Some people can pick up a camera and make magic happen.
They have an eye for photography.
Not only do they see great pictures, but they can fit the picture in the little rectangle.
It's a true talent, and I respect it a lot.
I've never been great at taking pictures, but I've done a lot of studying on it.
I've improved my photography skills quite a bit, and so I'm going to share what I know.
The most important part of photography is lighting.
It can make or break a picture.
Shadows can be your friend, or they can be your worst enemy.
There are times of the day that are very conducive to photography.
There are other times during the day when you would be a fool to take a picture.
All of this can be distinguished as you start to notice what light does to your pictures.
If the light is behind you, it can assist you brightening a scene.
If the light is in front of you, it can ruin the picture.
If you are photographing someone, you will usually want them to stand toward the light.
While that might make them want to squint, it will also make it possible for you to take a good picture.
True photographers understand the space they have to work with.
They can see the rectangle before they ever put the camera to their face.
Too often I take pictures that I thought would fit in the rectangle, but they turned out to be too big or too small.
Let me give you an example.
When I see an amazing view, I sometimes want to photograph it.
As I look through the camera's lens I notice that the rectangles that I'll be photographing really don't express the entire view.
They are just boring segments that if put together could be amazing.
A photographer will be able to see a rectangle that expresses the whole.
That's what makes them great.
Photographers rarely get things right on their first try.
They will take many photographs and then sift through them afterwards.
Still, they have an idea of what they want when they start.
Most photographers try to think outside of the box.
They will see a place where they want to take a picture.
Then they will figure out how to position themselves the very best.
If they are taking a picture of a waterfall, maybe they will want to be on the mountain, or maybe they will want to be far away.
There are a lot of decisions made before the pictures start getting taken.
These decisions are what separate great photographers from beginners.
I hope that some of these ideas get you thinking.
Photography can be a very rewarding hobby.
After you're done taking all your shots, the final stage is picking the best shots.
Nobody ever has to see the bad ones.
As long as you had a good idea in mind, chances are one of your shots will have expressed that.