Taking Photos As A Beginner

Photography is one of the hardest things you can ever learn – to do it properly is a lot more than just pointing a camera and pressing the shutter. Getting a shot to match your vision is where it gets tough. Whether you’ve just purchased your first DSLR and want to learn the basics or are looking for simple ways to update your existing photography skills whilst using your phone, the following tips should help you at least be able to get some good photos, and build a strong foundation.

Choose A Backdrop

Selecting new backdrops is one the easiest ways to add personality and style to your photos. Whether you’re shooting people or products, the backdrop behind your subject can make, or break, your image. Cluttered backgrounds are distracting and draw attention away from your subject. The backdrop in a photo can be just as important if not more than the subject itself. You want to have a good balance of having a backdrop, such as one from Fox Backdrop, that doesn’t detract from your item in the foreground, but one that also doesn’t look out of place in the photo.

If you don’t have a backdrop available, then use the surfaces in your home. Worktops, if clean and tidy,can be ideal places to take photos, especially if you have plain walls behind them. I find that wooden flooring can also be a great surface to take photos on as it gives you a base. 

Position Of Your Subject 

The subject of your photo doesn’t always need to be slap bang in the middle of the frame. When I take photos, I like to use the grid setting on my camera so that I can fully see where my subject should be. I keep it within the central grid square, but sometimes focus it off a little closer to one of the side lines so it’s not quite central.

Use Lighting

Good lighting is the essence of every good photograph. Always use lighting that is on the blue scale of lumens to stop any yellowing of the subject. It is best to use natural lighting as much as possible though, so take photos close to windows, or in the lightest room of the house And when using a backdrop, it is important to remember to keep your contrast in check, as a background that is too light can distract from your subject and pull the focus away, whereas backgrounds that are too dark can highlight the subject in an unflattering sense. You could always go for mat floors backdrops if taking photos from above as the wood effect flooring can give a solid foundation for taking photos, and if you opt for a matte look, it’ll stop any glare from the lighting.  

Utilise Angles

Like proportion, lighting and positions, angles are essential to the composition of your photo. Be sure to angle your subject and/or props in relation to your backdrop. If you don’t want your backdrop in focus, then move your subject away from it slightly, and if you want other props in the photos, then work with angles to make sure your subject keeps to being the prominent item in the photo without being taken over by the props.