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Well today I randomly got a camera ( ) and from what I can tell its pretty good. I've already played around with it a bit and taken some random pictures in my house
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Now I don't have the slightest idea of what I'm doing when it comes to photography and just wanted some newbie tips on how to take good pictures or, well, what to take them of. I've read through inky's uber long post and understand some of the basics.
Hey. Glad to hear some people are making use of that long-ass post.
First thing I noticed is that in your images, there's too much going on. Lines are coming from all sides in different angles and sizes. It's really hard to discern what the main focus of the photos is. You need to get a feel of how to guide your audience's eyes in your photos. The key is to make it as smooth for them as possible but also, especially in the world of fine arts, allow them to become curious.
I have a few suggestions in mind on how to do this in your case: isolate the subject -- this means bringing your main focus into light. There's several ways to do this; easiest one being just bring it to the foreground and blur everything else behind it. Another way is to place it near the end of converging lines. For example, a girl standing away from the camera, in the middle of a railroad track. Also, you should keep in mind the "rule-of-thirds" which is a very valuable tool you can use in any form of art. You don't always have to follow it but knowing when to do it or not can make or break the image. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds)
Since you're practicing taking photos in your house for now, I would suggest scouting around for items that catch your interest. Dolls, figurines, clocks, books, Lego sets -- anything that could catch your interest. It doesn't have to be just 1 item per picture. You can mix and match, create a scene or even bring life to tiny figures or items. Draw on fruits, tablets, candies, anything. It's up to you. Now remember what I said earlier about isolating the image? Now this is where knowing your camera comes in handy. If your camera allows you to blur the image, you can just pic any colorful or interesting background. If not, I would suggest something that's not as messy. Maybe a blank wall or anything that won't steal attention from your subject.
Well, since we're in the topic of photography. I guess it would be fair to say that pictures are worth a lot more than words so here's some examples:
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This is an example of isolating your image. Notice how the water gradually becomes more blurred as your eyes move up? On the contrary, the focus remains sharp. Your eyes then are focused mainly on the model. Fluid, effortless and simple but at the same time, a curious photo. (I love Zhang's work! She's around my age but she started a lot younger and she's also a National rifle shooting pro.) http://nocturnalmoth.deviantart.com/gal ... 1#_3897101 See how normal household items can turn into great photos? It's all about imagination =D Also, notice the background she chooses and how she positions her subjects.
You don't need a high-end camera to make good photos, just improvisation. Hope this helps and looking forward to see more from you.
