Often, great
photography takes a trained eye and some mad skills. While most of us don’t
need to be professional-caliber shutterbugs, even the most amateur
photographers should be able to snap lovely shots of the important times in
their lives.
Learning about
photography doesn’t mean expensive classes or complicated equipment. In fact,
spending just a little time on Tumblr can teach you about both the
technical and the creative sides of the art.
Whether you want
to break into the biz or just capture selfies to rival Ellen DeGeneres’
Oscar hit, here’s how Tumblr can teach you to be a better photographer.
1. Follow other
photographers.
Observe what
other people are doing in the art world. Keeping tabs on other photographers
whose work you admire will be a constant source of inspiration and ideas.
Don’t just glance
at their images and scroll on. Take some time to analyze the technical reasons
why a photo is so beautiful. Look at the composition, the colors and the
lighting. What’s the depth of field? Does it look like he added post-processing
or filters? Being able to think critically about the photos you see is the
first step to creating ones of your own.
Professionals
aren’t the only ones whose work can be educational. Amateur photos are just as
useful, especially since they show just how expressive you can be without loads
of expensive equipment. Any image-heavy blog with pictures that move you is a
good place to start.
2. Ask questions.
Tumblr’s
"Ask" feature can be a great resource. Check whether your favorite
photographers have it enabled and see what they have to say. When you find a
really striking photo, ask the artist how she captured it. What kind of camera
and lens does she use, how much prep did she put into a shoot? Where does she
get her ideas?
Many artists are
happy to share insights with fans or aspiring up-and-comers.
3. Find
inspiration everywhere.
Inspiration
shouldn’t be limited to the photo field. Round out your Tumblr account by
following people who have zero interest in photography. You can see interesting
use of color and shapes in a graffiti blog. Fashion and street style blogs can
give you ideas on how to pose and create shapes.
Find people who
share your interests outside photography and see what they’re thinking about.
Drawing on other art forms you enjoy can help you develop a unique personal
style.
4. Search wisely.
In theory,
Tumblr’s tag system makes it easy to look through a huge volume of material and
find exactly the type of post you want. In practice, it's still a chore to wade
through every single post labeled "photography." To make the most of
your queries, think of more specific or unusual searches. Search for the
specific camera model you have or for a photo magazine you enjoy.
If you want an
easy place to start, check out the spotlighted Tumblrs. These are usually some
of the platform’s most successful and popular blogs, so the quality might be
better than a search. The network has separate sections for photographers and photography,
so something is likely to catch your eye.
5. Share your
photos.
Don’t just lurk
on Tumblr. If you aren’t already active on the network, get to posting.
Especially if you link your posts to other social networks, you can get your
work in front of a sizable audience.
Publicly sharing
your work is also a good lesson in feedback. Figure out whose opinions you
trust and take in what they say. Pro tip: Even though it makes you feel
awesome, good feedback is more than “I love it!” If you really want to improve,
you’ll quickly learn how to parse which comments are helpful and which come
from trolls. You’ll develop a thicker skin, which is a must if you want to take
your photography to a professional level.
Original Address:http://mashable.com/2014/03/11/tumblr-photography-guide/
