Young Photographer Competition 2019 – Tips and Inspiration!
Published on 05.02.19
Young Photographer Competition 2019 - Tips and Inspiration!
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Young Photographer Competition 2019 – Tips and Inspiration!
We have already received some great entries for this year’s Young Photographer Competition and can’t wait to see what else is to come!
We caught up with George Taylor, our Digital Marketing Executive at HCA to find out what his top tips are for capturing great photographs. At HCA, you’ll often find George behind the camera capturing images of our courses, events and exhibitions. Outside of work, he is a freelance photographer with experience in many styles of photography including sports, musical theatre, product, lifestyle, portrait and business photography to name a few. We hope George’s tips inspire your entries in this year’s competition!
George’s top tips:
1. Angles are everything
When taking photos of subjects, step back for a second and look for a new perspective.
Product Photography – Think about it for a second. Try dropping to the same level as the subject to take the photo. You could move to a different angle or you could move the item to a different area of the room for more light or aesthetics. Also using things to slightly obstruct view, for example – shooting through the handle of a coffee mug. I also use a Lensball or Crystal Ball which is a great way of changing the dynamic of a photo.
Landscape/Architecture – The above can be applied to landscapes and architecture as well. Take Hereford Cathedral as an example. If you go there on a Saturday you will see a lot of people taking a photo from the same angle. Take a look around and try out some new/different angles!
2. Have fun!
It might sound cliché but one of the best tips is to go out and have fun with photography! I was a BMX rider and this is what got me into photography. I had a basic DSLR camera and a tripod – I would take it everywhere with me when I was riding. A lot of the time I was taking pictures of my friends riding their bikes, but once I had my first phone that had a decent camera (IPhone 5s) I captured even more. I was usually the one to take photos of friends doing tricks at the skate park. This led me to start editing photos in Photoshop for people to use and to post on social media. Looking back at my photos, they weren’t amazing but I just wanted to take photos! I loved it and that’s what gave me great memories. This is proof that all you need is your phone and your drive.
3. All kit no clue
I often hear from people that they think they need to buy their children or themselves a fancy DSLR. When someone asks me that I say no! Nowadays everyone has an amazing first camera in their pocket – their mobile phone. Up until my first paid photography job I hadn’t touched a DSLR and even then it was 12 years old! It wasn’t until two months in when I had money to put towards a camera I did so. For the two years of my Photography course I had been using an IPhone 5s then a Huawei Honor 7. I was using these when I first started my photography Instagram and my photos received really positive feedback. You don’t need fancy equipment to start, all you need is your mobile phone and once you are seriously interested in Photography, put some money aside to invest in a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. The below picture was taken on my phone.
4. Try Everything!
I tend to hear a lot from photographers that you should pick one type of photography and stick to it. This can be true when you find your niche in photography, but when you are first starting out, don’t be afraid to try everything! Step out of you comfort zone and challenge yourself. If you always take portraits or street photography, try doing landscapes and sports, or vice versa. Find what you like photographing the most and hone in on that skill. It can be good for all photographers to step away from what they normally shoot and it helps with refreshing creativity.
To take a look at some more of George’s photography work, visit his social medias:
To enter HCA’s Young Photographer Competition, visit the entry blog. Please be reminded that the deadline for entries is 1st March 2019! For general enquiries about the competition please email ypc@hca.ac.uk.
