Lily Old is a local young photographer. We know what it’s like getting into a new hobby so we thought we’d ask Lily for some tips for photography, over to you Lily…

By doing photography for a couple of years I have managed to figure out a few tips and tricks that have allowed me to produce photos that I love! Therefore, I want to help others create photography work that they’re proud of, here are a few tips I've discovered along the way.

Firstly, debatably the most important, always remember to just take your time. When rushing to take a photo you miss out key components and have to look back at a blurry, fuzzy photo (which is not ideal) so just take a few minutes and adjust your camera to get that clear and crisp photo.

If you want that piercing image on your camera; always, always, always remember to check your shutter speed, the faster the seconds, the more of a quick and clear image you get, whereas the slower the seconds the more blurred the photo.

My next tip: always bring your camera with you! Everywhere you go you'll manage to find something of interest, could be the people or the environment, or even both.

My third tip: When I am taking photos of something I like to have two contrasting photos: one in monochrome and one in full colour. During the same shoot I will often switch between the two formats. I find that the same photo can then have completely different meanings. Monochrome is classy and elegant. Colour provides more realism. Each offer a unique perspective and can communicate a different message.

Finally, although many shoot with flash when the light dies, I find shooting with flash even during the day when there’s a lot of light creates almost a more professional and sharper photo, a method which I now use all the time to get that better, glossy finish.     

I hope some of these tips and tricks help and inspire people to want to pick up a camera and just experiment and go wild with their photography!