Hi there!! You’re probably here because you’re looking for some photography tips…well you’ve come to the right place! If you’re a beginner photographer or want to get into photography, you will learn 5 great photography tips for beginners.

Firstly, I’ve been debating this decision for about 2-3 years actually. I hit a rough patch a few years back after getting out of a relationship, and I wasn’t in the right mindset to make a large purchase.

However, I heavily debated purchasing a drone back then. I didn’t end up doing it, but I went back and forth on it for a while.

About a year later I went into Best Buy to look at DSLR cameras in person. 

Honestly, I didn’t know a single thing about cameras!

The salesman asked me what I was looking for and in what price range. He gave me a couple of suggestions, but I couldn’t make up my mind. I took that as a sign that I wasn’t ready to buy a camera.

A couple more years went by and I had made my move to LA and I was really thinking about getting ready to pick up photography. This time, I did a lot more research.

Tips To Get You Started

I’m going to share some of the things that helped me get started.

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One of my goals with this is to make it as simple as possible. A lot of blogs can be really overwhelming to someone who is just looking to start out, so I don’t want to throw a bunch of information on too heavy. I’ll go into more detail in a separate post.

1. Join A Photography Group On Facebook

I actually found 3 beginner groups on Facebook, and there are probably several more I’m sure. 

I highly recommend joining as you can learn a lot about photography from other beginners and from professionals. People will ask questions, they’ll post a photo and ask for constructive criticism, and it’s a great way for you to learn. 

Join Now: Facebook group – Photography For Beginners

2. Practice With Your Smartphone First

Apple, Samsung, and several others have come remarkably far with the quality of their phone cameras. In order to become good at photography, you first have to develop “the eye”. This means learning how to compose and frame an image.

It’s really important to work on developing your eye first. Having a nice camera won’t help you if you haven’t laid the foundation for yourself. 

A lot of people will jump right into purchasing a camera without knowing much of anything about what they’re buying.

Now I don’t know about you, but I really like to be informed before I make a major purchase.

Until you feel ready to advance to the next step, stick with the camera on your phone for now and work on building up that creative eye.

3. Composing The Image

Ever notice that grid that pops up on your phone when you’re about to take a photo? This is a guide to help you frame your shot. It’s referred to as The Rule of Thirds. 

The simple way to remember this is that the image is divided into three parts both vertically and horizontally. Typically, your subject should be placed at the intersection of those lines, or along the actual line itself. 

I do not own this photo, but I thought it was a great example to show the position of the wolf within the rule of thirds. 

Another thing people are drawn to is symmetry. 

If you’re taking a photo of a landscape (let’s say you’re at a lake), try framing the photo so that you get an equal amount of the lake and the sky. 

Also – pay attention to keeping the horizon level. This was one of the first things I learned was to not have a crooked horizon, and now when I look back on old photos it’s one of the first things I notice!

If you’re photographing a person near an ocean for example, try to prevent the horizon from going through your subject’s head. This will help make the subject feel more like the main focus of the photo rather than the horizon.

Another great way to compose your image is the use of leading lines. 

This draws attention to the main focus of the photo by leading the eyes in that direction. This is also a simple way to help guide one’s eyes around the photo.

The palm trees in this photo create lines that lead your eyes to the center, or toward the top of the trees. I took this photo back before the COVID-19 pandemic, and I can’t wait to get back to the coast to take more photos.

There are lots and lots of other things you can do to improve your skills, but it’s important to not overwhelm yourself as you’re starting out.

 This can cause frustration and can cause a lot of people to throw in the towel. But I don’t want you to feel that way! I want you to feel like you can succeed – because you can.

Spend time developing your eye and finding different angles or perspectives to shoot from. The camera & lens only serves as a gateway between your eye and the subject.

4. Determine What You Want To Shoot

There are all kinds of things you can take photos of. Here are a few ideas:

• Newborn Photography
• Portrait Photography (family photos, senior photos, photos of pets, etc)
• Sports Photography 
• Landscape Photography
• Aerial Photography (drones)
• Macro Photography (super close up)
• Astrophotography (photographing the stars) 
• Videography

This will help determine the best camera body and lens, which are often sold separately. There are some beginner cameras that come with what’s called a “kit lens”, which are lower quality.

If you are on a tight budget and are very new to photography, this is an “okay” option to get you started. You are essentially trading quality for price here.

If you’re able to save up for better quality, that would make it worth it.

I personally determined that I wanted to shoot landscapes, portraits, and 4K video.  

5. Save Up Some Money and Determine Your Budget

I’ve seen a lot of people ask about getting a good camera and lens for $400 or less. And while I appreciate and understand people are on a budget, you won’t get a good quality camera at this price unless your best friend’s uncle is selling a good camera that he doesn’t realize is worth more.

There are two approaches to this. I think I took a bit of an atypical route, but you can decide which is best for yourself.

After joining one of those photography groups on facebook, I made a post asking about a camera I’ve been looking at. 

Several of my friends have the same one, and they’ve all had great things to say about it. I also chatted with a family friend who has been doing professional photography for decades, and that was the one he recommended as well. 

The Canon 5D Mark IV.

This is a full-frame DSLR (which stands for digital single-lens reflex). However, it is expensive and not typically a camera for beginners. Don’t let that discourage you though – because it can be! 

I would only recommend getting this camera if you can afford it, AND if you’re tech savvy and can learn & understand the features and settings of the camera. Otherwise, I would stick to something that is a little less advanced. 

The people in the Facebook group responded to me and advised against getting the 5D Mark IV simply because they thought it would be too complicated for me to understand as a beginner. 

Which, I definitely respect them pointing that out. But I had used a friend’s camera in the past and felt confident I could teach myself.

The other reason why I went for the more expensive camera was because I wanted it to be something that would stick with me for years and years to come. 

I didn’t want to purchase a beginner level camera and then want to upgrade a year or 2 later. And I saved up the money for 3 years to purchase a camera, so I ended up purchasing it.

However, for most beginners I would recommend starting out with something a bit easier.

I get asked all the time “what’s the best camera for beginners?”

If you’re looking for Canon and you’re on a budget, check out some used camera options as well as refurbished options.

The Canon 6D can be found used at a decent price and it’s widely recommended for beginners. Just be sure to be vigilant and inspect thoroughly for any damage.

I personally am skeptical of purchasing used electronics as I’m afraid there will always be something wrong with it, but many people don’t mind buying used.

I could go on and on about all the different types of cameras and their benefits, but I’ll save that for another blog post. Once you feel like you’re ready to purchase your camera, go for it!

If you decide to purchase online please be aware that there are a lot of scams.

Major camera brands like Canon, Sony, Nikon, etc will ONLY sell their product through their own website or an authorized reseller. 

In this case, I have linked to Canon’s list of authorized resellers so that you know where you can get the real product.

If you see a camera or lens that has a major price slash, chances are it’s a scam – Beware!

Wrapping Up

While this is just a very basic start, hopefully this will be a simple way to encourage others to give photography a try! 

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We all have to start somewhere, even I’m still new to all of this! I just enjoy sharing some of the things I’ve picked up along the way. This will also be a great way for me to track my own growth over time.

Share your thoughts in the comments below – are you thinking about picking up photography? Have you just started recently? What’s your experience been like?