Some thoughts for beginners

[robert]

I've been into photography for a fair while, but only had a DSLR for 6 months. Before digital I ended up using Large format cameras which only take one sheet of film per load, So set up and composition was all done in my head and on the big ground glass screen.

On a recent trip trying to take waterfall shots I noticed something I never used to do- I took multiple shots (not just one or sometimes two if tricky lighting) of the one scene with different exposures. Each gave a different effect of water moving etc..

I have also noticed when I take shots of people and especially my toddler I take 5 or 6 shots in slow succession and ineveitably one stands out.

So what am I doing differently. In the past to get better at photography you just took photos and over time noticed what works both compositionally and also understanding that aperture effects depth of field and shutter speed effects movement. Over a few years I kind of developed a style. (the other key change came when I stopped putting the persons head in the centre of the frame and moved it to the top third)


So I think the answer still lies in taking more photos but maybe instead of more photos over time its more photos at the time!

This might be obvious to some but it has really helped my photography,

Robert

[DJT]

Robert

I doubt I could afford to use film, actually I know I couldn't afford it.

I very much agree with you, as I have a couple of big kids & a new born and I am finding myself taking up to 6 pics at a time & I'll be happy with 2 out of those 6.
But also I like to see how far I can go with underexposing and over exposing shots too, just to see how they will turn out. I have found on a couple of occasions where the pic in colour hasn't worked but has worked fine as a B&W conversion, probably just to my eyes though.