Choosing A Subject In Photography

How do you know what photos you will take?  Are you going to a family reunion?  Are you going out for a hike and hope to see some wildlife?  There are many questions when it comes to photography.  You will want to have a basis of photography techniques to provide the best photograph and once you learn those techniques the subject will be up to you.  Most photographers whether they are professional or amateurs like you will have a medium they work with. It is the same with other artists; you have painters, sculptors, sketch artists, and much more.  Photography is art and therefore requires an eye for the right photograph.

Bamboo Forest, China

How do you know what subject you will shoot?  This is where your interests lie. If you wish only to take pictures of wildlife then you will have to wait for the subject to come into view.  Obviously you can go to a wildlife park such as the Rocky Mountain National Park and hope to find subjects.  Most often it will depend on the time of year.  Elk and Deer are more prominent when they come down the mountains to mate and eat.  Birds will always be available, but the type of birds will vary.  If you are in Alaska chances are you will have several chances of shooting a Bald Eagle, while in Florida you may find heron or cranes.

When you are practicing techniques you will have to choose your subject accordingly.  A lot of us are regulated to the area around us.  Landscape photography requires the use of the land you have around you, unless you are going on vacation to some place new.  This is another important fact to choosing a subject.  You are either limited or you have the whole world at your feet.  It will depend on your traveling abilities.  For now we will stick close to home.

Once you choose your medium you will then go in search of subjects.  The subject that speaks to you is what you should choose to shoot.  If a tree and the knots it’s formed interest you, you will want to check the lighting of the area.  Deciding which angle to shoot from will also make the decision on the subject.  The lighting may not be right for the subject you have chosen and the other side of the subject may not yield the best picture.  

To choose a subject you will need a good eye for detail and observation.  Often the best subject is not the one you can see with a plain eye.  Have you ever looked at a tree and found a spider web hiding in the leaves?  If you look closer you might even find a spider.  A spider web can make a great picture not only because of the technique required to have the web show up in your photo with the silky threads, but also the pattern of a spider web.  We are fascinated with an organism that can create a symmetrical pattern.

Again your eye is the best tool for finding a subject.  How you choose the

subject will depend on what is available, the angle and the light.  Moving slowly through an area such as landscape will help you determine the subject.  Looking under leaves or rocks is often beneficial to finding something new and different. You never know where you will find a picture just waiting for you to click a picture. Some people and animals do things that will never again happen and this is when you want to have camera available. Most people interested in photography carry a camera with them everywhere they go. If this sounds like a habit, a real habit turns into a hobby and a possible income if you become good at taking the right pictures. As you get better at taking the pictures, you can then start displaying your pictures for others to see and possibly buy. 

Choosing A Photography School

Night in Arches National Park, Utah, USA - mystarts.com

There are many places you can learn photography, but what is the right place 
for you?  Sure there are online schools and courses, but they won’t give you the hands on information you need.  You need other students and the teacher’s eye to become a better photographer.  The online classes do have their uses for instance giving you the basic information to study.  It can be difficult to choose the right school.  Some require recommendation while others are apart of colleges.

The information you wish to glean from a photography class will make part of the decision for you.  For instance in a college setting that does not specialize in photography will offer the basic levels, but may not offer you an internship with a professional photographer in your field.  If you are looking for photography as a hobby these basic level classes will often give you the information you need to produce pictures you can be proud of.

Specialized schools as with any others will allow for more information on a specific topic.  Most specialized schools will allow you to work with a professional to learn the specifics of your profession as well as expand your knowledge. This helps you learn quicker and learn more about the techniques used in photography while having hands on experience. 

The best way to choose a photography school is to decide what you want from your photography.  Once you have decided that you can move on to finding out how to apply.  Some photography schools are part of a studio and allow for anyone to sign up for a class.  Other schools require you to attend a college or university first for basic photography and intern before you go on to the specialized school.

Searching online will lead you to the schools available in your area and across the country.  You will be able to find the application as well as descriptions of every class they offer.  The sites will also list the qualifications you have to attend the school and what classes you will need to take to become a photographer. Although the experience you receive from a classroom is better, online classes teach you what you need to know. 

Some classes that you will need to will be in lighting, composition, and other basics.  Depending on your field you will then need to branch out in studying ways to capture the subject.  Like portrait photography you will need to understand angles, light, balances, and how to elicit the reactions you need from the subject.  Digital photography is the new way to take photographs and there are a few different techniques to learn from the older manual cameras.  

Photography schools can help you become more adapt at taking photographs.  You may decide you need a little help to step up from being the point and shoot type to a more complicated camera or you might decide there is a career for you.  There are many types of schools for you and online sources will help you find it.  Online photography classes can be helpful for you learning techniques, but you will still want other people to help you find your eye for art.  If you have worked with manual cameras in the past chances are you will want to take a digital photography course when you switch. 

To touch on one more type of school we need to delve into underwater photography.  Most colleges and other photography schools associated with studios do not specialize in underwater photography.  It is often best to seek out a dive school for a basic course.  You might decide to delve further and find an underwater photography school. Underwater photography has always been a unique and interesting hobby or profession. Seeing the results of your work is like nothing else one can imagine. When you look at the color and the amazing views, you will understand underwater photography more.