The Ultimate Guide To Taking Beautiful Pictures

So you spend countless hours on Amazon, buy yourself a top-of-the-range DSLR camera and all of the other equipment you need (or thought you needed), and you finally set off into the wilderness in search of that perfect picture. That awe-inspiring, beautiful picture you can hang over your mantelpiece and humble brag to friends and family about it being one of your original images.

But despite the seemingly low barrier to entry, photography is probably one of the most technically challenging hobbies (or professions) you can take up.

Trans4mation Photography is a fine art, Annapolis Wedding Photographer serving Maryland, Baltimore, and Washington DC.

The challenges can be extraordinary. From spotting the seemingly perfect opportunity, but not being able to capture it due to poor lighting. Or seeing an awesome image in waiting in the distance, but being unable to capture it because your lens can’t zoom that far. Check out this guide about Photography Tips for capturing amazing photos.

Putting aside failing equipment or impossible circumstances, sometimes you just have to get downright dirty to capture that perfect moment.

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These challenges, among others, led us to want to create the best resource for both amateur and professional photographers alike. We’ve scoured the web to find all of the best resources available online, hand picking only the most informative articles that will help you capture the perfect moment and allow you to learn how to take beautiful pictures every time. So sit back, relax and enjoy the ultimate guide to taking beautiful pictures.
Table of contents: In this guide, you will learn some really great techniques that are guaranteed to help you take beautiful pictures every time. We’ve broken it up into 6 topics and have found all of the best articles available on these topics. We’ve even included a bonus chapter, teaching you how to take beautiful photographs on your phone, for those times when you spot a perfect frame, but find yourself camera-less!

Focus is often an issue when taking photographs. That perfect picture opportunity can be ruined because you can’t get the focus quiet right. In this chapter, we explore how you can use focus to create consistently sharp images. We could go into detail on the subject ourselves, but luckily loads of photography experts have already written in depth articles on the subject. Here are some must read articles that will teach you how to take sharp, crisp images every time.

“These cows are small but those cows are far away!” Achieving the perfect balance is something that photographers both new and old can struggle with. The articles in this chapter will teach you about the difference between the two main balance techniques, formal and informal, and how they can affect your photo. You’ll also learn how to use the white balance settings in your camera to capture the perfect moment so that every image you take, is a breath taking image. We’ve handpicked every article in this chapter because of the value they provide. Check them out and learn how to create the perfectly balanced photograph every time.

Natural lighting is an important tool for all photographers, but natural lighting might not always be available. Fear not! In this section you will learn how to use lighting to your advantage to create a beautiful picture. You don’t have to look at natural light as being “good or bad”, in fact you should consider different lighting at different times of day as being another tool in your tool set. The articles in this section also cover studio lighting and ways you can create natural looking lighting while shooting indoors.

Creating perfectly sharp photos while zooming in can be a challenge. Long distance photos often have poor focus. In this chapter we learn all about the proper use of your camera lens to zoom effectively, without compromising the quality of your picture. The articles in this chapter cover everything from avoiding camera shake to focal length:

We’ve all seen really cool photos with awesome visual effects. From traffic lights whizzing by in the darkness to people running like the flash. All this is achievable if you know how to use shutter speed to your advantage. In this chapter we’ve curated some of the most in depth resources available on using shutter speed.

To put it simply, storytelling is timeless. According to Leo Tolstoy, storytelling is an art. Story telling is the difference between “wow that’s a beautiful picture” and “wow that’s a beautiful picture, tell me more about it”. If you capture a story in your image, it draws the viewer in and makes them think. This chapter covers the art of storytelling with some of the best tips to encapsulate your surroundings and leave your viewer wanting more.

Use captions to convey vital information The human brain can focus on one thing at a time. So whereas there are several plotlines in your photo, you should let your viewer know about this. Also, a good caption can be used as a supplementary composition tool. The viewer's eye will go from the photo to the caption and back, comparing the author’s point with their own impression. In this chapter, you can learn how to write breathtaking captions. Alternatively, there are some links to useful writing resources that can help:

Most of this ultimate guide covers taking beautiful pictures with your high spec camera. But what should you do if you spot a perfect image in waiting and you’re only armed with a smartphone? We’ve got you covered, because in this bonus chapter you’re going to learn all about how you can take beautiful photographs with your smart phone.