100 Photography Techniques from a Professional Photographer for Beginners — Guaranteed to Greatly Improve Your Shooting After Learning Them

Foreign professional street photographer Eric Kim shares his photographic experience from recent years, summarized into a total of 100 photography tips.

As long as you want to make your photography skills more refined and outstanding, I believe this material will surely help you, inspiring everyone to re-understand photography from different ways of photographic thinking and to learn the shooting techniques and ways of thinking of many professional photographers.

Friends who love photography are advised to bookmark this article right away (shortcut tutorial: Windows: Ctrl + D / Apple OSX: Command + D), and whenever you feel lost about photography, read it through two or three more times — it will surely bless you with more wonderful and moving photographs.

100 Tips to Refine Your Photography Technique

1. Owning an expensive camera[i] does not mean he is a good photographer.
2. Always shoot in RAW format.
3. A prime lens can help you learn to be a better photographer.
4. Post-production is itself an art.
5. The rule of thirds works in 99% of situations.
6. Macro photography is not for everyone.
7. A UV filter functions about the same as a lens cap.
8. Going out to shoot is better than spending a lot of time on photography forums.
9. Capture the beauty in the ordinary, and you will get award-winning work.
10. Film is not superior to digital.
11. Digital is not superior to film.
12. A camera or lens with magic does not exist.
13. A better lens will not give you better photos.
14. Spend less time looking at others’ work, and more time shooting your own.
15. Don’t bring your DSLR to a party.

• Addendum: Really! It will make you look like a fool in the group.

16. Girls like photographers.
17. Turning a photo black and white will not automatically make it artistic.

• Addendum: But it can cover up the badly shot parts (laughs).

18. If you tell people your work was Photoshopped, they will scoff; so tell them you made the photo in a digital darkroom.
19. You don’t need to shoot everything.
20. Keep two backups of your work, like the lesson of war: two equals one, one equals none.
21. Throw away the neck strap and use a hand strap.

• Addendum: Photographers: don’t actually throw away the neck strap, because the weight of a professional camera will ruin your wrist — you can alternate between the two.

22. Get a little closer when shooting, and the work is usually a little better.
23. Become part of the scene when shooting, don’t peep.
24. Photos taken crouching down are usually more interesting.
25. Worry less about technical issues, and pay more attention to composition.
26. Cover the logo on your camera with black tape to make yourself more low-key.
27. When shooting in broad daylight, get used to dialing exposure down by 2/3 stop.
28. The more you shoot, the better you shoot.
29. At the same location, feel free to shoot with different exposures, angles, or aperture values.
30. Only show your best work.
31. A point-and-shoot is also a camera.
32. Join an online photography forum.
33. Appreciate others’ work.
34. Think before you shoot.
35. A good photo needs no explanation.

• Addendum: I sometimes add background information to make the story behind the photo seem more meaningful.

36. Alcohol and photography are not good partners.
37. You can be inspired by other photographers, but don’t worship them.
38. Grain is beautiful.
39. Give up the backpack and use a side bag, so you can reach your lens and camera more easily.
40. Simplicity is key.
41. The definition of photography: painting with light. So get used to using light.
42. Find your photographic style, and carry it through.
43. Having dual monitors is best for post-production work.
44. Silver EFEX Pro is the best black-and-white conversion software.
45. Carry your camera with you everywhere.
46. Don’t let photography get in the way of enjoying life.
47. No need to pamper your camera — use it, wear it out.
48. Shoot photos with content that is direct and clear.
49. Shoot with full confidence.
50. Photography and display are good friends.
51. Print your photos large, and you will love it.
52. Give photos to friends.
53. Give photos to strangers.
54. Don’t forget to frame your photos.
55. Costco (a large warehouse store that offers photo developing services) is cheap and good[i].
56. Go out shooting with friends.
57. Join a photography organization or start one yourself.
58. Photos are good gifts.
59. Shooting strangers is exciting.
60. Natural and candid is better than posing coyly.
61. Natural light is the best light.
62. 35mm on full frame is the best street photography focal length.
63. Don’t be afraid to push up the ISO when needed.
64. No need to carry a tripod everywhere.
65. Overexposure is always better than underexposure.
66. Shooting the homeless to obtain artistic work is actually exploiting them.
67. In the most unlikely situations, you will find the best shooting moments.
68. Photos with human elements are more interesting.
69. A bad photo will not be Photoshopped into a good photo.
70. Nowadays everyone is a photographer.
71. You don’t have to go to Paris to get good photos; the best photos may be right beside you.
72. People who take selfies with a DSLR look like idiots.
73. A camera is a tool, not…