There is no doubt that sharing photos is a favorite activity among people. Whether you keep a sleeve of photos in your wallet to show to your friends or you share your photos on Instagram, people love showing off their pictures. And with new apps constantly appearing that allow you to enhance, edit and modify your photos it can make an amateur photographer produce some high-quality-like images. But instead of wasting time and money on those apps, why not produce high-quality photos the first time.
Cheapflights has reached out to professional photographer Kevin Dietsch to gather a few tips to help beginner photographers capture excellent images.
Who is Kevin?
Kevin is currently the Chief Photographer for United Press International, which is based in Washington, D.C. Many newspapers, magazines and websites purchase photos from UPI for their editorial needs. Kevin covers mostly politics, professional sports and breaking news, and got his start in photography after taking a class in high school. It was the only class he was really interested in, therefore, he put all his energy into it with the help of his high school teacher who nurtured and encouraged him. After high school Kevin attended Corcoran College of Art and Design and majored in photojournalism. He has always been drawn the to story-telling power of photography, which is why we think he is a great choice to dish out some tips for our readers.
Smartphone cameras
We asked Kevin for his tips on using smartphone cameras to best capture amazing photos. Most of his experience is with the iPhone and he suggests that people purchase an app that lets you select a focus and exposure on your image (Kevin uses the Camera+ app), or if your smartphone camera already has these features, play around with the camera to learn how to adjust the focus and exposure. With the iPhone, you can select exposure by tapping on the screen. Doing this simple thing can greatly improve the accuracy of your photos. His second tip is to know when to use the flash and when not to. He says he often sees people using the flash for a subject that is too far away and that can detract from the image. If you are in a low light environment try taking multiple photos to find the best lighting. The flash is really only useful when you are taking a picture of an object that is close to you. A few other tips when using a smartphone camera are to brace yourself when taking a photo to lower the chance of camera shake and to clean your lens often.
Point-and-shoot cameras
When Kevin is in the market for a point-and-shoot camera he looks for cameras that have a high-quality flash and low-light shooting ability. He recommends you read reviews to find cameras that excel in those areas. In his opinion, Canon and Lumex both make excellent low-light cameras.
Another exciting featured in this category is the new waterproof and shockproof point-and-shoot cameras that have been showing up over the last few years. These cameras are a lot of fun, according to Kevin, and allow you to take your camera anywhere. Kevin recently picked up the Nikon Coolpix AW120 and used it on a vacation to Tulum, Mexico and had a blast.
A few other features to consider with point-and-shoot cameras are size to feature ratio. There are some really small, pocket-sized, point-and-shoot cameras, but the reality is they will usually be missing out on some of the features their larger counterparts have, such as a long zoom and a flash. Kevin points out that there is nothing wrong with these smaller cameras, it’s just a trade-off the consumer must consider. He also recommends you get your hands on a camera before you purchase one to feel what is right for you.
Digital SLR cameras
D-SLR cameras are great. They allow for superior image quality, the ability to get superior exposure/setting control and, most importantly, the ability to change lenses. Kevin points out that he feels there is a misunderstanding that more megapixels equals a better camera. For the average photographer, Kevin recommends that 10-12 megapixels is perfect. This will allow the photographer to make any size print they would need and also allow you to crop photos when needed. There are 30+ megapixel cameras out there, which are very nice, but not always necessary. For Kevin it is all about low-light image quality, ergonomics (designing and arranging your environment) and controlled layout. If you do not feel comfortable using the camera and constantly fumble to change settings then the camera will not work for you. This is a category of camera that you must test before you buy.
Tips on becoming a better photographer
The best way to become a better photographer is to practice – keep taking photos.
Master the settings on your camera and read the instruction booklet. The settings on the camera should become second nature to you. Learn the manual settings so you don’t have to rely on the automatic settings.
Look at photos. This seems simple, but studying the photos and photographers you like will help you in your own composition.
Go back and look at your own work and try to figure out what worked and what did not work.
Tips on lighting
It is important to understand light and what happens when shooting in different situations. The ability to stop and think can really improve your photography. The best time to shoot is when the light is nice, usually in the early morning hours or near sunset. Shooting around noon, when the sun is directly overhead, will result in harsh light. Another thing to consider is your subject placement in relation to your lighting source. For example, putting the sun, or light, behind your subject will result in a silhouette image. Kevin notices many people set up group shots in front of the lighting source and are upset when they discover their photo resulted in a silhouette.
Do you have any photographer tips for beginners? If so, leave them in the comments below!
Featured image: naixn used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license
