A Beginner's Guide to Photography

What is photography?

Photography is, simply put, the practice of making images by capturing light. Photography has come a long way over the years, from Niépce’s first surviving permanent photograph taken in 1826 using his ‘heliography’ process, to the launch of the first camera phone in 2000 (yes, we feel very old having been born years before the camera phone had been invented…). Despite all of the technological advancements, the product of a finished image, a captured moment in time, remains the same.

What camera do you need?

Whilst good equipment can certainly help you get an amazing photo, it really is the person behind the lens who will make the shot. There are lots of options - from analog photography to smartphones and mirrorless cameras - but it doesn’t have to be that complicated!

Most people these days have a pretty good smartphone. Whilst the quality gap between phones and DSLRs gets smaller as our consumer demands are accommodated for, a phone is still no match for a top quality DSLR camera. There is so much a DSLR or mirrorless camera can achieve that a smartphone cannot. However, this is not to say that a smartphone isn’t sufficient for lots of your photography needs. If you need something convenient and simple which you can practise your creativity with, then a phone camera is for you.

Must-have equipment

This list will of course vary depending on what you are taking photos of, however these things are what we consider to be the very basics for *most* types of photography.

• Tripod - useful to stabilise your shot or to keep the camera in one place.

• Tin foil - a cheap, quick & effective way to reflect light into your scene.

• A set of props - the perfect way to maintain consistency in your brand and make your images more exciting.

• Translucent shower curtain - use this to soften light, block out harsh sunlight or reflect it back into the other side of your shot.

• Black sheet - perfect for shaping the light or using as a background.

Should I edit my shots?

In short… it’s up to you!

The word editing is often used in different ways. For example, it could be as simple as looking at a group of images you have taken and deleting the ones that are weaker. We can also edit to make adjustments to and manipulate the images themselves.

Ask questions such as: What is the purpose of your images? Do they need to look a particular way? Do you think some basic adjustments could help enhance them?

These are our favourite editing software…

• Paid editing software - Adobe Photoshop

• Free editing software - Canva

• Basic editing software for phones - Snapseed

How do I generate ideas?

Think outside the box. Inspiration can come from everywhere… literally everywhere. Sometimes the best ideas come in times when we’re not actually searching for them!

• Take a walk and pay attention to everything around you. Perhaps you spot a colour combination you really like, or some leaves you could use as a prop in your next photoshoot.

• Notice how the light falls in different settings and weather conditions. Perhaps the sunlight falls in a particular way in a certain corner of your room at a specific time of day. Use this to your advantage!

• Another great way to find inspiration is from art & media that is already out there! Think movies, books, packaging, adverts and much more!

We keep lots of notes and mood boards to keep track of different ideas, which are really useful to come back to at a later date.

Our top tips - no matter what equipment you are using, or what you are taking photos of!

• Focus, focus, focus. Keep your subject in focus and sharp.

• Light. Make sure your photo is well lit with daylight, unless you are well versed in using artificial lighting.

• Whether you’re using a phone or a DSLR, focus on the fundamentals. A phone can actually be really helpful for this, because the lens is fixed and there are only a limited amount of settings you can change. Really focus on your composition - the way you are framing the image.

• Shoot in the best quality format your equipment allows. You can always shrink down the size of the images later on.

• Clean the lens.

• Take photos all of the time. Practise makes perfect!

If you are after more specific advice, or are looking for someone to create some images for you, we would love to hear from you! Send us an email to hello@jvcommunications.co.uk.

Sunny wishes,

Jo & Vic