The quality of the photo is directly dependent on the light. You can take a poor shot of a well-lit subject, but you never get a good shot in low light.

During shooting, light passes through the camera's opening shutter and lens, enters the sensor and forms an image. How exactly the light is captured and what the final photo will be depends on three important parameters that make up the so-called exposure triangle.

• Diaphragm affects the amount of light that enters the lens. It is measured by the ratio of the focal length to the size of the aperture opening and is denoted as f / 2, f / 5, f / 11, and so on. The lower the aperture value, the more light will be in the frame. This parameter also affects the depth of field.
• Excerpt- This is the time during which the shutter remains open. It is measured in seconds (1/200 s, 1/60 s, 5 s, and so on). The longer the shutter speed, the more light. The shutter speed also affects the clarity when shooting moving objects. At high shutter speeds, they will be blurry, and fast shutter speeds will allow you to get good photos even of fast moving objects.
• Light sensitivity- as the name implies, this parameter affects the sensitivity of the camera sensor to light. Measured in ISO units (for example, ISO 100, ISO 400, ISO 6400). The higher light sensitivity allows you to shoot in low light conditions, but at the same time it causes the appearance of noise - the characteristic graininess of the image.

The essence of the exposure triangle is understanding these three aspects of shooting and choosing the parameters appropriate to the situation and your vision of the frame.

2. Hold the camera correctly

The next thing for all beginners to learn is to hold the camera to eliminate or minimize hand shake. When shooting, the shutter opens and light hits the camera's sensor. If you move while the shutter is open, the beam of light seems to spread over the sensor and the photo will be blurry.

The less movement and shaking, the clearer the frame.

It is best to hold professional cameras with one hand in the palm of your hand and resting it with your elbow on the side. You should do the same with a smartphone: take it firmly with both hands and press them as much as possible to the body. Well, if you are shooting in low light conditions or at long shutter speeds, it is better to use a good tripod.

3. Follow the rule of thirds

One glance at a photo is often enough to understand who took it - a beginner or an experienced photographer. Professionals pay great attention to the frame, and a beginner will immediately be betrayed by her absence.

The simplest principle of composition is to follow the rule of thirds. Its essence lies in the conditional division of the frame by two horizontal and two vertical lines. Along these lines or at their intersection, important elements should be placed on which the eye will stop when viewing a photograph.

photography.media

In the photo above, the coast in the distance is along the top line of the grid, and lonely tree- exactly at the crosshairs of the vertical and horizontal lines. If the photographer had placed the tree and the shoreline in the center of the frame, the photo would have been less interesting.

4. Change perspective

Capturing a subject at eye level is the surest way to take a boring photo. From this point, we see the world every day.

To create a really interesting shot, you just need to change your point of view. This will require:

• change the height of the survey - get closer to the ground or move away from it;
• change the angle - shoot strictly straight or from the side;
• change the distance - come closer or, conversely, move away;

The beauty of these tips is that they work great either individually or in any combination.

phonephotographyschool.com

A golf ball shot from a height of a man's height would not get your attention. But the photo from the ground level attracts the eye, forcing to consider every blade of grass.

5. Don't neglect post-processing

Photo manipulation is often thought of as a radical change to the original image using powerful filters and effects. This misunderstanding has led some photographers to abandon retouching, limiting themselves to “natural” shots. Their good intentions are commendable, but they just don't understand how cameras work.

Like it or not, all cameras do post-processing on the image. The actual data from the sensor is collected in, but what we see on the screen of the camera or smartphone is the interpretation of the RAW data by the device itself. At the same time, the camera does not have the slightest idea about your vision of this or that frame. So why not fix it?

500px.com

Not all post-processing is tasteless re-photoshopped images. It is more correct to consider retouching as applying makeup. Some with blush and lipstick, others use cosmetics as a way of expressing themselves, and only a few highlight their best features.

Likewise, post-processing can be redundant, deliberately stylized or sophisticated and emphasizing only what is already present in the frame. Use retouching! By underestimating it, you will be faced with a situation where there will be something missing in all your pictures.

6. Shoot often and everything

It doesn't matter how many YouTube video tutorials you've watched and how many photos you've analyzed. Only practice allows you to improve.

An ounce of practice is worth a pound of theory.

Your first photos will suck. You may have to take thousands of pictures before you get one that you like. But each of them - even the most terrible - will be one of the small steps to mastery. will not only help to use theoretical knowledge, but will also allow you to better study your equipment, will give you an understanding of how different shooting parameters affect the final image.

7. Don't blame the camera

Good equipment is really important for shooting, but not as much as you think. An experienced photographer will be able to make great shots even with a cheap camera, while bad ones will not work even with the most expensive equipment.

It is much more important to rely on correct exposure, work with perspective, composition and use the tips discussed above. If you learn all this, you can take cool photos with any camera. Even on a smartphone!

Of course, all equipment has its limitations, and over time you will "outgrow" your camera, lens and other accessories, but the bottom line is that buying an expensive camera, you will not become a professional. And the sooner you understand this, the faster you will achieve success.

Date of publication: 03.06.2015

How to make the shots interesting, beautiful and understandable for the viewer?

It often happens that you show your friend a shot, and he asks: "What did you shoot here?" And immediately it becomes somehow sad: whether the comrade is inattentive - he did not understand your creative intention; or you did not clearly show in the photo what interested you so much when shooting. How to make a photo more understandable for the viewer? How to convey mood, emotions on it? We will talk about this in the article.

So, let's summarize the first tip:

1. Before shooting, always ask yourself clearly what you are shooting.

The viewer will understand the picture when there is a specific object on it, the "hero" of the photograph.

How to find a suitable subject for shooting? Sometimes the subject is obvious, as in the case of shooting a portrait or some specific subject (for example, a book). But sometimes the "protagonist" is not easy to find. For example, when shooting a landscape. Landscape shots often turn out to be "blank" for beginner photographers. Aiming the lens into space, the photographer forgets that some interesting object, the "hero" of the frame, must be present in his picture. As a result, nothing grabs the viewer's attention. Choose a subject that will make your audience look closely at the photo. It can be a freestanding tree, a beautiful house, a bush with flowers, a path ... Anything that can arouse interest.

By the way, something "incorporeal" can also become the subject of photography. For example, natural phenomena: sunset, snowfall, thunderstorm.

Of course, there can be several main objects in the frame. To avoid confusion in the photograph, they must be connected by the plot.

2. Ask yourself what is happening in the photo.

The picture can be boring if nothing is happening in the frame. A simple example: in one picture, a person is standing, arms outstretched at the seams, no emotions on his face. On the other, the same person smiles and waves his hands. Which shot will be more interesting? The one where a person somehow manifests himself, right?

An excellent subject for a photo can be not only an action, but also a state. Flowers can bloom, the sun can set, and water can flow. Observe the object. Time passes very quickly, and any state of objects is fleeting. Try to show it in the photo.

The complete absence of a plot, idea or at least some stylistic solution is a common mistake in many staged portraits. To make the shot more interesting, try to evoke emotion in the model. At the very least, tell her what you want to get in the photo: sadness, joy, passion. And you can make good contact with her, then the emotions from your communication will appear on their own.

A subject for a photo can be some original idea the photographer himself (for example, looking for an unusual point of view on a particular subject). The plot can consist in the transfer of a certain aesthetics and style in the picture. Also, as a plot, you can use an unusual combination of objects in the frame: large / small, soft / hard, and the like. It all depends on your imagination!

Remember that the task of the photographer is not only to find the subject, but also to express it in the frame.

It would seem that there is nothing easier: we are looking for an interesting subject and plot, and then we shoot. However, even here we may face difficulties. For example, when photographing a person, we will inevitably include other elements in the frame. And our object can drown in unnecessary details. So the next tip is also very simple:

3. Remove all unnecessary from the frame!

If something is not involved in the plot - feel free to remove this element from the frame! However, it is important to remember that the background, the empty space around the object, can become part of the plot. And some additional details can complement the composition (for example, branches framing the landscape). You need to understand that they also participate in the plot, and they should be left.

The more elements of the composition are involved in your shot, the easier it is for the viewer (and yourself) to get confused in them.

Do not forget that you can independently choose the most advantageous point for shooting. Use this when looking for the best angle!

4. Highlight the main thing in the picture!

Sometimes the main object in the photo is "lost", merging with the background. How to be in this case?

Let's figure out how you can select an object in a photo.

Size and shape. Obviously, the subject should be shown large enough in the photo so that the viewer will pay attention to it. Also, the object in the picture will stand out if it has some kind of exceptional, eye-catching shape.

Color and brightness. If your subject stands out in color or brightness, it will be hard to miss in the photo. Do not forget that the brightness of the subject directly depends on the degree of its illumination. It is enough to send more light on the subject than on the background, and it will become brighter.

Sharpness. The subject can be sharpened by blurring the background. They love to use this technique in portraits. However, in other areas of photography, it is also quite appropriate. How to blur the background in a photo? The background is blurred due to the shallow depth of field. We have a separate lesson on this topic. To achieve a shallow depth of field, it is worth photographing from a more or less close distance, at an open aperture and at maximum zoom.

It is important to keep in mind that these techniques can be used not only individually, but all together.

5. The background is an important part of the picture!

The environment in which we shoot the hero, the background of the picture is an integral part of him. In order for the photo to be expressive and meaningful, special attention should be paid to working with the background.

The background should match the plot. Moreover, it can perfectly complement it. At the same time, the background should not draw all attention to itself. Sometimes it is worth blurring it by shooting at an open aperture. This is usually done when shooting a portrait, so as not to distract attention from the hero of the frame. And in a landscape, they try to make the background sharp in order to include the entire plot in depth of field.

When shooting in an apartment, unnecessary things will constantly fall into the frame. They will distract attention. It is not very convenient to rent in an apartment, and there is not enough light there. Try to look for other places for a photo shoot - interesting and with good lighting.

6. Use simple layout rules.

Simple rules for frame composition were created as a "cheat sheet" for a beginner photographer who has not yet developed his own sense and vision of the frame. Using them, you can easily compose your shot so that it looks harmonious.

Rule of thirds. Contrary to popular belief, positioning your subject exactly in the center of the frame is not always the case. good idea... Try the rule of thirds. This rule is based on the golden ratio. Move your subject closer to one of the corners of the frame. Alternatively, you can simply place the subject (in the case of a portrait, the hero's face (eyes)) in the upper third of the image.

Conveniently, the rule of thirds grid can be displayed on the camera screen or in the viewfinder.

The rule of thirds allows for great liberties in its use. It is not necessary to verify with pinpoint accuracy whether the subject intersects with the intersections of the lines of the rule of thirds. The main point of this rule is to get the novice photographer to remove the subject from the center of the frame and think about the composition.

Don't overwhelm the horizon. A person is always guided by the horizon as a strictly horizontal object. This rule also works for photography. If everything in the picture is tilted to one side, it will be difficult for the viewer to perceive the photo: it will give the impression that everything is falling somewhere. It is especially worth keeping an eye on the horizon when photographing landscapes and architecture. To keep the horizon horizontal in your photos, you just need to keep it in mind and keep the camera level. Please note that even if the horizon line is absent in the picture (for example, we are photographing in the city), the viewer's eye will look for obviously horizontal and vertical objects (houses, lampposts, apartment walls) in order to navigate the photo.

To check when shooting if your horizon is not littered, modern cameras have a digital level that you can always display on the screen. And in older Nikon DSLRs (for example, Nikon D7200, Nikon D750, Nikon D810) - even on the viewfinder.

Application of these simple rules and practical advice for photography
very soon will allow you to photograph your first photo masterpiece.

Always think about what got you interested in a story and how to convey this feeling in flat photography, whether you are photographing people, animals, buildings, monuments or landscapes. Exclude from the frame anything that can spoil your idea.

The easiest way to do the above is to "run" your gaze around the frame and rebuild the composition if unwanted objects such as telegraph poles, wires, trash cans, etc. are found. Sometimes it is very difficult to do this when shooting in the city, but even then you can find a solution:

• Move closer to the subject or move the subject if possible
• Walk around the subject and find a vantage point where unwanted objects will not be visible, or use them as a lead element in the composition - enhance the perspective
• Open the aperture as far as possible so that unwanted background is strongly defocused (blurry)

The worst thing that can get into the frame is the reflection of the photographer or photo accessories: a photo bag, a photo tripod; camera case, etc. The photographer should always remain unnoticed!

Before pressing the shutter, watch the light illuminate your subject - are the rays too oblique? See how the shadow falls - are there too many shadow spots? Is your own shadow entering the frame? Have you blocked out the light falling on your subject? Use the "play of light and shadow", as well as strong side light to dramatize the mood of the photo, use psychological * lighting.

Pay attention to how the background is lit - avoid sharp contrasts in the lighting of the subject and the background. At the same time, don't be afraid to use backlighting, possibly in combination with a fill light from a flash. It is very good if you understand with what type of light * you are working.

*

Look up to the sky. Do you want gray, heavy clouds to ruin the portrait? Then frame the subject so as to minimize the area of ​​the sky in the picture.

If the day is sunny and cloudless, there is a high probability that instead of a blue sky, you will get a very strong

Remember that a cloudy sky on a sunny day enhances color contrast. In inclement weather, black and white images often look more impressive than color ones.

It is possible that an interesting subject may disappear from the frame before you press the shutter release. It is also possible that your model will stop smiling or just get tired of waiting while you adjust the shooting parameters.

Learn to preset and work quickly with focus. Whenever possible, always take takes to get the shot with the correct focus and exposure.

If your camera has a rather long time, turn off unnecessary camera functions and try to shoot ahead of time - release the shutter one or two seconds before the climax of the events in the frame.

Never use AUTO mode, even if you have very little experience and have a hard time understanding manual camera settings.

In the case when you do not have time to select the optimal settings in manual mode, it will be a good habit to use you will get much best result than trying to shoot in a hurry set parameters manual mode or in fully automatic mode.

Always use extra support - it is better not to take a picture at all than to have it with a shaking camera.

Even if you don't intend to sell your photos, do your best to get a balanced and beautiful photo:

• Don't overwhelm the horizon;
• Frame the picture carefully, keep an eye on the background, do not overload the frame with a large number of objects;
• Instead of waiting for people to take the right position in the frame, try to arrange them yourself in the way that seems correct and beautiful to you;
• Enhance perspective by using linear (extruded) objects in such a way that they lead the eye to the semantic object of the photograph;
• Don't forget about

Take takes with different aperture values, so that later you can choose the most expressive picture. If possible, place the model as far from the background as possible. Use light and color contrast to highlight the model.

Every time you shoot a scene, take a close-up take. Taking close-ups will help your camera to get the right focus on an important subject and set the exposure parameters more accurately.

Often, a detailed photo is much more interesting than an overview one. However, when photographing animals or strangers, I advise you to keep a safe distance - find a compromise between the size of the subject in the frame and common sense.

Use a zoom lens (or a set of lenses with different focal lengths) to create perspective effects in your photo. Remember that in some cases, the thoughtlessly chosen focal length of the lens is beyond recognition. Try changing the default exposure settings to add

The photographer has to move all the time. There is only one exception - the moment the shutter is released.
Look for beautiful angles, don't be afraid to take close-ups (no zoom or telephoto).
Don't be afraid to take a picture with the "wrong settings" or take pictures of strangers.
If you see that people react inappropriately to the fact that you have photographed them, just approach them first and offer to receive a photo as a gift. Better, of course, to keep a reasonable distance.

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF PHOTOGRAPHY

There are no strict rules in photography that must not be violated!

TO PHOTOGRAPH YOUR FIRST MASTERPIECE

Take a lot of photos, but always think about what you want to convey to the viewer.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes, analyze your work, study your mistakes
and jot down your ideas and discoveries in photography in a notebook.

Often the question arises for beginners in photography: where to start a beginner photographer? For those who are just going to study the art of photography, we have put together useful tips that will help the aspiring photographer learn the most important things. Have good camera- half the battle, even less. And to be able to use it correctly is a whole science. Let's figure out what a beginner photographer needs to know.

If you are serious about taking up photography, here are some tips for a successful start.

• Don't chase newfangled tech. A soap dish and a DSLR are different things, there is nothing to argue. But do not try to get the coolest camera and think that the pictures will be of high quality. In skilled hands, even photographs taken with a soap dish will look beautiful and mesmerizing. Conversely, good reflex camera in the hands of an inept photographer will not make spectacular pictures. It all depends not on pixels and other camera parameters, but on the ability to photograph, see the frame, adjust the camera. For the first time, an ordinary SLR camera will be enough, you can use it. It is important to be careful and not run into equipment that is out of order. Do not go shopping for a popular and fashionable camera, it can drain your wallet and not have the desired effect. Spend that time learning the art of photography.
• When you have already purchased your camera, get to know it. Read the instructions carefully, understand the settings. Pictures taken in auto mode will not have the same effect as pictures taken with manual settings... The camera should be your friend. It is important to know the settings inside and out in order to always be on the “you” with your friend.

• Start learning from scratch. Go to courses where the teacher will provide the necessary knowledge base, direct you in the right direction. You will be able to ask knowledgeable person questions you are interested in. If it is not possible to take courses, do not be discouraged. Start exploring the art of photography on your own by purchasing specialty literature or using the internet. Do not be intimidated by the amount of information that will seem overwhelming. Stick to the training plan and in small steps you will come to the result.
• Practice. Do you remember how in the song “I always take my camcorder with me”? Also in life. Take your camera with you and take pictures. The more you practice, the better. Learn to see the frame, build a composition, change settings and get used to the camera. This does not mean that you need to mindlessly photograph everything, but you should not leave the camera for a long time either. Let it be in business, and not gather dust on the shelf.

• Try to notice interesting things around you. Even if you don't have your camera with you, learn to see good shot, think over the composition and understand how to arrange the light and what settings to apply. The ability to notice interesting things around will eventually become a habit, which will certainly affect the quality of your pictures.
• Don't stop learning. Explore the pictures of other photographers you admire, whose work you usually admire. Try to understand what is the secret of their success? What is special about their photographs? Try to take a similar photo, it will not be copying, just one of the learning steps. You won't be able to make exactly such a shot, but you can discover something new for yourself.
• Don't quit taking pictures if you don't like your pictures. Try to understand why the shot came out unsuccessful, what is wrong? There is work on mistakes in any school, university, this is a normal process. Nobody succeeds in making everything perfect the first time. We all make mistakes, learn, step on the same rake. The most stubborn comes to the end. Do not be discouraged if the pictures are not as beautiful as you would like. Do you think that famous photographers succeed with the first press of a camera button? You are deeply mistaken. Sometimes you have to take hundreds or even thousands of frames in order to choose the most beautiful 5-6 photographs from them, which will cause admiration. The profession of a photographer is labor, the ability to see the frame, take it, process photographs. This is a creative process that requires concentration and dedication. Lazy photographers never succeed. They take mediocre photos, don't learn from their mistakes. Do you want to be numbered among them? Then do not be afraid to make mistakes and go ahead, hone your skills.

• No need to shake your camera. We advise you to buy a used camera for a start, which you can take with you everywhere, actively use it, do not follow every scratch or crack. It's a technique! Yes, she is your photography assistant, but no more. This is not a child who needs constant eye and eye. Of course, there is no need to handle the camera carelessly, but also to blow off dust particles.

Let's dwell on the camera settings. What do you need to pay attention to?

Manual shooting modes

M- manual mode;
A / AV- aperture priority, in this case the camera will set the shutter speed;

• Advice:
  when the shutter speed is 1/60 s, using a tripod is recommended.

S / TV- shutter priority, the camera will automatically set the aperture value, it is convenient to use when you need to capture movement in sharpness;
P- programmed, almost automatic shooting mode, suitable for the first exposure metering.

Exposition

Exposition- the amount of light hitting the camera sensor when the shutter is opened. A lot of light - the frame is overexposed, little - underexposed.

Diaphragm- a device in the lens that adjusts the size of the circle by changing the amount of light passing through it. The higher the value, the more closed the aperture, less light enters the matrix. If you want to shoot a landscape, then use a closed aperture of f / 8, then the entire area of ​​the frame will be in sharpness. For a portrait, an open aperture of f / 1.4 - 3.5 is a great option.

With the aperture wide open, shoot in spot focus mode.

Light meter- this is a scale on the camera screen, in the viewfinder. The exposure meter readings depend on the mode of its operation.

Matrix- makes metering of a significant part of the frame, suitable for most types of shooting.

Spot metering- produced in the central square. Perfect for shooting in difficult lighting conditions, as well as for shooting portraits.

Center-weighted- Measures the amount of light throughout the frame, focusing on the center area. Essential when you need to take a photo of the subject in the center of the frame.

White balance

White balance is the adjustment of the colors in a photograph based on light sources so that white objects do not take on a warm or cool hue. All the colors in the photo depend on the white balance setting. If you change the lighting conditions, then the white balance also needs to be re-adjusted.

Take pictures in RAW format, this will allow you to change the white balance in editing programs.

It is impossible to tell everything for a beginner photographer. There is a lot of information, it is constantly being updated, new technology appears, respectively, the possibilities of using the camera. We have shared useful information for beginner photographers. If you feel a great desire to take pictures - do not postpone it for later! Maybe a hobby will grow into a lifelong business.

The text of the article was updated: 1.02.2019

Take any photography site and you will find that most of it is devoted to technical discussion. Topics related to learning how to photograph beautifully are usually not covered in so much detail. And my blog is no exception: just look at the bottom of the page for a list of the most commented articles. Today I will try to compensate for this shortcoming a little: I bring to your attention 52 exercises for amateur photographers who want to learn how to photograph beautifully.

1. How you need to develop the skills to see a beautiful frame.
2. List of tasks for practical training.
3. Examples of exercises performed by the master of street photography Alexander Petrosyan.

How to improve your photography skills

We have already discussed this in several photo tutorials in the "Photography" section. There is no other way to learn how to shoot beautifully other than following the following learning algorithm:

1. Buy any textbook on photography and read it carefully.
2. Take the camera and the instruction without letting go of it, study the Talmud, immediately checking in practice how this or that setting works.
3. Go outside and take pictures as much as possible.
4. Analyze the weak and strengths the resulting pictures.
5. Shoot new shots, taking into account the identified errors.
6. See as many more photographs and paintings of the masters. Trying to understand why their photographs are catchy. Shoot the same way.

Posted in Sony A6000 mirrorless review with sample images captured different lenses... These are tips for points 4 and 5 of the self-learning algorithm described above. And today we will cover the topic “What to photograph in order to learn how to shoot professionally”. It's no secret that sometimes we find ourselves in a situation where we would like to practice taking beautiful photos, but we have no idea what to shoot.

Photography Exercises for Beginners

Before we begin to get acquainted with the tasks, I want to tell you how the photos presented in today's photo lesson were taken. They were sent to me by a long-time reader of the site, Pavel Chertalev from St. Petersburg, who has long become my friend. In the section "Photography" you can see with a variety of optics and cropped, to which he switched about a year ago.

In the intervals between owning these professional cameras, he bought an ancient used Nikon D40 DSLR that was launched on the market in November 2006, that is, 12 years ago. I hope that after watching today's lesson, no one will have any doubts that learning to photograph like a professional can be done not only with an expensive camera, but also with an old, very cheap set. To date, the average price for an "Avito" Nikon D40 model is 4-5 thousand rubles (67-83 USD).

All sample shots were taken without flash on a Nikon 35mm f / 1.8G prime lens.

All photos in this photo tutorial were shot in RAW format, processed in the editor "Capture NX 2", corrected in "Photoshop" and reduced to the size of the site (1400 px on the long side) by the plug-in "C3C Image Size", which I talked about in the article about how I process my pictures.

Pavel called the series of photographs that we will see “IKEA Beauty”, but in the context of today's lesson on tasks for training photography skills, I would call it “Parallel rows. Rhythm in photography ”.

Note that the exercises below were not invented by me - I collected them on English-language photographic sites. I wouldn't be surprised if some of you find them familiar. Hopefully they will help someone learn how to photograph beautifully.

A collection of exercises for performing practical exercises throughout the year is calculated: one week for one task. Although, of course, no one bothers to pass the "crash course".

All exercises are divided into three categories:

1. Photo story. As the pros say: “A good photographer can shoot beautiful photo anything. A great photographer can shoot a photograph that tells a story! " The exercises in this section make the amateur photographer not only look for something beautiful, but also try to find a way to tell someone's story.
2. We hone technical skills. The ability to set up the camera, correctly process the images allows you to remove the restrictions on the creativity of the amateur photographer.
3. Artistic expression. Having developed the skills to photograph and mastered the camera, in contrast to the first two categories, the tasks of this section can be understood not literally, but figuratively. There is a lot of room for creativity. You need to express your "I" in your own way.

Pavel's photographs are not in line with the text (in a sense, they are just an example of one exercise: "rhythms"). I place them so that it is not boring to read the bare text.

Exercise 1.

We tell a story.

Rule of thirds.

The rule of thirds (or "golden ratio") is one of the first rules of composition that most photographers are familiar with. But they do not always understand why they need it. The Rule of Thirds is great for telling a photo story in a frame. Tell a story using the rule of thirds.

Task 2.

Technical lesson.

We shoot in a chamber Jpeg .

We photograph, receiving nice photos straight from the camera. We don't use Lightroom or Photoshop. We shoot a gorgeous photo, and it should turn out to be of high quality without any processing in an external editor.

Exercise 3.

Artistic lesson.

Land.

Our inspiration this time is earth. It can be a landscape or a photograph depicting, in some way, the earth.

Task 4.

Photo story.

Mirrors.

Tell a story using a mirror or reflection.

Exercise 5.

10 frames.

You need to photograph the same object in ten different ways. Each shot must be shot at a different angle from a different distance or focal length.

Task 6.

Artistic exercises.

Sweets.

Show pictures of sweets, cakes, and other sweet foods that make you want to eat them.

Exercise 7.

Photo story.

Forgotten.

You need to tell the story of something forgotten in the frame.

Exercise 8.

Technical training.

One shot.

You have to imagine that in our cell there is only room for one photo. And therefore, in this exercise, we can only shoot one frame. You can not delete the damaged ones, you can not take a second photo. The most important thing is to carefully examine the scene, think and take a masterpiece from one shot.

Task 9.

Artistic exercise.

Still life.

We are training to photograph a still life of several objects.

Exercise 10.

Photo story.

We work with perspective.

Perspective is the interaction between objects in a scene. If we want to show perspective, one of the ways is or a telephoto lens.

Exercise 11.

Development of technical skills.

Separate toning.

Separate toning is a way of processing a photo in the editor, when shadows and highlights are tinted with different colors. Shadows are tinted one color and highlights are tinted another. Split toning is often used in conjunction with tonal perspective to give a scene the look and feel it needs.

Exercise 12.

Artistic.

Orange mood.

This week we are photographing either something orange, or an orange (since it is orange), or both.

Exercise 13.

Photo story.

"Golden hour" of photography.

Golden Hour is the time before sunset or after sunrise, when the sun illuminates the earth with a pleasant soft golden color. We need to find a way to use the golden hour to tell the story.

Task 14.

Technical training.

Shooting with wiring.

Panning is used to convey motion when shooting moving subjects. When wiring, we must use a slow shutter speed, while keeping the lens behind the subject.

Exercise 15.

Artistic skills.

Solid.

Something solid needs to be photographed this week.

Task 16.

Photo story.

Leading lines.

Leading lines are very important element compositions for every photographer who wants to become a master. We use leading lines to tell the story.

Exercise 17.

Technical training.

The spot of attraction.

Using a vignette or bright spot to grab the viewer's eye. Plots where a bright spot attracts attention.

Exercise 18.

Artistic.

Lilac color.

This time we are photographing everything related to the lilac color.

Task 19.

Photo story.

Back yard.

We are trying to tell a photo story about our environment. This could be a look at our daily life.

Task 20.

Technical training.

Heaven.

In this workout, we will be photographing the sky. You need to train in Photoshop to replace the sky, if it turns out to be uninteresting for another image of the sky.

Exercise 21.

Artistic skills.

Soft.

We used to photograph something hard, now it's soft. Can be interpreted as desired.

Task 22.

Photo story.

Geometric figures.

We photograph everything that represents triangles, squares and circles. All of them are strict compositional elements in the image. We need to find a way to use geometric shapes for our photography story.

Exercise 23.

Technical skills. f / 8.0

Portrait.

Shooting a portrait using an aperture of f / 8. Since we have a narrowed aperture, we need to keep in mind that we need to isolate the subject in some other way than by blurring the background.

Task 24.

Artistic.

Green color.

Green is the color of nature, the color of life and hope.

Exercise 25.

Photo story.

The history of the toy.

You need to tell a story about toys or about toys.

Exercise 26.

Technical skills.

Painting with light.

We put the camera on a tripod at night, open the shutter for 30 seconds and draw our object with a flashlight. You can use flashlights, diode lights and even laser pointers.

Exercise 27.

Artistic skills.

Communication.

We live in the 21st century, when communication technologies greatly influence our lives. In this exercise, you need to show the presence or absence of communication between people.

Task 28.

Photo story.

Portrait as a landscape.

We shoot a portrait against the background of a landscape, that is, we must see the environment of our subject.

Exercise 29.

Technical.

Water drops.

Taking pictures of water droplets. It's a mixture of lighting, macro photography and patience. There are many ways to enjoy shooting.

Exercise 30.

Artistic skills.

Family.

Taking pictures of a family portrait. In order to complicate the task, we photograph a family portrait without people in the frame.

Exercise 31.

Photo story.

Frame.

Another classic composition tool is to frame an object. We use this technique to tell our story.

Task 32.

Technical training.

HDR .

HDR is a technique that combines multiple pictures taken at different exposures. As a result, we get one shot with a wide dynamic range.

Task 33.

Artistic skills.

High Key.

Photographing a portrait in the "High Key" style.

Exercise 34.

Photo story.

Stranger.

Tell the story of a stranger. Trying to use the environment to show the viewer its story.

Exercise 35.

We train technical skills.

Sewing a panorama.

We photograph several vertical shots and stitch a panorama from them in Photoshop or another editor.

Exercise 36.

Artistic skills.

Low key.

Low Key is the opposite of High Key. Take pictures where most of the tonal range lies on the left side of the histogram.

Exercise 37.

Photo story.

Balance.

Balance is a compositional technique in which each part of the scene is balanced with weight. Balance can be achieved by color, tone or arrangement of objects.

Exercise 38.

We train technical skills.

50 mm.

We shoot for a whole week using only a focal length of 50 mm. You can shoot either with a fixed lens, or by attaching our zoom lens with molar tape to focal length 50mm.

Exercise 39.

Artistic lesson.

Water.

All week we have been photographing everything related to water.

Task 40.

Photo story.

Color black and white photograph.

You need to tell the story of the color scene. Flowers cannot be shown in the frame. And you need to photograph in black and white.

Exercise 41.

Technical training.

Levitation.

Levitation is a trick that is done partly with a camera and partly with photoshop. We are trying to do levitation this time.

Task 42.

Artistic training.

Music.

During the week we photograph music or musicians using a wide-angle lens.

Exercise 43.

Photo story.

Motion.

Capturing motion in a frozen shot is a daunting task for every photographer. Use this week's movements to tell a photo story.

Exercise 44.

Technical training.

Magical ND -filter.

We use the ND filter together with long exposure 30 seconds or longer for still photography. We try to photograph waterfalls or even streets in order to take a mysterious picture.

Exercise 45.

Artistic photography.

Cold.

It is necessary to show a photo story in which you can feel the cold coming from the frame.

Exercise 46.

Photo story.

The foreground of the landscape.

Many stories revolve around portraits, but landscapes can tell a story too. Tell the story of the landscape, using the foreground as the subject and the background as the scene.

Exercise 47.

Technical training.

Curly bokeh.

Read on for How to Make Hearts, Bokeh Stars, and Get an Interesting Photo within a Week.

Task 48.

Artistic training.

Bodyscape .

It is necessary to shoot landscapes from human bodies. See examples by Karl Warner.

Exercise 49.

Photo story.

"Blue Hour".

Blue Hour is one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, when the sky is dominated by a blue or purple hue. Use it to tell your photo story this week.

Task 50.

Technical training.

Full editing.

Take the photo you took in the first exercise and edit it in Photoshop.

Task 51.

Artistic skills.

Fear.

Find a way to show fear in a way that the viewer can feel.

Exercise 52.

Photo story.

Your photo story.

Tell your photo story.

38. Photography. Training for beginner amateur photographers. Backs for skill improvement. 1/40, 1.8, 400, 35.

Before starting the exercises listed above, I advise you to familiarize yourself with the works of street photographers Dmitry Zverev (on Facebook - DimaZverev) and Alexander Petrosyan (on Facebook - YanPetros). In their photo reports, you will see sample pictures that could have been obtained while completing assignments. Moreover, to give emotions that catch the viewer, both professionals use, among other things, the schemes that we have listed in today's photo lesson, and which should be intensively trained:

1. Context in snapshots.
2. The interaction of objects in photographs.
3. "Copying" the background.
4. Shock is the person in the background.

What does context mean, and why does it so strongly affect the perception of the image? Imagine the following story: a happy-faced man leaves the apartment, closing the door behind him. There is a smile, a pensive, dreamy face - emotions, the picture does not leave you indifferent. Now - the same plot, but in the half-open door behind the man is visible a girl in a translucent peignoir, looking after him ... Agree that immediately in your head there is an unambiguous cartoon about what happened before the photographer shot this scene! We understand why the uncle came out happy ... Even more chic - in the doorway only women's clothes are visible, scattered on the floor, and a trace of lipstick flaunts on the Don Juan's cheek ... This is the context. Both Alexander Petrosyan and Dmitry Zverev actively use it.

Interaction in the frame - such pros have a lot of shots in their portfolio, where the foreground and background objects are somehow interconnected with each other. They do not exist separately.

"Copy background". I don’t know how to put it right. These are plots where something in the background resembles an object in the foreground. For example, there is a man with a lush hair, and behind - a huge dog with the same luxurious mane ...

"Shock" or "absurdity" in the background. Let's say two grandmothers cleaning the street in the morning in front of a huge advertising poster, which shows a girl-fashion model in a bikini, advertising bras. Or the same Alexander Petrosyan has a picture where there is a funny snowman in front, and cleaning grannies behind ...

Here is a selection of the best pictures of Alexander Petrosyan on the blog of the traveler Sergei Dolya.

Is it possible to learn how to photograph beautifully if the photographer has no talent? I have already said many times that it will probably not be possible to win international competitions, but it is very, very significant to increase the level of my work, if you purposefully perform tasks, analyze mistakes and try to correct them, it is quite possible to become a respected person.

By the way, watch how Alexander Petrosyan takes his street photos on the street. In my opinion, he does nothing extraordinary.

Video. Tips for photographers on how to do exercises to improve their skills on the example of the work of Alexander Petrosyan.

Another video with a story about how a gorgeous photo of the evening city was taken. Alexander Petrosyan shows in practice how inconvenient it can be if the camera does not have a flip-up screen.

Video. The story of one shot. Self-study exercise guide for amateur photographers.

Well, I hope I wasted your time. Now there is something to do, and you know how to train yourself in a year professional photographer, who knows how to tell a photo story in the frame, who knows his photography technique, who owns editors for processing images and is able to apply his skills to create masterpieces. Maybe I will inadvertently educate myself after this lesson.