5 Essential Photography Tips for Beginners

1. Understand Lighting—It’s the Soul of Every Shot

Lighting is the single most important element in photography. It is the foundation of any great photograph and can have profound impacts when not properly used and understood. It affects mood, texture, depth, and clarity. Beginners often overlook how light changes throughout the day but learning to observe and work with it will instantly elevate your photos. Here are some common light conditions to look for:

• Golden Hour: The hour after sunrise and before sunset offers soft, warm light that flatters skin tones and adds atmosphere.

• Blue Hour: Just before sunrise or after sunset—cool, moody tones perfect for landscapes or dramatic scenes.

• Midday Light: Harsh and direct; great for high-contrast shots but tricky for portraits.

Pro Tip: If shooting indoors, position your subject near a window and turn off overhead lights. Natural light creates softer shadows and more flattering highlights.

A big mistake a lot of beginner photographers make is by either under or over saturating their photos with light. Understanding when certain light conditions work and don't work can heavily impact the quality of your photos.

2. Master Composition Before You Worry About Gear

You don’t need a $2,000 camera to take compelling photos. What matters most is how you frame your subject. Composition is the art of guiding the viewer’s eye through your image. Sure, while having better gear might allow you to take better photos, in theory, if you do not understand the proper principles of photography, it won't make a difference what you shoot your photos on. There are some key techniques every beginner should have knowledge of:

• Rule of Thirds: Divide your frame into a 3x3 grid and place your subject off-center for balance and interest.

• Leading Lines: Use roads, fences, shadows, or architecture to draw the viewer’s eye toward your subject.

• Negative Space: Leave empty areas around your subject to create breathing room and emphasize emotion.

• Framing: Use natural elements (doorways, branches, windows) to frame your subject and add depth.

Pro Tip: Turn on your camera’s grid overlay to help guide your framing. Practice by photographing everyday objects with different compositions. I have been a photographer for years now, and I still use the grid for most shots.

While these are not necessary to take a good photo they certainly help in making one more pleasant and neat to observe. While many stray away from these composition rules to create more artistic expression and individuality, it is a good idea to master these techniques as a beginner first. To become more familiar with these, go find a subject to shoot and focus on one of these techniques. Once you feel like you really nail it, then incorporate another technique. You can continue to do this until you feel like you understand a photo's composition elements.

3. Learn Your Camera Settings—They’re Your Creative Toolkit

While this may be an obvious tip, you would be surprised just how many photographers have never used manual features on their camera and rely on their camera to do it for them. Auto mode is a great starting point, but understanding manual settings gives you full control over how your images look and feel. Manual mode has the ability to incorporate human perception in a way auto mode won't be able to. There are 3 core features that are crucial to learn first:

• ISO: Controls your camera’s sensitivity to light. Lower ISO = cleaner image; higher ISO = brighter but grainier.

• Aperture (f-stop): Controls depth of field. Lower f-number (e.g., f/1.8) = blurry background; higher f-number (e.g., f/8) = more in focus.

• Shutter Speed: Controls motion. Fast shutter (1/1000) freezes action; slow shutter (1/30) creates motion blur.

  If you would like to find out more about the relationship between these settings, you can check out this article: https://brightformfocus.com/mastering-the-exposure-triangle-aperture-shutter-speed-and-iso

Start with Aperture Priority mode (A or Av)—you choose the depth of field, and the camera adjusts the rest. It’s a great way to learn without being overwhelmed. This can be done with shutter speed as well. There are many other camera features that are important to master such as auto or manual focus, white balance, or metering modes. While these are good to learn too, it is more important to really understand the 3 core features of the camera's setting first.

4. Slow Down and Observe—Photography Is About Presence

In a world of rapid-fire snapshots, slowing down is a superpower. Take time to observe your subject, the light, the background, and the emotion you want to convey. Here are good techniques to practice:

• Walk around your subject before shooting.

• Notice how shadows fall and how light changes angles.

• Ask yourself: What story am I telling with this image?

Limit yourself to 10 shots per subject. This forces you to be intentional and helps you develop a more thoughtful eye. While it can be good to have a lot of shots for editing, photographers who are taking 50+ shots of the same subject often only have a few good ones to edit. These good ones are most likely shot on accident and less about the photographers taking a good shot. Shooting less will help you be more deliberate in the composition of the photo. It teaches patient, and looking for the right composition before you capture it.

5. Practice, Review, Repeat—Growth comes from familiarity and small changes

Photography is a skill that improves with repetition and reflection. The more you shoot, the more patterns you’ll notice—what works, what doesn’t, and what feels uniquely yours. Find a learning structure that works for you. Create a monthly folder of your favorite shots, review them and ask yourself "Why do I like this?" or "What could be better?" and taking the same shots with slight variations such as different lighting or angles.

It is important to see how others shoot photos. Join online photography communities or forums. Feedback from others can accelerate your growth and expose you to new styles. Don't be afraid of criticism. It can be difficult to notice errors in your photos as a beginner that more experienced photographers will notice straight away. Asking those more experienced than you for some honest feedback may help you out so much more in the long run.