📸 You’ve got the camera. You’ve found something worth photographing. Now what? In this episode, Rick walks through the seven steps that happen between picking up your camera and pressing the shutter — the process that determines whether your photo is sharp, well composed, and actually what you intended. Practical, in order, and immediately usable.

🎟️ In this episode:

1. Hold the camera with both hands — every single time — Right hand on the grip, left hand under the lens. Both hands reduce camera movement and reduce blur.

2. Look through the viewfinder — When you look through the viewfinder you have three points of contact with the camera. Far more stable than holding it out to look at the screen. Use the viewfinder.

3. Compose the frame before you focus on anything — Composition is a creative decision. Make it first. Focus is a technical one — make it second.

4. Half-press the shutter button to focus — never stab it — Two stages: half-press to focus, check it’s on the right thing, then gently press fully.

5. Stand still. Breathe out slowly and shoot — Breathing is movement. Movement is blur. Stand still, breathe out slowly, and shoot.

6. Check the shot you just took — every single time — Playback immediately. See what you got. Adjust if needed. Delete rejects at your computer, not in camera.

7. Take one great photo and move on — Usually the first photo is the best one. Take your time, get it right, and move on. This is the one photo rule.

📝 Full show notes: rickmcevoyphotography.com/blog/how-to-actually-take-a-photo

🎙️ Related episodes:

Episode 93 — How Do You Hold a Camera Properly? This Is Very Important!

Episode 152 — How My One Photo Rule Will Help You Take Better Photos

⏭️ Next episode: Episode 232 — I’ve Got Hundreds of Photos on My Camera — Now What? — Friday 8 May 2026.

🌐 Website, courses and resources: rickmcevoyphotography.com

📺 YouTube: Rick McEvoy on YouTube

My brand new course Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico, will teach you exactly how to get out at sunrise and come back with photos you love all told in plain English. it includes real footage of me photographing an actual sunrise in Mexico with an entry level camera. Find out more at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

If you want to start taking stunning sunrise photos, and why wouldn't you, check out my Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico course at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick