young beginerror look for good tips

[tyler87823]

Hey I am 15 and I am obsessed with photography and I am looking for good tips and tricks please help

 

[407370]

Welcome to the forum.

1. Take thousands of pictures of things that you like and keep a separate "BEST" folder for the ones you really like.
2. Seek specific advice on how to improve your best pics
3. Ignore the advice you do not agree with

 

[Derrel]

ONE TIP that has been around for hundreds of years: secret teachings have been assembled by the ones who know things, and those teachings have been collected within books. The basics of photography have not changed much in a long time; yes, the cameras have changed some, but the ideas of posing, lighting, and composition and design, have been steady for a long time. A book can be read, re-read and studied, and revisited in the future. Get a book or two at the library, and look through it...just flip through it quickly, front to back, and then check it out, take it home, and look through it again, and read parts that appeal to you. You WILL learn some things. Maybe some very important things. Don't stress on it...let the learning come to you.

 

[rudimaes]

Here you find a free online e-book on photography, that covers the basics:
Creative Photography A Complete Online Book - Book Contents
Rudi

 

[Designer]

Hey I am 15 and I am obsessed with photography and I am looking for good tips and tricks please help

Welcome!

Besides reading about photography, try to pick up something about art in general. Composition, IMO, is the hardest part to learn.

 

[soufiej]

Best tip IMO: take a class. At fifteen you should have numerous sources for structured education. Possibly your high school has a photography or photojournalism class. Any junior or community college will offer such classes, you may be able to audit the class even at your age. Most camera retailers have some sort of class you can take for a small fee. They are typically very short and only get you the basics but, they are a start.

If you insist on going this alone and being self taught, find the best course for your interests. Ask for suggestions for courses directed towards, say, portraiture, landscape, fine art, etc styles and get on board. You don't need lots of equipment nor expensive equipment. In fact, I think being limited at first to basic gear will force you to think more about what you are doing before you take a shot. One local instructor here in Dallas teaches only film and with low cost, used cameras to keep the students focused on the process of photography rather than the equipment for photography.

Once you've decided on a course, stick to it. The many issue I see with self taught students in any subject is they are too diffuse in their interests. They want to know it all and they want to know it now. This causes them to skip around from topic to topic and lesson to lesson with this teacher and that instructor. IMO that wastes a lot of time because there is no structure to the plan. A very good instructor will understand not only do students learn at different rates but they learn best when one topic is being introduced to support the ideas of the next and the next lesson. A very good instructor lays down a solid foundation first. Therefore, find a good course for your area of interest and then follow it page by page and lesson by lesson. Even when it gets boring, that's part of the foundation required to build on. So stick with THE PLAN!

Having an outside critic is helpful but not completely necessary. You are still rather young for the work and very inexperienced. However, if there is a working photographer in your area willing to take on a young apprentice, possibly this might be a way to learn while earning your keep.

 

[dennybeall]

Hopefully you don't have to worry about working and making a living, it's all about the enjoyment of the art of photography. Looking through photography books in the library is a good start. Just look at the pictures and read the captions. Also as you move around look! at everything! look at different angles and think about what a picture may look like. Research how to take the picture you see in your mind. How will you change lens aperture, shutter speed and ISO to get the picture you want? What would the light be like early in the morning? late in the day? at sunset? perhaps even at night?
Most importantly - Have Fun with it! Don't get hung up in the details. Take lots of pictures!!!!!! and if you have a thick skin - show some of them on the Forum...