Photography for Beginners (5 Photography Basics)

We’ll go over some camera, lens, and composition basics. Plus, we’ll look at some photography terms and suggest some equipment to get you started.

1. Learn How Cameras Work
2. Find a Camera
3. Understand Your Camera
4. Understand Your Lens
5. Learn Composition and How to Take Sharp Photos

How Do Cameras Work?

As beginner photographers, we tend to be visual learners. And it’s my job to make beginning photography as easy as possible for you.

So I thought, “What better way to help a beginner photographer learn how to use their cameras than by creating an infographic?” And that’s exactly what I did.

I collaborated with an illustrator friend, and together we made these images. The following will make understanding exposure and how cameras work much easier!

Check out what we came up with below.

Exposure

Understanding exposure is the key to capturing a great image.

Learning how exposure works will help you take control of your camera and take better photos. Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO are the three essential elements that combine to create an exposure. Photography is all about balancing these three components. 

The exposure triangle is a great way to remember the three settings and how they relate to each other. Combined, they control the amount of light your camera captures.

This will help you understand that changing one setting will require changing the others. That is if you photograph the same scene with the same lighting conditions.

As you’ll soon learn, these elements affect more than exposure. They also cause alterations in depth of field, motion blur, and digital noise.

You can dive into manual settings once you understand how each one works. This is where you take control back from your camera. So, let’s explore exposure in the three settings we’ve mentioned

1. Aperture

The first element of the exposure triangle we’ll look at is aperture. This is the hole inside the lens that allows light to pass through to the camera’s sensor. 

It’s similar to the pupil of your eye. The wider the aperture, the more light is allowed into the camera. If you make the aperture smaller, it lets less light in. 

We measure the size of the aperture in a scale of f-stops and each f-stop denotes the size of the aperture. The confusing thing is that smaller apertures have larger f-stop numbers, and bigger apertures have smaller numbers.

For example, an f/22 aperture is very narrow and doesn’t let much light in. An f/1.8 aperture is wide and lets in a lot of light. That means you need high a high f-stop in bright light and a low f-stop in low light.

But aperture doesn’t only effect the amount of light that passes through. It also has a big effect on focus and depth of field. 

Depth of field refers to how much of your scene is in focus. A shallow depth of field gives you a narrow focal plane, so only your subject is in focus. The foreground and background are out of focus.

A deep depth of field means the foreground, background and everything in between are in focus. 

Using a narrow aperture with a high f-stop gives you a deep depth of field, which you need to landscape images. A wide aperture with a small f-stop gives you a shallow depth of field and blurred background, which is popular with portrait photographers. 

Exposure will be much easier if you can memorize the f-stop scale. A standard scale is f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22. Some specialty lenses go above and below this scale.

2. Shutter Speed

The next exposure setting we need to look at is shutter speed.

Once the light has passed through the lens’s aperture, it reaches the shutter. The speed at which the shutter opens and closes determines how much light the camera lets through. 

Ordinarily, you only want a very small fraction of a second (for example, 1/250 s) to prevent motion blur. But different shutter speeds complement different situations.

Shutter speed can be anything from really fast (1/4000 s) for sports photography to really slow (30 seconds) for night photography.

It all depends on what you’re shooting and how much light you have available. That’s why knowing how your shutter speed works is key to understanding photography basics.

3. ISO

Once the light has passed through the aperture and is filtered by the shutter speed, it reaches the camera sensor. This is where we decide how to set the ISO.

The ISO determines how sensitive the camera sensor is to light. The higher the ISO setting, the more sensitive it is. 

Higher ISO settings allow you to work in lower light. However, as the ISO increases, picture quality decreases. The higher you go the more likely it is your images will start to show digital noise. This is a grainy quality that has a negative effect on image quality. 

Low ISO settings give you better picture quality, but you need more light to capture a proper exposures. This means you have to strike a balance as to whether you prioritize low-light performance or image quality. 

For example, I would reduce the image quality if it meant that I could prevent motion blur in my photo. There’s no possible way to fix that in post-production (yet, at least).

Exposure Summary

Once you have a basic grasp of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, you need to learn how each element of exposure works together. Read about it in our article on the exposure triangle.

Exposure is the essence of photography, which is why it’s so important to learn the three basic principals. If you don’t have these down, composition and framing become a moot point in beginner photography.

So, learn the “stop-based” system for measuring exposure and master aperture, shutter speed, and ISO complete control of your camera.

Finding a Camera for Digital Photography

Now we’ll look at how to find a camera that suits you. We’ll look at camera types and the different features you should look for. Plus, we’ll take a look at the top camera brands.

Finding the Best Camera

There’s no such thing as “the best camera” because all photographers are different. We all want different things, and a camera that’s right for one photographer might not be right for another

Finding the best camera is about finding one that helps you achieve your photography goals. You might want to learn some camera basics and explore the art form.

Or you might be looking for a camera for a particular type of photography. Thankfully, there are plenty of cameras for everyone, from portrait photographers to vloggers. 

If you’re new to photography, you can check out our list of the best cameras for beginners. We also review the best entry-level cameras for the top camera brands:

• Canon cameras for beginners
• Nikon cameras for beginners
• Sony cameras for beginners

If you’re further along, you can check out our camera recommendations for all the photography styles below. 

• Best camera for portrait photography
• Best camera for landscape photography
• Best camera for street photography
• Best vlogging camera
• Best streaming camera
• Best camera for sports photography
• Best camera for wildlife photography

DSLR vs Mirrorless

There are two main types of cameras in photography. You have the more traditional DSLR models. And you have the newer mirrorless cameras.

You can look at the full comparison in our DSLR vs mirrorless article. Basically, DSLR cameras use the traditional shutter and mirror system carried over from analog cameras.

Mirrorless cameras no longer use this system, which is why they are called mirrorless. Yet, they are both interchangeable lens systems, meaning you can remove lenses and swap them for another.

DSLRs are popular with photography purists. And they are still used by everyone, from amateurs to professionals.

There’s no denying DSLRs are on the way out. But they are still beloved by many photographers. Plus, DSLRs are also a great option as an entry-level camera.

Without the shutter and mirror, mirrorless cameras have new strengths. They are smaller and more lightweight than DSLRs.

A mirrorless camera also has faster burst modes. They also have better video features, making them superior multimedia cameras. You can see our picks for the best DSLRs and the best mirrorless cameras.

What Sensor Size Do You Need?

DSLRs and mirrorless cameras will have one of two sensor sizes, either APS-C (crop frame) or full frame.

APS-C sensors are smaller than full-frame sensors. This means the APS-C camera bodies are more compact and lightweight than their full-frame cousins.

Crop sensors don’t have the same RAW power in terms of resolution. And they are more associated with the entry-level end of the camera market.

Full-frame cameras are generally bigger, more powerful, and more expensive. The larger sensor size allows for a higher MP count, increasing resolution. The bigger sensor also gives you better dynamic range.

Full-frame cameras dominate the professional camera scene. Some of the specs are incredible, but the impressive tech comes with a heavy price tag.

It may be difficult to justify if you’re a beginner photographer. But for many professionals, it’s an investment with a high return. Read more about this in our APS-C vs full-frame article.

Other Types of Cameras

There are many other camera types if you don’t fancy a DSLR or mirrorless. There are compact cameras (or point-and-shoot cameras). There are even full-frame compacts. You also have action cameras like GoPros and similar alternatives.

As the names suggest, they are small and easy to use. You simply point the camera and click the trigger.

They have fixed lenses, sometimes with zoom capabilities. And these cameras are favorites of street photographers.

Compact cameras are also excellent for casual photography. They are great for holidays and family events. Read our recommendations for the best compact cameras.

You also need to know about Micro Four Thirds cameras. These are also interchangeable lens cameras. But they are smaller than APS-C and full-frame cameras.

They are also excellent hybrid cameras with fab features for photography and video. Check out our recommendations for the best Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Medium format cameras have an even bigger sensor than full frame cameras. They are specialist cameras with powerful image resolutions, but they also have specialist price tags.

Medium format camera are usually limited in terms of additional features like the ones found in modern mirrorless cameras. But you can’t beat them for image quality.

You can read our full article on medium-format vs full-frame cameras. And you can check out our list of the best medium-format cameras.

Crop Factor

You have to be aware of crop factor when deciding whether to choose an APS-C or full frame camera.

As we discussed, this means your sensor is much smaller than one on a professional camera. So, it is cropping your image. And the crop factor has a range of effects on your photographs.

It creates a narrower viewing angle. And this will affect the focal length of your lens, increasing the focal length and adding magnification. So, a beginner photographer should research cameras and lenses that will help their field of photography.

Which Is the Best Camera Brand?

Quite a few camera brands are making fantastic cameras. You have Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Sony, and others turning out new models yearly. That’s great for choice. But which camera brand is best?

The truth is, no one camera brand can be considered the best. It all comes down to what you want from your camera.

Some camera manufacturers specialize in certain areas. And knowing each brand’s strengths can help you find the perfect camera.

You can read our full article on all the best camera brands. But we’ll give you a head start here.

Nikon and Canon are two traditional heavy hitters. They produce a wide range of cameras, including DSLR and mirrorless models. They also have excellent compact cameras.

Sony is a mirrorless specialist. They have some of the best full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market. Each new model redefines the possibilities and expectations of mirrorless cameras.

Fujifilm is dedicated to APS-C mirrorless cameras. They don’t have a wide range of cameras like the others. But their retro looks, matched with state-of-the-art tech, create a loyal fan base.

Olympus produces Micro Four Thirds cameras. You don’t have the widest selection of Olympus cameras to choose from, but they are fantastic hybrid machines with a wide range of features.

If you want a multimedia camera, check out Panasonic Lumix. Whether you’re shooting photography or videography, their cameras have everything you need for top results.

You can also check out the best Leica cameras if you can afford one. They are one of the oldest camera brands and make luxury cameras photographers rave about. Just be careful, Leica cameras don’t come cheap.