This is the first port of call when you are getting started in the art of photography you need to learn them, understand them and implement them. Once you have mastered the basics you are able to move on to more advanced techniques.

Remember this, anyone can take a photo, I was recently at an engagement party where the happy couple left those disposable cameras on all of the tables for everyone to commit the event on film. But by the time the evening was nearly over it was the kids that were using the cameras to take pictures of the ground, each other's noses and other random shots. No doubt once developed these pictures will get a couple of chuckles but these are not the kind of professional photos anyone would like for their long-term memories.

Of course one definite basic you are going to require is a camera, when you are on holiday and see some camera geek with enough equipment round his neck to run a photography shop you get the idea that cameras are really complicated and there is too much about them for us mere mortals to come to terms with. However if you see a professional they work with relatively easy to operate, portable cameras. This is because the basics of operating a camera consist of shutter speed and aperture.

Don't be too concerned about technical terms. Aperture is a fancy term for how wide your lens is open so it can let in light. Your shutter speed is the amount of time your camera lets the light in for. For getting shots of a fast moving event, such as a running animal for example, you need a wide aperture with a short shutter speed so you can take the photo quickly and don't take too much light.

A lot of photography is about light. You will eventually learn about lenses and flash photography and other ways to control the lighting. One thing you should add to your arsenal of basics is never stop learning. The better you get at operating your equipment the more you will learn and in turn the more you will want to learn.

You can get more response from your camera by using the basic controls for the aperture and shutter speeds by switching to the manual settings as opposed to automatic settings. Only the general public who want a camera for holidays and family outings should use the automatic settings while the manual settings are for people like you who want a bit more out of their camera.

The most important thing to remember is to practice if you want to become a great photographer. Take time with your camera and other equipment to experiment, take photos with different aperture settings and shutter speeds to see what works and the effect these settings has on each photo. Don't worry if some of your shots come out badly; this is all part of the learning curve.

By learning and doing your confidence will grow and you will get to be a better photographer, but remember there is always more to learn new shots to try. But that's what keeps it interesting isn't it?