Sasha Huang
- Nov 26, 2022

Leica Akademie Instructor Ronghao Zhang Shares His Top 5 Tips For Photography Beginners

INTERVIEW

There is something about a photograph that can touch an intangible feeling or reach a hidden emotion within us. Whether it is a nostalgic memory, a representation of the past or a surreal moment in nature, photography can capture significant aspects of society and of ourselves. As one of the world's most premium and sought-after photography brands, Leica Camera continues to prevail in the industry with its heritage of high-quality cameras made with innovative technologies.

What's more, the company invests in academies and galleries around the world. The creative spaces are designed to gather the expressive minds of photography lovers, whether they are professionals or amateurs starting out.

We chat with Leica Akademie's Greater China, Shenzhen, Instructor, Ronghao Zhang. Zhang is a professional photographer with a passion for capturing social landscapes and historical contexts in his work. Embracing the style of documentary photography, his photographs show more than words can ever express. Here, he shares with us his top five beginner tips for a great photograph.

1) Try To Work With A Tripod

A lot of beginner photographers are too confident in their hand-holding steadiness. Sometimes, even a photograph looks good on the camera screen, it may not look good on a larger computer screen, or be good enough for printing. I always suggest for a photographer to use a tripod which can ensure the sharpness of an image no matter if you are shooting, whether it's landscape, portrait or architect etc. It allows you to perform tiny adjustments when you frame a photograph.

2) Deal With Motion Blur Or Misfocus

Contrary to the first tip, sometimes a street photo with motion blur or misfocus will give you some extra surprises. They can look like a spontaneous photo in which audiences can feel the tension of the scene, as well as the dynamic of the movement.

3) Slow Down When Taking Portraiture

Although we love to shoot tons of selfies and post right away on Instagram, if you slow down your rhythms and ask your subject to stare at the lens for a while, to let them calm down and really get into their own zone, snap the camera, then you will have a portraiture with soul.

4) Always Have Your Camera Ready For The Next Shot

No matter if you work with digital or analog camera, always prepare for the next shot. Pre-vision on the next photograph and make adjustments to the settings. In this photograph, I was walking with my friends while enjoying the sunset, I set the focus to infinity and snapped the camera before these two kids ran into the sea.

5) Shoot As Much As You Can, And Be Patient

It is impossible to make every shot count – a great photo could be selected from thousands.

All imagery is provided by Leica HK.

Follow photographer Ronghao Zhang and see his beautiful photographs HERE.

Purchase your own Leica Camera to capture special moments HERE.