Photographs can freeze a moment - and all the emotion that comes with it - in time or can create new realities for you to explore. You only need some basic equipment, a little knowledge and you're ready to start. Check out these hints and tips for getting started in photography!
What You Need - Digital, SLR or Point and Shoot?
First thing's first - you're going to need a camera. Let's look at the pros and cons of each:
- Point and Shoot: Point and shoot cameras are the cheapest thing next to making your own camera. You can get them anywhere and they're easy to use because they focus automatically and take a lot of the guesswork out of photography. The down side is that they can sometimes take some pretty lousy photos and you can't use manual settings to create some of the neat effects you can with other cameras.
- Digital: Digital camera's are great for a number or reasons - they let you see the photo right away, so you can delete it if it's no good. They also let you load your pics directly on your computer so there are no printing costs, unless you really want to print them. However, digital cameras are expensive and if you do want to print out your pics you're going to need to shell out for a camera with a really high resolution or your pictures will look all pixilated and gross.
- SLR: SLR stands for single lens reflex. These are what you'd think of as traditional cameras. They're great because they allow you to use tons of manual settings to create the exact look you want, but it can take a while to figure out all the settings.
Composing Your Shot - The Art of Light
Now that you've got your equipment sorted out, it's time to getting snapping. Take pictures of everything and anything. Remember, this is definitely a case where practice makes perfect. Try shooting from different angles. Get up on a stool to take a picture of your sister watching TV or get as close as you can to a flower to check out its amazing texture. Just be creative and keep shooting! In order for an image to be captured on film, it must be exposed to light. Remember that the key to photography is light - too much light can ruin a photograph and so can too little. Play around to figure out what kind of lighting works best for your photos.
Developing Your Masterpiece
Now it's time to see the fruits of your labor. If you have a film camera, just pop over to your local photo lab to get your pictures developed. If you have a digital camera, it's as easy as plugging your camera into your computer - if you want to get prints made you can either print them yourself (using special paper and ink) or burn them on to CD and take them to a photo lab. Some labs even let you email the photo to them to print. Sweet. Don't be discouraged if your pictures aren't perfect. One of the greatest things about photography is that you never stop learning or getting better. Happy snapping!
