If you want to become a famous photographer and bask in the glory, the first aspect of photography you need to master is using a digital single-lens reflex camera. Let us presume you have already glanced into your new camera’s manual and learned what all those numerous buttons and levers do so that you are able to operate your device with ease: then you must be craving to take your first photo. To make it a masterpiece, let us follow several simple instructions.

Step 1: Lens Cap

Though it may sound unnecessary for the first step, do not forget to take the protective cap off the lens. A solid part of photography is about capturing the right moment, and it is disappointing to miss one just because of your own carelessness.

Step 2: Framing

Find a solid frame. It is a matter of practice. For starters, try not to crop peoples’ heads or other body parts, and do not put objects right in the frame’s center. Leave some head space or your images will appear overloaded.

Step 3: Different Modes

Adjust aperture, shutter speed, and ISO values. Or to make a process faster and easier, use A- or S-modes (‘aperture priority’ and ‘shutter priority’ modes respectively). The A-mode allows you to set the F-number (which influences the depth of field), while automatics take care of ISO and shutter speed. S-mode does the same for shutter speed, which affects whether the objects in your picture will be blurry or clear

Step 4: Autofocus

Let your camera autofocus by pushing the release button halfway, and then slightly press it to the end to make a shot. If you shoot at nightfall, set shutter speed low and use a tripod to exclude image distortions caused by your hands’ shaking. If your camera cannot focus on its own (which often happens when it is dark outdoors) switch from auto to manual mode, and focus your lens on lights, or to the infinity.

Step 5: Adjustments

Do not be afraid to post-process your photos. Digital photography grants you a wide variety of ways to improve your images’ quality, so feel free to use them—at least until you become a professional. At the same time, many professionals use Photoshop as well. Anyway, you may be surprised how simple saturation, contrast, or hue adjustments are able to make your images look much better.

Step 6: Take Lots of Pictures

Take multiple shots. Hardened pros may follow the rule ‘One shot—one hit,’ but to do that you must take thousands of photos before. Taking several shots of one frame will give you an opportunity to choose the best among similar images. So, shoot, shoot, and shoot.

Step 7: Conclusion

There are many nuances in photography cannot be crammed into a short guide. But I hope it will help with a successful start so that there are more astonishing photos out there.

I have also added some pictures of the SD card and battery. Make sure to always have an SD otherwise your pictures won't save and also make sure your battery is charged.