Photography ideas to try with your new DSLR

If you recently brought home a new DSLR camera for photography, then you have officially made the first step to go beyond your smartphone and point-and-shoot cameras. While the first thing to do after buying a DSLR or any other professional camera is to charge the battery, set the time, update the firmware, attach the strap, and do a quick inspection, you can also start to try some photography ideas with your new DSLR camera right away.

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Once you have understood the basic functions of your new camera, DSLR photography might seem intimidating, but these photography challenges are also engaging. With every scene a beauty in its own right, here is how to maximise the output from your new DSLR camera.

Start with your home

The best place to start exploring the features of your new DSLR camera is your home. At home, you can start by taking pictures of plants or flowers or look for any still object that you can shoot easily. You can also try and shoot close-up images of stamps or coin collections.

If you have a prime lens, then you can also start exploring portrait photography or simply use the lowest aperture possible to create images with shallow depth of field. This could be your first lesson to understand shadows and controlling exposure. With a camera like the Canon EOS 1500D, you can start capturing images at home and even explore portrait photography.

Street photography

Once you have tried photography at home, the next step is to go out and explore street photography. The obvious thing to do here is to take candid photos of everyday actions like a flock of birds flying but position it in a way that looks like flying over a person’s head. This style of photography will help you learn how to set up your camera quickly and position yourself in the right frame. To get the best results, don’t hesitate to get close to your subject. The Nikon D7500 is an excellent mirrorless camera for street photography.

Nature and landscape photography

Now that you have clicked some photos at home and on the street, it is time to learn a whole new set of colours with nature and landscape photography. The best place to start is with sunrise and sunset. All you need to do to capture great photos at sunrise and sunset is to find a good vantage point. This is also an opportunity for you to understand silhouette since the subject or object is usually in front of a bright background. To get the best result, you need to meter on the bright background either by using a different metering mode or using an auto-exposure lock (AE-L).

Action panning

One of the great joys of photography is capturing unique perspectives and one of the ways to showcase it is with motion. You can create an action by using a slow shutter speed and panning the camera with a moving object. The fundamentals here are exposure control, light, and camera movement. The Nikon D850 is a powerful camera for sports photography and is one of the quickest at capturing actions.

Long exposure photography

Another experiment to try with your new DSLR camera is long-exposure photography. The best time to try long-exposure photography is when the light is low at night, or the sun isn’t blazing. For the best result, focus your camera on a scene where subjects are moving and stabilize your camera using either a tripod or placing the camera on a solid surface. In long-exposure photography, anything that moves while the shutter is open will blur in the image.

With your new DSLR camera, you can also try self-portrait, food or architectural photography. Similar to how we look at things around us, you can also try new perspectives by either looking up or down or looking for reflections. Remember there is no right or wrong here but only an opportunity to try and learn new styles of photography.