So you finally got your hands on that new DSLR camera you were hoping for. Let’s call it, for example, the Nikon D5300 …
There’s just one problem, you don’t really know what you’re doing with it. Want to learn? Here are nine great recommendations for Digital SLR newbies to want to take spectacular travel photos:
1 Shoot something new
You probably take lots of pictures of your family and friends; those are the shots filling up your SD card.
Point the lens at something else: A sunset, people on the street, flowers in your garden, skateboarders at the park, the Milky Way? You may discover new ways to use your new gear that you never would have thought of before.
2 Find a group to shoot with
Source inspiration from others and join a photo walk. Social sites like Meetup.com and Google+ are two of many options where you can find like-minded new photographers like you getting together to shoot something fun and learn from each other.
3 Shoot a theme
Sometimes the way to stretch yourself is – yes, it’s weird – to limit your boundaries. Try taking pictures of just red things or green things or blue things. A series only looking upwards. or any series you can think of with a common theme.
You’ll find yourself liberated by the rules, grounded by great focus, and perhaps even seeing something new in what you thought were mundane surroundings. Try uploading those photos into a single, themed gallery, too.
4 Rent a new lens
You may have just been gifted some great kit, but as you start experimenting you’ll see that this is just the beginning of a very satisfying – yet expensive – hobby! However, it’s easy to take your dream lens for a spin. Companies such as lensesforhire.co.uk offer good value if you want to try before you buy.
From macros to mega-zooms, you can get anything you want shipped to your door and enjoy it for as little (or as long) as you like. It’s a super way of getting to use highly specialised lenses such as fisheyes, which pack a lot of punch if you mix them in with your regular shots.
5 Take a workshop
Some people thrive in the formal education environment. Is that you? With the boom of digital photography workshops of all types, you’re bound to find a way to learn something totally new, and find the best environment for you, to boot.
From one-day classes to week-long trips, you can take up a brand-new photo skill and actually get good at it in a relatively short time. Check out training courses at Nikon School in London.
Check out our list of photo tours around the world – ones that the whole family can enjoy!
6 Look at other people’s art
Spending an afternoon at the museum could be the best thing you ever did for your craft. The timeless work of old masters or the trailblazing pieces of new ones will inspire, stretch and get your brain thinking in great new ways.
Start with the National Portrait Gallery or the Photographers Gallery?
Similarly, take a look through photo blogs and social channels to see what other amateur and professional photographers are doing. You may be inspired to try something new in the format you’re already familiar with.
7 Travel. Travel. Travel.
We’re biased, but nothing gets the soul going like travel. Speak, eat, look, immerse yourself in new cultures and notice new things. And you don’t have to go that far. You can experience a different side of your home town by volunteering or taking a different route to work or home.
8 Enter a competition
Sometimes a little friendly competition is just what you need to hone in and focus on your hobby. Get the blood pumping with a photo competition where there’s a set theme and a tasty prize.
Make sure you check the rules and be sure that the way the organisers handle ownership of submitted images is OK with you. Some of the most reputable are hosted by the Royal Photographic Society.
9 Privacy
Backing up and storing your photography is the most important element to consider. A service like SmugMug offers unlimited storage and you also have complete control over who sees your photos.
Get to know the lingo. Public means your work is visible to everyone visiting your site, as well as search engines like Google. Unlisted means your galleries are accessible to anyone with the link. Private means that only you (the account owner) will be able to see your pictures. If you share a link with someone, they’ll get a “Page Not Found” error.
