Ideally, all beginner shutterbugs should enroll in photography classes at local portrait studios, community centers or tech colleges. However, in this day and age you would be hard pressed to find many people with the time or money to do so.
Fortunately, there are ways to improve your picture-taking skills without spending a fortune on classes or tutorials. The Internet is a great resource for aspiring photographers. Some notable sites offering helpful tips to photo newbies include:
Kodak: The photo powerhouse provides a comprehensive resource for aspiring photographers. The site contains articles covering everything from how to photograph a newborn baby to how to get the best pictures for your holiday greeting card.
HP: The company is best known for selling printers, but it also has an extensive selection of digital photography tips on its website.
Photo.net: This must-visit site for beginners offers tips, techniques, and plenty of encouragement to help you capture amazing images with your camera.
Another great resource for photo beginners is a good book. There are thousands of photography books available for photo enthusiasts of all ages. Developing a library of reference books can be helpful when you’re looking to build your photography knowledge. Some top titles include:
*The Betterphoto Guide to Digital Photography by Jim Miotke
*Basic Photography, Seventh Edition by Michael Langford
*The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Photography Essentials by Mark Jenkinson
*Shoot!: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about 35mm Photography by Liz Harvey
*How to Photograph Absolutely Everything by Tom Ang and DK Publishing
Some of my personal favorites are:
Complete Digital Photography by Ben Long: This is an excellent general purpose guide to improving your photography skills.
The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman: The book discusses the artistic aspect of photography, so you can learn how to compose frame worthy shots.
Digital SLR Cameras and Photography For Dummies by David D. Busch: This book explains basic concepts without a lot of technical jargon.
I would also suggest reading books featuring work by Ansel Adams, Man Ray, or other world-famous photographers, especially if you are looking to tailor you shooting to a specific genre of photography.
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