50 photography tips from jobbing pros to famous photographers

From Digital Camera World comes this sage article. Although some of this advice is obvious I have to say having read all of them that following much of this advice will improve your photography

Advice. It’s a funny thing. If we applied all of photography’s apparent rules and dos and don’ts to our work, there would be little, if any, room for creativity and surely that’s the point. So you’ll find no textbook photography tips here; instead we asked 50 top pro and famous photographers to share the secrets they’ve gleaned from years of shooting day in day out.

Expect to be inspired and challenged by the advice of famous photographers like David Bailey and Mary Ellen Mark, as well as up-and-coming names and photographers who make it their business to take amazing pictures for their clients each day.

I think the first bit of advice looking at the profile pictures of these very famous photographers is 1) Don’t be photographed holding a camera 2) Get a portrait photographer to photograph your profile picture

David Bailey

Here is a taste of the advice on offer

Anna Kari
Once photography becomes a job it’s easy to lose the passion and fascination that originally brought you to it! It’s better to be an amateur who loves photography with all their heart than a bitter pro who can’t stop complaining how little they’re paid. Figure out what you really want to shoot, develop little project ideas and get out there and do it, and you’ll be in as good a position as a professionals to develop truly personal and amazing work.

Andrea Jones
There’s simply no way round it – start before the sun comes up and go to bed after it sets. That’s if you want your pictures to have wow factor. Software programs are wonderful – but there’s no human imagination that can dream up what natural light can do. And there’s no point getting to your location as the sun rises as you’ll miss the moment. Recce the day before, preferably at lunchtime when there’s no hope of good light, and then be waiting for the first (or last) rays of the day. A tough regime in mid summer but the experience is something that you just can’t beat.

Elliott Landy
At my appearances, people often come up to me to show me their photos and begin our conversation with a caution that they’re not professional – their way of telling me not to expect too much. I tell them that the fact they’re not ‘professional’ is actually a badge of honour, because they’re doing it strictly for love and not for money.

Steve Bloom

Always remember that the camera is merely a tool, and no matter how good the technology, nothing can replace the art of seeing. Great photographs are made by learning technique and taking it to a point where it resides in the subconscious. After that, feelings should dictate aesthetics. In other words, shoot from the heart. Photography is like music or poetry, and is best created with heightened feelings. Get excited – be emotional about the photographs you take and try to feel empathy with the subject.

John Kenny
Try to think carefully about what happens to your images when they move from three dimensions to two dimensions – that is, your print or computer screen. Starting to understand this change, and later predict its effects, can really advance your compositions. Developing this skill can really help you capture light and be sensitive to its effects on your subjects without being excessively influenced to emphasise the obvious; helping you to look beyond those near/large objects or subjects that ‘cry out’ for your attention but often make less satisfying images.

all excellent bits of advice as are most of the 50, it is worth your time to have a look at these snippits of truth, go here for that