Learning Photography - Five Tips for New Photographers

So you've just picked up your first SLR camera. You've read the manual and surfed a few websites, and now you're ready to get out there and shoot some Pulitzer-grade photography. But before you hit the pavement with your camera in-hand, take a moment to read over these five tips that can help push your work from great to amazing:

1. Dump the Flash: While it's true that professional photographers often do use a flash or complicated light rigs, you shouldn't need a flash in most lighting conditions. Subjects shot without a flash often look more natural, and you'll get much greater detail and depth by using natural light. By getting rid of your flash for a week or so it will make you intimately more familiar with how your camera works with light - an invaluable skill for the beginning photographer.

2. Turn Off Auto-Focus: There's no arguing that a camera that auto-focuses is infinitely handy and easy to use. However, focusing in a hurry is an important skill for every photographer. Considering the fact that the camera doesn't know your intent, it is up to you to make sure you're focused on the right thing. It is incredible how unique and interesting an image can be when you allow the focus to move out of the direct center of the frame, so set this one to manual for a while.

3. Take a Photo Class: You can buy all the books in the world and browse the internet for days, but the absolute best way to learn about the basics of photography is in a classroom. Find a class at a local community college or adult school and see how learning the basics can really improve your photos. As a bonus, your teacher will likely give you assignments based on individual elements of photography you may have never considered.

4. Learn How to Use Your Camera: Before you start taking dozens of pictures, sit down and learn how to use your camera. No matter if you have a film or digital camera, you need to understand what the different dials and settings on your camera are and how you can use them. Nothing is worse then having an opportunity at a great shot and missing it because you couldn't get the camera to cooperate.

5. Shoot, Shoot, Shoot: This may seem obvious, but if you're interested in becoming a "great" photographer, you'll need to shoot lots and lots of photos. The more you shoot, the better you'll get. Photography is often as much about timing and luck as it is skill and technology. Even "great" photographers only average three or four great shots at a time. It's far worse to miss a shot than take too many!

There is no great secret to being an amazing photographer. The more you challenge yourself, the better you will become. If you start with a solid understanding of how your camera works and what it takes to take a good photo, the rest will come with practice. Your camera will never change, only your ability to manipulate it. So keep your SLR close and have fun experimenting with new ideas! And remember: The most important photograph in the world is the one you are about to take.

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