Spring is almost upon us in Beijing and, at the very least, now you don’t need to wear gloves to take pictures. The sprawling buildings against clear blue skies and the blooming flowers are just a few of the great subjects to photograph this spring. Don’t forget to take selfies in your non-winter gear!
Nowadays, a great photo-op doesn’t require a professional photographer or a bulky camera. Knowing the basics of photography can be rewarding, especially if you want to capture a breathtaking or memorable moment in what would otherwise be a boring and long work day.
Travel photographer Dan Sandoval shares his advice to budding photographers, even those who just want to take pictures without any hassles.
For parents and older kids who take on photography as a hobby, how can they take a memorable shot?
Try to apply the rule of thirds to your photography. Also, try to capture moments that look natural and active. Most of all, learn how to use your camera. No matter how good of a camera you have, if you don’t know how to use it on anything that’s not automatic, you almost may as well be shooting with your phone camera. I highly recommend for a lot of people just starting with photography to take a short course that covers all the basics. This can be a fun way to learn how to use your camera, take better photos and make new friends.
What are the best subjects to shoot during the spring? What are unusual subjects that can be shot?
Generally any signs of life are good to shoot in the spring, whether it be budding flowers or baby ducks at Chaoyang Park. Sunshine and warm colors usually represent spring best.
What would be a good starter camera for budding photographers?
These days, some of the best starter cameras are going to be your phones. If you are going to make an investment into a decent phone, spend a little more for one that has a good camera. If you are looking for something a bit more, I recommend looking into the vast number of mirror-less systems out there.
At what age can you trust a child with a camera?
That depends on the child and the camera. The better question is at what age can you trust a child with a valuable piece of technology? If you can trust them with an iPhone, you can probably trust them with a camera.
Children can be difficult to photograph, so what are the tricks parents can use to get an easy shot?
I would generally recommend putting your camera on shutter speed priority for taking photos of children, as they can generally be running around quite a bit. Also, get down to their eye level, it really helps connect with them.
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