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4 ways to Improve your photography

April 12, 2013  •  Leave a Comment

A question I get asked more than anything... "What camera should I buy?"

Usually this question is from someone who is frustrated that their pictures just don't seem to be the quality they'd expect. They take a few snapshots on the baseball or soccer field and end up disappointed.

There is a belief that buying a fancy new camera will magically improve your photographs, and yet there are many other things that I think have a much greater and quicker impact on photograph quality:

1) Education: taking a course to understand how to use your camera (even if it is an iPhone), will almost always have the biggest impact. There are two elements important to education at the start. First is getting to know your kit - maybe as simple as studying the manual or buying a good camera guide book. Second is learning true photography skills - e.g. composition, color, posing, etc.

2) Lenses: Several years ago I invested in a Nikon 70-200 f2.8 lens. Wow! Having previously used a Nikon18-200mm, the difference in the quality of the photo was immediate. I would rather have one professional lens, than several cheaper options. Did I say how much I love my Nikon 70-200mm?

3) Camera: I can still take great photos with my old Nikon D200. If you've invested in great education and lenses, only then would I start looking at whether your camera could give an improvement. Which camera is a topic for another day.

4) Other: I don't often use a tripod when taking photos, but getting your camera steady can yield big improvements to the sharpness of your images. I use a monopod when shooting mountain biking, or when out and about. It is portable and easy to use. A tripod can have big benefits, although for my kind of photography I prefer not to have that weight. Add a good flash - not just for night time shooting, but also for adding in light during the day.


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