By Malachi Sheppard

Step 1: Choosing the Right Camera

The first step to taking a great picture is to have a camera, right? The first step would have to be to purchase a camera that has exactly what you need. Shutter speed? Screen resolution? Nikon? Sony? Canon? So many questions. Choosing a camera isn't the toughest decision you'll make in life but you'll want to have a camera that you love to work with. A starter camera such as a Nikon D3000 would suffice.

Step 2: Choosing a Subject

Choose a subject for the picture. Choosing the subject is not always the easiest thing to do when it comes to the photo. Your subject can range from a cloud in the sky, to a grain of rice on a table, the possibilities are endless!

Step 3:

Choose the lens that will work best with the subject that you will be taking photos of. There are different types of lens used in different situations, which depends on what you are taking pictures of. The small the millimeters (mm) of the lens the wider the frame will be. If you are taking a group photo, depending on the size of the group lens ranging from 10-50mm would work the best. For personal portraits the best lens to use, in my opinion in the set 85mm. But if you are taking close detailed pictures of things such as; bugs, flowers or rain drops, the best option would be a set 35mm lens.

* Set * - a lens that does not have a zoom function. The photographer creates their own zoom

Step 4: ISO Sensitiviy

Adjust your shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings so that your the lighting in the photo is correct and does not come out too bright or too dark. ISO sensitivity determines how much or how little light comes through your lens when trying to capture the perfect photo.

Step 5: Get Your Eye in the Game

Take a few looks into your camera before taking the photo to make sure everything is aligned and within your frame. Looking into your camera quickly will always help when it comes to the finished product because you can see where there may be an impurity in your photo. There could be a strand of hair out of place, covering your subjects face, a shadow come across their face or something moving in the background. You want to make sure that everything is set before taking the photo.

Step 6: Ready.. and ... Wait...

Adjust subjects to make sure that the photo comes out as great as it should. In an individual portrait and group photos you want to make sure that your subject is still and nothing is out of place before taking the photo because that could possibly mess up the entire photo. In group photos you typically want to make sure that everything in proportion, shorter people in the front and taller in the back and make sure that every face can be seen in the picture... Smile!

Step 7: Focus...

Make sure to focus your lens before taking you perfect photo. It happens., sometimes you may not focus the lens completely and the photo may come out slightly blurred. Each lens is different, but most lens have a feature to be focused automatically or manually. It is easier to focus automatically because the camera will do it for you before snapping the photo, but if you trust your eye you can focus yourself manually.

Step 8: Finished Product

After you have made sure everything is in order, lens, ISO, subject, lighting, it is now time to snap the perfect photo!

Step 9: Repeat Repeat Repeat

Repeat steps 1-8 for your photos to come.

Step 10: Have Fun!

Practice! and practice some more. Photography can be a hobby or a career depending on how much work you put into your craft. Have some fun or make some extra cash and set up a company with a friend to showcase your skills that you have learned.