Photography is one of my favorite hobbies. I love to go somewhere beautiful to take photos for fun and to improve my photography skills. I'm by no means a professional but I have picked up some super simple tricks to create lovely photos.
Tip 1: Invest in a good tripod and make sure you're holding your camera correctly.
I don't always use a tripod but it is an important part of a photographer's kit. They also happen to be really handy for long exposure photography and for shooting video. When not using a tripod, I try my best to hold my camera properly to get the best shot. Remember to keep your left hand under the lens rather than the side, keep your elbows tucked in, lean into the camera holding it tightly against the forehead and keep an open stance.
Tip 2: Practice close up photos.
Close up photos are a fun way to practice photography. Flowers are everywhere and make great subjects for close ups. Choose the macro setting on your DSLR and snap away!
Tip 3: Use the natural world as your subject.
Landscapes, plants and animals all make for interesting and beautiful subject matter to photograph. When in doubt, use your dog as your top model. Isabella is more than willing to show off how pretty she is.
Tip 4: Make sure the horizon is horizontal.
For all photos, especially for shooting landscapes, make sure to keep the horizon even and parallel to the top and bottom of the photo.
Tip 5: Take lots of photos.
If you're using a DSLR there's no reason not to take loads of photos. A simple but effective strategy for getting a great pic is to take many photos and then just choose the best one from the lot.
Tip 6: Take photos in natural light and avoid using the flash.
Taking photos outdoors is best because of the natural light. When taking photos indoors, look for places to shoot near natural light like windows and skylights.
Tip 7: Practice, practice, practice.
Once you start practicing simple tips like the ones I've listed here, I recommend moving up to more advanced things like shooting using manual settings, practicing long exposure photography and using editing software to improve your photos. One of my favorite things about photography is that you can always improve your skills!
Really enjoyed reading your post @ncc-1701 ,I got helpful tips and most of them were quite surprising since you mentioned stuff like how to position yourself when taking a photo and how to hold the camera properly. I am thinking of buying my first camera soon. BTW, what camera are you using? Because I really loved the quality of the photos.