我无法想象我对摄影的理解可以没有像汉娜·霍奇这样的人存在。枥木县日光市，2013 年　柴田敏雄　©Toshio Shibata，由路易斯奥蒂画廊提供JR：1972年，黄功吾在越战期间拍摄了一张被凝固汽油弹烧伤的越南女孩的照片。当它被刊登在世界各地报纸的头版时，各国读者都看到了这张图片。这张照片成为标志性（iconic）的作品。它甚至在美国国会关于越战的听证会上被展示，据说因此有助于提前结束了这场战争。这表明，照片可以很有力量。但如今，我们生成了这么多的影像，并不断上传到世界各地的社交媒体。我们甚至没有时间在这些影像被遗忘之前看到它们。你认为摄影到底能不能像以前那样有力量？DC：这是个复杂的问题。我认为在互联网之前，大众媒体制造的“标志性”和“有力量”的影像是大众媒体喜欢谈论的东西。什么是“标志性”的照片？它是一张被大量复制的照片，因此被流传下来，而且有着人们现在可能无法理解的东西。 但如果你问人家，黄功吾的照片中发生了什么事件，他们会说“越南战争”。如果你问他们这是在“越战”的什么阶段发生的，这个阶段有什么利害关系，那么，回答就变得非常模糊了。因此，有时所谓的“标志性”照片有力量，是因为我们不了解情况，这种照片甚至可能妨碍人们了解情况。如果你给人们看多萝西娅·兰格1936年拍摄的被称为“移徙母亲”的照片，他们的反应很可能是“这是20世纪30年代大萧条中的美国”，但这张照片并不能解释大萧条，甚至不能告诉你关于照片中的内容。它不能解释移徙母亲的情况和当时正在发生的事情。它是一个符号，一个文化标记。但这样的“标志性”照片是不寻常的。这通常不是大多数照片被接受的方式。在某种程度上，是大众传媒自己选择了一张照片，通过一次又一次的复制，使其成为标志性的照片。我不认为这与照片的庞大数量或与社交媒体有任何关系。在1920年代和1930年代，有一些评论家非常担心摄影对我们理解世界所产生的影响。他们认为摄影是问题的根源，因为在大众媒体首次扩大使用照片时，世界上有太多的影像。我很高兴知道这是一个老问题，而不是一个互联网问题。我一点也不觉得自己会因为有互联网或社交媒体而一直分散精力，我仍然会觉得有些影像很有力量。在某种程度上，我们经常听到的说法是，我们生活在一个分心的世界里，这是一种没有更仔细思考的借口。如果你想更切实地参与到社会、艺术和政治中，你必须努力成为这些活动的一部分。斗兽场图片，选自“新古代”系列，2009 年　蒂姆·戴维斯 © Tim Davis, 由艺术家提供JR：在1990年代末，有一种说法是，当我们有了美国“图像一代”和德国“杜塞尔多夫学派“的作品后，摄影作为一种艺术媒介得胜了。随后，摄影变得非常流行，因为它被世界各地的许多当代艺术家使用。在我看来，在过去的20年里，自从Adobe Photoshop出现后，许多摄影师和艺术家在为出现数码技术而苦恼，同时也有很多艺术家都在思考如何利用最新的技术进行艺术创作。他们在思考如何应对数码技术、互联网和社交媒体带来的挑战。当我们有像Midjourney这样的人工智能应用程序，它能够如此容易地生成影像，而且它生成的影像可以很有趣，你对摄影的未来感到乐观还是悲观？DC：我认为总是会出现有创意的人。最大的挑战之一是支持艺术家的网络。艺术市场是由时尚的品位驱动的，很多时候它对真正重要的作品不感兴趣。艺术界对摄影的兴趣有增有减，这是不可避免的。几十年来，这种情况一直如此。技术问题不是挑战，人工智能不是挑战。当人们最早想使摄影成为艺术时，拒绝摄影能成为艺术的理由是，摄影只是一种技术。他们认为，如果摄影是技术，它怎么可能是艺术？技术怎么可能创造出令人沉思和具有批判性的作品？如果我们认为摄影的挑战是Photoshop或人工智能，我们就找错了地方。我们应该问的是，我们能用技术做什么的问题。 《论照片 ：如何读懂一幅摄影作品》 作者 ：[ 英 ] 大卫 · 坎帕尼 译者 ：江融 出版 ：华中科技大学出版社 出品方 ：有书至美 出版时间 ：2023年5月 江融 摄影评论家、摄影家、独立策展人。大卫 · 坎帕尼 作家、策展人和教育家，目前担任纽约国际摄影中心总策展人。曾获“克拉兹纳 - 克劳斯图书奖”和“国际摄影中心摄影著作无限奖”。目前他在伦敦威斯敏斯特大学任教。本文首发于《中国摄影》2023年第七期“影像与阅读”栏目编辑/陈秋实 

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