Taking over 10000 pictures you would think that would be a good start for being a mediocre photographer. No, that’s not how it worked for me. Well, I learned to take pictures with point and shoot cameras.  After closely evaluating a 1000 pictures or more, I resolve I am an amateur photographer.  I love the iPhone but I learned if I want to be above an amateur photographer, it would be better to use a camera with good lens.  Yes, the iPhone does take great pictures but there are some flowers and landscapes that beg a different set of eyes or different set of lens.  Here are few tips I picked up while learning how to improve my photography.

Once you have a good camera you must learn the ropes of the trade.  Reading the manual is a good start, Watch youtube instructional video are good supplements.  Currently, I am learning about shadow and light.

The sun is great but when it is out and about and bright, the pictures I shoot cast a shadow. Unless the intention was to cast a shadow, then there should be no shadows.  That is why the photographers shoot early in the morning or in the evening, they call it golden hour.  I wished someone had told me that eons ago about timing.  In the meantime, a friend taught me a few tricks.  To decrease the shadows, use flash or photography lighting.  I am working with flash and haven’t worked my way up to the lighting equipment as of yet.

 If you want a detailed shot you must get close to the subject as possible.  But not so close it looks fuzzy   If you have good lens on your camera, you could zoom, lucky for you.  I recently took a shot of two ducks dozing on the log. My friend said, can’t make out what the image was.’ The farther you are away from the subject, the less chance of showing up.  Must try again.

Angles are important, but I am learning about this.

Another way to improve is to get feedback from your friends, family, or other photographers, even aspiring and amateur ones.

Take this photo for instance

Question: Which is the brightest part of the above photo?

Feedback: Bright part is in the background and not on the subject.

Another feedback: image is too blurry.

The feature photo had too much distraction in the background.  There was also low light distortion (small sensor on the camera, not enough light coming).

Suffice to say, taking photos is a work in progress.

For more tulip photos.

If you have any tips, I would love to hear from you.