Tips for amateur photographers - If you want to get into photography but you're not sure how to start, then you'll need these tips.

The first thing you have to remember is that practice makes perfect, so as with any other skill, you'll have to spend time on it.

Check out these useful tips for amateur photographers and get to work!

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Read the instruction manual - Before you get started, it's really important that you know your camera and how everything works. That's what the manual is for!

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Contrast - Whenever you're photographing someone, try to find a contrasting background. A white subject against a black background is the most basic choice, but feel free to play with stronger colors too.

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Monuments - If you want to photograph monuments, remember there will usually be lots of people around, so choose your timing wisely.

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Magical hours - The best hours of the day to photograph are definitely sunrise or sunset because of the incredible light. Several cell phone apps these days tell you exactly when that will happen, depending on where you live.

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Angles - One of the most common mistakes beginners make is to only photograph things at eye-level. Try different angles so you can experiment with more interesting images.

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Framing - The hardest part about framing isn't deciding what to include in your picture, but what to leave out. So remember: less is more.

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Know your camera - Before you start taking all these amazing pictures, get to know your camera. Play with the buttons and experiment with different modes so you know exactly what you should do when you're searching for that perfect picture.

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Take it easy - It's normal to want to take lots of pictures in the beginning, but a good photographer takes time to absorb his surroundings and decide on a frame before shooting.

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RAW format - All cameras are automatically set to photograph in JPEG, which means pictures will be smaller in size. But change it to RAW so you have more freedom when editing them.

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Brightness - When the sun is creating shadows that might ruin your picture, opt for using flash so that the subject of your photo is completely exposed to light.

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Portrait - In order to photograph people, it's important the subject of your picture is close to you. Not only is the framing easier, the pictures will also look much nicer.

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Context - However, it's also important to provide some context to the photo and not just fill the frame with the person's face. This, of course, depends on where you are and what your surroundings are.

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Material - It might be exciting to buy new material, such as cool new lenses or tripods. But remember that, as a beginner, it's important to learn more about photography before you start investing in new devices.

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Focus - If your lens can't focus when the sunlight is shining directly, try placing your hand over it so it creates some shadow and will automatically focus.

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Using sunlight - Try not to take pictures of someone or something with the sunlight shining from behind you. It's best if you position yourself so that the sun shines from the sides or even from behind the subject of the photo, as it's easier to control the lighting.

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Selection process - Try to get into the habit of selecting the your best pictures after a photography session, so you can start to understand what you like about them and how you can improve your photography.

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Learn how to use the exposure button - The '+/-' button is easy to use and super useful. If you hit the +, you'll raise the exposure, which makes the picture brighter, and vice-versa.

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Natural lines - Try to find natural helpers for your picture framing, such as lines on the floor or buildings. That way, you're can be sure the framing will come out perfectly.

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Colors - Learn how to play around with colors but don't overdo it as the picture can get too busy.

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Portraits - When you're photographing someone, make sure there aren't any weird objects in the background. For example a tree behind a person might look as though it's growing out of their head! Change your angle depending on your surroundings.

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Different techniques - There are several ways and styles of taking photos, but try not to mix them all. Dive into one technique for a month, for instance, so you can really master it before moving on to the next one.

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Centering - The rule of thirds says that you shouldn't leave an object at the center of your photo, and instead align it with other guide lines or place it in different sections.

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Challenges - Even if you don't want to be a sports photographer, it is always a good idea to experiment with that style of photography so you can learn new techniques.

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Practicing - Practice makes perfect, and the same happens with photography so get to work!

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Ask for permission - If you like photographing people in the streets, it's important that you ask for their permission. You'd be surprised how many people are willing to pose for a photo!

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ISO - Adequate ISO numbers change depending on the time of the day and the amount of lightning available. If it's sunny and you're shooting outside, anywhere between 100 and 200 is ideal. But if it's early evening and the light is starting to fade, than change it to anywhere between 400 and 800. If you're shooting indoors, than you'd usually set it to anywhere between 800 and 1600. If the picture is still too dark, up the ISO but remember it'll retain a lot of digital noise, which can't be entirely edited.

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Tell a joke - Have a chat with the person you're trying to photograph and make them feel comfortable so you can snap a more candid picture.

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Checking out the picture - Almost all photographers have this habit of checking the picture right after they take it, but that also means you might be missing out on a special moment while you're looking at the camera screen.

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Charging your equipment - It may seem obvious that you should always charge your camera, but sometimes you can forget. Always pack a back-up battery in case that happens.

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Mind photography - Even when you're not photographing, try playing a mental exercise in which you think about what you'd photograph in different situations and places. You can always go back with your camera!

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Join a community - Join some photography groups on social media, as people tend to swap interesting ideas and offer useful advice.

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Shadows - Shadows may save your picture when the lighting is too strong. Head to a sunlight-free place where the light will be even.

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Editing - A good tip for editing pictures is not to spend too long doing it, as you may end up changing too much what was already a good photo in the first place.

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