13 easy photography techniques to improve your skills
Starting out on your photography journey is such a fun and exciting time, but it can also feel a little daunting.
From understanding shutter speeds to mastering the rule of thirds, you'll need to keep learning new photography techniques if you want to start taking better photos.
Whether you're capturing special moments with your family or exploring a new career path in gig photography, mastering new photography techniques will open up more creative possibilities and ultimately inspire you to create stronger images.
To help get you started, we've put together some beginner photography techniques, tips and tricks that'll instantly improve your photos!
1. Understand your camera of choice
When you decide which camera is going with you on your new photography journey, you need to really learn about it and understand how it works. Whether it's a DSLR camera, a compact camera, or you’re simply using your iPhone, you can learn heaps of information about its unique features, alongside helpful tips and tricks, online. From TikTok videos to photography blogs, search your camera and digest everything you need to know!
2. Take a photo challenge
They say practice makes perfect, but sometimes even when you’re really passionate about something (like photography), it can become a little tedious. However, by taking part in a photo challenge (self-made or inspired by someone in the photography community), you can make the process far more enjoyable and exciting, as well as help you hone in on a particular skill or topic.
Why not commemorate this challenge, and your improvement in technique, by making a tile poster collage, a scrapbook of your photo prints, or turning it into a photo album?
3. Shadow photographers you love
The photography community is filled with creative and unique artists, with wildly different techniques, topics and skills. If you have a photographer whose work you aspire towards, why not contact them and ask to shadow them? If this isn’t possible, you could instead follow their process on social media, and perhaps even reach out and ask for feedback on your own work.
4. Understand colour theory
Colour theory in photography refers to the way different colours interact with each other. Understanding this relationship between colours can help you capture more interesting, visually-please and stimulating photographs. As they say in the industry - once you understand colour theory, you’ll never see colour the same way again!
5. Experiment with your shutter speed
If your chosen camera has a shutter, did you know that experimenting with shutter speed can dramatically change how your photographs come out? A fast shutter speed can result in sharper shots, whereas a slow shutter speed can produce more artistic pieces. Play around with this, along with your aperture, for the perfect pictures.
6. Use a tripod
Many photographers use tripods to provide a stable base for their camera; reducing camera shake and producing sharper, clearer photos. Don’t be afraid to try one out yourself, especially if you’re shooting in low-light conditions or experimenting with slower shutter speeds.
7. Take your camera with you to events
If you’re a little like us, then when you’re passionate about something, you chat about it with everyone you know. Therefore, we’re sure your family and friends might let you off the hook a bit when you bring your camera along with you to events, like weddings, music gigs, and parties.
Here, you’ll be able to gain heaps of experience photographing all sorts of things - just make sure you ask permission from the host, first (and don’t overstep any professional photographers who are also there!).
8. Find a local photography group or society
Whether it’s online, in your local town, or in your nearest creative city, you can find photography clubs and societies everywhere! Here, like-minded individuals join together to support each other, share tips, tricks and advice, and provide honest feedback to one another. The photography community is a lovely bunch, so don’t be afraid to reach out and join in!
9. Get your shots in focus
If you’re busy snapping away, you could end up looking back at your pictures and seeing a bunch of blurry shots. Take your time, and really get to grips with your focus points. On an iPhone, you may just need to tap the screen on the area of focus, but with a DSLR camera, this can be a little tricker.
Focus points on a DSLR camera show up as empty squares or dots on the screen, arranged in a grid pattern. Each focus point can be manually selected or automatically chosen by the camera, depending on the shooting mode, but selecting the right focus point is crucial for achieving sharp, well-focused images. Play around with it, or refer to other photographers for their advice on your model.
10. Experiment with and learn about white balance
White balance is the adjustment of colours in an image, which ensures that white appears white, rather than having a colour cast due to different lighting conditions. Different light sources emit light with varying colour temperatures, which can affect how colours appear in a photograph.
White balance settings on a camera, and in editing software, allow you to correct these shifts - achieving the same colour as you saw in the moment, regardless of how the lighting conditions could’ve changed it. The more you learn about white balance and play around with different settings and editing techniques, the better your pictures will come out.
11. Experiment with the rule of thirds
The "rule of thirds" is like imagining a tic-tac-toe grid on your camera’s screen - you place the important things where the lines cross or along the lines, instead of always in the middle. Experimenting with this technique makes your photos look more interesting and balanced, which ultimately catches the eye and draws people into your photo.
12. Find your inspiration
What good is passion without inspiration? We’ll tell you - it gets boring. When taking on your photography journey, be led by inspiration, the things that make you excited, and follow it. Your inspiration will lead you to enjoy photography, practise more and really hone in all the skills and techniques you’re developing… and if you’re really lucky? Your inspiration will help you find your niche in the cool, creative world of photography!
13. Don’t give up
When you're not quite seeing the results you were hoping for, it can be far too easy to just give up. Give yourself credit for how hard you've been working and take a little break if you need to, but never give up. Like all things, photography takes time to develop your skills, technique and knowledge!
Frequently asked questions about photography techniques
How can I sharpen my photography skills?
Practice! Practice is the key component in honing in on your photography skills and sharpening your techniques.
How to make photos look professional?
Well, what does professional photography mean to you? The best advice we can give you to make your photos look ‘professional’ is to have clear, sharp images with evidence of white balance and an understanding of colour theory.
How can I learn photography easily?
There are numerous ways you can do this! You can self-teach yourself in photography, join a club or society, or take part in a photography course run by professional photographers. There is no direct route to learning photography; just whatever is best for you.
Want to learn more about photography? Find inspiration and information over at the Max Spielmann blog or feel free to ask one of our helpful in-store photographers, today!
