This is the kickoff post for a how-to series.  The goal is to provide the "missing pieces" of information in regards to making photographs.  I want our family and friends to photograph with confidence and enthusiasm and I'm eager to make the process simple.


Simple it may be, but the first thing is first: get used to your camera.  This will involve photographing things that do not move, things that are moving and things that will move.  Photo a lot of things. And photo things that will not get tired of you photoing them.

Beware of two mistakes. The first mistake is not enough coverage.  If you have the chance to photograph a cute little puppy, for example, and you take 2 or 3 shots, that's not enough.  Or if you take 400 exposures from the same spot across the room from the puppy, that's not enough.  Play around!

  • shoot straight down
  • shoot straight up
  • lay on your stomach
  • tilt the camera
  • zoom with your feet to get closer
  • zoom with your feet to get farther away
  • pan (follow the primary figure of the photograph) to create blur
  • shake the camera to create blur
  • put the camera on a tripod to gain extra f-stop range
  • work with your depth of field
  • work with your ISO
  • work with your shutter speed
  • shoot both horizontal and vertical images of the same subject
  • shoot series (5 photographs of a laugh; 3 photographs of a flower throughout the day)
  • more ideas? leave a comment!

The second mistake is forcing people to learn with you.  I run across kiddos who have been told to "hold still" and "smile" so often (as their parents fiddle with the camera) that they actually do neither.  Just photograph what's happening as it happens.  When you're ready to ask people to pose, you'll be fast and everyone will enjoy the experience and the results!

Another way to avoid forcing people into your photography learning experience: give them the camera for a while.  All of a sudden, they're really interested in your photographs, too!

The more you photograph, and the more modes you toy with as you photograph, the more natural the tool will feel to you.

We'll delve into technical information for shooting as needed in later posts - besides there's a million blogs specifically about the technical info out there.  My main goal in our current conversation is to encourage you, the reader, to photograph as much as possible.

This is a good time to purchase a book pertaining to your camera.  I learned a lot from a Magic Lantern Guide for my first digital SLR camera (the "big" body, interchangeable lens kind of camera).

Think about getting comfortable with your camera like you learned to drive: your driving skill set transfers to new vehicles.  You learn to be a careful, proficient driver in the beginning, not years down the road!  This isn't wasted time, it's a valuable foundation.

There is a lot of valuable pointers on websites like jennadee.com - I'll add links to particularly helpful articles as jennadee.com develops - if you find resources you'd like to share, please leave a comment!

It doesn't matter if the only camera you have is your iPhone!  Photo and develop your post-photo process and think about your next camera later.  First thing is first - photo now, photo often.

And, please, comment as to how you're progressing.  This is a timeless exercise and I anticipate our posts to reflect the many people learning (and re-learning) at different times.  Do not hesitate to join the conversation!