Hello all

I, like most of the photographers on this site am here to improve and hone my craft. These are a few things I learned that I wanted to pass along, I hope you find them helpful.

If you have any other tips please add them as well, so others can benefit

1. Take the time to learn your craft - Read all that you can.... you will be a lot more prepared if you have a basic understanding of the technical side of photography and half the fun of photography is breaking the rules, but you can't do that if you don't know them in the first place.

2. Look at the work of others - Look at as much photography as you can. The work of the masters is always inspiring and a great place to get ideas, but there is no shortage of talent here on DA either. If you see something you like don't be afraid to ask the artist how he/she did it... most people here on DA would be honored that you appreciate their work enough to ask about the techniques behind it and would be happy to share their knowledge with you.

3. Shoot a lot - Take your camera with you everywhere you go, and shoot as much as you can.... you know what they say, "Practice makes perfect."

4. Shoot for you - Don't worry about what is popular, or shoot something just for the fact that everyone else is shooting it.... shoot what you love and want to shoot. If you put your heart into your work and post those shots that make you proud you will get the respect of other artists and learn a lot in the process.

5. Experiment with composition - Before you press the shutter release think of what you want the photo to look like, and then compose it as such. After that try it from several different angles, etc.

6. Open your eyes - Train yourself to see not only the 3D world around you, but the 2D one as well. The world is full of so many wonderful contours, lines, etc. It doesn't take a lot of skill to take a snap of a famous building or place for example, but to take something ordinary and turn it into something truly wonderful takes talent.

7. Experiment with different light sources - The types of light available to you are almost endless, if shooting indoors try different lights, candles, flashlights, etc, etc. If you found the perfect spot to shoot outdoors go back at different times... a building may look great in the day for example, but if you go back and shoot it at dawn or with the sun setting behind it it may add more drama to the shot.

8. Always carry a tripod with you - Using a tripod and a remote release will greatly increase the sharpness of you shots

9. Use filters - The right filter can add so much to a shot, so learn what they do and try them out. A circular polariser for example is great for dramatic skies and getting rid of reflections, an ND filter may be a good choice on a sunny day, red and yellow filters will add "punch" to black and white shots, etc, etc

10. Have fun - Most of all, have fun and enjoy shooting, the world through the eyes of a photographer is so colorful and full of life, enjoy it!