1) The article provides photography tips for beginners to shoot like a pro by thinking like a pro. It emphasizes that cameras are tools, not crutches, and that proper technique and composition are more important than equipment.
2) It discusses the importance of light in photography and provides tips for working with different lighting conditions.
3) Composition is also key, and the article encourages experimenting with different angles and perspectives to make photographs stand out from snapshots.
Marel Q1 2024 Investor Presentation from May 8, 2024
Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro
1. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 1/17
CULTURE
Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot
Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro
SHARE
Thanks to advances in digital technology, it’s now possible for anyone
with a reasonably decent camera to capture stunning photos. Today’s
best camera sensors guarantee a jaw-dropping level of detail and
richness. It’s tempting to chase every new and improved technology in a
fruitless effort to buy your way to being a better photographer, but you
still need an appreciation for the fundamentals of what makes a great
photo. To shoot like a professional photographer, you need to think like
a professional photographer. Here’s how.
YOUR CAMERA IS A TOOL, NOT A CRUTCH
S c a n t a s t i c - I n - H o m e P h o t o S c a n n i n g T
Safest, Best Price, Top Quality, Ready Same Day, Least Hassle. Call us today
americanfamilyarchives.com
MENU
2. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 2/17
Many of today’s photographers have an unhealthy obsession with gear.
Let’s be honest: All this expensive new tech helps. In fact, you can
probably buy your way into being a decent photographer. But, without
proper technique and an appreciation for great photography, it’s difficult
to rise to the level of a great photographer. Skill will always trump gear
— even the best gear. A photographer with only decent skills and a four-
year-old iPhone can outshoot an unskilled amateur with $7,000 in state-
of-the-art equipment every time. The key is to appreciate your camera’s
capabilities as a set of tools, rather than as a crutch.
ADVE R TISEMENT
3. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 3/17
PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALL ABOUT LIGHT
Some of the most famous photographs in history were shot in black and
white. By stripping his work of color, Ansel Adams distilled the
landscapes in his shots down to the pure drama between light and dark.
Photography is light. For outdoor landscape shots, shooting during the
golden hour is a great rule of thumb. However, learning to shoot outside
of those two short hours each day can propel your photography skills
much further.
4. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 4/17
Leave your flash at home, for example, and focus on ways to ensure your
photos are naturally lit. For food photography, this can mean always
asking for a window seat at the restaurant. Avoid sitting under artificial
— especially fluorescent — lights. Don’t be afraid to keep some white
cardstock in your bag to reflect light around your food photos, even
while you’re in public.
When the light is less than ideal, don’t force it to cooperate. Play to the
strengths of the scene around you. On rainy days, for example, when the
colors outside seem faded and drab, lean into that color shift to stylize
your shots. Allow them to be extra moody. Or, if the color really is just
too washed out, shoot your entire day in black and white.
… BUT PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALSO ABOUT COMPOSITION
5. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 5/17
Ask a dozen professional photographers to shoot the same Grand
Canyon sunrise and you’re likely to see 12 very different photos. With
some exceptions, they’ll all dial into similar camera settings to ensure
their shots are well-lit. The big difference between each photo will be in
the composition. Consider how they might frame their shots. From what
angle? Did they work to get the trees and landscape in the foreground?
Or was theirs all about an unobstructed capture of the sun rising above
the rocky terrain in a perfect “rule of thirds” fashion? Perhaps the entire
scene was shot just out of focus to give it an intentional, “watercolor
painting” quality?
To further your composition skills, stop shooting from eye-level, even if
it’s only for today. Consciously ask, “How can I shoot this scene
differently?” Maybe it’s about getting down low, lying on the ground,
standing atop a picnic table to shoot your lunch, or focusing your camera
through an old-school keyhole to capture the beach from your
Airbnb guesthouse. Playing with composition is the easiest way to grab
your viewer’s attention because you’re showing them a perspective they
6. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 6/17
may have never seen. See how and from what angle everyone else is
composing their shots, then do something altogether different.
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHS AND
SNAPSHOTS
There are snapshots, and then there are photographs. Each serves a
distinct purpose. Snapshots capture a moment in time, but usually
without much thought behind how the moment is captured. Take a walk
around any major attraction, and you’ll spot dozens of tourists snapping
photos with their smartphones from eye-level. For the purposes of
remembering that moment exactly as they saw it or sharing it with their
friends and family on Facebook, this is great. But it’s not the way to
create a photograph.
7. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 7/17
A proper photograph is taken with careful consideration of lighting,
composition, and camera settings. Ask why you’re taking the photo in
the first place. What are you hoping to convey? Is there a unique pattern
in the foreground? Is there a bright pop of color — a red umbrella, for
example — that adds a brilliant focal point among an otherwise drab city
street? Find the focus of the photograph and build your shot around it.
After my first African safari some years ago, I wrapped up the two-week
trip with thousands and thousands of photos. A photographer friend on
the same trip took just a few hundred. The majority of his were good, but
some were incredible. Modern technology has made it easy for us to
snap thousands of photos in a single day without much thought. Odds
are you’ll end up with a few keepers. Instead, stop and think before
hitting that shutter release. Try taking fewer but more carefully
considered photos instead of rapid-fire bursts with your fingers crossed.
ALWAYS BE READY
The world has a way of revealing the most amazing things when you
least expect them. This is especially true of nature and wildlife.
Whenever you’re heading out of the house with your camera, you’re
clearly anticipating taking photos, so be ready. Take your camera out of
the bag and leave the lens cap off. Put your camera in standby mode so
you’re not waiting for it to fully turn on when you need it. This might
mean keeping your camera on a strap around your neck and looking like
a tourist, but the best photographers I know keep their cameras glued to
their hands while traveling. Sometimes, it’s the price you pay for being
ready to capture the perfect shot.
8. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 8/17
UP NEXT
How to Get Out of a Rip
Current
Editors' Recommendations
Pics or It Didn’t Happen: 5 Best Camera Bags for Trail or Travel
Rent Outdoor Gear Before You Buy It with Gearo
Our Favorite Urban Riding Packs by Mission Workshop
Packable (and Fun) Outdoor Gear That Will Actually Fit In Your Car
The Best Summer Sales on Menswear and Gear
DON'T MISS
GIVEAWAY: Corkcicle's New
Cigar Glass is Manly Multi-
Tasking at Its Best
9. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 9/17
10. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 10/17
Tepui’s Latest Rooftop Tents and Gear Are Raising
the Bar on Outdoor Adventuring
Think you need a hefty camper or a massive stash of gear to enjoy camping? Think again.
Posted 17 hours ago — By LeeAnn Whittemore
11. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 11/17
This Is the Killer iPhone
Camera Lens Kit You’ve Been
Waiting For
With these add-on iPhone lenses, Olloclip
wants you to leave that bulky DSLR at
home.
3 days ago — By Mike Richard
The Best Summer Sales on
Menswear and Gear
Swimwear, outdoor gear, watches, shoes
— you name it, we've found a deal on it.
6 days ago — By Jacob Kienlen
Take a Don Draper-Worthy
Road Trip in this Vintage
$225,000 RV
Everything from the unique shape down
to the luxury finishes makes this fully
restored travel trailer worth the price. It's
even been signed by Chuck Pelly.
6 days ago — By Kelsey Machado
Vicariously Enjoy the
Adventures of Others With 3
Epic Tales of Wilderness
Exploits
What is the outdoor enthusiast to do when
life's many duties prevent him from
adventuring? Read about it, of course!
3 weeks ago — By Steven John
12. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 12/17
10 Best Books by Ernest
Hemingway, Ranked
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is
sit down at a typewriter and bleed."
3 weeks ago — By Jahla Seppanen
5 Most Common Running
Injuries: Tips on Treatment and
Prevention
The human machine is a complex system
of bones, tendons, ligaments, and
muscles, but even with the best
preparation and training, this machine is
subject to break down.
3 weeks ago — By Clay Abney
ADVE R TISEMENT
13. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 13/17
This Brand Makes Some of the Most Expensive
Cigars in the World (and They’re Not Cuban)
"While you may still find a great regard for Cubans, it is not unlikely to find those that
invest in cigars completely convert to only Gurkha's once they have experienced our
cigars."
Posted 2 weeks ago — By Chase McPeak
Everything You Need to Know
About ‘Mars-Gazing’ This
Weekend
This weekend's "close encounter" will
bring the red planet within 36,000,000
miles of Earth.
3 weeks ago — By Mike Richard
Beards, Booze, and Bacon: The
IndyCar Racing Episode
Zach Veach and Dalton Kellet, two
professional open-wheel race car drivers,
join us on this week's episode of The
Manual podcast. We may have also
challenged them to a bout of Mario Kart.
1 week ago — By Nicole Raney
14. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 14/17
Naked Labs’ 3D Body-Scanning
Smart Mirror Tracks Fitness
Progress in Real Time
Mirror mirror on the wall, what are my
gains this week?
1 week ago — By Chase McPeak
What it Takes to Train for a
Marathon in the Swiss Alps
OK, to be honest, it's true marathon. The
40-kilometer distance works out to a bit
more than 25 miles. But most marathons
don't take place on mountain trails.
1 week ago — By Steven John
15. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 15/17
3,350 NASA Space Blankets
Will Form this 2018 Burning
Man Installation (We Hope)
We’re ready to test our nap game under
the most epic blanket of all time. Nap
level: expert.
1 week ago — By Jahla Seppanen
What is CBD? An Introduction
to the Benefits of Cannabidiol.
Well, it's not pot, weed, Mary Jane, grass,
or whatever the kids call it these days.
1 week ago — By Steven John
Show More
The Manual is simple — we show men how to live a life that is more engaged. As
our name implies, we offer a suite of expert guides on a wide range of topics,
including fashion, food, drink, travel, and grooming. We don’t boss you around;
we’re simply here to bring authenticity and understanding to all that enriches our
lives as men on a daily basis.
Must-Reads Extras
17. 8/17/2018 Photography Tips for Beginners: Shoot Like a Pro By Thinking Like a Pro | The Manual
https://www.themanual.com/culture/photography-tips-for-beginners/ 17/17