How to take photographs correctly at home. How to learn to take better photographs. Through rose-colored glasses

Stay alert. Very often, to get a good photo you need to be in the right place at the right time with a camera in your hands. Take your camera with you everywhere and try to use it as often as possible (there's no point in just carrying it around).

Look for topics. Being on guard is not enough. Ken Rockwell says this about the times when he began to take up photography: My mistake was to think that I was a spectator. I believed that photography meant capturing objects that came my way. But that's not true! The photographer must look for subjects himself. Finding and seeing is the most difficult thing. Easy to remove.

• Start looking for subjects to film and take photographs. Get out of the house every day and look for stories. Don't wait for an opportunity to come along (but be prepared to take advantage of it) - look for opportunities yourself. Try to find material for filming everywhere - both in the store and at the end of the world. Go to a variety of places in search of stories. If you have an idea, most likely you can find a suitable story and shoot it.

Have you ever been intimidated by the thought of photographing other people? Believe it or not, all you have to do is overcome your insecurities and people will become the easiest subjects to photograph. Why is that? Imagine that you are taking landscape photos. Most of us don't live in an area with spectacular views. This means that you need to go somewhere to take a photo. Upon arrival at the place, if the weather and lighting are not suitable, you can simply turn around and go home.

However, when photographing people, you have complete control. All the elements of good photography are in your hands. You are surrounded by potential subjects: friends, relatives, and even passers-by if you have the courage to ask them. Each potential subject is unique. If the lighting is bad, you can fix it by moving to another place or using flash. You can ask the person to wear different clothes or do something unusual. The only limit is your imagination.

That's the key to great photos of people - imagination. Have fun and, if you don't know much about your camera's settings yet, just set it to automatic mode (most cameras have a special mode Portrait), concentrating on getting beautiful photos. Next I will talk about the technical details.

One of the best ways to improve your skills is to learn from professionals. Here are some tips to get you thinking like a pro and getting into the right frame of mind for stunning portraits.

1. Create a connection with the subject

This is the most important skill! Master it and you're halfway to becoming a professional photographer. A good tip, especially for beginners, is to photograph someone you know who likes to pose for the camera. Your job as a photographer is to help the person relax and have fun. If you succeed, the result will be great photos.

Take photos of relatives and friends. The connection between you will help you get a great result. Photo: Unsplash.

If you need a model, your boyfriend or girlfriend could be a great option.

2. Choose the right lens

The focal length of the lens is very important. You need to understand the nature of your equipment and know how to use it to your advantage. Good news - if you have a digital camera with a kit lens (usually 18-55mm focal length), then this is already an excellent tool for photographing people. Just set it to 55mm and go. Instead of using the zoom, change your position. This will help you learn the characteristics of the focal length you are working with.

If you want the best, Canon and Nikon have made cheap 50mm f/1.8 lenses that are ideal for portraits; A wider aperture will blur the background better.

Even wide-angle lenses can produce great portraits. Photo: Unsplash.

Also, don't ignore the wide-angle end of your kit lens. Documentary photographers and photojournalists love wide-angle lenses because they force them to get closer to the subject. The photographs are intimate due to the close proximity of the photographer. Wide-angle lenses are also good for showing the subject along with their surroundings. This is another style of portrait photography.

Don't come near too much close if you use a wide angle. In this case, facial features will be distorted and the result will be unsatisfactory.

3. Play with different lights

The best lighting for portraits may not be at the time you think it is. Cloudy skies and late afternoon sun are good. Direct sunlight is bad - it creates harsh shadows on faces and makes people squint. Backlighting is a delightful option, but be careful of glare. You will also need a reflector or flash to direct the light onto the subject's face. Window lighting works well for indoor photography, but again you will need a reflector to illuminate the shadowed side of the subject's face.

What is a reflector? This is any object that reflects light, directing it towards the subject and softening the shadows. You can buy special reflectors from manufacturers such as Lastolite, or you can make your own from a large piece of white cardboard or paper. Photographers need reflectors because the available light is rarely ideal. And with their help you can take control of the light.

4. Learn to use camera settings

To take good pictures, you need to be able to control your camera. Don't leave it on automatic. Learn how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO affect the look of your photo.

Next time you shoot, try using Aperture Priority mode and setting it to its widest setting. This will give you a great blurred background. If the day is sunny, try ISO 100. If it's cloudy, try ISO 400. The shutter speed will be set automatically.

Learn how to use your camera correctly to get similar photos. Photo: Unsplash.

Always shoot in RAW format. It provides the most post-processing capabilities.

5. Avoid “posing”

You can learn a lot about posing by studying photographs and fashion magazines. However, don't get carried away - you can often get better results if you ask the person to fool around on camera. Ask him to relax and act naturally. Then you will get photos full of life.

Even unusual poses can work. Photo: Unsplash.

6. Play with movement

Get creative. Ask the person to stand straight while others around them move. Place your camera on a tripod for best results.

Don't take the same photo over and over again. Play with movement or different elements such as windows. Photo: Unsplash.

7. Conclude a model release

If you plan to sell photos, it's worth getting a signed model release. This is a simple document that confirms the model's permission to sell photographs of her.

In general, a photo posted on a website or magazine does not require a model release, as it is considered editorial use (as long as you do not defame the subject, of course). If you plan to sell a photo for use in advertising or other promotional material, it is better to take care of this.

If you want to sell your photos, don't forget about the model release. Photo: Unsplash.

Find out about the laws in your country. Some countries, especially in Europe, have strict privacy laws that govern the use of captured images. When in doubt, sign the release. It is better when it is there and you are selling photos with the model's permission than when it is not there.

So, you bought (or begged from your parents) your first serious camera. Our congratulations! Often, when the puppyish delight of all these spinning wheels, mysterious buttons, interesting levers passes, then a completely logical question immediately arises: what should I do now to learn how to take beautiful photographs? Where is the magical mode called “100% Cool Shot”. How to learn to take cool photos?

In order not to fuel your confusion caused by the ominous words: ISO, aberration, bokeh and aperture, we decided to make it easier for you to find the information you need and have collected the most important and useful tips on the topic: “how to learn to take good photographs.” And we dedicate the resulting small reminder to you, aspiring amateur photographer.

How do you know how good your photo is?

First of all, you need to understand the concepts. How can you tell a good professional photograph from a bad one? First of all, you should pay attention to the lighting. You don’t have to immediately run to the store for professional studio equipment. Your main ally is a well-chosen angle, time and place of shooting, when natural lighting will show its best side. From this we can conclude: the subject of shooting is not as important as what perspective you choose for this object.

If we talk about technology, then you can take a beautiful photo with anything, even with a phone that only has a 1 megapixel camera in its arsenal; the desire to learn is what is really important. Although professional photographic equipment will make your life much easier.

And now, you have a beautiful new camera with a bunch of buttons that you can’t wait to figure out. You must understand what your camera can do, what its advantages are and how they can be used to advantage. For example, you can’t make a good portrait with excellent depth of field using a point-and-shoot camera, but you can quite convey the mood of the photo and the composition.

How to learn to take photographs professionally?

Practical advice

Tip #1. The first thing you need to do is study the instructions for your unit in detail. You need to understand all the functions, find out what each of the buttons is for and what will happen if you turn that wheel over there. The most common question that beginners have is: what mode should you use to take professional photos? Unfortunately, there is no one regime for all occasions. In order to learn how to take great photographs, you need to become more familiar with shutter speed and aperture. Getting to know shutter speed will give you magical shots of the city at night, and you'll fall in love with aperture when you start photographing people.

Tip #2. The next important aspect that you must master is the ISO value (photo sensitivity of the matrix). You need to understand that a beautiful landscape cannot be captured at high ISO values: noise will certainly arise. At night, it is advisable to photograph from a stand or from a tripod. And if the subject is in motion, and the shutter speed cannot be longer, then it is best to raise the ISO slightly so that the frame does not blur. For photographing restless children and animals.

Tip #3.The lens is also an important component of photography. It’s not difficult to guess that each lens has individual characteristics that in one way or another affect the final result. If you don’t know what the letters on your lens mean (what a shame), then immediately start studying the markings. The main parameter of any lens, which most influences its cost, is aperture. Before you spend extra money on another lens, figure out whether you really need it. Do you want to experience the mysterious depth of field or just enjoy a good focus? Knowledge is power that will help protect your wallet from unnecessary purchases.

Tip #4. In cases where there is not enough lighting, you have to use a flash. Keep in mind that the flash already in the camera is only useful when the main light source is behind the subject or in harsh daylight. You should not try to shoot indoors with the built-in flash, otherwise you are guaranteed to get a glare on your face and a not-so-nice shadow in the background. Although in order to achieve a certain mood of the photo you can break all the rules, the main thing is that the photo turns out “with soul”.

Tip #5. Don't ignore white balance. The color rendition in your photo depends on this. If you want to take a photo of a sunset that can get more than 100 likes, then learn how to configure this function correctly.

Tip #6. If your photos turn out blurry, then you shouldn’t immediately call your camera or lens unflattering names. Maybe it's all about you? See what you're doing wrong, check your settings.

Tip #7. Don’t forget about the possible appearance of chromatic aberrations, which like to creep into the frame along with the sun. Also be aware of diffraction, which can ruin sharpness in macro mode. Take into account distortion with wide-angle lenses as well. Google all these phenomena and learn their definitions by heart.

Tip #8. Remember about filters. A gradient filter will allow you to get an incredible effect, a polarizer will show the true beauty of the blue sky, and a protective filter can protect your lens from all kinds of scratches and water.

By following all these rules, you can easily take the “correct” photo. Beauty depends on emotions, ideas, mood, imagination: they can only be developed. Be inspired by the work of other photographers, communicate with colleagues and, of course, learn.

In our school you will find . You will not only learn how to take beautiful photographs, but also master retouching, professional equipment and many other useful things.

Publication date: 31.10.2014

With this article we are opening a new project "I'm a photographer", in which we will share our photography experience with you. New lessons will be released weekly on all aspects of photography. The lessons will be aimed at different levels of reader experience: from beginner to advanced photographer. I will lead this project Konstantin Voronov, professional photographer and photography teacher.

Of course, each of us has taken pictures at least once with a phone or a simple point-and-shoot camera. However, many people want not only to take pictures as a keepsake, but also to receive beautiful, high-quality photographs, enjoy the process of photographing, and when posting photos on the Internet, have a lot of “likes” for them.

How to become a photographer? Where to begin? Many people ask this question every day. To begin with, I will give some general tips that will help you avoid making common mistakes when starting out, and I will dispel several common misconceptions about photography.

NIKON D810 / 70.0-200.0 mm f/4.0 SETTINGS: ISO 100, F4, 1/80 s, 95.0 mm equiv.

And we will start with misconceptions.

Misconception #1.

“A good camera takes good photos”

This is wrong. Good photographs are taken not by the camera, but by the photographer. Many people, before starting to take photographs on their own, think that professional photographers get good, high-quality shots because they use expensive equipment. However, a camera is only a tool. Its owner decides how to use it.

If a person who does not know how to draw is given the best, most expensive brushes and paints, the result will be absolutely the same as when using the simplest and cheapest. Good brushes and paints will show all their capabilities only in skillful hands. It's the same with photography.

During my time working with students, I often came across beginners who had the most expensive, most professional cameras in existence. Did such students make better shots than others? No. Quite the contrary: their pictures were worse because they could not understand complex photographic equipment designed for experienced professionals.

It is best to choose a camera not according to its professional class or highest price category, but according to how well it suits your level of training and your tasks. For example, many expensive professional cameras, such as the Nikon D810, do not have an automatic mode or scene programs at all (portrait, landscape, macro, etc.), which makes working with them incredibly difficult for novice photographers : You have to delve into unknown settings for a long time. At the same time, many entry-level cameras, for example Nikon D5300 or Nikon D3300, can take beautiful pictures fully automatically: the photographer can only choose the most interesting scenes, without thinking about the technical side of the issue.

How to choose a camera? Choose not “the best professional camera,” but rather the model that suits your skills and your tasks. To make the right choice, it is enough to understand how seriously you want to take up photography, whether you are going to learn photography or just want to take pictures for memory.

Misconception #2

“Easy to take pictures!”

Like many creative activities, photography seems very simple until you do it yourself. For example, like playing musical instruments, dancing, singing... You look at a professional dancer and think: “how he does everything so simply and naturally! It seems there is nothing complicated about it! I can do the same!” But when you try to do at least a couple of dance moves on your own, it turns out that it is not so easy: at a minimum, you need special training.

It’s the same with photography: despite its apparent simplicity, taking good photographs is quite difficult. After all, this requires a lot of knowledge and skills. Moreover, both technical (how to set up a camera, for example), and creative (how to compose a frame, how to choose suitable lighting). Sometimes we talk about issues that seem to have an indirect relation to photography. For example, how to plan a tourist trip to get a lot of good shots; how to make a child sit still while being photographed... By the way, we will cover all these topics within the framework of this project. Stay tuned!

On the other hand, when you have the necessary experience, photography is really easy and enjoyable. The camera does not interfere with getting good shots, and the composition is built intuitively. But for this you need to train, study, gain experience.

Misconception #3

“To learn how to take photographs, all you need to do is learn the technique and press the buttons on the camera correctly.”

Shooting techniques and parameters are only part of the required skills. And by the way, the part is the simplest. How to adjust exposure? How to control focus? What is white balance? - all these technical issues can be solved easily and simply, and with regular training they become fixed and remain with the photographer forever. This is the arithmetic of photography, two plus two. But photography is first and foremost creativity. But the creative component is much more complex and not so clear-cut. How to compose a shot? What to show in the photo? What subject should you photograph? Photographers are constantly tormented by these and many other creative questions and solve them with varying degrees of success. Of course, it’s worth starting learning photography from the basics, with technique. But it’s too early to end there.

NIKON D5200 / 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 SETTINGS: ISO 1100, F4.5, 1/60 s, 38.0 mm equiv.

The main problem of most beginning photographers is not the lack of good photographic equipment or even the lack of any special skills. The main problem is the lack of artistic taste. Develop yourself a good artistic taste! See photographs of famous photographers, visit exhibitions. By the way, when was the last time you visited the Hermitage and the Tretyakov Gallery? Analyze the works of real masters: why did the artist or photographer decide to show exactly this and exactly this way? How is the composition built? How did the author work with light?

Visiting exhibitions, viewing galleries of famous photographers and artists on the Internet is something that will give you good baggage for your personal creativity. And vice versa: it’s better not to watch bad, mediocre things.

Why is it important? Imagine what will happen if a person who has never seen a single painting is given brushes and paints? Most likely, he will not understand what to do with them; at best, he will depict something in the spirit of cave painting. For example, some isolated African tribes are unable not only to perceive images on a plane, but even to distinguish colors that are not responsible for their survival and are not found in their environment. Because no one taught them this, they do not have the necessary experience for this. It is human nature to use what he has seen and accumulated in his life and work. This experience is necessary to have. As photographers say, “you need to be seen.”

As we know, you can't take good photos lying on the couch at home! Take your camera for a walk! Travel, walk, visit interesting places: exhibitions, festivals, sporting events. This way, you will witness interesting subjects to shoot and gain the experience necessary to shoot in various conditions. If we talk about landscape photography, it is generally unthinkable without travel. By the way, just like portrait photography: often to take a good portrait you need to choose a beautiful place, a good background, and only then take a beautiful photograph of the model.

There is also a purely psychological aspect: while traveling, regardless of its distance, a person gains impressions, inspiration, and is charged with creative energy.

NIKON D810 / 70.0-200.0 mm f/4.0 SETTINGS: ISO 400, F4.5, 1/200 s, 200.0 mm equiv.

In order to make progress in your photography studies, and to increase the number of beautiful photographs, you need to be critical of your creativity. You shouldn’t rest on your laurels; be able to see the flaws in your work, even if everyone praises them.

For example, the harshest critic of my work is myself. I know better than any critic what and where the errors in my photographs lie. Analyzing my photos, I realize that I could have taken even better photos. And the next time I shoot, I try to do this. Believe me, you will get great pleasure from correcting your own shortcomings, and your photos will become more and more beautiful!

Any creativity begins with technical fundamentals. Photography is no exception. To write books, you need to study the alphabet, grammar, and spelling of the language. Of course, modern cameras have excellent automation, which will allow you to get good shots by pressing a single button, without thinking about any settings.

However, those who shoot in auto mode know that automation often makes mistakes: the brightness of the image is not the same, the colors are not the same, or the sharpness is not there. But I really want to tell the camera how it should have been done! In order to fully control the shooting process and not depend on the vagaries of automation, it is worth learning the fairly simple technical basics of photography. How is an image formed in a camera? What is exposure? What is white balance? How does focusing work? Understanding how everything works and knowing how to set up your camera will allow you to take high-quality pictures and have complete control over the shooting process from start to finish. By the way, in the next lessons we will talk about these technical fundamentals.

WikiHow works like a wiki, which means that many of our articles are written by multiple authors. This article was produced by 24 people, including anonymously, to edit and improve it.

It's not easy to take a good photo of yourself. When you take photos of yourself, are you not only thinking about whether you look good, but also whether you're photographing yourself from the right angle? But if you prepare everything correctly, know how best to pose, and follow a few simple rules, you can take great photos of yourself. If you want to know how to photograph yourself successfully, read on.

Steps

Preparing to photograph yourself

Prepare your hair. If your hair sticks out in all directions or covers part of your face, your photos may not turn out the best. Make sure that your hair is combed and styled in such a way that it will not create any bad effects.

• They don't need to be perfectly styled, just make sure they don't distract attention from your face.

1. Put on some makeup. When you're photographing yourself, you'll want to wear a little more makeup than usual so that your facial features don't appear washed out due to bright lighting. But don’t overdo it, otherwise you won’t look like yourself, or you’ll create a mask effect. If you don't wear a lot of makeup in your life, you can simply use mascara and lip gloss to draw attention to your features.

   • If your skin is naturally a little oily, you can use face powder or apply natural products for oily skin to your skin. Such skin may look even oilier in photographs.

2. Prepare the lighting. Natural lighting is best, but you can experiment with lighting in different rooms. Always take photos in rooms where there is enough light to show all your facial features.

   • If you are at home, stand by the window.
   • If you're outdoors, take photos early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid strong sunlight ruining your photos.

3. Choose the right background. The background you choose should not distract attention from you, or make you look dull in comparison. If you are in a home, a plain white or colored wall will do. Don't stand in front of a wall covered in posters and bright patterns, otherwise you won't stand out.

   • If you're outside the house, choose a calm background, such as trees or a lake. Try not to pose in front of other people or moving objects (such as buses).

4. Try to hold the camera in a straight hand. This is the most common way to photograph yourself, so you should practice before you take it seriously. This way, you won't have photos where your forearm looks too big and takes up half the photo.

   • Since your arms will get tired, remember to take breaks to adjust the lighting or change clothes.

5. Set yourself up to be positive. Your photos will turn out much better if you feel good. You'll be more relaxed in front of the camera, and you'll be in the mood to experiment. During your photo shoot, play music that makes you feel good, or hum your favorite tune to yourself.

In the process of photographing

Prepare your camera. You should try several poses to find which one best accentuates your features. If your camera has a timer or multi-shot, you can have the camera take multiple photos in a row, giving you the time you need to strike the desired pose and smile. You may do better if you don't have to operate the camera and pose at the same time.

• Set the camera timer so that you have enough time to calmly return to your place and take the desired pose.
• If you like to take photos with a timer, you can buy a camera with a remote control.

1. Experiment with shooting angles. You should try out as many angles as possible to find the one that suits you best. Don't take photos holding the camera underneath you, otherwise you will appear shorter and have a double chin. If the camera is slightly higher than you, you will appear slimmer and taller.

   • Don't take pictures with the camera directly in front of your face, otherwise your face will look "square." It is better to hold the camera slightly to the left or right for more dynamic photos.
   • Try 10 or 20 different angles. Just play around until you find the best angle for your face. Remember that just because one hairstyle looks great from one angle doesn't mean another hairstyle will look good from that angle too.
   • Try to take pictures in front of a mirror. This will give a new perspective to the photos.

2. Take as many photos as possible. Keep taking photos until you get a great photo. If you don't have a film camera, then you have nothing to lose. Try out as many looks as possible, change your clothes and hairstyle until you look great. You can also change the backgrounds, no matter whether you are outdoors or at home.

   • Once you've found the perfect location for your photos, try taking photos at different times of day to see how the lighting affects your photos.

3. Find out what your friends think. Show photos to your friends and family before posting them online to get a second opinion. You may think you look good, but an honest opinion will help you improve your photos next time.