Photography Tip: Learn the Basics

I've only just begun my journey in photography. I am a professional by no means. I know I'll never be complete as an artist...there is always room for improvement, always new ways to try things.

But, I had to start somewhere in my photography exploration. The only place to start is from the beginning!
I love the vast amount of knowledge (free knowledge!) at my finger tips through the internet. I am constantly looking at blogs and websites for tips and "how-to's" regarding photography.

I thought I'd share some things that have helped me starting out or that I do/look for every time I pull out my camera.

Learn your camera inside and out
The first thing I did when I got my camera was read the entire manual from beginning to end. Sounds completely boring, I know. But how can you travel down a road when you haven't even paved it yet? It will be a rocky ride.
Once you learn the ins and outs of your camera, navigating it while shooting will go a lot smoother.

Get off of automatic
It's easy to get a new camera, put it on auto and you're done! I remember when I first took a picture with a DSLR (on auto) and thinking how amazing it looked. Of course it looked amazing compared to my point and shoot! But once you discover manual (or my favorite - the aperature setting), your possibilities open up!

Please, NO flash!! 
Instead, find a great source of light
I avoid my flash at all costs. The harshness of the flash can wash out your pictures and really flattens your picture. When taking a picture, look for a natural light source. An easy one is a window. I love taking pictures near windows where the light coming through has been soften and diffused. Most of the pictures you've seen me take of my kids have been taken near a window. Don't be afraid to move your subject to an area with better light.

Adjust your settings
Whenever I pull out my camera, I always check and adjust my settings. Here are the four things I always check: the ISO (light sensitivity. The higher the number, the more sensitive to light), the White Balance (usually kept on auto, but a lot of times I'll change it depending on where I am), the Aperature (I like lens with a large aperature, meaning the lens is wide open and letting more light in. You get a larger aperature with the lower numbers, such as f3.5) and the Shutter Speed.
These four things are the main things that affect the exposure of your picture. It takes a lot practice and messing around with your camera to figure out how these things work together.

and last but certainly not least
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
That's what I do everyday. Every time I pull out my camera, it's an opportunity for me to practice and learn something.
Hence why I blog so much...it's me practicing and sharing with you my journey as I go. :)