Just because you are holding a guitar does not mean you are a good musician, and neither does having a camera make you a photographer. The notion that owning a more expensive camera will make you a better photographer is also wrong altogether. The art of photography is a skill one has to take time practicing in order to become good at it. Moreover, the daily experience is a lesson as one gets to interact with new things on a daily basis, so the learning process never really stops; even for the pros.
Professional photographers have usually listed down some of the tips which have proven to be effective for anyone to improve their photography skills. This post will take you through the most effective photography tips by professional photographers.
Focus on the lighting
Light can either give you the best picture or on the flip side, the worst picture. Lighting is always the number one factor all professionals consider before taking any photos. But why is lighting all that important? You may ask. Well, for starters, lighting highlights the subject and presents it in a better way, even better than our natural eyes see. Portrait and landscape photographs all have their own lighting requirements, which are also determined by time and place.
Shoot RAW, always
If you have done a bit of research on photography you might have come across comments from professionals that you should shoot RAW. Well, they are right. Shooting RAW has more benefits as compared to JPEG files. JPEG files are processed and compressed by your camera. They usually don’t look very different but when you shoot with both you will see that the RAW pictures are usually 3 times the size. This gives you more control in the post-editing. This, among many other reasons, allows you to better edit your pictures into your own desired format.
Be Creative
If all photos were taken the same way, then the world would have been kind of boring. The creativity of photographers is what keeps people yearning for more. If you are an upcoming photographer, do not try and copy too much of what has been previously done. You should rather be creative and come up with your own concept and ideas as this is what will catch the attention of people, making your piece of art go viral and be appreciated. For quick inspirations do a little research on 500px and other photography websites before you head out to shoot.
Build on your Profile
One of the main challenges faced by most talented photographers is the lack of a good profile and portfolio to showcase their works. Many clients who wish to deal with only professional photographers will first want to have a look at your portfolio and decide on whether to work with you or not, based on how good it looks. While building a profile, make sure to include some of your very best pictures. In case you come across any pictures which do not appeal to you, it is advisable not to post them as one simple mistake might cost you an opportunity. If you create a website, make sure to organize everything to make it easy for navigation and even impress your potential clients.
Do the Post-Production yourself
Professional photos have to undergo some sort of editing before they are shared with other people; be it the individual or for a publication. Many rising photographers tend to outsource third-party services to do some retouch on their pictures. While this is not a bad thing as it saves one time and all the troubles to have it done, the art loses a personal touch. Other people may not know exactly what you want hence diluting your own personal style. Post-production is equally important to shooting and having strong photoshop skills will not harm you in any way, plus it will also improve your photography skills because when you will edit those pictures you will know where you went wrong while shooting. There are some very good tutorial channels that we would recommend you to watch on YouTube. Such as Piximperfect.
Find your niche and stick to it
Being a general photographer is fine but it will take you more time to be recognized on a wider scale. Find your niche, focus on what you like more, and perfect on it. Magazines and other publications that look for photographers do not just look at your portfolio for any pictures but for specific ones. Get a field you are more interested in such as; fashion, food, lifestyle, etc., and focus on it. You are more likely to get a magazine and publication gig if your portfolio is focused on a particular topic.
The Location tells your story better
If you choose to conduct your shoot outside the studio, make sure to do some location hunting well. The location chosen is in a better position to translate the photographer’s captions into a story. Ensure that the colors, the ambiance, and the lighting are enough before settling on a particular location.
Off with Aberrations
Aberrations in photography are basically unwanted background objects. A photographer may sometimes only focus their eyes on the object or subject completely ignoring some unwanted objects in the background. These objects sometimes distort the picture hence not becoming professional. If you are outside for a shoot, one of the best ways, which does not involve moving those objects away from the background, is to use the blur effect. With that, the unwanted things in the background will not be seen as objects but rather as colors. The white walls of a studio drop are also an option.
Mood
One of the most overlooked aspects of photography is mood. Before taking a photo, a good photographer will always ask themselves, what mood the picture would convey. A picture speaks a thousand words, but if your photos do not set any mood, then you are up for a task. If you are taking photos of someone whose expressions do not convey a certain mood, you are in a position to ask them to change.
Rule of Thirds always works
For many years, the rule of thirds has been used by professional photographers to improve their works. This is a composition technique that can be used to produce more engaging and balanced pictures.
Takeaways
Photography is no easy task, it requires a lot of patience and resilience while learning the amazing art. Sometimes, one will be required to further their studies but all in all, all that usually matters is whether the person is passionate about the career path they have chosen. What other tips do you think should be added to the link above? Hit us up today!
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