Are you a photoholic who love taking photos all the time and want to take your photo-shooting skill to the next level? You are at the right place! In this article, we have gathered 6 basic outdoor photography tips for you, after you have mastered all these skills, we believe you can shoot like a pro next time.
1. The golden ratio
There is no absolute formula for a great photo, however, there are still some rules for beginners to follow. When taking photos, try to pay attention to the golden ratios. According to expertphotography, the golden ratio ‘helps to lead the viewer through the entire photo. The composition will be more pleasing and balanced for the human eye.’ What’s more, you can also pay attention to the ‘rule of thirds’. Imagine there is a line split the photo into three parts (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts, place the main object along those lines or at the points where they meet.
2. Shoot at the right time with right lighting
You may think all kinds of natural light are good lighting for photo-shooting and it should be welcomed by all photographers, but the answer is, no. There are some hours of a day that enable you to take better photos, this is what we call the golden hour (or some may call it- the magic hour). It is the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset. At that time, the light is softer and warmer that allows you to look awesome photos.
When there is a golden hour, there is a bad hour. The midday time is probably one of the most difficult times to shoot for many photographers. As the midday sun is directly above us, it creates shadows and unwanted contrast. You may try to lower your camera’s ISO or using a CPL filter if you need to take photos during that time.
3. Shoot in manual mode
Before going through this point, please make sure you have a DSLR camera and switch your camera from auto mode to manual mode. Once you have complete control over your shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and other settings, you can now start playing around with some of the special effects.
There are several effects you may try, the silky smooth waterfall pictures by using a slow-speed shutter to capture the flow of water and create this silky smooth effect. Or you can try to shoot the light trails with the shutter speed (around 10-30 seconds) and low ISO values (100-200).
4. Tripod
A tripod is always important when shooting landscape photography and especially at night time. A tripod can help to capture photos with different angles, as you can always adjust its height, a higher angle or close to the ground perspective can add some uniqueness to your photo.
What’s more, it allows you to take photos that requires long exposure e.g star photography, waterfalls and northern lights. It is impossible to handhold a camera steady enough at night and with a long exposure, even the slightest movement can ruin your photo, making it become blur and shaky.
5. Action camera
What makes a good action camera? A good action camera should be the one that fits your needs best. Before looking into which model should you go for, let’s first consider some factors like frame rate, resolution, weight, and battery life. Do you need videos that are up to professional standards? If yes, go for 4K models for top-quality videos. Need to shoot underwater excursions? An action camera that is water-resistant and waterproof is what you need.
6. Camera bag
After equipping with a good camera, the next step is to go for a proper camera bag. A good camera bag keeps all your equipment safe and secure as it can protect your camera from knocks and extreme weather. If you are looking for a camera bag, you are at the right place, you can go to hktdc.com Sourcing, we have helped you to source dozens of the best camera bags, available in all sizes colour, and designs, there is always one that suits your needs.
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