Here are 10 tips to turn you into a professional photographer and improve your photo shots dramatically. On my opinion, these are the most important things that a photographer, beginner or pro, must know about! So enough with the bla bla, let’s get started!
Tip no. 1 – Get a dSLR
If you’re serious about photography, it is essential that you drop your 5-year-old digital toy and opt for a dSLR (What is a dSLR?). It doesn’t matter whether your digital camera has 5 or 66 MegaPixels (What is this?). It all comes down to the image censor, baby! That is the reason why most professional photographers own a full-frame dSLR. A full-frame dSLR has an image sensor of size 24×36mm which is much bigger than the ordinary dSLR’s sensors, which are of size 15×22.5mm (More on full frame dSLR).
In addition to that there are also the lenses! The image quality depends on the lens that you use. You also have a variety to choose from, so if you are a landscape photographer it’s better to use wide-angle lens, if you are a sports fan it’s mandatory to use telephoto lens and so on! So, drop-off your toy-camera and grab a dSLR today!
Some useful links:
Find the Best Digital SLR Camera in 4 Steps
Tip no. 2 – Use a tripod
You should always use a tripod whether you’re shooting landscapes or macro! This results in full stability, minimal camera shake making your images as sharp as they get! Do I have to say that your tripod is your best friend if you’re shooting sports of night photos? Of course not! According to various sources, Manfrotto tripods are the best ones (update: Gitzo are the best!) (thanks to: Zach and GITZO for their correction)
But an ordinary tripod could also do the job! There is also the possibility to use a monopod as well!
In situations where you can’t use a tripod or you don’t have it with you, make sure that you support your hands on something (wall, table, fence or even on your companion’s shoulder) and pause breathing when taking the shot, to minimize camera shake.
Sub tip: To increase stability even more, attach a backpack on the center of gravity of your tripod
Sub tip: When shooting night shots with long exposures, use a remote release cable or add timer, in order to remove the camera shake produced by the hand pressing the camera button.
Tip no. 3 – Correct camera holding
Related to the previous tip, using a tripod to minimize shake, comes this tip which is how to correctly hold the camera. It is very important that you hold the camera correct in order to have the maximum stability possible. You don’t have your arms spread like a bird learning to fly and the palm of your hand shouldn’t be on top of the camera. The correct position is having your arms near your body and the palm of your hand should be under the camera lens offering support (see image).
“Also make sure to remove your lens cap before composing the shot”. (thanks to Tim for the comment)
Tip no. 4 – Lowest ISO
Although technology has advanced, I still suggest you that you take photos at the lowest native ISO your camera is providing. “E.g. the iso range of my Sony A700 is 100-6400, but it’s native iso is 200, not 100. Shooting at 100 you lose contrast and dynamic range, and there is no improvement in noise.” (comment by Zach)
This is a feature that depends solemnly on the camera. So if you are like me, and have a crappy old dSLR, ISO 200 is the maximum value I can go! If you have a newer camera you can push the boundaries further! Did you know that the new Canon 5D has an ISO range of 50 – 25 600! Amazing!
Bottom line is that I prefer having a more darkened image, which I can edit in Photoshop later, with less noise than a correctly exposed image but with lots of noise in it!
Tip no. 5 – Manual White Balance
One of my favourite ones! Always shoot with manual white balance! It allows you to change the mood of a photo drastically! In the example above, I wanted a cold-white look and avoid that yellowish bulb light so I set the white balance to 2000K. If you are like me and you want to have full control over your shots, you never leave the camera decide the correct white balance based on some algorithm!
So, to bring mood in your photos, shoot with manual white balance. It will take some time to learn working with it, but it is worth it!
Here are some useful links about white balance:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/white-balance.htm
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/whitebalance.htm
http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_white-balance.html
Tip no. 6 – Don’t use Built-in Flash
I love this one, although it applies mostly to portrait shots. Ladies and gents, never use the build-in flash!
Yes, you heard me correctly; the built-in flash results in harsh photos with strong lights and dark shadows which is absolutely dreadful, in my opinion. Use a soft box instead!
“What?! Do you know how much a soft box is worth?!”
Hehe, yes I do but if you’re serious about what you do it’s a must! Ok, if you don’t have the budget or a studio, buy an external flash unit with a diffuser (see image).
If you don’t have the budget to buy an external flash unit with a diffuser either, then you should consider making a diffuser by yourself, but don’t use the built-in flash without a diffuser!
Here are some links to help you with that:
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Digital-SLR-built-in-flash-diffuser/
http://www.listsanddiagrams.com/archives/2005/10/diffuser.htm
Tip no. 7 – Learn composition
Learn all there is about composition. Rule of thirds, Golden Section rule, diagonal rule! If any of the following sound gibberish to you, then you have a lot to learn! Visit the links provided below to learn about composition today! This doesn’t mean that you should always follow these rules, but it’s a good practice to know them and use them often.
Learn photo composition links:
http://www.colorpilot.com/comp_rules.html
http://www.johnharveyphoto.com/LearnComposition/
http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition_introduction.html
http://photoinf.com/General/Guy_Tal/Learning_to_Photograph_the_Landscape_Part_I.html
http://photoinf.com/General/Bill_Silliker/The_Master_Guide_for_Wildlife_Photographers.html
Tip no.8 – Mind the background
The background is just as important as the foreground, if not even more! With the background you support your main object, so if the background is not good, the whole shot is ruined. In the example above the only thing I did was to clean the background giving weight on the object. This a general rule when you take photos of objects, flowers etc, macro shots in general. It is also a very important rule when you take photographs animals. You can’t have a good photo without a good and supportive background.
So, mind the background!
Tip no. 9 – Be unique-creative
Photography is a visual thing so there’s no point of taking photos of ordinary things which are unattractive to the eye. Make your shot interesting, be creative with colours, and don’t just copy other photographers’ ideas! It is a good practice, and I encourage you to do it, for beginners only! Observe how the photographer placed the objects, what colours he used, what techniques, how he presented the idea and after you have learned all these skills, apply them to YOUR idea!
Image: “Bridge in Fog”- Vladimir Zivkovic
Tip no. 10 – Experiment with new techniques
Coming to complete the previous tip, to make your shot interesting, you have to experiment with new techniques, colours, positions, lighting etc! A good way of forcing you to experiment with something new is to visit famous places from which dozens of photographs exist (Eiffel Tower – Paris France, London Eye – London United Kingdom etc) and try to take a photo of the place from an angle which hasn’t been taken before or use colours which haven’t been used before etc. Below there is a photo from my trip to London last year when I was trying to complete exactly this task! More photos from that place are available in my portfolio.
Also try out long exposure, b&w, monochrome, tight cropping, outdoor flash, underwater shots, macro shots, same place at different time of day, different white balances, horizontal or vertical shots, low ground shots, aero-photography and the list can continue.
Images: “Mini Water Tower”- Brett (TOP)
“Dressed in Pink” – Gilad Bernari (BOTTOM)
To quote my one of my favourite photographer:
“In a nutshell being a Professional Photographer is all about making images with visual impact out of a situation that in reality is a pig’s ear. And that demands a range of skills and experience that aren’t easily come by” (David Noton).
Do you have any other tips to share? Add them below!
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great tutorial, very useful. Thanks!
its really great snap and great tutorial
Fantastic tutorial sican! It really helps a lot!
Nice share buddy! Thanks a lot!
Good tips to get anyone started.
great tutorial, i must say.
Am vazut ca esti de pe aceste meleaguri…super site-ul ..tutorialul si tot ce oferi
Felicitari
Useful tips. Thanks a lot
Good post!
Great tips…!
Useful und detailed! 
Thumbs up for you!
thats so cool! (:
Couldn’t agree more.
Really good fundamentals, thanks guys
take lots of photos, shoot,shoot,shoot
@Buck: True, loads of practice is needed as well! Learn the techniques described here, and then shoot some more!
Thanks for the comment!
This is ridiculous nonsense. Should be called ten tips that might keep you from being a complete hack if you don’t naturally suck at photography.
Lame.
Two quick corrections.
One is that Gitzo is generally considered the best type of tripod, not manfrotto. Gitzo is actually owned by the same company as manfrotto but Gitzo is a bit higher end.
Two is that lowest iso is not necessarily best. Lowest NATIVE iso is best. E.g. the iso range of my Sony A700 is 100-6400, but it’s NATIVE iso is 200, not 100. Shooting at 100 you lose contrast and dynamic range, and there is no improvement in noise. ISO 100 is included merely as a problem solving tool. E.g a super bright scene where even ISO 200 is too high for a proper exposure, or if you intentionally want to increase exposure time of a scene to create blur, etc.
Just my 2 cents. Good article otherwise.
These are great pointers written in a simple to understand style. My photographs have dramatically changed since I stopped using the flash – now I must work on that white balance! Thank you!
Especially relevant for landscape photography is to shoot RAW and not JPG for better detail and highlight/shadow recovery, and so on.
UMMMMM….. Last time I checked Gitzos where número uno…. Just sayin’!!!!
These are all really great tips, Alex, but they seem to me to be more along the lines of just taking better, professional images. As far as “going pro” is concerned, the top ten things a photographer needs are more along the lines of a business plan, a consistent brand image, a target market, a support network, etc. etc. Don’t you agree?
Take care,
=Matt=
Add to tip 3, make sure to remove your lens cap before composing the shot.
I saw this popping up in twitter and I was like … yeah right. I have to say this is a very good resource, nicely put together
Love the design as well, this goes in my BMs
Have a good day.
@Justin: your opinion mate! I think this article does help photographers progress though. It is written in simple language so that everyone can understand but that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t benefit from it.
@Zach and GITZO: Gitzos all the way!
I personally don’t afford either! I use an nonexistent tripod called “Cosmo”! Maybe I should add that there!!! Thanks!
@Zach: true about the ISO! I’ll make the correction! Thanks for your tips!
@Cleobytheseao: glad they did! That’s what this article is about! Please share it so that others can benefit as well.
@Matthew: There are two things. One is the marketing (which I put all of the things you added like brand, business plan etc) and the other is portfolio. You may have developed a great brand but if you have nothing to show for it’s useless and vice versa, if you have a great portfolio and no “eyes to see” your work. This part of the article is improving your portfolio side. The other part, marketing and all that jazz, is another story (And not so appealing to me! I call it “dirty work”)
@Tim: lol man! Made me laugh, but I’ll add it! You never know!
@Cezar: Thanks a lot Cezar! Glad you enjoyed it! Like I said to Matthew, this is an article improving your portfolio. There is a second part to becoming a pro, where you have to market and expand your “fanbase”; that could make a great future tutorial! Thanks for your comment!
Very much agreed. And I can see that you’re coming from more of an outdoor photography background, where your image portflolio IS EVERYTHING, regardless of your marketing / branding.
Unfortunately, in my line of work, (weddings / portraits) there are tons of people out there doing lots of business with mediocre images.
My point was just that, in this day and age, you can’t succeed on quality imagery alone. Even not counting marketing etc, if you don’t have a business PLAN, with a budget, timeline, etc. for yourself, it won’t ever become a lucrative full-time career. Of course maybe people’s aim is just to make a few extra bucks on the side to pay for their hobby, in which case your tips are GOLD. Tripod ‘er up, keep the ISO down, and rock it! And of course like you said, think outside the box.
=Matt=
@Matthew: Of course, marketing counts! And one of my favourite quote:
“Someone with less passion and talent can totally beat you if they’re willing to work longer and harder than you are.”
I think fits perfectly with your comment!
Maybe we could do like a guest post or something, if you’re interested in sharing your tips in your domain. I went through your photos as well, nice gallery!
Maybe to add to Tip 2 When using a tripod if your camera has in body image stabilization it should be deactivate other then that I’ve noticed a big difference in my shots since using mirror lockup. Happy shooting everyone
thank you for the wonderful tips..our blog too has some interesting post on photography..jus take a few minutes and hav a look on our blog.. http://www.shariblog.com/ ..we would appreciate your suggestion and views on it..
~Very nice tut^^
~thnx^^
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