Are you a beginner photographer, and do you want to improve your skills? If you answered yes to those two questions, it’s your lucky day! Below I share three fantastic photography techniques for beginners that will help you take the next step in your career as a photographer.
First, I will give you a brief introduction to nude photography. Next, I will teach you how to capture stunning photos using a shallow depth of field. And finally, I cover the importance of filling the frame with the subject.
Let’s jump in and discover everything there is to know about these three popular photography techniques for beginners!
Nude Photography
Image Credit: PeopleImages via iStock
One type of photography that has seen a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years is nude photography. While, at first glance, it may not seem like the most beginner-friendly genre, learning portrait photography principles like nude photography techniques can help improve your skills across the board.
Before we get into the principles of how to shoot this style of photography, l want to share the number one factor that leads to successful nude photographs, comfortability. Building a good rapport between the model and photographer and making sure both parties feel comfortable at all times is the only way your images will come out looking relaxed and natural.
Another key is planning. Having a detailed outline of how you want your shoot to go (location, angles, lenses, etc.) will drastically improve your results when you are first dipping your toes into the world of nude photography.
A few more tips are being creative, using props, experimenting with different lighting, and shooting multiple models simultaneously. Also, have fun with it and practice, practice, practice. Lastly, always make sure you stay professional and maintain an open dialogue with your model to ensure he/she is relaxed and at ease.
Shallow Depth of Field
Image Credit: Charday Penn via iStock
The term shallow depth of field in photography refers to having one subject or plane in focus while the rest of the image is out of focus. On the other hand, having a deep depth of field means the whole frame is focused and typically has good edge-to-edge sharpness.
The way you play with depth of field is by controlling the aperture of the camera lens. The wider the aperture (a low f-stop value), the more light reaches the sensor, and the shallower the depth of field. Alternatively, the narrower the aperture (a high f-stop value), the less light hits the sensor, and the deeper the depth of field.
Besides using a wide aperture, a few other ways you can create a shallow depth of field are using a telephoto lens, increasing the distance between your subject and the background, or using your camera’s built-in “portrait” mode.
You definitely don’t want to shoot photos with a shallow depth of field all the time, but if you know when and where to use it, the results can be impressive. Four types of photography, in particular, where it creates drool-worthy images are portrait, street, product, and macro photography.
Filling the Frame With the Subject
Image Credit: Prostock-Studio via iStock
In photography, your frame is what the sensor sees and, ultimately, what ends up as your photo. Framing (or composing) your image is how you, as the photographer, decide what to include and exclude from the frame. One photography technique that all beginners need to master is how to correctly “fill the frame.”
Filling the frame is a method that requires your subject to occupy the majority, if not all, of the photograph. One of the most common issues when photographers start, is leaving huge amounts of space behind their subjects. While I wouldn’t call this a mistake, learning how and when to fill the frame will make your photos pop.
There are three simple ways to fill the frame with your subject. Two are done directly in-camera, while the other is done in post-production using editing programs like Adobe Lightroom. The first and easiest way is by using a telephoto lens to zoom in on your subject. The second is by physically moving closer to what you are photographing. And the third is by cropping your photos in post-production.
Three of the best times to fill the frame with the subject are when you are shooting macro, food, and portrait photography. It will not only immediately guide viewers to what they are supposed to be looking at, but it also typically captures more detail.
More Photography Techniques for Beginners
While those are three of the most popular photography techniques for beginners in 2022, they are certainly not the only ones out there. For more cool ways to practice and improve your photography, check out the other creative techniques below.
- The rule of thirds
- Using negative space
- Long exposure photography
- Flash photography
- Time lapse photography
