Photography for Beginners

Hi makers,

This is an beginner course for photography! I will show you how to take portraits, close up photos, nature photos and how to edit your photos.

I took a photography course in my junior high school and I decided to share it with all of you!

The camera that I am using is a OLYMPUS PEN Lite E-PL7. Most of the same effects will be the same for any other camera

• a camera
• a computer to load the photos onto
• a simple photo editor/ google photos will work fine
• tripod (Optional)

First of all you gotta know how to turn the camera on before we can do anything else, the ON button is on the top of the camera. It is usually labelled.

After the screen flashes to life, look to the top of the camera and make sure the dial on the top is set to auto for now.

The last button is the the shutter button, when you press it the camera takes a photo!

To take a photo you want to press down on the shutter button. NOTE: only press down half way down and a little green box will appear in the spot that the camera is focusing on. Press all the way down and the camera will go "CLICK" and take a photo!

Before we get into anything else just take some photos of an random object. Try to get different angles, top down/eye level/below.

Trouble shooting:

• If the photos are not focusing try to get closer or back off a little bit.
• It is crucial that the dial is on auto.
• If the screen is black then the camera might be off or the lens cap is on :-)

Get outside!

Go on a nature walk, find objects like trees or stones, anything works! Try to get interesting angles and find the contours of the objects. Try to get the best photos you can, and if you have 10 different shots of the same object it's ok! you can select your best photos later.

NOTE: The angle of the sun can make your photos look bad. Always try to have the sun facing the object that you are trying to take a photo of. Have the sun behind your back to get the best shots.

To upload all of the awesome photos photos that you have taken, flip up the latch on the bottom of the camera, the fat cube is the battery, and the thin one is the SD card. Push down on it and it will spring up.

Pop it into an SD card slot on your computer and go into the file folder at the bottom of your screen. Your SD card will show up as a new device. Go into it and click on the file folder that contains your photos! Open it up, there are your pictures! Find the one that you want and double click on it. It will probably prompt you to open it in photos, accept it, and there is your photo!

To get a Good portrait it needs to be well lit, focuses on the eyes, and looks flattering. Go all out!

• Find a non-busy background so that your audience is drawn toward your subjects eyes
• take the portrait shoulders-up so you get the audience to focus on the face
• It is crucial that your subject is well lit, if their back is lit then their face will get shadowed.
• take the shot from below, so that your subject seems bigger than reality

NOTE; In these photos my subject is side lit. This creates a shadow on the other side of their face. (This is not ideal)

Macro is probably my favorite type of photography. You can take extremely close up photos without them being blurry. The best photographers can even get to a microscopic scale.

NOTE: Some cameras have the picture of the flower on the dial it self. If your camera is like this then this next step is fairly simple.

For your camera you want to turn the dial on top so that the P is showing. Next you want to go into the menu and select the picture of the flower. (I didn't add pictures of this step because it varies widely between camera to camera.)

Get a small tripod and attach your camera to it. Next you want to get as close to the object. zoom in until you are satisfied. Take a pic

TROUBLE SHOOTING:

• if the photo is blurry then try to back off a bit.
• some times it can be finicky, try lots of different angles and don't get discouraged of it doesn't work out on the first try.

Editing your photos is fairly simple.

Open your photos up and click on the EDIT button.

• You can crop your photos so that the audience focusses on the main object.
• You can straighten the photos so that they aren't lopsided
• You can play with the color balance so that your photos are more vibrant.
• Play with different filters!

You have now completed this Beginners guide to photography! Hopefully you can now capture stunning Nature photos, flattering portraits and Macro Mode photos!

If you have any questions please ask me, I am always happy to trouble shoot.

Please click the "I MADE IT" button and send me your photos I will love to see them!