Photography

Many people are under the impression that photography is not an art form. They couldn't be more wrong. Photography is the art that almost anyone can do. The type of camera and your skill and understanding are important - as they are with any art - but even with a point-and-shoot digital camera and a minimal knowledge of photography itself, your photos can turn out to be beautiful. There are a few basic things to remember:

• The rule of thirds - Divide your frame so that it looks like a tic-tac-toe box. Try to avoid positioning your subject in the center box.
• Composition - It doesn't matter what you take your picture of; just try to be creative and original. Shoot what you think is interesting.
• Lighting - Again, be creative. Cloudy days are best for portrait shots; however, the shadows and contrasts formed on a sunny day are also wonderful subject matter. It's completely up to you.
• Colors - Some things look better in black and white, others look best in color. Use your judgment and play around with it.
• Cropping - Editing is the second half of the photography process. Crop with interesting angles and have fun with it. There are plenty of websites out there just for editing photos, too.

Enjoy your art!