Pretty much as the title says, really. I live on a nice little chunk of land with really cool trees and sunsets and stuff, and earlier today I got really mad with how bad my phone's camera quality is while trying to take pictures outside. Does anyone here on Sylestia have a nice type of camera that they'd recommend? Or something? I know absolutely NOTHING about photography (I am not exaggerating in the slightest here lol), and would appreciate being at least pointed in the right direction... and if you just want to ramble about photography stuff here or something, I won't stop you!


Thanks for reading!
-Luca

Something with a zoom lens if you're into wildlife stuff. I use my dad's Canon (not sure what type, but it's big and red and can put a bunch of lenses on) but they're a pretty reliable brand. Don't forget to get memory cards and extra batteries! :) Depending upon the model of your phone, you can get some great close-ups. I use my note9 to photograph flowers and frogs on lilypads. If what you're using to take pictures doesn't have a zoom lens, don't zoom - digital enlargement ruins pictures generally. You'll have to get close to your subject when using a phone.
Also I wanna regale you with my only perilous (not really) photography thing. My family took a vacation in Alaska, and my dad wanted pictures of the grizzly bears that were crossing the road in front of us. Problem is, he's too big to fit out a window - so here I am, hanging out the window of a bus with my mom holding my ankles, trying to photograph two very large bears. xD Needless to say, the other people on the bus thought we were crazy.

Woah, fast reply...
I'll keep this information in mind, thank you! Also, nice story XD

I've received some advice from my grandmother (who is a photographer) and she suggested me to try and use shapes in nature to my advantage, for example, a triangle to try and get a focus on whatever I'm taking a photo of. Of course I lost the photo I have where I actually used the "technique," but I think it usually helps to draw attention to a certain part of the photo.
It probably works better when you're taking photos of things like plants and stuff rather than animals

Oh, that's pretty interesting! I might try it if I ever get a camera lol. Thank you!

No problem! I don't have a camera either so I just end up using my phone. I usually take photos of animals and sometimes lighting and contrast can lead to creating the perfect picture. I sometimes also edit my photos (You can either like it or dislike it, it's just an opinion), sometimes a little or a lot. Like in the first photo, it is edited a lot so the color contrasts are easily distinguishable (If that makes sense), but too much can lead to false assumptions. The cat seems to have two different colored eyes, one blue and one gold, with the gold one looking like a cataract (Of course they aren't usually colored).

Edited heavily


Edited to show off darker colors


Edited to make photo brighter


Not edited

Ah, cool! I'll try using my phone more often (I think the pictures I've taken look bad because of bad lighting haha), and I might try editing as well ^^ (and nice pictures! Also, if you don't mind me asking, are those your cats? They're really cute)

I don't have a professional editing app, I just use the Instagram editing to adjust them (Oh, no they aren't my cats, they're cats from a shelter I volunteer at [Closed for the virus, plus all the cats in the photos above were taken a few months ago to a year ago, and they all got adopted])

Cool, cool... I don't have Instagram, but I could probably use my digital art app... (and that's cool! Glad they got adopted ^^)

I don't do photography much but I think I can add a few things! c:

If you're considering upgraded phone photography
- if you have a more modern smartphone, there's tons of apps on both the Apple and Google Play Store that can enhance photos or make photos easier, just like Instagram filters, most for free c:
- I used to use an HDR filter like yeaaars ago, but they'd help simulate a quality shot by brightening colors of a certain area or blurring a background area of a picture, you can do this with online photo editors if you don't have access to good cameras that don't do this automatically
- if you're the type that absolutely loves their camera and being minimal, it might be more convenient to buy an upgraded phone with a good camera than a stand-alone camera. It's less bulk (no need for a special bag, batteries, etc) to carry around and you can share the images online quicker!

If you're considering buying a camera, like a digital point-and-shoot, DSLR camera, or mirrorless camera
- definitely do your research! Think about budget, features, how you'd use it and where, and what extra pieces you might need.
- if you're thinking about a particular model, look up reviews and YouTube videos of it, it might help tell you details about it that you might not find on the store websites, or help you come to a decision between models
- consider bundles on Amazon if you're thinking to buy a full photography kit. On my birthday, I bought a DSLR camera bundle that also included 2 lenses (I think two zooms), a small tripod, 2 batteries (main one and spare one), a shutter remote, a microphone, a few filters, and other things I might be forgetting lol. It was all at an extra price, but it was a load off instead of trying to figure via research what extras I'd need to buy. It best suited me since I wanted a general use kit.
- unlike phones, newer doesn't necessarily mean better, so feel free to look into older models! I hear they take all sorts of lenses anyway, so you can also do your research on what lenses best suit your needs and if they're compatible with your camera
- take your time when considering kits, it's a big investment that you might love, but let the camera and gear stew in your shopping cart for a few days if need be!

Photography tips in general
- consider extra battery and extra storage space, especially if you go on long trips or long photo sessions! For phones, this can mean a portable battery or cloud storage. For cameras, it can mean extra SD cards and spare batteries. It's always nice to have them prepped.
- consider moving closer/farther with your feet/hands instead of zooming in/out on your camera. It's one of the photography basics, and it can help provide better picture quality than the artificial zooms.
- look up videos or guides of some photography things, like lighting, rule-of-thirds, foreground/background, etc. Some tips might be more helpful than others, but you never know what might be helpful!
- start small and build on your kit! If it's a phone, you won't need much besides your built-in camera, and if it's a DSLR or point-and-shoot, you can start with the lens that comes with your camera and the automatic mode. Slowly get a feel for the basics and what shots you like/dislike, then move into the other modes that your camera can offer. I still use some of my automatic modes on my DSLR camera instead of fully manual because I haven't had time to experiment with manual, but I'm pretty happy with my results!

I have a Canon T6i and a Galaxy Note 9, but the Note 9 gets more mileage since I take it everywhere I go. I like using my Canon for projects like school, interviews, helping friends take professional profile pics, etc, though I don't use it as much as I'd like to for the cost since I don't have many use cases for it. I still appreciate having access to both!

Good luck and have fun with photography!