Never thought I’d sit down to write this, but this post is for me to look back a few years from now and see how it all started. Once we started blogging, we realised how important it was to have good pictures. So I started hunting for a new camera, and I found one which catered to my needs (I’ve written about it here). But here’s what I’ve learnt in a year or so after investing in my first camera: You can have the best camera in the world and still end up taking bad pictures if you’re not willing to learn. Though my initial pictures were nothing to write home about, I’ve consistently strived to learn and better my photography skills. To illustrate my point, take a look at my before and after pictures.
BEFORE
The professional photographers will still find flaws in my work but the truth is, I don’t want to be a pro nor do I want to make money out of this newfound passion. I’m happy being a “photo enthusiast”. All I want is to create memories for myself with my own hands and for L to say ‘WOW’ because at the end of the day even an audience of one is sufficient.
AFTER
Tips to Improve your Photography
1. Understand composition – you’ll find many articles about this, but I’d like to point you to my friend Vinayak’s post who’s covered this in-depth. If video is your preferred choice then look up Shivakumar’s video who helps you master your camera.
2. Find a fellow photographer (thanks VK) who is willing to review your pictures and get his/her opinion on it. If you don’t have a photographer friend, take a look at photo critique forums.
3. Read, Read and Read! Believe me, you can never do enough of this. Digital photography school is a great place to start. If street photography is your thing head over to Eric Kim’s blog for a dose of brilliance.
4. Follow photographers who inspire you. By doing this you inevitably train your eye to take a better photo, also look at a picture and think why it was shot that way rather than just going WOW!
5. Learn Lightroom – there were days when I’d come home, plug in my headphones and watch videos for hours trying to master post-processing. Check out Anthony Morganti’s YouTube channel to learn more.
6. Instagram/Flickr it! You probably think this is unnecessary, but the photography community is quite supportive. I take part in daily contests and when fellow photographers leave a comment appreciating your work you know you’re getting better.
Conclusion
So these are my tips to improve your photography, hope you find them useful. If you’re just starting out and are willing to put in the effort then you will definitely succeed. Like they say the best camera is the one you already have, so just go shoot.
PS: If you need to know anything else then leave a comment below and I’ll be more than happy to answer.