Here is a selection of our best DSLR photography tips for beginners. The articles discuss camera settings and techniques specific to DSLR and mirrorless CSC cameras (Compact System Cameras).
However they may also come in handy for point and click users as well, many of which nowadays can manipulate settings such as aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
Camera Settings and Features
Buying your first DSLR camera is exciting, but beginners are often confused by all those new controls. If you feel intimidated by all the buttons, we suggest starting with our category: Camera Settings.
Photography Tips
How to focus for landscapes – Learn how to focus for sharp landscapes and what exactly does focusing 1/3rd into the scene mean. |
Best aperture settings for portraits – Learn basic aperture rules for photographing single, couple and family group portraits. |
How to shoot fast – Tips for photographing actions shots with any camera mode. |
Animal Photography – Learn all I know about photographing zoo animals. |
Bird Photography – A beginner’s guide to bird photography. Learn what camera gear you need for nature photography and techniques for capturing birds in flight. |
How to photograph people jumping – What camera settings to use when photographing people jumping. Capture sharp shots of friends jumping with these simple tips. |
- Exposure tips for nature photography – Basic DSLR techniques that changed my photography ten fold.
- How to focus to infinity – A technique that’s important for landscape photography.
- How to photograph Christmas lights – Camera settings for Christmas lights is always a favorite during the holiday season.
- How to photograph sunsets – Landscape photography tip including DSLR camera settings and exposure techniques for photographing sunsets.
- Beach photography tips – Several useful ideas for photographing the beach with a DSLR camera.
- Where to position the horizon line within a landscape photo
- Wildlife and animal photography tips
- Using a zoom lens for macro and closeup photography of bugs and flowers. Explains why a zoom lens can be an effective alternative to a macro lens.
- Difference between bokeh and DOF – SLR tips explaining ‘What is bokeh and how to achieve a nice depth of field’.
- How to photograph dragonflies – While these DSLR photography tips refer to dragonflies, they could be used when photographing any insect.
- Tips for photographing flying insects – Examples show you how to photograph butterflies and bees.
- Photograph bold vivid colors – Photographing bold vivid colors will attract more attention than a well focused image.
- How to photograph flowers in windy conditions – DSLR tips with examples images of flowers that were shot in windy conditions and how they were taken.
- Big head people and animal photo fun – How to photograph people and animals so they look disproportionate.
- How to photograph water reflections – Camera settings and exposure tips for photographing water reflections. Two examples of reflections and how they were photographed.
- Advantages of continuous mode for sharp images of children, animals and insects
- Composition tips for capturing small details in a photograph
- When to use lens vibration reduction. Also discusses when you should turn them off.
- How to photograph flying birds – Example images demonstrating both fast and slow shutter speeds.
- Photographing car light trails – How to use a slow shutter speed to photograph car light trails.
- Dog photography tips – Camera settings and composition tips for photographing family pets.
- Tips for photographing silhouette’s – General DSLR tips and camera settings, also includes an example of a silhouette and explains how it was taken.
- Aquarium photography – SLR photography tips and camera settings for taking good photographs in dark aquariums.