Tips and Tricks for the Photographer

One sentence tips for new photographers -

First off no blog post would be complete or unacceptable without the addition of a photo.  King Thistle to some can be refereed to as a really scourge but for me they are a photo opportunity.  You never know what will be crawling amoungst their thorny leaves hence -  Ladybug on Thistle

Camera settings are - f/5.6 @ 1/80 ISO 200 

Now for the list of tips and tricked 

• Fill the frame with your subject

• Focus Focus

• Start with a 50mm on film, and learn to walk before you zoom

• f8 and be there

• Read The Camera ~ Ansel Adams!

• Don't trust the LCD screen - learn to read the histogram

• Practice makes perfect.

• Don't be afraid to experiment.

• Carry more than one set of charged batteries

• Always bring your camera

• Ask lots of questions

• Shoot what you love

• Use light to communicate

• Capture or provoke emotions

• Tell a story

• Master technique

• Show old things in new ways

• Be true to your own style and your own voice

• Always seek to improve your craft

• Don’t take yourself too seriously

• Be willing to take criticism from others

• Eyes should always be tack sharp

• Don't compare your work to others

• Its not the Equipment! Its YOU!

• Have fun!

• Every time... start with taking the cap off the lens...

• Always check all your setting before you shoot

• If you see nothing to photograph, look down or look up, there's something there

• Shoot everything! Wildlife, Portraits, Landscapes- at night and in the day. Get out of your comfort zones!

• Big number, little hole...small number, big hole...photographically speaking

• Learn to see

• Compose in the viewfinder, instead of cropping later

• Learn about and study the Masters:

Lee Friedlander

Elliott Erwitt

Henri Cartie-Bresson

Jacob Riis

Ansel Adams

Diane Arbus

Alfred Stiglietz

Margaret Bourke White

Robert Capa

• Be patient and don't give up

• Read a book like "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson, then go out and experiment!

• Keep your camera on you at all times

• Shoot for the high lights -- develop for the shadows

• Learn to tell stories with images, go deeper, get closer to your subjects

• Stop reading the web; get your camera, go shoot, look at your pictures, do better next time

• Print your photos... Big!

• YOU are taking pictures, NOT your Camera!

• Don't shoot in "Auto or Program" modes.

• Join a photo club.

• Shoot in RAW format

• Blink a lot, keeps your eyes in good sharp

• Control the light don't let the light control you

• Sunny 16 rule

• Get away from Photoshopping everything, get it right in the camera first

• Don't be a chimp-per

• Get down way down

• Visit your local authorized camera dealer and become good friends

• Learn to use a off camera flash, don't depend on natural light

I hope these will help enhance your photo ops. Take one tip each week and work on perfecting it, I know I will.