I'm fairly new to photography, and I always love hearing new tips.  So I thought the best way to help myself as well as others was to contact some people I admire.  I've gotten some great responses, and here are the results!

1. JessicaBader says:
-When shooting outdoors, the sun should be behind you (unless you're shooting the sunrise/set).
-If you're taking a close-up of the face, put your focus on the eyes.
-Use a tripod for long shutter speeds so that your subject is always in focus.


2. Ursylla says:
-"Practice from the heart and not competitively... following trends in photography gets you nowhere because all trends come to an end eventually."
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3. mediocre-matt says:
-"Experiment with different techniques. Don't be afraid of what other people say, just do what YOU want to. When it comes to photography, be selfish. It's all about YOU."
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4. Nullermanden says:
-Never forget your camera!  A prime example of this is when Nullermanden brought his camera to surgery!
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5. matteaton says:
-Become familiar with your camera (yes, that means read the manual!).
-When shooting portraits: the most flattering lighting is soft from above and in the middle of the face.  By lighting a person powerfully from the side, the shape of the figure is accentuated.  Lighting that is straight on (like a flash) is generally unflattering since it makes a person look flat.

Mature Content

6. barefootphotography says:
-Learn to master the basics of photoshop.  Beginner shots usually need some tweaking, but don't make your editing too obvious.


7. wordsforsnow says:
-wordsforsnow replied to me with no tips.  Everyone has his or her own vision and method of doing things.  However, I have to just directly quote her
-I mean, photography is a very individual thing. because everybody has a different way to see and feel the world.
you know, a "good" picture taken with the best camera of the world, with the perfect composition, the best model of the world, perfect lightning etc can look so fucking boring if the photographer made it without his heart.
this is it. listen to your heart. take your camera and make whatever the voice whispers to you.
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8. s-witch says:
-s-witch claims how a lot of ideas just pop into her head.  Photography is a form of expression, so try out different concepts to see what suits you.
-"It helps a lot knowing your camera, for once you decide about the concept it’s the only thing that stands between you and getting that perfect picture."
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9. xxbcxx says:
-"Find a subject and shoot it at a completely different angle - Include different props and be sure to take composition into mind - Slapping things into the center of the viewfinder and leaving loads of space around it is a no-no 90% of the time! Take the photo, then try it from different points of view - You can always crop out excess space later on!"


10. DuvallGear says:
-"Shoot, shoot, shoot, and after you are finished, shoot some more."
-A photographer needs to learn his/her camera.  Get out there and figure it out!
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11. Cigaroh says:
-"What I suggest is try doing self portraits.  You're the only person who knows exactly what you want from your model/photo and in my opinion are best able to transmit it if the whole message/mood depends on the model. Once you've gotten used to being a small actor, put other people to pose. Try places that look dead but are suddenly awake to life once a model is inserted into the composition or certain colours are used. "
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12. bendisChild says:
-Think simple!  Focusing on useless details will just detract from your overall photo!
-"You should look beyond the image you take; make a photo when you have something to tell the world with it. Most beginners, like myself, do shoot everything that moves if i can say so...leaves, puppies, anything. That's ok, but at some point, you have to leave those things behind and start swimming in the deeper pool...always try to send a message with your picture, that's my opinion."
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13. jjuuhhaa says:
-"When it comes to tips, the one single thing that improved my photography most was when I bought a decent tripod. Not a cheap plastic one but a sturdy one. I always compose my pictures without a tripod and then setup the tripod to match the exact angle I want, but still I think it has some help on composition."


And as if that wasn't enough, here's a few more features to tickle your fancy.
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Hope you enjoyed it!