Hi,

Personally I don't think my photos are great. So if anyone could give me any tips that would be great, so please feel free to look through my Flickr Photostream and tell me what you think

Look at other people's photos to get ideas. I'm not on about getting an identical photo, but there's locations and angles you can pick up from a start. They say there's a lot to be learned from others.

(14 Jan 2015, 11:02 pm)leestransportphotos wrote Hi,

Personally I don't think my photos are great. So if anyone could give me any tips that would be great, so please feel free to look through my Flickr Photostream and tell me what you think

Within the next month or two, I'm planning on buying a camera and taking up photography as a hobby. Now, any fool can stand there and take a photo, but I want to progress beyond that and take quality shots. As I'm a complete novice, I'm looking at a short course of photography lessons which will, hopefully, allow me to take the kind of shots I want. If you're unhappy with the shots you're currently taking, then perhaps you should consider this approach. I have no doubt that many people on here are capable of offering sound advice when it comes taking photos. However, if your fundamental understanding of a camera and its functions are technically unsound, a lot of the advice offered will be wasted. That's why I'm personally opting for practical tuition.

Gateshead Council advertise courses in it's 'Council News' magazine. The courses tend to be over 10 weeks and cost between £51 and £63-odd. The may even be some reduction on the cost based upon your age. Have a look.

To be honest, I don't think my photos are that good either, the zoom function on my camera didn't work for a while and that resulted in poor photos which would have had to be cropped.

At the moment, there's a couple of places in Ashington where I can take some 'good' shots. Both of which are in places which are being redeveloped, so the old Northumbria bus station will be a thing of the past within a year and that'll leave a building site in my photos.

Aureolin and MurdnunoC have posted some great suggestions on here, and I may go on a course (money-wise, it's a bit expensive). But my photography is unique to me and it will always be.

Aureolin suggested to me that I used Google Maps/StreetView to find some decent places to take pictures.

Tommy.

Just to add a little more information on the courses.

It appears they are free-of-charge 'for some people who are on benefits (see ‘Getting a Concession’), aged 16-18 or those on Family Learning, Skills for Life and some ESOL and IT courses'. (p.18)

http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/DocumentLibr...ectory.pdf

Obviously, this applies to Gateshead only. But I imagine there'll be similar provisions in place if courses are offered by other councils in the region.

Thank you all.